True, I'm guessing that the closest thing we may get is a "Different Class" 30th Anniversary show in 2025 where they play the album in full. They are already playing two thirds of it and will presumably continue to do so.

Live Bed Show is easily the worst song on DC so i'm glad they're not playing it. Wish they'd bring back Monday Morning though.

I've been thinking about this a lot more with this reunion that I did with the last, which is weird as they actually released a new (old) track last time round and even Nick himself mentioned in an interview that After You might have been Jarvis testing the waters for a new LP. As well as that, Jarvis pondered in some interviews last time that he had a notebook he was writing things in that could very well be new Pulp songs one day, and towards the end of that run even mentioned in an now deleted Vice interview that if they were to come back again after that reunion, they'd have to 'do some new jams' was interesting, though it didn't come to pass.

Then of course we had 10 years of silence pretty much, despite Jarvis saying to NME in 2015 that Pulp was just 'resting, like a dormant volcano that could reactivate at any time'. He never officially closed the book on the band, though Candida mentioned at the same time that more complications step up when you get back on the recording treadmill again.

Following the tragic loss of Steve I assumed this would be a one and done victory lap reunion, but the effort and thought that seems to have gone into it as well as the merging of Jarv Is musicians with Pulp kinda gives me hope of so much more, and with 'Hymn Of The North' being worked into a Pulp arrangement and played, I'm sure we're all thinking along the same lines currently as to what may be next.

Another thing is Jarvis at many of these gigs ending with "See you next time" or "See you soon", IIRC at Warrington it was 'We'll try not to leave it so long next time" (though I may be wrong). I don't remember if he threw these kind of lines out last reunion, and I might be clutching at straws, but at the bands age now they aren't getting any younger and this may very well be the last chance for an iteration of Pulp before they hang it up for good. They are still firing on all cylinders and with this extended lineup there could be one more album in them? I think I read somewhere that one of the members mentioned Steve was often the driving force getting them to play and record, so who knows.

We know this reunion has been rapturously received, but then the last one was also! Not many bands can catch that lightning in a bottle on more occasions than one. I want to compare it to blur but they are a different beast altogether and Damon's songwriting and their output is far more voluminous than Pulps.

Dream scenario: they see this years gigs out, fully establish this new merged line up as the new Pulp and work on some new material early next year and come around again after it touring, then maybe that's it.

Possible scenario: they see this year out and do a few more shows next year and call it.

Overall it's been a very surprising time since these shows begun, more so than I personally had thought it would be.

Ian wrote:

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So we know that the band have shows booked until late November, but what do you think will happen after that?

I think that they will do some more non-UK shows in 2024 as per the last reunion then do a couple of nights in London or Sheffield.

It might be too much to ask that they do something similar to The Divine Comedy and play full albums. That said, they could do 4 nights, one for each of the Island albums. The first three would be the deluxe editions or thereabouts but "Different Class" may need padding out a bit; "Common People" usually lasts longer when played live and "Live Bed Show" could be extended as per 1996/2002. Of course, there is no "We Love Life" deluxe but there's easily enough material to make up a second setlist. I think I'm dreaming here but it would be fantastic.

If you had asked me 6 months ago, I would have said that new material was highly unlikely but now they have played one new song, I'd say a one-track single is likely. An EP would be great as there are certainly other unused songs lying around. An album is certainly possible and if this happens, then more UK tour dates would make sense to promote it.

---

 Even if they didn't do full album nights - which I agree is unlikely - they could always dedicate a night to a certain era, and play a selection of songs that emphasises that time in the band's history...

NIGHT 1
I Spy
Disco 2000
Something Changed
Joyriders
Pink Glove
Razzmatazz
Have You Seen Her Lately?
Lipgloss
His 'n' Hers
She's a Lady
Sheffield: Sex City
Do You Remember the First Time?
Babies
-----------
This Is Hardcore
Underwear
Common People

NIGHT 2
I Spy
Disco 2000
Something Changed
Pencil Skirt
Mile End
Monday Morning
Live Bed Show
F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E.
Sorted for E's and Wizz
Mis-Shapes
Underwear
Bar Italia
Common People
-----------
This Is Hardcore
Do You Remember the First Time?
Babies

 

NIGHT 3
I Spy
Disco 2000
Mis-Shapes
Something Changed
The Fear
Dishes
Party Hard
Help the Aged
A Little Soul
Sylvia
This Is Hardcore
Like a Friend
Glory Days
-----------
Do You Remember the First Time?
Babies
Common People

 

NIGHT 4
I Spy
Disco 2000
Mis-Shapes
Something Changed
Weeds
Weeds II (The Origin of the Species)
The Trees
The Night That Minnie Timperley Died
Birds in Your Garden
Bad Cover Version
Wickerman
After You
Sunrise
-----------
Do You Remember the First Time?
Babies
Common People

 

 

Its just the whole encore language surrounding the tour that makes you wonder. But Jarvis sign-offs have been encouraging. And theres nothing more opposed to a final farewell than practicing and debuting new material - and even if the song was a parting gift, youd think the lyrics would reference the fact. The absence of Happy Endings from the setlist is also encouraging. If they were leaving us theyd play it for sure, like they did at Magna. For suuure.

I think theyll record something. An EP would be lovely. Northern Hymn somewhere in the middle, surrounded by a new upbeat track and a couple of rerecorded rarities, like Cuckoo or the other lost classics.

I was interpreting the word Encore as you were, superchob. I'll gladly take even an EP though. Fingers crossed. 

Don't think they'd want to be overshadowed by Blur-b. Elton would have been a good follow-on but it'll have to be someone else now. Springsteen? They could do a collaboration on "The Boss" (the song).

In 2002, they ended at Rotherham. In 2012, they ended in Sheffield (and then sailed off into the sunset with Coachella).

I know they've already played two homecoming shows, but surely the South Yorkshire Republic is the only way they can properly bow out.

One final show at the Leadmill, right? Just like the bad old days...

"good quality early live recordings"

hmm. if it's Pulp, wonder what it is.

New old Pulp!