The Pet Shop Boys - Leeds Arena

Surprisingly the gig was the first time that the Pet Shop Boys have played a show in Leeds in their 32 year career; of course the Yorkshire city was a great place too to start their UK tour.

A pumping house beat meets their arrival on stage as the duo appear on 2 huge circles that turn around to reveal the act who have just been awarded the NME Godlike Genius Award.

Neil Tennant is wearing a metallic hat that looks like one of Jamiroquai's cast offs, whilst Chris Lowe wears what looks like a metal globe over his head. It could only be the start of a Pet Shop Boys gig.

It was a subdued start with Inner Sanctum opening up the gig, but they soon found their stride with Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money). Their single from last year. The Pop Kids is one of their best tracks of recent years and it's pop sensibilities came to the fore in the live version of the track.

The curtain behind them drops to reveal a three piece band. It is a trick that the Human League used on their tour last December, another act from the 80's who are still going strong.

A Pet Shop Boys gig is always a visual treat as well as an audio one and the Leeds gig had a brilliant laser show, huge colourful globes and excellent lighting.

On Home and Dry the other 3 musicians on stage join Tennant centre stage to share vocals. He looks like he could be the Headmaster of your local school rather than part of one of the most influential electronic acts to come out of the UK, who have influenced everyone from house music acts to Lady GaGa.

A thumping disco beat accompanies It's A Sin, which leads into Left To My Own Devices and Go West, the latter two reworked for the tour. You half expect the Village People to arrive on stage as Go West concludes a mixed set.

Domino Dancing is a good choice for the encore, it shows the duo have an act of writing classic pop tracks that stand the test of time. Always on my Mind is another cover that they made all their own. A reprise of The Pop Kids rounds off the show

They might have been the Pop Kids in the mid 80's but tonight's gig showed they are the elder statesmen of pop.