Pet Shop Boys Cover Coldplay at Toronto's Virgin Festival

Posted on Aug 31st 2009 1:30PM by Drew Berner
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For those at Toronto's Virgin Festival waiting for a full-on, festival-size performance, UK dance legends Pet Shop Boys delivered in spades.

On a day when the crowd made it clear most of the acts on the bill were time-fillers before headliners Nine Inch Nails -- the wave of ticket holders pushing through the gate at dusk was the biggest tip-off -- Pet Shop Boys were the only band to earn an encore.

Their stage setup seemed simple at first glance -- it was comprised of blocks like an homage to Tetris -- but as they worked through their set, their backup dancers realigned the stacks to create new patterns while a massive LED screen blinked out accompanying images. Though they arrived on stage with similarly colourful blocks obscuring their heads, singer Neil Tennant's unmistakable nasal voice reassured any doubters that they were the real deal.

With the Pixies having set a blistering pace in the same time slot the night before, Pet Shop Boys weren't concerned with playing every one of their hits. They touched on necessary points like 'Go West' and their iconic cover of 'Always on My Mind,' dropped in a couple of the singles from their newest album 'Yes,' and crowned their set with a glorious cover of Coldplay's 'Viva la Vida.'

Though there was little dancing in the stands, the crowd couldn't be blamed for wanting to take in every campy moment of the performance with its dancing skyscrapers, b-boy posing and flickering animations. The night wrapped with a full-power rendition of 'It's a Sin' and an encore of their first hit single, 'West End Girls,' which brought the house down. They may not have been the night's main draw, but they sure nailed their performance.

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Virgin Festival Ontario Day Two

Trent Reznor and his band play their (possibly) last large-scale concert ever on the second night of Virgin Festival Ontario at Toronto's Molson Amphitheatre. Aug 30, 2009.

Drew Berner for Spinner.com

V Fest In Photos

Trent Reznor and his band play their (possibly) last large-scale concert ever on the second night of Virgin Festival Ontario at Toronto's Molson Amphitheatre. Aug 30, 2009.

OLP's lead singer shouts it out at Virgin Festival Ontario in Toronto's Molson Amphitheatre. Aug 30, 2009.

Bandleader Pharell Williams hypes the crowd at Virgin Festival Ontario in Toronto's Molson Amphitheatre. Aug 30, 2009.