I've been browsing the forum and archives quite a bit recently, and since we have so many shows on audio and video at our fingertips these days, I'd like to know:
What's your favorite Pulp concert/set? Can be one you listened to or even been to, I'm just curious.
(as much as I love the Christmas/New Year's set in Sheffield 1991, mine is probably Nantes in January 1993.)
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Oh yeah, imagine it's a film and you're the star And pretty soon we're coming to the part Where you realise that you should give your heart Oh, give your heart to me
I went to the warm up in Toulouse in 2011. While technically it wasn't their best it was just so amazing being there. I'm lucky/old enough (or stalkerish enough) to have seen them ooh about 25 times so it's hard to pick out the BEST BEST. although the fan club gig at the garage was pretty special too
Oh, what fun... Lot's of shows from '91, you could feel it in the air, something was changing.. The Borderline in April was ace, the Leadmill in September, also ace but...the Subterrania in November remains a real favourite.. Jarvis in fine voice, the whole live sound was magic and Russell was in magic form, in tune and playing great, best version of Separations too..
P.s. i recorded the gig with my trusty Sony walkman, so if anyone cares to give it a listen, i believe it is included in the feeling called live archive maintained by Ian..
P.p.s... Crikey, forgot about the Hallamshire 2 shows - one night thing, pretty special
-- Edited by JASON on Monday 31st of August 2020 01:38:30 PM
It's got to be Sheffield Motorpoint 2012 for me. What a gig that was! Queuing up outside with some of you guys listening to the soundchecks trying to identify what songs they were playing, the selection of home movies they played at the start, and the setlist was amazing. My Lighthouse, Little Girl (With Blue Eyes) and Countdown were the highlights for me, with the band throwing toilet rolls into the audience.
Second has got to be the Teenage Cancer Trust gig at the Royal Albert Hall in 2012. My Lighthouse just came out of nowhere, and it was incredible! Cheered so loudly I lost my voice the next morning. Another highlight was a bunch of us having a drink in a pub nearby before the gig, when in walks Steve Mackey! As I recall, only one of us went up to him and spoke to him in the end.
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Hush, keep very still, for the strangest things are about to happen.
I attended Edinburgh Corn Exchange about 20 years ago to the day and there was just something about it... a mix of new songs ("Weeds", "Minnie", "I Love Life"...) and old favourites. "Common People" at the start of the set (reworked), "FEELINGCALLEDLOVE" reworked, "The Fear" speeded up. Really not what we were expecting but in a good way.
Then there's Auto, which I think has a certain historical significance. As far as we were all concerned, it was our last chance to see them. Concert aside, the highlight was meeting Candida and getting her autograph ("Taxi for Doyle").
I know it's not a concert but a special mention goes out to Sturdy's book launch party. It was a pleasure to meet all those Pulpy characters such as Nick Banks, Richard Hawley, Magnus Doyle, Tim Allcard, Steven Havenhand, David Hinker and John Nicholls. I remember Sturdy putting something on his website afterwards saying that there was just about the right mix of people there and I agree; members, ex-members, associates, fans - all there for one reason. It would have been nice to meet Russell, but then again you can't have everything...
I was a late starter with Pulp, I only managed to get to see the the first time at Manchester Apollo during the We Love Life tour. It was so exciting for me as it was the first time - child in a sweet shop scenario, didnt have a clue of where to look during the gig. I was dissapointed that Disco 2000 and Common People didnt get played however there were some amazing performances of Sunrise, Bad Cover Version, Laughing Boy (Funny thing was - when Nick started on the toms , I nearly wet myself thinking they were going to play Life Must Be So Wonderful!
Auto festival was attended by myself and Ian, and it was amazing - from strolling into the soundcheck for a few moments, the taxi moment with Candida, and Happy Endings live.... it was nearly perfect, and then the bombshell of the band not playing "who knows when".
Fast forward to the Wireless Festival, Brixton and Sheffield Arena - they all had a similar feeling after the gigs, with the Wireless being the weaker as it wasnt enclosed, and not as intimate. Im not a fan of festivals. Brixton Academy was an experience.... overnight accomidation inside a converted fedex depot warehouse in Finsbury Park, a varied setlist and a great meeting with a few people from here - id say that was my favourite Pulp experience. Sheffield Arena was possibly my most dissapointing gig. It wasnt nice being in the gods sat down watching a show. I wanted to be on the floor - in with the crowd bouncing along.
First gig was Newcastle Arena 26th February 1996. Nothing can beat the excitement as it was actually the first band I had ever seen live.
I loved the first outings of We Love Life songs at Leeds 2000
2nd night at Brixton was a great set & Glasto 2011 was pretty damn special.
