Pet Shop Boys, Camped Out in the Confines of Constitution Hall

"Lovely to be here at this rather posh venue," said Neil Tennant, the singing half of Pet Shop Boys, which also features keyboardist Chris Lowe. Joined by three backup singers and two dancers (who were usually dressed like the Boys themselves), the iconic British duo performed nearly two hours of self-described "electronic entertainment" on Sunday at the classy if somewhat stuffy DAR Constitution Hall. The stage design, based on a giant cube, was wonderfully theatrical, but the "posh venue," with its fixed seating, waylaid an outright dance party.

The other thing that momentarily held back the celebration was the Pet Shop Boys' decision to play so many tunes from their latest CD, "Fundamental." Not that the new record is poor; in fact, it's one of the duo's best. But far too few in the crowd seemed to know the songs from "Fundamental," and the tracks "Psychological" and "Minimal" kept the audience sitting on their hands.

Whenever the classics came out, however, the crowd found its dancing shoes. Originals such as "Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)," "West End Girls" and "It's a Sin," as well as hit covers of "Always on My Mind," "Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes Off You)" and "Go West," provided plenty of incentive to break a sweat.

But one "Fundamental" song did make a huge impact: "The Sodom and Gomorrah Show," a grandiose dance-pop number that was augmented by a bass player and a drummer. The dancers and backup singers were decked out in gold lamé military outfits, and the whole thing had a Mel Brooks-gone-disco-game-show feel. The song's performance encapsulated the smart, satirical camp that Pet Shop Boys have long mastered.

-- Christopher Porter