[…continued from last post]

The incisive “Mis-Shapes” came next in the set and I loved how the song began tentatively, only to flow into a headlong rush of energy as the increasingly agitated Mr. Cocker outlined the tenets of this ultimate anthem of outsiders taking their due. Then Jarvis told us that the next song was one that he had written many years ago but could not endorse its central thesis at the time. The song in question? “You’ve Got To Have Love.” A vibrant and heartfelt song he first needed to outgrow his cynicism to sing. But like Dylan said, he was so much older then, and he’s much younger [and grayer] now.

And with that it was time for the heavy twin emotional payloads of the band’s end of set climax. Of course that meant that “Babies” was going to grace our ears. This was probably the first song that first alerted the world to the fact that Cocker was a master storyteller as he detailed the teenage tale of an unformed lothario and two sisters who were there to intersect with the narrator on his journey to cad status. The verses detailed his borderline perv status while the soaring chorus presented the character’s far more heroic, yet immature, internal viewpoint. All of which was accompanied by music unashamed to mirror an orgasmic glow as the scenario played out.

The set had flown by. This was a case where I had known every song performed like the back of my hand and that’s not always the case with shows I attend. But I knew that the set would be moving toward the elephant in the room that was now in front of us. The finest #2 song ever to grace the UK Pop chart. Sorry, Ultravox, but this prize was Pulp’s alone for the always powerful class warfare anthem of “Common People.” It’s my favorite song of the 20th century.

The passion of its righteous anger never fails to connect powerfully with me. Some time about 21 years ago a switch flipped in my brain and I can no longer listen to the song without sobbing as the powerful lyrics connect to the core of my being. It happens every time. And I always surrender to it. Only the single edit or the Motiv8 remixes fail to connect with me in this way, so this evening I was once more prepared for hot tears staining my face. And of course it happened.

I always marvel at the synergy between the exuberant music and the lyrics, which charted a course from bemused indignation all the way to righteous fury as the tempo shifts in the music ascended the heights of intensity as the song climaxed. Never more so than when Pulp were performing it live; a gift I never expected. At the end of the set, Jarvis took the time to introduce full full band while they vamped a groove coda at the end of “Common People” for a couple of minutes; prolonging the experience for this grateful fan. Then it was off the stage for a brief minute or two before the encore began.

The first song back was a surprising “This Is Hardcore” deep cut, “The Fear.” I was happy to hear more from that album but I noticed that following album “I Love Life” still hadn’t figured in the set list yet. I wondered by this point if it ever would. Another single from “His ‘N Hers” followed with the swoops and swirls of “Lipgloss.”

The only single we’d hear from “This Is Hardcore” figured next with the no longer ironic plea of “Help The Aged.” Then Mr. Cocker announced that they would play a song recorded for a film soundtrack next, leading me to perhaps expect the raucous “We Are The Boys” from the “Velvet Goldmine” soundtrack, but I’d forgotten all about “Like A Friend” from the “Great Expectations” OST that they actually played. Having encountered that song only as a bonus track on the US copy of “Different Class.” The jaunty number had the vitality of a single had it been lucky enough to have had the sort of push that John Hughes films used to get a decade earlier.

Finally, the entire band came upstage as the core members had during “Something’s Changed” earlier in the set. Now it was time for the new album [and show closer] “A Sunset” from the “More.” album. Jarvis related how the song had been inspired by a conceptual artist who had issued tickets to an actual sunrise and how it gave the attendees a new perspective on the common experience. Making for the deftest of landings following what had been a rousing concert experience of the vivid and emotional music of Pulp.

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As we exited the venue, the music playing was an instrumental version of my favorite song from the 21st century; Cocker’s own “…Running The World,” which I had unrealistic expectations of hearing this evening that had almost been fulfilled in this manner! As we made the way to the streets outside of The Tabernacle, my friends were eager to try to meet Jarvis after the show and I was only too happy to tell them that the last time at The Tabernacle, we had successfully gotten to meet Jim Kerr of Simple Minds by waiting politely at pack-in.

So I led our group to the sidewalk and attempted to find the pack-in area as it had been seven years earlier since I had been here. Eventually, we made our way to the proper zone where barricades separated the trucks which were already being re-loaded. We talked among ourselves before an animated Nick Banks emerged from the venue about 20 minutes later. Happy to sign anything and to meet with fans. I took the opportunity to tell Mr. Banks how happy I was to have Britain’s best band active once more.

Then, about ten minutes later, Jarvis in an orange baseball cap emerged from the exits and ambled over to meet with the 30 or so fans awaiting the artist. He looked pretty spent from the great show we’d just seen and as he’d mentioned the jet lag from the flight over onstage, I demurred from any attempt to sap the gentleman’s energy by communicating with him. Only taking a photo of one of my friends who had asked him for a photo together.

And with that we were off on a Pulptastic high from a concert I felt truly grateful for having the chance to experience. Those incredible songs were already coursing through my skull in insistent replay and I wondered if I would be able to fell asleep after such a potent event. But I got back to my nearby hotel and showered to wash off the Atlanta humidity before bed and eventually made it asleep. I would need to fortify myself, because the next evening would bring an encounter at the same venue with America’s best band, the inimitable Sparks!

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