London Brixton Academy 30 November 2001

Set List: Weeds / Minnie Timperley / The Birds in Your Garden / Something Changed / Joyriders / Live Bed Show / F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E. / Bad Cover Version / The Trees / I Love Life / This Is Hardcore / Sunrise / Sorted / Babies / Underwear / Laughing Boy / Common People

Chris Hunter has some nice pics on his site, also some of the Fat Truckers

I went to Pulp at Brixton on the 30th they were great, the best ever I'd say Jarvis looked so up for it like he was really enjoying it, and what a bonus, Jarvis did common people the crowd went sick (is that a good thing? - Ed)  I have a cold now because i walked out the venue drenched with sweat into the freezing cold Brixton. Underwear I have never heard him do that live before and did it sound good or what, I thought I was going to get crushed but did not care, my mate Ryan come along with me he never been to such a good gig before he said; also what a bonus I caught one of Nick's drum sticks. (James Short.)

I spent 6 hours waiting in front of the Academy. It was cool though because people were being so friendly, coming to talk to me, asking if I needed anything...For Brixton, it felt really safe and nice.
The fat truckers walked passed me a couple of times. I think they assumed I was barking, but as you know, I just wanted to make sure I would see them again... 
The gig was superb! Jarv on top form and in a better mood than Wednesday. He had to tell people off after the first song though as the pushing was bad from the start! I was grateful to him for that because I did suffer hell during the gig. The bouncers did help a bit, pulled a few people out, riotous, kicking and
screaming. I had to protect my face a few times! Most of the songs from Wednesday/Thursday were played, alongside Joyriders, Babies and Laughing Boy. The gig ended with Common people as a big finale and you can imagine what that did for the crowd!
After the gig, we went to the foyer and by coincidence got to the front row of the DJ session as well! Jarvis arrived and worked his magic at the desks. It was so weird to see him so close to me, wearing his glasses, being a real person as opposed to that godlike character he is on stage! He proved very shy though, not making eye contact, turning his back on us most of the time. After the first few minutes of getting over it, I started really enjoying the DJ session, closed my eyes and started dancing.... The DJ set was a weird and wonderful mix of old and new, remixes, and the fab "Superbike" from Fat Truckers was played twice. The evening ended with "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and the bouncers got overwhelmed again. On the whole, I found them quite nice to me, perhaps cos I am so short and I was fighting so hard against people 3 times my size...
Still haven't come down. This is not doing my mental health any good...(Berry)

I just had to write and let you know that I was lucky enough to be in London over the past few days and saw Pulp on the Friday night. It was absolutely incredible, one of the best gigs I've ever been to, I had such a great evening. A few friends of mine had been to earlier nights and they hadn't been enthusiastic about it. I don't think they really like the new album, and as that comprised a large part of the set they didn't rate it. I love the new album though, and I don't know whether the setlist was very different on the last night, but I heard hits from all over the place, loads of Different Class, Joyriders, Babies, particular highlights for me were Bad Cover Version and This Is Hardcore, it was just amazing, please thank all the band. My only complaint would be the disco afterwards, it was rubbish. I've never been at one of their DJing sessions so I didn't know what to expect, I was hoping for either some nice funky house that I could get in to, or even better, some early Pulp stuff like My Legendary Girlfriend, but despite my continued efforts to communicate telepathically with Jarvis that that's what should be happening, we got Vanilla Frigging Ice instead, what the hell was all that about?! Anyway, can't complain, had some nice girly dancing raunchily with me, until her 8 foot boyfriend turned up, and the gig itself was fantastic. (Bransby)

