Tonight’s gig is a bit special for a few reasons. Not least that it’s my first time with Pulp, but it’s also my birthday. I never had the money spare to see all the bands I wanted to in the 90s and sadly Pulp were one of the bands that missed out. Still the ticket price tonight isn’t on the cheap side, but that’s part of a bigger debate. One I won’t get into here. Let’s get to the music shall we. We start with the solumnly building ‘I Spy’ with Jarvis Cocker descending stairs from the back of a theatrically set up stage. Clean shaven in a sharp black suit, has he grown since his last solo outing? He looks taller whipping up the floor space instantly as the cinematic bombast explodes around him. They’ve rehearsed for ages says Jarvis and it shows. They’re tight and he’s his usual brand of unassuming confidence. Getting us all to clap in time for ‘Disco 2000’ as streamer cannons explode. It’s like being back in a club twenty plus years ago. Jarvis gets distracted by a passing train for a minute after the wonderful ‘Mis-Shapes’, before enthusing about the Yayoi Kusuma exhibition which I must admit I’m looking forward to visiting myself. He’s on chatty form as perhaps you’d expect. Dedicating ‘Somethings Changed’ to the recently passed Steve Mackey, with a violin section backing up it sounds rather lovely. The American twang of ‘Weeds’ seems fitting after Jarvis notes the date… some country’s birthday apparently, not mine. It’s a deeper cut from We Love Life and some of the more sedate punters on the hill that overlooks this amphitheatre look none plused but it’s absolute brilliant. It rolls right into ‘Weeds II’ as the sun drops and the smoke rolls off the stage into the crowd. I’ve got to say it feels pretty special. A reminder that Pulp were never just about the big chart topping singles, they were more than capable of challenging the listener and rewarding those willing to engage. It’s followed by ‘F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E.’ (that’s a pain to type) and feels like the mid-set ‘let’s give the diehards something to go for’, before going balls out with ‘Sorted for E’s & Wizz’. Jarvis thinks it fits with Manchester’s rave heritage, the title coming from a conversation from one of our own and it’s a fair point as the baggy dancing kicks off around us, but I’ll confess despite the trademark wit and story arc of the lyrics, I’ve never really liked this song. What I do love though is ‘This is Hardcore’. It’s those monotheistic slabs that punch your soul. It sounds massive even outdoors and I’m already excited to catch this again in Sheffield. We get some reminiscing about playing the Boardwalk in the early 90s, before they play ‘Do You Remember the First Time’. Jarvis seems reinvigorated, jumping and high kicking his way around the stage like no time has passed and a couple near us start arguing about standing too close to a bin. You’ve got to love the contrast on offer at big open air gigs. ‘Babies’ sounds bloody fantastic, with an impressive confetti canon that goes off and covers the entire venue. Even the security are into it, dancing around with some pleasantly pissed up patrons. ‘Sunrise’ totally takes me by surprise. I’d either forgotten how great it is or it’s just mega live. Either way it feels like a real moment. As the encore begins, Jarvis treats us to some history facts, reading a bit of Lewis Carroll and Walt Whitman like it’s an episode of Wireless Nights and ‘Like A Friend’ eases us in, before the titular ‘Underwear’ brings an on a mass sing along about standing in your pants. Brilliant. ‘Common People’ predictably goes off as they close. Thousands of people collectively losing the plot, with fireworks and delirious smiles wherever you look. Castlefield Bowl can be a nightmare at times, but tonight it’s filled with pure joy. What a fantastic gig and a wonderful way to wrap up the birthday celebrations.
