When might this Pet Shop Boys show end?
October 20, 2016 8:31 AM   Subscribe

Friends have invited me to go see the Pet Shop Boys in Boston on November 9 at the Orpheum. I would love to go, but I am old and I have an early flight the next morning. The show begins at 7:30 and I can't find anything about an opening act. I haven't been to a show in maybe a decade - my memories are of everything starting late and ending later (enshrouded in cigarette smoke), but they're getting old, too, right? Has anyone seen them play lately? How likely am I to get home before midnight?
posted by chocotaco to Media & Arts (8 answers total)
 
Best answer: I caught them last time they were in Boston and based on what I can see from my Fitbit logs (really), I started moving a lot around 9 PM and was home in Worcester by 12:30. No opening act then, and I don't think there's one this tour either... although that will be clarified in short order when the tour starts tomorrow.

If the show actually starts at 7:30, I would think you'll be fine. Heck, if it's 7:30 doors and 8:30 show start, I think you'll be fine. (That's what I'm hoping for :-) Yes, they're getting old too.
posted by neilbert at 9:38 AM on October 20, 2016


Big touring acts are done by 10.30-11pm. There are heaps of regulations, union crew, etc and often they have to get the stuff packed up that night before the next act moves in the next day. You'll be fine - enjoy it!
posted by Coda Tronca at 12:14 PM on October 20, 2016 [1 favorite]


Yes - times on the bill are typically for the doors. Likely scenario: one hour passes til showtime, with one opener (even if one is not mentioned right now) beginning at 8:30, with Pet Shop Boys going on at 9:30. Probably all-finished by 11 at the very latest.
posted by a good beginning at 12:48 PM on October 20, 2016


Smoking isn't allowed in theaters (though some might try to sneak pot).
posted by brujita at 1:43 PM on October 20, 2016


Best answer: I went to a 7:30 rock show a few weeks back. The band would be about 10ish years younger than Pet Shop Boys, but not spring chickens. The schedule was doors at 7:30, opener at 8:30, main act at 9:45ish, and then those jerks played a solid 2:15, without a break before their encore. Out the doors just after midnight. So, call that the worse-case scenario.

But, you know, I'm not a spring-chicken either, and anyone who has actual 1980/early '90s PSB nostalgia isn't either. If you have to leave at 11:30, leave at 11:30. You have seen and enjoyed the Pet Shop Boys live show. If I bail on a show early, I just make an effort to avoid any forums that might discuss the show. That way I don't see posts about how I missed the bit in the encore where Paul McCartney showed up and the band did electronic covers of the entirety of the White Album, or the like.

(I did see an encore that was almost as great as that would be, so never ever leave a David Byrne concert early.)
posted by Sunburnt at 1:52 PM on October 20, 2016


Nthing everyone else about the likely schedule - shows in this size venue run on time, everything should be done by 11 if not earlier. Unless they're doing some kind of massive 4-hour "career-retrospective" show, but this weekend is the first of the US tour, so in a few days you should be able to find some reviews of the past weekend's shows that tell you whether there's an opener and how long they play.
posted by soundguy99 at 4:17 PM on October 20, 2016


Response by poster: These are really helpful answers - neilbert's answer brought data to the party! I still have to figure out if I'm up for doing this right before a business trip, but I'm leaning towards yes. Thank you, all!
posted by chocotaco at 5:32 PM on October 20, 2016 [1 favorite]


Call the theater. Every time I go to a show, I ask the ushers what time it will end. They are briefed before hand. They are usually right to within a few minutes. I am sure the hall is booked for specific times. Lots of overtime costs to playing all night.

As far as I am concerned, you can also leave anytime you want that will get you home by whatever bed time you determine is appropriate for yourself.
posted by AugustWest at 9:14 PM on October 20, 2016 [2 favorites]


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