Pulp Reunites for First Shows in 11 Years, More Than 20 Years Since Their Final Album

It’s official, Pulp will reunite and perform for the first time since their 2011-12 reunion dates and more than 20 years since the band released their final album together, We Love Life.

Singer Jarvis Cocker, along with keyboardist Candida Doyle, guitarist Mark Webber, and drummer Nick Banks—with the exception of bassist Steve Mackey—are set to play a series of arena, stadium, and festival dates in the United Kingdom and Ireland in 2023, running May 26 through July 21.

“Three months ago, we asked, ‘What exactly do you do for an encore?’” said Cocker in a statement. Earlier in 2022, Cocker first released a cryptic message about a possible reunion with the band. “Well, an encore happens when the crowd makes enough noise to bring the band back to the stage, so… We are playing in the UK and Ireland in 2023. Therefore, come along and make some noise. See you there.”

Pulp last reformed in 2011 and played some of their “final” shows together in December 2012. At the time, Cocker said the band was not writing new music but did collaborate with James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem to record a remix of an old Pulp demo titled “After You.” The song was partially written by Pulp in the early 2000s but was never finished. The band finally recorded it in 2012, then handed it over to Murphy to complete.

Bassist Mackey responded to sitting out this run of dates with the band and wished them well with the upcoming shows. “I’ve decided to continue the work I’m engaged in—music, filmmaking and photography projects,” he said. “Jarvis and  I remastered Pulp’s entire Universal Records back catalog together just over two years ago at Abbey Road Studios. It was a huge pleasure to do that and review our songs and recordings together.”

Mackey added, “Wishing Candy, Nick, Mark, and Jarvis the very best with forthcoming performances in the U.K. and also an enormous thanks to Pulp’s amazing fanbase.”

In 2014, the band released a documentary, A Film About Life, Death & Supermarkets. Cocker later composed music for Wes Anderson’s 2021 film The French Dispatch with the song “Aline,” which was originally written and performed by French singer-songwriter Christophe, and also appears on Cocker’s companion album to the film, Chansons d’Ennui Tip Top, a tribute to French pop music.

In 2020, Jarvis also released an album with his project called Beyond the Pale and released his memoir, Good Pop, Bad Pop, in 2022

Pulp 2023 Tour Dates:

5-26 Bridlington, England – Bridlington Spa
5-05 Warrington, England – Neighbourhood Weekender
6-09 Dublin, Ireland – St Anne’s Park
7-01 London, England – Finsbury Park
7-07 Glasgow, Scotland – Trnsmt Festival
7-09 Scarborough, England – Open Air Theatre
7-12 Cardiff, Wales – International Arena
7-14 Sheffield, England – Utilita Arena
7-15 Sheffield, England – Utilita Arena
7-21 Suffolk, England – Latitude Festival

Photo: Rough Trade Records