One of my favourites was (gulp) 21 years ago yesterday. The Quiet Revolution gig at Edinburgh Queens Hall. It was a strange one at the time - sound not great, and 6 songs in a row that I'd never heard before was a bit much to take at first! But it was fantastic to see them at such close quarters, and playing in such an intimate, stripped-down format (just the 5 of them on a little stage, minimal gear etc). And hearing Blue Girls entirely unexpectedly was pretty great, as were the semi-acoustic rearrangements of the TiH songs. Those new songs, too, were something special - it's a shame they didn't run with that new direction a bit more at that point.
Conversely, Birmingham 1998 was another favourite - a really powerful, rocking show with some fantastic stage projections. And the Britpop Dream moment of Heineken 1995, and then Britpop Dream redux at Hyde Park in 2011. And that's probably enough from me...
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"Yes I saw her in the chip shop / so I said get yer top off"
Birmingham 1998 was my first. Interesting you say that about it Sturdy as I have very little memory other than it looking a bit empty in there.
Birmingham 2001 at the Academy was brilliant.
Also loved the Royal Albert Hall gig in the reunion. Though mainly as I feel like an old bugger now and the idea of sitting down and eating ice cream whilst watching Pulp live is pretty much living the dream.
Yes, it was a bit empty in 1998 - I remember my ticket initially had me sitting up in the balcony, but I went down into the throng and no one stopped me! It was weird, they seemed to have booked that tour in the same sort of venues they'd played on the 1996 arena tour, not taking into account the fact that their stock had fallen a bit since then.
I remember the two Jarvises for The Fear, the beautiful circle of legs for This Is Hardcore, and the failure of the balloon drop at the end (Jarvis even came back onstage with a couple of the roadies to lift him high so he could reach the string, but to no avail). And the extended power chord intro for Disco 2000.
I was at Birmingham '01 as well and really enjoyed it - less distinct memories of that one though, except Jarvis getting very very tangled up in his mic lead at one point. And they played Laughing Boy!
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"Yes I saw her in the chip shop / so I said get yer top off"
Royal Albert Hall - because it was the last one I went to and probably the most spectacular in terms of venue.
Other than that probably the first one at The Garage in 1993, but there is never a bad Pulp gig, so they are all favorites just a bit different from each other.
I remember the balloon incident now. He seemed really pissed off at the end that it hadn't come done if my memory serves me right.
"except Jarvis getting very very tangled up in his mic lead at one point."
Wasn't it some comment like getting tangled up...'like a cat's cradle'. I thought the on stage 'banter' in 2001 was great, nearly as good as the music. Helped it being on Halloween but the stories that were told had me laughing. 'Is there a river in Birmingham? The river Birm? The river Ingham?'. Roadkill and Weeds II also got a rare outing - I think it was only a week after WLL had been released so we got a few songs there that they didn't do elsewhere. That night went down in history with the people I went with - it may just be that we were just desperate for Pulp to come on but there was a support band called Appliance play who I think must go down as one of the worse sets I've seen a band play.
Got to agree with the Quiet Revolution- a really interesting one in a beautiful building. I swear someone shouted 'where's Simon Hinkler?' at some point! Finsbury Park in 98 was quite epic but I wish I'd seen them on the 94 tour- too young, unfortunately.
Ha! No way. It seems like a different world now- I've still not listened to the recording after all this time. I remember Jarvis and Steve DJing afterwards, playing Joy Division and Grand Master Flash...
Ahem, moving on... are we including Jarvis solo here as well? Because Glastonbury 09 and Peak Cavern a couple of years back were both pretty special.
That Glastonbury 09 show. God... he gave it so much energy. Shame there was no encore as it didn't feel like it had finished when it did.
The Cave... I'm still buzzing off the cave. I'm 6'2 and at concerts, always seem to get stuck behind one of the few people in the world who are taller than me... I didn't realise until afterwards, that on this occasion it was you!
In case anyone reading this is concerned, I'd just like to say that it's not completely inevitable that if you go to a Pulp or Jarvis gig, I'll be somewhere nearby, ruining it for you. I'm not sure I've even been to that many, compared to some of you.
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"Yes I saw her in the chip shop / so I said get yer top off"
I was once at a gig and someone behind me rested their hands on my back and then started to rhythmically tap. I didn't turn round and just ignored it 'til they stopped. I mean... what?
Those opening chords to I Spy sure went on a long time. Gives me shivers thinking about it. Was also a little worried that he'd be behind bars after the Brits. Kids, eh?
Was also a little worried that he'd be behind bars after the Brits. Kids, eh?
