Johnny Marr made a surprise appearance with Pet Shop Boys at London's Electric Ballroom on Wednesday during their 'Obscure' residency. The former Smiths guitarist joined Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe for live debuts of 'Up Against It' and 'I Didn’t Get Where I Am Today', plus a rare performance of 'The Truck Driver and His Mate'. Marr expressed his gratitude on Instagram afterward.
Pet Shop Boys kicked off their set at the Camden venue with 'Through You', 'Will-o-the-wisp' and 'Two Divided by Zero' before introducing Marr. He contributed guitar to tracks from their 1996 album 'Bilingual', including 'The Truck Driver and His Mate'—its first play since 2002—and 'Up Against It', which received its live debut. The collaboration extended to 'I Didn’t Get Where I Am Today' from the 2012 album 'Format', also a live premiere for the duo's rarities-focused shows announced last year. The full setlist featured other deep cuts like 'Jack the Lad', 'Hit and Miss', 'King of Rome' and 'King’s Cross', with encores including 'Your Funny Uncle' and 'Later Tonight'. These intimate five-night performances highlight seldom-played songs spanning the band's career, from 1986's 'Jack The Lad' to 2024's 'Love Is the Law'. Marr wrote on Instagram, “Love and thanks to Pet Shop Boys for inviting me to play last night,” alongside onstage photos with Tennant and Lowe. This marks another chapter in their long collaboration; the pair formed the supergroup Electronic in the late 1980s, releasing 'Getting Away With It' in 1989. Marr has guested on multiple Pet Shop Boys tracks and shared stages with them, including at the Royal Albert Hall in 2017.
