Dirty Pretty Things @ Eden. Picture by Theo Moye/apexnewspics.com

At last, Eden gives us a guitar band. In what is perhaps the session’s least likely combination, London-urchins Dirty Pretty Things were pitched uncomfortably alongside electro Kings (or should that be Queens?) the Pet Shop Boys.

Rising from the ashes of The Libertines and The Cooper Temple Clause, DPT have been on the road for much of their two-year existence. And while their debut album, Waterloo To Anywhere, might have struggled to match the intensity of either of The Libertines efforts, it does show a consistency that Carl Barât’s ex-sparring partner Pete Doherty is seemingly incapable of achieving.

With a fair proportion of the Eden crowd unaware of the history of the four guys on stage, it took a couple of numbers before they began to sit up and take notice. Relying on speed rather than technicality, you can’t not think of English punk (circa 1977) when watching them fall about on stage. They could easily have opened for the likes of The Clash or Stiff Little Fingers without fear of being bottled.

The twin guitar-riffs Barât and Anthony Rossomando were hard and tight throughout, and drummer Gary Powell gave an energetic performance that held the rest of the band together. Halfway through the set the boys had the crowd exactly where they wanted them, with people drawn from the bars and packing out the front of the stage. Personal highlights were ‘Deadwood’, ohhhhhh-so-sexy newie ‘Come Closer’ and the inevitable final song ‘Bang Bang You’re Dead’. With any luck, this time next year the band will be back headlining in their own right.

Pet Shop Boys @ Eden. Picture by Theo Moye/apexnewspics.com

The grand finale to this year’s Sessions was exactly that – grand. Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe not only gave fans a truly spectacular trawl through two decade’s worth of Pet Shop Boys hits, but their performance was a visual feast of neon trickery and hi-energy dance choreography. Lowe, enigmatic and low key as ever, appeared in day-glo whilst Tennant commandeered the stage resplendent in ringmaster’s outfit, reminiscent of Mick Jagger’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus attire. Combine this with superb backing singers, a couple of muscle-ripping, testosterone-fuelled dancers, masses of colour and a crowd who are ready to rock and you have all the ingredients for the best Eden Session this year.

With such a vast back catalogue to draw from, the boys could be forgiven for leaving some favourites out of the set. After all, how do you pick songs to fill a 90-minute show when you have such an extensive history? Happily, this reviewer can report that all her faves were there – ‘Suburbia’, ‘Heart’, ‘Always On My Mind’ and a sublime ‘Domino Dancing’.

Mixed in with these old classics were several tracks from PSB’s last album, Fundamental – a brilliant piece of work that saw the duo return to their early cynicism and kitchen sink style of writing. So good are the tracks from Fundamental that they completely stand their ground when played live, proving that the boys really have returned to form after 2002’s disappointing Release. Performances of ‘Minimal’ and ‘Numb’ were just fabulous, but nothing could prepare us for the sheer delight of witnessing the theatrical rendering of ‘ Sodom and Gomorrah’.

Another top moment was ‘Streets Have No Name (Eyes Off You)’, which saw all except Lowe sporting glitzy cowboy hats à la Bono.

Tennant and Lowe have never been praised for their rapport with fans, but they really seemed to love playing to the Cornish crowd, and all on stage showed great appreciation for the generous welcome they received. Amazingly, Eden was the band’s first gig in Cornwall. It was no surprise that fans duly went wild when Tennant proclaimed “…and it definitely won’t be the last!” Let’s hope so. (Sheila Vanloo)

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