What struck me about the gig was how good the old stuff sounded played live. 'Underwear' and 'Babies' were absolutely fantastic and showed the band honed to perfection. They were rockin' then. Those songs for me had been put on the back burner for a while and  were a real inspiration played live. 'A little Soul' was also magnificent. I am not ashamed to admit that it brought a little tear to my eye. Without sounding too psychological.. maybe this song points us in the direction of Jarvis's desire to create/perform? I am only thinking of similar things with Macca/ Lennon and (shouldn't really be in the same breath) but Robbie Williams i.e.. estranged or lost parents. I loved also the extended endings to the songs where the band had free rein and jammed away to the psychedelic backdrops of oil lights. This reminded of 'Abbey Road' and the 'Velvet Underground' early gigs. I liked 'Trees' because the strings are gorgeous but dare I say it I still prefer previous albums. Mainly because to me those songs talk about the frictions and passions between the sexes. I think that since Jarvis's inspirations have gravitated outwardly to nature, and inwardly towards his past more common themes like human relationships have fallen by the wayside. For this reason I don't think 'Wickerman' was  a wise choice for an encore. It is a rambling piece of introspection and I know Scott Walker loved it when they were recording but maybe we shouldn't always listen to our heroes? All the other encores were bang on though. Overall the gig was fantastic. And proved that 'Pulp' still rock. Shine On! (Chris Furr)

I managed to get right at the front on the Friday.  Pulp fans are so nice.  Thank you to the German guy who gave me his place on the rail so I could see properly.  Everybody had a great time.  It goes without saying that Pulp were ace.  Jarvis is a god!!!!!!  Everybody loves him.  He has such a fantastic stage presence, it is all so natural to him, we would do anything for him.  (Carol)

I'm writing to tell you my experiences in the concerts that i had been, first i went to Cambridge, and i got a seating ticket that was not so good because it was far from the stage and you don't feel the music and the performance as if you were near. Second day (first concert in London), pretty much the same concert, (but i was standing in the second row of people on the last two concerts),  if i am not wrong they change just one song, but it leave me a fear feeling that the two last concert could be the same as the first ones, but i was wrong, luckily the band didn't disappoint me because the second concert in London they
add song like Joyriders. They never fail to play Something Change and F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E. besides Babies and the song that end the first three concert that i went: Underwear, then Friday, the band last song Common People. I really thought that the band was not going to play this song, because they might be want to cut with the past but they did.  I think it was an excellent mix of 50% old songs and 50% new songs, as long as they didn't play all the songs from "We Love Life". If i not wrong the play on Friday 17 song, 9 from the new album and 8 from previous (His n Hers: Joyriders, Babies, Different Class: Something Changed, F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E, Sorted for E's & Wizz, Common People and Hardcore: This is Hardcore, Party Hard, The Fear) there was a slow song that i didn't know which one was?  i think it could be a cover. I think that the band lacks the violin, for me the violin was one the greatest instruments from Different Class and gives the band that singular song because not all the bands have such an instrument like a violin. (Cesar)

I went to see the Pulp on 30th night, that's really a perfect wild night. The band went out at 9:30,when Jarvis came out, the whole area went crazy. He's very sexy that night! Every song was perfect, especially Weeds, Minnie, The Trees, F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E. Underwear. And finally he sang Common People! That's the wildest moment in my life!!!'Thank U, see u soon, in 2002' (Z.X.F#10)

Setlist was the same(ish) as the others I had been to, except Joyriders was played, which was pretty cool! I was quite shocked at the number of men and women who were attempting (and failing miserably!) to dress up as our Jarv! There was a fight behind me during Minnie, which was a bit shit, but Jarvis told them off, and they seemed to stop then. Couldn't really hear Jarvis talking properly, but I think that was because I was right in the middle, miles from the speakers. All the band seemed in top form, and Fat Truckers went down a lot better here. Who on EARTH were that band with the blonde bint who came on first?! (Err, that would have been the very famous Princess Superstar - Ed) Desperate was cool, and I got to meet most of the band in the foyer, along with The Divine Comedy (!). Pretty cool gig as it goes! Atmosphere was amazing, and how cool was Brixton Academy! Not been there before, but would HIGHLY recommend it! Fantastic end to a fantastic tour. Look forward to next summer - roll on 2002! (Charlotte)

