Pulp Wythenshawe Park review: ‘A magnificent final hurrah for now’

Since reuniting in 2022, Pulp has played approximately 80 shows and celebrated the latest chapter of the band with the release of their acclaimed ‘More’ album in 2025, marking their first release in 24 years. The album was accompanied with the ‘Here Comes More Tour’ - a fitting title for both band and audience alike. They returned to the stage with nothing to prove, but with the desire to deliver more, creating some of their best-ever work and crafting another epic chapter in the history of Pulp.

The chapter reached a definitive conclusion at Wythenshawe Park, providing the band with the opportunity to perform in front of what Jarvis Cocker described as the “biggest crowd I have seen for a long-time,” and bow out on an almighty high. The performance was an epic victory lap from start to finish as they opened with ‘Sorted for E's & Wizz’, complemented by Andrew McKinney’s driving bass line, a rich violin part from Emma Smith, who seamlessly transitioned between rhythm guitar and violin throughout the performance, Nick Banks’ tight drumming and the arrival of inflatable tube men.

‘Disco 2000’ was delivered with a bright guitar from Mark Webber, McKinney’s thick bass and Candida Doyle’s propulsive synths, sparking a joyous singalong from an audience that was determined to enjoy every moment of the band’s final victory lap. “I don’t know all your names so I am going to call you Wythenshawe,” Cocker joked as the audience lapped it up.

“It’s Friday night and it’s stopped raining. It cost a lot of money, that,” he added to a chorus of laughs from the audience. Banks’ propulsive drumming, Doyle’s hypnotic synths and overdriven guitars stood out on ‘Spike Island’. ‘Razzmatazz’ saw Cocker cover every inch of the stage while seamlessly transitioning from spoken-word to melodic vocals. The lead-up to ‘Farmers Market’ saw Cocker announce “this is our last big concert. Not forever, hopefully, but you never know” before attempting to catch a grape with his mouth, something he said he’d previously attempted at prior shows.

‘This Is Hardcore’ started with Cocker performing a dramatic, motionless chair routine, adding a touch of theatricality to the show as a strings-led introduction played out, creating a rich wall of sound inside Wythenshawe Park. The track later erupted with an overdriven, three-headed guitar attack, Banks’ thumping drums, a pulsating bass line from McKinney and an extended jam saw Cocker break off into a solo dance.

‘Begging For Change’ provided the blend of robotic vocals with spoken-word and clean melodic singing, distorted guitars, powerful drumming from Banks and a prominent bass line from McKinney. Such is the depth of Pulp’s discography, tracks such as ‘Acrylic Afternoons’, ‘Something Changed’, ‘The Fear’ and ‘Have You Seen Her Lately?’ can be absent from the setlist and it remains a stacked show.

Cocker introduced ‘Do You Remember The First Time?’ by reminiscing over their rich history in performances in Manchester, including their first show in the city at Salford University in 1992, The Boardwalk, Manchester Academy and even last year’s show at the Co-op Live before reminding the audience it was the last big show they’d be performing for awhile. The frontman added “So instead of saying Do You Remember the First Time, I should say, will you remember the last time”, leading into a spine-tingling rendition that erupted with a joyous singalong.

‘Babies’ was complemented by jangly guitars and a thick bass line and even saw the arrival of a full moon in the Manchester skyline before confetti rained down on the fans in the pit. ‘Got To Have Love’ was delivered with pulsing synths and a busy line and saw an exhilarated Cocker dance once more.

‘Common People’ was met with a euphoric singalong after Cocker urged the 35,000-strong audience to pretend they’d never heard it before and also saw the return of the inflatable tube men. The band brought the performance to a close with ‘A Sunset’ as Richard Hawley made a guest appearance on stage. Whether the Wythenshawe Park performance marks the sun setting on their career as a band, the final notes of ‘A Sunset’ brought with it the end of an era, wrapping up an unforgettable and joyous chapter that’ll be cherished by Pulp and their devoted fanbase.