Pulp's reunion tour hit their hometown of Sheffield over the weekend for two big shows at Utilita Arena. Both shows featured hits, deep cuts and an appearance by fellow Sheffielder and former Pulp guitarist Richard Hawley, but the second night got something special for the finale -- an unreleased song, "Hymn Of The North."
"I can promise you that no one has ever heard this song except for us on this stage," Jarvis told the crowd. "Actually that is a lie. It’s a song — a kind of version of it was featured in a play by a guy called Simon Stephens. And it’s called 'Hymn Of The North.' So we are in the North, so we thought you should hear it first, OK?"
Sitting next to keyboardist Candida Doyle, Jarvis continued, "We’ve had some lively discussions as to whether we were actually going to try and play it. There’s a lot that could go wrong with it — I’m playing the piano, for a start. But Candida’s going to help get fingers right."
"Hymn Of The North" is a lovely, sweeping Scott Walker-esque ballad and you can listen to that below. Let's hope this gets a studio recording too.
Check out the setlists from both of Pulp's Sheffield shows below.
Pulp wrap up their UK tour this month with an appearance at this weekend's Latitude Festival and then two nights at the London Eventim Apollo. Their only other live date is at Mexico City's Corona Capital festival in November, but Jarvis said in a BBC interview, "This country is the country that made Pulp famous, where we sold most records and where we knew most people. I’m sure that we’ll probably play in other places around the world, but it just seemed appropriate to do it here first." Stay tuned.
In other Britpop news, Blur's new album is out this week and Damon Albarn thinks an Oasis reunion won't be far behind.
SETLIST: Pulp @ Utilita Arena Sheffield, Sheffield, England 7/14/2023
I Spy
Disco 2000
Mis-Shapes
Something Changed
Pink Glove
Weeds
Weeds II (The Origin of the Species)
F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E.
Sorted for E's & Wizz
This Is Hardcore
Do You Remember the First Time?
Babies
Sunrise (with Richard Hawley)
Encore:
Like a Friend
Underwear
Common People (with Richard Hawley)
Encore 2:
After You
Razzmatazz
Glory Days
SETLIST: Pulp @ Utilita Arena Sheffield, Sheffield, England 7/15/2023
Intro
I Spy
Disco 2000
Mis-Shapes
Something Changed
(Dedicated to Steve Mackey)
Pink Glove
Weeds
Weeds II (The Origin of the Species)
F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E.
Sorted for E's & Wizz
This Is Hardcore
Do You Remember the First Time?
Babies
Sunrise (with Richard Hawley)
Encore:
Like a Friend
Underwear
Common People (with Richard Hawley)
Encore 2:
After You
Razzmatazz
Glory Days
Hymn of the North
PULP - 2023 TOUR DATES
FRIDAY 21ST JULY 2023 - Suffolk Latitude Festival
FRIDAY 28TH JULY - London Eventim Apollo
SATURDAY 29TH JULY - London Eventim Apollo
17TH NOVEMBER - Mexico City - Corona Capital Festival