Ended up getting back to Manchester pretty late last night after our planned train home from Scarborough was cancelled (cheers TransPennine Express!) so only just got a proper chance to sit down and reflect on what was an amazing day/night.

Pre-Show - I'm so glad I joined the queue early on as all the folks at the front, including an old friend from past Pulp gigs, were brilliant company throughout the day and helped the time pass much quicker. There was a slightly tense moment mid-afternoon when a group of older ladies in Pulp t-shirts arrived and made straight for the front. Clearly they had already made a good start on the booze (all drinking from cans on the street) and we all suspected they were angling to push in! Thankfully a few of them headed off to the pub across the street and didn't return, so an awkward and frank conversation was thankfully avoided and it didn't sour the day. The girl at the very front of the queue had been there since 5.30am (!!!) so there was no way any f**ker was pushing in.

Support - Jennifer Reid was great, I thought. Folk music in the a capella style is clearly not going to be for everyone, and opening at such a massively anticipated gig must have been pretty daunting, so I was pleased at how respectful most of the crowd were, giving her encouragement with lots of stamping and clapping. Bit of a John Cooper Clarke vibe, which this working class Manc appreciated.

The Arrival - I was on the barrier for Hyde Park in 2011 (to the right, still felt like ages away from the stage) and got fairly near the front for the big Sheffield gig in 2012, but until Friday I'd never managed front and centre for a Pulp gig. So the band arriving on stage, then the sound of Jarv singing I Spy... talk about bucket list stuff! Proper goosebump moment.

The Band - For a man approaching his seventh decade, Jarv still has the energy of a teenager. He put everything into those two hours, bringing all the moves and looked absolutely spent at the end. I was absolutely convinced he was going to trip over the mic lead on several occasions - big love to the roadie chasing around the stage! - and watching him roll off the monitors was hilarious. I'm not sure if it was nerves, or knowing that they only had two hours, but I was surprised he didn't talk more between songs. The intro to Something Changed - a tribute to Steve - was beautifully judged. Candida looked so happy, I loved seeing her beaming at the crowd reaction throughout. Mark seemed to be enjoying himself, busy with a lot of the engine work as usual. I didn't get a great view of Nick, as Andrew McKinney tended to stand in front much of the time (you're forgiven!), but the drums sounded immense and he is certainly 100% match fit after his wrist injury. The Jarv... Is gang were unsurprisingly solid and really added to the sound, and I loved watching the Elysian gang with their little pre-arranged routines throughout the set (the beginning of Sorted in particular was a great laugh).

The Crowd - The atmosphere was electric, all the people around me really getting into it and singing along, even during the album tracks. Bit of surging forward at times - to be expected! - and I heard there was some trouble behind, apparently a fight broke out at one point? The people behind were very sweet though, apologising for pushing against me. Didn't bother me, obviously. Sadly Common People kinda passed me by though as I found myself unexpectedly giving a helping hand to a crowd surfer - thankfully a light woman and not a big bloke! No big deal though.

The Setlist - They handed out a fair few setlists after the gig, but I've scanned my copy and put it on the PulpWiki for posterity. I Spy was a great opener and justifiably so but then Disco 2000 went OFF! Wow. One of the highlights of the night for sure. Something Changed as mentioned above was really poignant, and Dishes helped cool things off a little. Pink Glove is always welcome here, though I didn't think it sounded *quite* as strong as 2011 (was a warm-up gig to be fair). The Hardcore intro with the live strings was amazing, really lifted the song to another level. I was so chuffed that Weeds got in (I'll always take as much WLL material as possible) but Weeds II was an incredible surprise, never expected them to segue into that in a million years. Can't see it appearing for the festivals/arenas though, as the crowd reaction sadly seemed a little muted. DYRTFT was incredible, sparking a manic reaction from the crowd that continued with Babies. Thankfully it was around this point (I think?) that Jarvis kicked a water bottle off the stage, which was hugely welcome cos I was desperately in need of a cold drink! Sunrise was a dependable closer, as ever (apologies to those around me for jumping around like a loon). Being a live debut, After You was always going to be a highlight of the night, but they really saved the best for last with Glory Days which has aged like wine and sounded epic (despite some forgotten lyrics). I only wish we could have had The Day After The Revolution as a last goodbye, and maybe Lipgloss during the encore, but hey ho.

Post-Show - Sadly I couldn't hang around for a nightcap as I had promised the missus a trip to Bridlington Animal Park the next morning, but I'd absolutely love to see you all in Sheffield if something can be arranged. I did, however, find enough time to avail myself of a very fetching Pulp baseball cap and take a pic of the trucks loading up (see attached). Did anyone get to meet the band after? Felt like a non-starter with all the trucks/security around.

... and breathe! Sorry for the length of the post - would have been quicker writing War And Peace - but it's been nice to actually sit and process all this stuff. Happy times and places. Scarborough will feel like a long wait!