I’ve wanted to see Pulp at Glastonbury for as long as I can remember, and finally got the opportunity this year.
When a non-existent band called Patchwork was on the lineup for the Pyramid Stage it was widely rumoured that it might be Pulp, but I didn’t want to get too excited until the amazing Secret Glasto account confirmed it that afternoon.
We managed to get quite far forward into the front pit which made the experience even better!
Everyone else seemed to know it was them too, but they still did a clever big reveal by sending a huge number of people onto stage to block the crowd’s view as the band came on stage.
The first sounds of ‘Sorted for E’s and Whizz’ came over the speakers as the screen changed to “are you ready for Pulp Summer?”, and Jarvis started singing. That song was a perfect opener, having been first performed at Glastonbury in 1995, and obviously the subject matter fit.
As Jarvis told us after, the next song Disco 2000 was also first performed at that set. People didn’t know it then, but the first chords were met with hysteria and the first mass singsong of the set. The place was bouncing around us.
Jarvis is one of the best frontmen I’ve ever seen, he’s so personable with the crowd and makes it sound like he’s just talking to you at the pub. He had some great stories and anecdotes, to the point they nearly ran out of time! We all know how much he loves and gets the festival and it shone through in everything he was saying.
New songs ‘Spike Island’ and ‘Got to Have Love’ fit into the set perfectly, the latter’s guitar solo near the end being a particular highlight. They also went back to before they were massive, playing O.U and Acrylic Afternoons.
Other highlights with big crowd reactions were Babies, Do You Remember The First Time and Mis-Shapes, which was a surprise but welcome addition to such a small set.
I watch Julien Temple’s Glastonbury documentary each year and it ends with Pulp’s performance of Common People from 1995, so I associate that song with the excitement around going back to my favourite place.
While that version was historic, this year’s was euphoric. It was one of the biggest sing alongs of the weekend and the energy around us was up there with the best I’ve ever seen for a song at Glastonbury.
Honestly this was one of my favourite sets I’ve seen on the Pyramid Stage!
