Waldbühne, Berlin, Germany11th July 2026
Pet Shop Boys - “Dreamworld - The Greatest Hits Live” - DJ Support: Michael Mayer
Berlin offered an almost overwhelming choice of concerts this weekend: DIE TOTEN HOSEN, THE CURE, SYSTEM OF A DOWN and DAVID GARRETT were all performing in the city. Remaining faithful to my electronic ideals, however, there was never much doubt about my destination. I took my new camera to its concert debut at the Waldbühne, where PET SHOP BOYS brought their long-running “Dreamworld - The Greatest Hits Live” tour back to Berlin.
Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe have shaped British Electronic Pop for more than four decades, combining intelligent, often melancholic lyrics with irresistible Dance music, theatrical staging and an unmistakably elegant visual language. Their Berlin show on 11 July was part of the 2026 European continuation of ‘Dreamworld’, with MICHAEL MAYER opening the evening as DJ support.
PET SHOP BOYS are one of the most successful and influential British Electronic Pop duos, known for combining intelligent, often ironic or melancholic lyrics with elegant Synth-Pop, Disco and club-oriented production. Since the mid-1980s, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe have created a remarkable catalogue of hits, including ‘West End Girls’, ‘It’s a Sin’, ‘Always on My Mind’ and ‘Go West’, while also becoming famous for their distinctive visual style and theatrical live productions. The duo remains highly active: in 2026 they are continuing their “Dreamworld - The Greatest Hits Live” tour across Europe and have also released the concert film ‘Dreamworld: The Greatest Hits Live at the Royal Arena Copenhagen’.
Their most recent studio album, ‘Nonetheless’, was released in 2024 and is the fifteenth album of their career. Produced by James Ford, it combines polished orchestral arrangements with the duo’s characteristic Electronic Pop sound, balancing reflective songs such as ‘A New Bohemia’ with more rhythm-driven tracks including ‘Dancing Star’. An expanded edition later added four bonus songs and demo versions of the complete album. In 2025, PET SHOP BOYS also released ‘Disco 5’, the latest instalment in their long-running series of Dance tracks and remixes. https://www.petshopboys.co.uk / https://www.facebook.com/petshopboys / https://www.instagram.com/petshopboys
Music & Performance
PET SHOP BOYS opened the show with ‘Suburbia’, immediately setting the tone with sharp Electronic rhythms, cinematic visuals and the familiar contrast between bright melodies and darker lyrics. ‘Can You Forgive Her?’, ‘Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots of Money)’ and ‘Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can’t Take My Eyes Off You)’ followed, taking the audience through different periods of the duo’s career.
The first emotional highlight came with ‘Rent’, while ‘So Hard’ and ‘Left to My Own Devices’ brought a colder and more dramatic atmosphere. The latter sounded particularly impressive in the open-air setting, with its orchestral elements filling the Waldbühne. Our photography slot began with ‘Single-Bilingual’. We had been told that we could photograph three songs, but after only two we were already sent back. I still do not understand how that happened, but being able to photograph one of my favourite bands at all was a wonderful experience.
We photographed during ‘Single-Bilingual’ and ‘Se a vida é (That’s the Way Life Is)’. By the time my personal favourite, ‘Domino Dancing’, began, we were already climbing the steep steps of the Waldbühne back towards our seats. That was frustrating, especially because the song’s Latin rhythm and melancholic melody make it perfect for a summer concert. Fortunately, I was among those allowed to return and experience the rest of the show in full. ‘Dancing Star’ and ‘A New Bohemia’ represented the newer album ‘Nonetheless’, while ‘New York City Boy’ and ‘The Pop Kids’ brought back a more direct club atmosphere.
The audience naturally reacted most strongly to the classics. ‘Always on My Mind’, ‘Heart’, ‘Go West’ and ‘It’s a Sin’ turned the Waldbühne into one huge singalong. ‘Go West’ felt especially powerful in such a large venue, while ‘It’s a Sin’ received one of the loudest reactions of the evening. Neil Tennant remained calm and precise throughout the performance, while Chris Lowe maintained his characteristic understated presence behind the electronics. The production combined music, visual art and theatrical staging without overwhelming the songs themselves.
For the encore, PET SHOP BOYS returned with ‘West End Girls’ and ‘Being Boring’. The first brought back the unmistakable atmosphere of their early career, while the final song ended the concert on a more reflective and emotional note. Overall, the show balanced nostalgia, strong visuals and four decades of Electronic Pop with remarkable confidence. The audience danced, sang and celebrated every major hit, making the evening feel both spectacular and surprisingly personal.
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
07. So Hard
08. Left to My Own Devices
09. Single-Bilingual
10. Se a vida é (That’s the Way Life Is)
11. Domino Dancing
12. Dancing Star
13. New York City Boy
14. The Pop Kids
15. A New Bohemia
16. Jealousy
17. Love Comes Quickly
18. Paninaro
19. Always on My Mind
20. Dreamland
21. Heart
22. What Have I Done to Deserve This?
23. It’s Alright
24. Vocal
25. Go West
26. It’s a Sin
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27. West End Girls
28. Being Boring
All Pictures by Iryna Kalenska
