Sparkassenpark, Mönchengladbach, Germany10th Juli 2026
Pet Shop Boys - “Dreamworld - The Greatest Hits Live” Tour
As darkness fell, the Sparkassenpark in Mönchengladbach was transformed into a huge open-air disco. Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe proved once again why the PET SHOP BOYS have been among the most innovative live acts in Pop music for over four decades and also very committed to defending the rights of homosexuals.
Over more than 40 years, the PET SHOP BOYS have performed in 63 countries to millions of people, headlining iconic festivals and appearing on some of the world’s most important stages, including Roskilde, Glastonbury, multiple editions of Primavera Sound, New York’s Madison Square Garden, the Hollywood Bowl and London’s Hyde Park, to name just a few.
Alongside their own music, Tennant and Lowe have collaborated with a wide range of artists and major names such as LADY GAGA, MADONNA, BLUR, DAVID BOWIE, YOKO ONO, THE KILLERS and NOEL GALLAGHER. They have also written the West End musical ‘Closer to Heaven’, a ballet and several film scores. In addition, they performed at the London Olympic Games in 2012 and were honoured in the 2000s for their outstanding contribution to the British music scene with the Ivor Novello Award and a BRIT Award. https://www.petshopboys.co.uk / https://www.facebook.com/petshopboys / https://www.instagram.com/petshopboys
Music & Performance
Their “Dreamworld” show combined major hits with flawless lighting design, massive LED projections and a stylised, almost futuristic stage aesthetic. The concert evening began with ‘Suburbia’, accompanied by urban black-and-white graphics and animated city skylines. It was already clear at this stage that the show relied less on classic Rock elements than on a perfectly staged audiovisual production as a whole.
‘Can You Forgive Her?’ was dominated by geometric shapes and bold colour changes, whilst ‘Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots of Money)’ was accompanied by satirical money and economic motifs as well as rapid image montages. ‘Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can’t Take My Eyes Off You)’ created an almost hymnal atmosphere with sweeping landscape and light projections. The quieter moments, such as ‘Rent’ and ‘Jealousy’, were deliberately staged in a minimalist style. Subtle lighting and elegant projections focused attention entirely on Neil Tennant’s distinctive vocals.
In the middle section, the show gained increasing energy. ‘Left to My Own Devices’, ‘Single-Bilingual’, ‘Se a vida é’ and ‘Domino Dancing’ were underlined by colourful animations, pulsating light sequences and Latin American-inspired. With ‘New York City Boy’, the Sparkassenpark was finally transformed into a dance floor. Neon colours, cityscapes and dynamic lighting effects created a lively atmosphere. ‘Paninaro’ and ‘Dreamland’ carried this high-energy phase through to the end.
The emotional highlight followed with ‘Heart’, ‘What Have I Done to Deserve This?’ and ‘It’s Alright’, before ‘Vocal’ transformed the entire park into an open-air club. Synchronised flashes of light, LED walls and the powerful beat made this section one of the most spectacular of the evening. With ‘Go West’, the atmosphere reached its first peak: the audience sang along at the top of their voices, whilst the stage glowed in bright white and bold colours. Things became even more intense with ‘It’s a Sin’, whose dramatic lighting and monumental projections set the song to impressive effect.
For the encore, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe returned with ‘West End Girls’ - accompanied by the iconic cityscapes that have defined the song for decades. The concert drew to a close with the moving ‘Being Boring’, which, with its tranquil imagery and warm lighting, provided a fitting finale to an extraordinary evening of music. The show, which lasted just under two hours, impressively demonstrated that the PET SHOP BOYS will still be among the best live acts in synth-pop in 2026.
Without grandiose stage effects for their own sake, but with perfect staging, exceptional visual design and one hit after another, they delivered a concert that thrilled audiences both musically and visually.
Setlist
01. Suburbia
02. Can You Forgive Her?
03. Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots of Money)
04. Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can’t Take My Eyes Off You)
05. Rent
06. I Don’t Know What You Want but I Can’t Give It Any More / So Hard
07. Left to My Own Devices
08. Single-Bilingual / Se a vida é (That’s the Way Life Is)
09. Domino Dancing / Dancing Star
10. New York City Boy
11. The Pop Kids
12. A New Bohemia
13. Jealousy
14. Love Comes Quickly
15. Paninaro
16. You Were Always on My Mind (Gwen McCrae cover)
17. Dreamland
18. Heart
19. What Have I Done to Deserve This?
20. It’s Alright (Sterling Void cover) / Vocal
21. Go West (Village People cover)
22. It’s a Sin
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23. West End Girls
24. Being Boring
All pictures by Andreas Klüppelberg
