The Upcoming
  • Cinema & Tv
    • Movie reviews
    • Show reviews
    • Interviews
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Cannes
      • Sundance London
      • Venice
      • London
  • Music
    • Live music
    • Album reviews
    • Interviews
  • Food & Drinks
    • News & Features
    • Restaurant & bar reviews
    • Interviews & Recipes
  • Theatre
    • Fringe
    • Vault Festival
    • Interviews
  • Art
  • Travel & Lifestyle
  • Interviews
  • Fashion & Beauty
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
  • Join the team
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Support us
    • Contact us
  • Competitions
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • RSS

Culture Music Live music

Pulp at Finsbury Park

Pulp at Finsbury Park | Live review
3rd July 2023
Avatar photo
Sophia Moss
Avatar
Sophia Moss
3 July 2023

Music review

Sophia Moss

Pulp at Finsbury Park

★★★★★

Highlights

Something Changed, Pink Glove

As suspenseful sci-fi music plays, two screens either side of the stage at Finsbury Park display Star Wars-style text, which announces that tonight’s performance by Pulp is an encore and encourages the audience to make some noise. It’s a fun and quirky way to start the show, creating a pantomime vibe that matches the camp charm of Jarvis Cocker. The singer emerges from the depths of the stage in a green velvet suit, against a large backdrop of the moon.  

This gig is a treat for Pulp fans, as they play almost all the songs one would want to hear. Cocker tells us that without an audience, playing is just rehearsing, and he gets everyone to clap to the beat at the start of Disco 2000. It’s hard to describe the joy of jumping and singing along to this one, especially as streams of orange string explode into the crowd and the music starts to emphasise this idea of us collectively creating magic. It’s one of Pulp’s most popular tracks, and having it early on energises the crowd and gives them all a chance to get into it. Cocker is quietly confident, but also self-deprecating and humorous. He jokes with the audience, throwing chocolate and grapes into the crowd and trying (and failing) to catch a grape in his mouth. 

Some of the highlights of the night include the touching acoustic love song, Something Changed. Hearing it live brings out its understated beauty and makes listeners appreciate it even more. Pink Glove is a lesser-known offering, but Cocker makes it memorable with his ironic “aha-ha-has”. Sorted for Es and Wizz is backed with trippy rainbow strobe lights and a hazy purple light, with the orchestra really playing up the druggy vibe. Cocker is featured reclining on a leather armchair for This Is Hardcore, with sexy red and orange lights creating a stringy, showgirl silhouette that illuminates the image of a chandelier to really hone in on the old-school porn aesthetic. Accompanied by 90s-style pop art and a cascade of red confetti, Babies is simply delightful to be a part of. Like a Friend is played with such soft, heartfelt tenderness, and is delightfully contrasted with the angrier, uptempo ending. 

The only flaw of this great night is the encore, especially as the concept of encore was already hyped up so much. The performance ends on such a high note with Common People, and it feels like the perfect finale, but the energy dips when Jarvis comes back on-stage and the show loses some of its momentum. Final song Razzmatazz is a great one, and Cocker performs it well, but it feels like an unnecessary addition to an otherwise euphoric night. 

★★★★★

Sophia Moss
Photos: Sarah Louise Bennett

For further information and future events visit Pulp’s website here.

Watch the video for the single Disco 2000 here:

Related ItemsArt rockbritpopconcertenglish rock bandindie poplive giglive musicreviewrocksheffield band

More in Live music

Tom A Smith at Camden Assembly

★★★★★
Taryn Crowley
Read More

Willie J Healey at Electric Brixton

★★★★★
Hannah Broughton
Read More

Bear’s Den at Union Chapel

★★★★★
Emily Downie
Read More

Cian Ducrot at Hammersmith Apollo

★★★★★
Taryn Crowley
Read More

Jessie Ware at Alexandra Palace

★★★★★
Charlotte Gornall
Read More

The Streets at Alexandra Palace

★★★★★
Mark Worgan
Read More

Genesis Owusu at Heaven

★★★★★
Charlotte Gornall
Read More

Mystery Jets at SOUND Cafe

★★★★★
Taryn Crowley
Read More

Corey Taylor at Hammersmith Apollo

★★★★★
Hannah Broughton
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap

Music review

Sophia Moss

Pulp at Finsbury Park

★★★★★

Highlights

Something Changed, Pink Glove

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • Candy Cane Lane
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • The House of Bernarda Alba at the National Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • “It’s super important to put attention on childhood, it shapes who children become”: Lila Avilés on Tótem at the Belfast Film Festival
    Culture
  • Earth Mama
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Peter Pan Goes Wrong at Lyric Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Earth Mama
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Candy Cane Lane
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • The Doll Factory
    ★★★★★
    Show review
  • Geni
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story at Alexandra Palace
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Earth Mama
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Fallen Leaves
    ★★★★★
    Uncategorised
  • The Doll Factory
    ★★★★★
    Show review
  • Tom A Smith at Camden Assembly
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story at Alexandra Palace
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
The Upcoming
  • Contact us
  • Join the team
  • Subscribe to the mailing list
  • Support us
  • Writing for The Upcoming

Copyright © 2011-2023 FL Media