Incredibly, The Pet Shop Boys actually sound better now than they did during their 80's glory days. Their minimalist electronic music and wry sense of humor, all delivered with near-Devo lack of bounce, somehow haven't aged as badly as many of their more sincere contemporaries. Montage consists primarily of footage from their 1999-2000 "Nightlife" tour (specifically two shows in Germany), which featured some of the starkest stage work imaginable.

The Pet Shop Boys (Neil Tennant on vocals and weird wigs and Chris Lowe on keyboards) begin the show alone on stage. Any additional instrumentation comes either from offstage or from a recording. The stage itself is decorated just with two monoliths - one horizontal and one vertical - that would make Kubrick proud. This simple staging offers the fellas a blank canvas on which they can project their musical imagery.

The only other visual elements of the show are a gaggle of backup singers who appear a little later and who add as much jiggy pizzazz as they do vocal accompaniment, and Tennant's ever changing wardrobe. (The title Montage comes from the nearly constant superimposition of related footage over the show on the video. Sometimes it causes the overall presentation to become too chaotic and garbled, but it makes sense with the themes of the music)

The funny thing about Tennant's performance is how slightly it changes over time. During the opening track (their biggest hit, 1986's "West End Girls") he barely moves. By "It's a Sin" he's wiggling his hips and by the set closer, their affecting cover of the Village People's "Go West", he's practically dancing. It's fun to watch such a strange guy getting down.

Songs:
West End Girls
Discoteca
Being Boring
Closer to Heaven
Can You Forgive Her?
Only the Wind
What Have I Done To Deserve This?
New York City Boy
Left to My Own Devices
Young Offender
Vampires
You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You're Drunk
Was it Worth It?
Se a Vida E (That's The Way Life Is)
I Don't Know What You Want But I Can't Give It Any More
Always On My Mind
Shameless
Opportunities (Lets Make Lots of Money)
It's a Sin
It's Alright
Footsteps
Go West

VIDEO:
The full-frame video looks fine, if a little soft, although this softness is characteristic of British video productions (Britcom fans know what I'm talking about)

AUDIO:
The soundtrack is available in stereo and 5.1. Both sound fine, with the 5.1 track really bringing out the dynamic nature of the music. While not as "live" as other touring acts, this is music with a pulse and this recording shows it off to full advantage.

EXTRAS:
A trio of recent Pet Shop Boys videos is included ("New York City Boy", "I Don't Know What You Want But I Can't Give It Any More", and the excellently titled "You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You're Drunk") as well as a "secret" bonus video.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
While the Pet Shop Boys may at first glance seem to be preening, posturing synth stars, a good listen to the performance on Montage reveals that in fact they are expert craftsmen in creating dynamic, moving pop, whether it's from original material or wildly reconfigured covers. PSB fans already know they're getting this but I would urge anyone who ever thought of them as one hit wonders to take a second look.