“ANYONE here from Hackenthorpe? Firth Park? Arbourthorne?” inquired one of the city’s most famous sons during Pulp’s barnstorming return to Sheffield, writyes Julia Armstrong.
Frontman Jarvis Cocker and the band were on stunning form as they celebrated their reunion with a home crowd packed into the Motorpoint Arena on Saturday.
SLIDESHOW: Press the play button to watch out video slideshow of photos taken at the concert by Glenn Ashley.
A little while after they kicked off with Do You Remember The First Time, Jarvis asked if anyone remembered August 16, 1980, when Pulp played their first gig, before we were whisked off on a time travelling ride with early numbers like Little Girl (With Blue Eyes), My Lighthouse and Countdown.
Jarvis’s sister Saskia and an old schoolfriend briefly swelled the ranks on stage.
The band threw toilet rolls into the crowd - in reminiscence of how they used to drape the stage with tissue during early appearances - which soon decorated the audience as well.
The lyrics of Disco 2000, one of many singalong moments, prompted memories of the Goodwin fountain on Fargate.
He had upgraded his customary ‘geography teacher’ look for ‘geography teacher at a wedding’ and bestrode the stage throwing trademark shapes as the iconic Pulp logo blazed behind the band.
Pal and former live guitarist Richard Hawley came on stage for numbers including Sunrise and Bar Italia, and was practically dragged back on during the encore for the live debut of Born to Cry, which he co-wrote.
The main set ended with the anthem Common People - then the band ignored ‘time’s up’ messages from what Jarvis called ‘the mester’ to storm through a five-song encore. The stage was bathed in red for Sheffield: Sex City as Jarvis gyrated and partly stripped atop a giant speaker stack.
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