Pulp delighted their fans in Mexico City on Nov. 17 with a live debut of their new song, "Background Noise."
The Britpop legends who are winding up a reunion tour titled This Is What We Do for an Encore 2023, which started in the summer, took a break at the end of July and have been entertaining fans south of the border this month.
Pulp, who is fronted by the charismatic Jarvis Cocker, includes Nick Banks (drums), Candida Doyle (keys), Mark Webber (guitars), and - for this tour - Andrew McKinney on bass, Emma Smith on guitar and violin, and Adam Betts on guitars and keyboards.
The tour is a big deal for a few reasons.
Firstly it keeps alive the memory of longtime bassist Steve Mackey who died earlier this year at 56. Besides holding down the bottom for the band since 1988, Mackey was also an talented producer who worked with the likes of M.I.A., Florence and the Machine, and Arcade Fire (where he produced their first #1 charting song, "Everything Now.")
But the biggest reason is with the band sounding fantastic and releasing new material, like it did Friday at Mexico's Corona Capital -- as well as in July in Sheffield with "Hymn of the North" -- it gives fans hope that there might be an entire album in the near future.
So on Friday when Cocker said he had a new song and, "we'd like to perform it for you and I'd also like to dedicate it to my girlfriend who is watching it over there," the fans were probably thinking, more new songs? Yes!
New tunes might be tough to just pull out of one's backpocket when you have a a full band plus a string section to coordinate with.
Cocker said something along those lines in August to NME when he shunned the idea of an entire new album and subsequent tour.
“To be honest, it would take a good three-five years out of your life – to write, record, release, and tour it, and you think: ‘Gosh, it’s hard enough to get together to rehearse and play a few gigs, let alone work out what we’re going to be able to do to make a new record,'" he said, "so I think it would be highly unlikely.”
Which means there's a chance.
So far in this November leg Pulp hasn't been playing "Hymn of the North," but they haven't left off their hits like "This is Hardcore" and "Common People." Not only did the Mexican crowd appreciate it but sang along from deep inside.
It's that energy Pulp is expecting when they play on New Years Eve at the 30th anniversary of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay.
When the band announced they'd be there for the 40,000 revelers, Cocker said, "when your grandkids ask 'Do you remember the first time Pulp played Edinburgh’s Hogmanay?' What will your answer be? Come along & start 2024 in the very best way possible. Oh yes.”
Get your tickets on their website.
Pulp 2023-2024 Remaining Tour Dates:
11/24 – Santiago, CL @ Fauna Primavera 2023
12/31 – Edinburgh, UK @ Princes Street Gardens West