Oh gawd yeah! I remember my big brother telling me with glee what had happened & the concert would be cancelled.
He was just frustrated because our mother wouldn't let him go to gigs until he was 16 but because he returned from concerts alive and well, I could go to this one, my first and I was only 12!
I wish there was a recording of it. Jarvis' was on top comedic form & they played the perfect set for me at the time. Everything from DC bar Pencil Skirt & all the singles from HnH plus Acrylic Afternoons. I think it was the only time on this tour that they played 'Lipgloss'
I'd only just started to delve further into their back catalogue beyond DC & HnH. I remember starting with 'It' and taking the CD back to HMV because I honestly thought it was the wrong band. I swapped it for Intro, which was a much more to my liking.
I wasn't there, but I'm just listening to the Boston Paradise Club show from 1998. This was the first night of the "This is Hardcore" USA/Canada tour and the first time many of the songs from the album were played to a big audience. Jarvis' between-song banter is on fine form and it's quite a varied setlist ("I Want You", "We are the Boyz" etc). It's well worth a listen.
In case anyone reading this is concerned, I'd just like to say that it's not completely inevitable that if you go to a Pulp or Jarvis gig, I'll be somewhere nearby, ruining it for you. I'm not sure I've even been to that many, compared to some of you.
How many is many? Think I am at 16 (12 Pulp + 4 Jarvis). Only Pulp tour I missed was in 1998 due to getting married that year and being on honeymoon whilst Finsbury Park gig happened.
Glastonbury 99
Leeds Cockpit 99
Shepherds Bush Empire 99
So 13 Pulp, 3 Jarvis. Unless I've forgotten any.
Strikes me that I didn't get to all that many 'proper' Pulp gigs - lots of festivals. Guess I didn't really have the means to go following them round the country back when they were touring.
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"Yes I saw her in the chip shop / so I said get yer top off"
I've started to compile it, with a lot of help from the magic of Pulpwiki..
You're gonna think I'm a right bragging cunt and i suppose you'd be sort of right...
Dublin Ambassador 2001 (We Love Life tour)* Barcelona Primavera Festival 2011 (Reunion) London Brixton Academy (Night 1) 2011 (Reunion) Electric Picnic Festival (Ireland) 2011(Reunion) Azzano Decimo (Italy) 2012 (Reunion) Sheffield Arena 2012 (Reunion)
Jarvis:
Manchester Academy 2008 (Rough Trade at 30 tour) Ejekt Festival (Greece) 2009
In-Store at Rough Trade East with Chilly Gonzalez 2017
Room 29 Live at London Barbican 2017
Jarv Is... Patterns Club Brighton 2018
Jarv Is... EarTh Hackney/Dalston (whatevs) 2018
Jarv Is... Chat's Palace London 2019
Jarv Is... All Points East Festival Hackney 2019
* My first ever gig, I was 17, I didnt know a thing at all
-- Edited by Eamonn on Monday 5th of October 2020 02:32:43 PM
-- Edited by Eamonn on Monday 5th of October 2020 02:34:46 PM
oh god i think i've seen them about 20/25 times plus jarvis stuff must be at least 30/35. Didn't see them properly until 98 so I made up for a lot of lost time.
I remember when I was little watching some random bbc show on a sunday in the 70s and it was about some weird middle aged women who followed barry manilow around. And I thought I'LL NEVER BE THAT SAD
Manchester Academy 2008 (Rough Trade at 30 tour) Ejekt Festival (Greece) 2009 In-Store at Rough Trade East with Chilly Gonzalez 2017 Room 29 Live at London Barbican 2017 Jarv Is... Patterns Club Brighton 2018 Jarv Is... Chat's Palace London 2019 Jarv Is... All Points East Festival Hackney 2019
* My first ever gig, I was 17, I didnt know a thing at all
I always like threads like this. Go on then I'll play.
Pulp
Leadmill Nov 93 (very important to me on a personal level)
Octagon Apr 94 (my best/fav show)
Leeds Heineken Jul 95
City Hall Oct 95
Then I really lost interest cos Russell left
Magna Dec 02
Arena Dec 12
Jarvis
Carling Academy Nov 08
Extra bonus show!
I was at the live performance of The Big Melt at the Crucible in Sheffield in June 2013. Not a solo show but not a Pulp show. Rather a bit of both.
Some enviable lists there saw119 and ArGee - personally I've never been to a Pulp concert that I didn't enjoy, but I still wish I could swap a few of those early-00s festival sets for some in the 92-95 period.