I live in Greece and two weeks ago I got my very first salary which I wanted to spend in something that  I would  always remember, so I decided  to go to London for the weekend, visit a friend and go to Brixton Academy! All direct flights to London were already booked, so I took a flight to west Germany, met some friends there and we travelled to London by car! After a ten hour journey we arrived in London, and went directly to Brixton Academy, we were a bit late and we lost Fat Truckers, we managed to get to the front row when Pulp had just come on stage! The crowd went crazy when Cocker appeared, near me there were some big "macho men" who started shouting "Jarvis,Jarvis".. I found it a little bit hysterical as they were pushing us all the time to catch Jarvis' fingers while some girls from behind started screaming about how sexy he was!! But I guess Cocker deserves all that kind of reaction, he was just perfect-he made me forgot how tired I was travelling a whole day from Greece. It was a great surprise to listen to so many old songs like "Something Changed","Underwear" and "Laughing Boy"... I couldn't believe in my eyes when in the beginning  of "F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E.' Jarvis put the camera into his mouth and we all could see his tongue and teeth in the big screen...and of course everybody laughed when a female underwear was thrown on stage in front of Jarvis who took it and said "Oh..it's wet"... "This is Hardcore" was performed in an amazing way and since is my favorite song ever I tried to jump over the stage and sing it together with Jarvis but....When "Babies" started I looked behind and everybody was jumping up and down singing...I thought I wouldn't survive from all this but  I did, thanks to some English people that were asking me all the time if I was ok...The last song was a new great version of "Common People" and I can't describe what was happening behind me at the moment! Some fans were crying while they were singing...and calling Cocker by his name...and Jarvis was going from one side to the other on the stage in no time "singing along with the common people"...We wanted to go and talk to Cocker after the gig in the foyer but it was impossible for us to stand anywhere near him..the foyer was crowded, everybody was dancing...the music was great and I was happy because there weren't only pop songs, but a very inspired combination of new and old songs..as far as I'm concerned I don't think anybody should have expected to listen to Pulp's songs at this time......it is out of the question to be a DJ and listen to your own songs at the same moment, don't you think?...We didn't want an autograph from Jarvis or something like that, we just wanted to invite Pulp in Greece because they have been here only once in 1998......so...since you know them in person could you please just tell them "thanks" for the adventure I always remember? I think they deserve to know that in spite of the whole "european tour" I had to do to get to London for just one day..they're worth it! And this is not a Jarvis' devoted fan speaking...we are impressed by the variety of different kind of songs he can perform and really appreciate his unique music!( Dimi,Greece) [Thanks for that great review Dimi! - Ed]

I am just mailing you because I went to see Pulp last night, and they and Jarvis were just fabulous..i want to share something with you, and as i know you are a great fan, who better to share this with...i have witnessed Pulp making it...the pre-common people glory, the glory, and what it did to them especially Jarvis, who at some point definitely lost the plot, and bless his Sheffield socks, was swayed by the ultimate stardom he had achieved...I lost interest...and then I went to see them this summer at that weird Guildford festival, Jarvis was obviously roar (?? I think she means 'raw' - Ed.), and the element of simple truth was back in his performance...it was like, he had finally got through to the other side of stardom, and the fickle bullshit, and recaptured reality...but to tell you the truth I didn't think that he would managed to keep hold of that dynamic, but last night it was obvious that he had...the 'vibe' (strange word to use talking about Pulp, i know...) of the gig was just unbelievable, I had never witnessed such thing on such scale at a Pulp gig ever, and as much as my understanding of genius includes a creative energy tinged with an element which is there to make 'the mentality of the mass evolve, and push human thinking forward', the genius Jarvis displayed last night was just the genius of someone who travelled through fame and has landed back on his feet, like found himself again, & the experience of it all,  a simple, genuine normal artist guy from Sheffield, giving to the audience from his heart and soul, and humbled by the response...yes I truly witnessed something last night, and this morning I still feel blessed...art, and the artist is not dead, the music industry will not count Jarvis as its casualty after all, and by the amount of people it got, I have nothing but respect for Jarvis...the stars were shinning in the Brixton academy last night, and I don't care what anybody else will say about that evening, it was art at its best, and I am going to crystallize that memory, and put it up there, in my own private hall of fame, right between that Gainsbourg gig I went to 16 years ago, and Ennio Morricone, I had the privilege to go to see this year...(Violette)