Pulp - OVO Hydro 7th June 2025

A Triumphant Collision of Nostalgia and Now

The OVO Hydro was buzzing with anticipation on Saturday night as Pulp took to the stage for their first Glasgow show in over two decades.

Backed by a small orchestra, an eye-popping stage design, and a crowd of over 13,000 die-hard fans, the Sheffield legends proved they're not just trading on nostalgia - they're still very much a vital force in British pop. Opening with their newly released single "Spike Island," it was clear from the outset that this wasn't just a greatest hits victory lap. The song's jagged synths and arch lyrics fit seamlessly with the band's legacy, while also signalling a fresh creative chapter. Frontman Jarvis Cocker - ever the louche showman - emerged in a familiar corduroy suit, arms aloft like a preacher of misfits. At 61, he's lost none of his wiry charisma or biting wit.

The setlist was a deft blend of the beloved and the brand new. "Disco 2000" and "Do You Remember the First Time?" had the entire arena singing in unison, but it was the new material from More that truly impressed. Tracks like "Grown Ups" and "Slow Jam" were met not with polite curiosity but genuine enthusiasm. "Got to Have Love", with its swirling strings and pulsing bassline, could easily become a modern Pulp classic. In a surprise moment of poignancy, the band performed "Help the Aged" for the first time in over a decade.

It landed differently in 2025 - more tender than ironic - drawing knowing smiles and misty eyes from a crowd now ageing alongside the band. The production was theatrical but never self-indulgent: floating hearts, inflatable dancers, and sharply edited projections framed the music rather than distracting from it.

There were moments of surreal comedy too, with Cocker riffing on Glasgow weather and inviting the crowd to reflect on "the art of growing old disgracefully". A masterclass in how to age with style, substance, and cheek. Pulp didn't just revisit the past, they redefined what their future could look like. A glorious, thoughtful, and joyously weird return from one of Britains most singular bands.

Review by Chris Fullerton, photography by Stewart Fullerton.

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