Ticket
Academy 2 (Main Debating Hall)
27th April 1994

Story by Abigail:

I first stumbled across Pulp in August of 1993 on a short-lived but ace BBC 2 music programme called No Stilettos, which featured bands playing in a beautiful church somewhere in Scotland. They were playing 'Pink Glove' and I was instantly hooked. I bought Pulp:Intro and learnt all the words.

I then saw them live at The Mill in Preston in November of the same year. The Mill was a venue and rehearsal room affair, not unlike Beehive Mill in Manchester, but more grotty and dilapidated.

That gig was an absolutely blinder - intimate yet celebratory, with Jarvis making full use of the slim pillars on the stage, curling around them and thrusting his narrow hips into them rudely, as he is wont to do. He had a little flirty moment with my mate on the front row also.

I was dying to see them again, so was chuffed when I found out they were playing MDH the following April. (I was a sixteen at the time, not particularly sweet.)

I have one abiding memory of this gig: it was too fucking full and I couldn't really see enough or get into it like I had done in Preston. Support came from Pram, who had a bit of a sixties-style psychedelic light show and were ace.

I reprised this experience at Glastonbury in 2011 when Pulp did an unannounced gig on Emily Eavis's Park Stage. Couldn't see a thing. The vibe was great but it was so frustrating not being able to see, especially as I knew this would be the last chance I ever had to experience them live.