There was never any doubt The Pet Shop Boys, known as the electro pop pioneers, have still got what it takes to enthral and entertain, and last night’s show was certainly out of this world.

The duo are renowned for their flamboyant stage sets and they materialised on stage like aliens from out of space sporting huge, spherical, silver helmets that encased their entire heads!

Kicking off with Inner sanctum followed by Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots of Money) Pop Kids and Burn, the helmets are finally removed and we get our first glimpse of smiling frontman Neil Tennant.

Tennant declares that Bournemouth is “a very frisky audience for a Sunday night” which brought wolf whistles of approval.

Meanwhile Chris Lowe on keyboards remained as resolutely impassive as ever.

New songs from the band’s most recent album were a key feature of the night with throbbing techno beats, but there were enough of the old favourites to keep the audience happy.

The lasers and special effects were simply stunning.

I particularly loved the special effects to Home & Dry when the lights seemed to reach out like colourful tentacles and hover around your head Other highlights included a poignant rendition of Love Comes Quickly before Tennant returned to the stage dressed as a Russian soldier to sing The Dictator Decides with some rather chilling imagery followed by Into the Dream with Tennant’s head on the screen with a wriggling crown of worms.

But soon we were back on familiar ground with West End girls which brought everyone back on their feet and a bit later, It’s A Sin.

Tennant then tells the crowd they will be doing “a new version of an old song” the result is an upbeat techno charged version of Left to My Own Devices.

We were then teased with a few beats of Heart, before the spine-tingling climax Go West complete with giant multi coloured balloons.

For the encore, the duo finished with Always on My Mind which had everyone dancing and singing their hearts out.

This show was exhilarating, and the special effects were among the best I’ve seen. We left feeling on cloud nine.