Pulp have performed an unreleased song titled ‘Hymn Of The North’ at one of their Sheffield homecoming shows.
The moment took place at the end of the band’s performance on Saturday (July 15) — the second of their two mammoth homecoming shows at the city’s Utilita Arena.
Arriving as the final song of the band’s 20-song setlist, frontman Jarvis Cocker introduced the track as one that no one has ever heard Pulp perform, other than those stood on this stage, and explained that there was some deliberation as to whether they were going to perform it live or not.
The track is one originally written by Cocker, as a solo track for the 2019 play Light Falls, which was written by Manchester playwright Simon Stephens.
“OK, I can promise you that no one has ever heard this song except for us on this stage… Actually, that was a lie,” said Cocker, speaking to the audience towards the end of the show. “It’s a song — the kind of version of it was featured in a play by a guy called Simon Stephens and it’s called ‘Hymn Of The North’.”
He continued, going to sit behind a keyboard: “We are in the north, so we thought you should hear it first, OK?” Check out footage of the moment below.
Another highlight of the show on Saturday was the onstage appearance from one-time member Richard Hawley, who joined the Britpop icons for renditions of both ‘Sunrise’ and ‘Common People’.
Hawley — who supported the band at both of their Sheffield concerts — also made a surprise appearance onstage with the members the night before, when the band performed the first of their two homecoming shows on Friday (July 14).
Both collaborations at this weekend’s shows follow their reunion in Dublin last month, when the former member took to the stage in Dublin for a duet of ‘Common People’.
Elsewhere on Saturday’s show, Pulp performed fan-favourites including ‘Disco 2000’ and ‘Babies’, and dedicated their rendition of ‘Something Changed’ to late bassist Steve Mackey, who died in March.
Check out more footage from the show below, as well as the full setlist.
Pulp’s setlist was:
1. ’I Spy’
2. ’Disco 2000’
3. ’Mis-Shapes’
4. ’Something Changed’
5. ’Pink Glove’
6. ’Weeds’
7. ’Weeds II (The Origin Of The Species)’
8. ’F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E.’
9. ’Sorted For E’s & Wizz’
10. ’This Is Hardcore’
11. ’Do You Remember The First Time?’
12. ’Babies’
13. ’Sunrise’ (with Richard Hawley)
14. ’Like A Friend’
15. ’Underwear’
16. ’Common People’ (with Richard Hawley)
17. ’After You’
18. ’Razzmatazz’
19. ’Glory Days’
20. ’Hymn Of The North’
Earlier this month, NME gave Pulp a four-star review for their performance at London’s Finsbury Park, writing: “Ostensibly, this show – and Pulp’s 2023 tour – is nostalgia fodder, with no new music in sight or promises to return after the tour wraps up later this summer.”
It continued: “It’s the unending energy of Cocker and the sheer delight from the band, though, that make them seem good as new, and like Pulp could go on for decades from here.”
Up next, the band are set to make an appearance at Latitude festival later this week, acting as headliners on Friday (July 21), as well as two back-to-back shows at London’s Eventim Apollo on July 28 and 29. Find remaining tickets here.
In other news, the band’s drummer Nick Banks recently announced details of his new memoir, So It Started There: From Punk To Pulp. Arriving on September 28, the book is set to tell the world the story of his life and career.
The post Watch Pulp play unreleased song ‘Hymn Of The North’ in Sheffield appeared first on NME.
