The last time Pulp performed in New York City it was 14
years ago, so much has changed in that time around the city that never sleeps
and in the world, yet, after nearly two decades away from the Big Apple, Pulp
showed they never lost their touch. “The last time we were here, we played a place called Hammerstein
Ballroom, is it still around?,” Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker asked the sold-out
audience at the second of two gigs at Radio City Music Hall on Wednesday night.
While Hammerstein Ballroom is indeed still around, Radio City was a venue, I am
sure even Cocker himself never envisioned playing with this band.
While Pulp formed in the late 70’s in Sheffield, England and
released a handful of records in the 80’s, it was not until the Britpop boom or
“The Second British Invasion” that featured Blur, Oasis, Spiritualized, The
Verve, Suede and so many others where Pulp really took international notoriety.
By the turn of the century however, the band went on hiatus and members of the
band still played as session musicians but Cocker, notably released two solo
records, made a cameo in The Fantastic Mr. Fox and wrote songs for Nancy
Sinatra and Air, among others. Then in 2011, after nearly a decade apart, Pulp
reformed and now, ahead of their appearance at Coachella this weekend, they
played their first U.S. concerts in New York City to an audience that waited so
long to see them play again.
As the house lights dimmed at 9 p.m. sharp, a laser light
projection of random thoughts, sentences and commands to the audience displayed
across the stage. As the scrim rose to reveal Pulp, a massive set of neon
lights that spelt “P.U.L.P” shined and to massive applause, Pulp cunningly
broke into “Do You Remember The First Time?” and officially set at ease that
they are back. While some in the audience we too young to even have a first time with Pulp, those that held onto the memory of seeing this band again got to relive that moment in a way no one would have ever thought. In between songs Cocker would banter from just about anything
from Kurt Vonnegut, Stephen Hawkins, Brooklyn beer, Radio City, New York and so
much more, while most singers lose the audience’s attention with this much
banter, Cocker only grasped the crowd more, simply because it was the curiosity
of what he is going to say next. Cocker, who looked like your crazy economics
professor from college, would show appreciation to the crowd multiple time,
even climbing the side pillars of Radio City and dance his face off in platform
shoes and a tacky brown suit as the band sounded just as pitch perfect as one
would hope – especially after all this time and wait.
In a two hour set that included “Disco 2000,” “This is
Hardcore,” “Bar Italia,” “Pencil Skirt,” “Common People” and the rare played
B-Side, “Like a Friend,” Pulp touched every base and simply gave the paying
customers what they wanted. While they have a catalogue that could span far
beyond the time allotted to them, it will hopefully be not another 14 year wait
to see one of England’s greatest live bands in action again.
PULP Radio City Music Hall 4/11/12 Set List
Do You Remember the First Time?
Monday Morning
Razzamatazzz
Pencil skirt
Something Changed
Disco 2000
Sorted For E's and Wizz
F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E.
Feeling Called Love
I Spy
Babies
Underwear
This is Hardcore
Sunrise
Bar Italia
Common People
Like a Friend
Bad Cover Version
Misshapes
