Chris Lowe Back in Blackpool

Chris Lowe, along with Neil Tennant, his partner in the iconic synth-pop duo The Pet Shop Boys, gave a one-night performance at Funny Girls in Blackpool on 6 September 2024. The pair, who formed their groundbreaking musical act in 1981, continue to captivate audiences worldwide. Lowe was born in Blackpool in 1959 and continues to show his affection for his hometown, as highlighted in a video of him playing It’s a Sin on the Wurlitzer organ at the Tower Ballroom. He has also supported local music initiatives, notably donating a state-of-the-art keyboard to Blackpool Music School.

Lowe’s connection to Blackpool stretches back to his school days at Arnold School, an independent institution in the town. While there, he showcased his musical talents as a trombonist in a seven-piece dance band called One Under the Eight, performing classics like Hello Dolly, La Bamba, and Moon River. His musical roots run deep—his grandfather, also a trombonist, was part of the comedic jazz group The Nitwits. Besides the trombone, Lowe learned to play the piano before pursuing architecture at the University of Liverpool in 1978. However, as he later revealed in interviews and the Life in Pop documentary, he left university before completing his degree after the Pet Shop Boys were formed.

While working at a London architectural practice during a placement in 1981, Lowe designed a staircase for an industrial estate in Milton Keynes. Around this time, fate intervened when he met Tennant at Chelsea Record Centre, a hi-fi shop on King’s Road in London, setting the stage for their musical journey together.

The background image shows Chris Lowe performing in Hyde Park in 2019. The featured image shows Neil Tennant (left) and Chris Lowe (right) during an interview in 2013.