After the success of their previous Autumn/Winter 'Pandemonium' dates last year, the Pet Shop Boys have announced a further five dates around the country, this time avoiding London. The dates begin on July 13th at the Empress Ballroom in Blackpool, before continuing on through Brighton (19th), Bournemouth (20th), Cardiff (21st) and Newcastle (23rd). Tickets are priced around £30.

Last year's concerts were a huge success, not least for their extravagant back-drops, flamboyant costumes and, of course, natty pop-songs spanning their 25 years at the head of their game. Tennant and Lowe have maintained a dignity all too rare in chart music these days, even their BRITs performance this year was limited to a special one-off gig in some woman's front-room during the commercials, if you please - 'Did You See Me Coming' and 'Suburbia' surely should have been on the set-list (if they weren't already). You can watch the madness via the PSB website). Hope they cleared up afterwards, you know what impromptu house parties are like, raucous behaviour and all that and I am sure it made the local area's nightlife a little more lively.

In addition to the announced gigs, 'Pandemonium' has also been awarded a DVD and CD release all in one handy-sized double-disc bargain-priced jewel-case. There is the entire O2 concert on DVD plus some promo extras as well as a reduced set presented on CD (minus a lot of the 'Yes' titles, actually). A review for the album follows shortly on this very site. And for the more observant of you reading this, you may well spot more Pet Shop Boys albums in this article than you bargained for!