Pulp Live!
Andrew Ross, contributor
Back in 2024, I took a trip out to Brooklyn, NY to see a band that I had always wanted to see live. I guess you could say a bucket list band. This band hadn't toured the Boston area since 1998, so I figured this might be my only time to catch them live before the band either dissolved or stopped touring all together. The band I'm speaking of is Pulp and on a September night in Brooklyn I was dazzled by Jarvis Cocker and the rest of the band as they played tracks from their extensive catalog as well as some new tracks for which I was delighted to hear. These new tracks would be included on their most recent studio album (their first in 24 years) titled More and more is just what we as fans got. With the release of the new album back in June of 2025, Pulp went on a worldwide tour (part of the Here Comes More Tour/ You Deserve More Tour) starting in June of 2025 in Scotland, hitting North America that September (and yes, making a stop just outside Boston) and continuing into 2026 with shows in Oceania, Latin America, Europe and a closing show at Wythenshawe Park in Manchester.
Their latest release is Pulp Live! is set to be released on August 28th via Rough Trade Records. This live lp captures the band's two sold-out shows at London's 02 Arena in 2025. These shows took place the same week their studio album More hit No. 1 in the UK. It will be released on double black and "limited" blue vinyl, double CD and of course digital/streaming. My copy is the double "limited" blue vinyl. The vinyl is clean out of the sleeves and the soundstage sounds amazing. The paper sleeves are simple, colorful and with one having a message about how "A concert is an event where songs come back to life" On this live album you do miss out on the clever and witty banter from Jarvis Cocker in-between tracks, but I understand the draw here is the music. The band is on point and delivers a captivating performance of many of the bands hits and newer tracks. My only minor gripe is that on some of their more well known anthems, you can hear the crowd singing along with Jarvis Cocker's vocals. It creates a bit of an echo ever so slightly from Cocker's vocals. I understand as a fan myself we sing along with our beloved tracks, I just don't want to hear it all over the recording. In this instance the crowd singing along doesn't dominate the recording, but it's just something I noticed throughout the album. The live album features tracks like "Disco 2000", "Spike Island", "This is Hardcore" and of course "Common People".
Overall, it's a fantastic pressing of some fantastic moments, which leaves fans like myself, of course wanting....More. If you missed Pulp on tour this vinyl should suffice and you'll also have a chance to see a related 90 minute film/documentary titled Pulp: What Do You Do For An Encore? It combines the 02 footage with archival material and is narrated by Jarvis Cocker. Streaming globally on MUBI starting August 25th.
You can read my review about attending the Suffolk Downs show just outside Boston in 2025 here.