Watch Pulp debut ‘Hymn Of The North’ live in Sheffield
Amid their current comeback tour, Pulp have given a live debut to a previously unheard song titled ‘Hymn of the North’. Jarvis Cocker and the band played the new track during one of their homecoming shows in their city of origin, Sheffield.
On Saturday, July 15th, Pulp performed the second of their homecoming concerts at the Utilita Arena. ‘Hymn Of The North’ was a treat saved for the very end of a 20-song set, as if the band had hesitated to show off their new work. As it happens, there was a degree of hesitation prior to the gig.
Cocker originally wrote ‘Hynm of the North’ as part of his solo career for the 2019 play Light Falls, written by the celebrated 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,” Cocker announced following a rendition of ‘Glory Days’. “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’.”
“We are in the north, so we thought you should hear it first, OK?” Check out footage of the moment below,” he added as he took a seat behind his keyboard.
Elsewhere during the performance, Pulp welcomed Richard Hawley, who played with the band for a period in the 1990s, to the stage for ‘Sunrise’ and ‘Common People’. The Longpigs singer-songwriter supported both gigs and also joined Pulp on the first of the two Sheffield dates on Friday.
Watch footage from the first-ever live performance of ‘Hymn of the North’ below.
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