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"Yes I saw her in the chip shop / so I said get yer top off"
Rockwells, the beehive - 26.07.84
Rockwells, the beehive - 18.12.84
the Leadmill - 29.12.84
the Limit - 7.05.85
Gotham city - 10.07.85
the Leadmill - 22.09.85
Sheff Uni - 25.10.85
the Limit - 14.01.86
Maze Bar - 29.04.86
the Limit - 13.05.86
the Library theatre - 2.07.86
the Leadmill - 19.07.86
the Leadmill - 8.11.86
the Limit - 3.03.87
the Limit - 19.05.87
the Leadmill - 8.08.87
take 2 club - 21.08.87
Sheff Uni - 10.03.88
the Leadmill - 9.08.88
the Leadmill - 8.0289
1991...
the Leadmill - 16.03
the Borderline - 23.04
the Leadmill - 25.05
the Hallamshire - 25.07
Piece hall - 31.08
the Leadmill - 1.09
Sheff Uni - 4.10
the Subterrania - 15.11
the Leadmill - 28.12
1992...
the Leadmill - 11.05
Camden underworld - 27.05
Salford Uni - 28.05
Norwich waterfront - 4.06
Sheff city hall ballroom - 13.07
Piece hall - 5.09
ULU - 23.10
Sheff uni - 7.12
1993...
Leeds Uni - 2.03
the Leadmill - 5.04
the Garage - 15.05
the Leadmill - 20.11
LA2 - 23.11
the Garage - 18.12
The rest....
Sheff Uni - 29.04.94
Drury Lane - 18.12.94
Leicester Uni - 10.10.95
Sheff Arena - 29.02.96
Sheff Uni - 19.11.2001
Royal Albert hall - 31.03.2012
Sheff arena - 8.12.2112
Pretty comprehensive that Jason. What for you were the standout tracks performed from the early days? I really do still crave a live performance of Death Comes To Town (aside from the excellent Drury Lane and 1987 live gig thats out there).
Well he's only missing the Hardcore era. They played down t'road in Donny on the sheds tour in '98 but maybe like Russ, J had cooled towards Pulp at the time.
Rockwells, the beehive - 26.07.84 Rockwells, the beehive - 18.12.84 the Leadmill - 29.12.84 the Limit - 7.05.85 Gotham city - 10.07.85 the Leadmill - 22.09.85 Sheff Uni - 25.10.85 the Limit - 14.01.86 Maze Bar - 29.04.86 the Limit - 13.05.86 the Library theatre - 2.07.86 the Leadmill - 19.07.86 the Leadmill - 8.11.86 the Limit - 3.03.87 the Limit - 19.05.87 the Leadmill - 8.08.87 take 2 club - 21.08.87 Sheff Uni - 10.03.88 the Leadmill - 9.08.88 the Leadmill - 8.0289
1991... the Leadmill - 16.03 the Borderline - 23.04 the Leadmill - 25.05 the Hallamshire - 25.07 Piece hall - 31.08 the Leadmill - 1.09 Sheff Uni - 4.10 the Subterrania - 15.11 the Leadmill - 28.12
1992... the Leadmill - 11.05 Camden underworld - 27.05 Salford Uni - 28.05 Norwich waterfront - 4.06 Sheff city hall ballroom - 13.07 Piece hall - 5.09 ULU - 23.10 Sheff uni - 7.12
1993... Leeds Uni - 2.03 the Leadmill - 5.04 the Garage - 15.05 the Leadmill - 20.11 LA2 - 23.11 the Garage - 18.12
The rest.... Sheff Uni - 29.04.94 Drury Lane - 18.12.94 Leicester Uni - 10.10.95 Sheff Arena - 29.02.96 Sheff Uni - 19.11.2001 Royal Albert hall - 31.03.2012 Sheff arena - 8.12.2112
Between us then, we've got a pretty good run from 84-present. Jason for the early days, then saw and ArGee to pick things up from the mid '90s, then me, Weener and Eamonn to bring it home.
I'd love to get some of your memories of those '80s gigs Jason, if you can remember much of them. What was the vibe like? Did there tend to be many people at them or was it more of a one man and a dog sort of deal? And.... were they any good?
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"Yes I saw her in the chip shop / so I said get yer top off"
Well he's only missing the Hardcore era. They played down t'road in Donny on the sheds tour in '98 but maybe like Russ, J had cooled towards Pulp at the time.
The fall off is relative. I missed the Hardcore era shows as well. Refused to go to Wembley and was on honeymoon for Finsbury Park.
