Despite having been regular stoic visitors in their early years Neil and Chris, supposedly in a dispute over performing live, didn't appear in the studio for any of their four singles in 1991. Upon returning in June 1993, ironically in the midst of the live-performance-first era, the occasion demanded something that Charlestoned all over the boundary between ridiculous and sublime. Fair to say little was spared in the ideas department - 3D effects, the launch of the iconic big coned hats, Chris scavenging behind a pulsing orb. In that setting dancers painted silver in suit of armour bodices and diamond-styled Don King-esque wigs wielding silver cricket bats seems too obvious.
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This was also at the time when dizzying 3D effects requiring special tinted glasses (not the red/blue type) were used for that year's Children In Need evening, with a 'proper' 3D performance of Can You Forgive Her as well as a Doctor Who 'sketch' ("Dimensions In Time" I think it was called).
It was 'I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind Of Thing' that got the 3D treatment. It was basically the normal video with a few extra bits though!
Ah, the legendary 'Dimensions in Time' - as a big Doctor Who fan I'm quite proud that I didn't see it live. I was at Stoke Mandeville Hospital Radio doing my show at the time (no Jimmy Savile jokes please...)
Then that performance would have been around the same time as this TOTP 3D TT.
My favourite Pet Shop Boys TOTP performances are the more restrained Being Boring from 1990 with Neil dressed like Albert Campion in a flasher's mac and Liberation from 1994 featuring Neil and Chris dressed in flowing white smocks and giant fezes - and an including an early appearance of Matt Lucas and David Walliams in the audience.
In fact that leads me to a suggestion Simon, how about a Top Ten of appearances by future stars in the audience (I can think of at least four).
Hang on... Lucas and Walliams, the bloke from the Bill, Gaz Top, Danny Baker, Zoe Ball, the internet says Anthea Turner and Toby Anstis
Very famously George Best c1965.
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