Why refuse Wembley? It's no tight and atmospheric Forum but Finsbury hardly is either. Your beloved Gunners had won the double at Wembley six months prior, Pulp weren't in competition with them
Scott.. standout early live tracks are difficult for me to announce, largely because nothing was available, nothing, zero.. So it was only regular attendance that produced any kind of familiarity.. Of course there had been the 'it' lp and it's singles but none of that was included in any show that i went too.. That said, Fairground/The Mark of the Devil/Blue Glow/Maureen & The Never-ending story always cheered me up.. Later it was Rattlesnake/Love is Blind..Then a little further along it was Separations after they speeded it up a bit..Separations remains my fave Pulp song forever...You mention Death comes to Town, it was an immediate ace tune live, and i was aware at the time that Fon were supposedly going to press up a 12" release, as we know, that didn't happen, i maybe wrong here but they did seem to perform it twice at most of the gigs i went to...
Arrgee..Fall off from '93.. yep, it got expensive, the setlists were very samey, formulaic, getting a bit dull.. i had heard most of the His 'n' Hers album in a live setting or a radio session, had a couple of bootleg tapes so the main balls of the album were familiar.. when the lp was eventually delivered, i hated it.. over produced, over egged, too much faffing and swamped with unnecassary tomfoolery... don't get me started with She's a Lady....
Sturdy.. yes, they were good, sometimes a mess, shambles etc... but always good...I kept going back for more didn't i?
Eamonn.. yep, same as SAW, no love after Russell left.. This is Hardcore is bloody awful.. i have tried to give the lp some love but i struggle to listen to any of it.. it sounds just as wanky and dull as a Richard Hawley album..
Goes without saying that I'm very very jealous. Do you remember any of the onstage antics that always get mentioned? Magnus doing his Keith Moon but only in the quiet songs, Antony Genn finishing every concert in the nip? Or have those tales been exaggerated?
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"Yes I saw her in the chip shop / so I said get yer top off"
Why refuse Wembley? It's no tight and atmospheric Forum but Finsbury hardly is either. Your beloved Gunners had won the double at Wembley six months prior, Pulp weren't in competition with them
Generally I try to avoid Wembley Arena/Stadium. Always a drag to get to and get home from. Also back then it was Arsenals home ground in Europe, so I was having a few bad nights there.
Not necessarily even about the size of the venue. I have been to O2 and Olympic Stadium for gigs in recent times. Been to Finsbury Park for gigs a couple of times and its fine as long as you dont drink too much and stay towards the front.
In retrospect, I wish I had gone. Which is probably why I caught all bar one of the London gigs for the reunion (just one of the two Brixton nights).
Well, if nothing else this thread has reminded me just how much I love and adore Pulp. I wish I'd seen them more but I think it's only really a couple of extra gigs I could/should have gone to (leadmill Apr 93 and Octagon 01). However, I had some school friends a couple of years above me that went to a show in 92 (prob May 92). I was given the job of entertaining Emily's German exchange student that night, a very Pulp thing to do I feel. I'm happy with what I saw. They were often charmingly shambolic at times and they had real charisma onstage (esp Jarvis/Russell). I notice that Jason and I were at four of the same shows!
Stephen
-- Edited by saw119 on Wednesday 7th of October 2020 05:58:17 PM
Jason, when did you get the strong sense that things had to turn for them based on how good they were live and do you remember a moment where you thought "I can't be the only bugger who recognises how good/big they could be?"
Also, did the band recognise you from your regular attendance at the smaller shows?
Its odd how they would perform a song twice on the same night - I know its happened, whomever uploaded the Halifax 1991 video with Live On performed showed this.
I guess with both songs the idea was 'OK, this is the next big single that's going to really put us on the map, let's really hammer it home'. Obviously the kiss of death!
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"Yes I saw her in the chip shop / so I said get yer top off"
I missed a gig off the list..
Derby, 12.10.92... On this very day..
Should really have remembered this particular show because they gave me a lift back to Sheff..
I was in the back of the van, so ive slept with a Farfisa...
Did i deserve it?
Erm...possibly..
Probably, very mistakenly thought i was trying to get off with his bird?
Anyroad, I've just had a listen to the show, reminded that Russell tripped and nearly smashed his Stradivarius and that Cocker fella was pulled feet first off stage, with love of course..
Seen those Pulp people twice here, reminds me of an outdoor Royal Albert Hall...
Yep, that's right...
I don't think Russell found it particularly funny though, poor fella, i think he got his feet tangled up in some cables and that..
Whoopsy daisey...
Just had a listen to the Halifax '92 gig, where was it that Jarv got pulled off stage?
Anyway, brilliant gig. Pink Glove sounds very different but still has the same soul that it would be known for.
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Oh yeah, imagine it's a film and you're the star And pretty soon we're coming to the part Where you realise that you should give your heart Oh, give your heart to me