Pulp Amaze with Performance for the Ages at Bill Graham

Pulp's first performance in San Francisco in 12 years did not disappoint.

In what could only be charitably deemed as one of the most unredeemable regrets of my life, I missed Pulp performing at the Warfield in 2012. Not only do I consider myself a pretty huge Pulp fan, but I had been absolutely captivated by frontman Jarvis Cocker ever since seeing him perform solo at the Fillmore in 2007.

I cannot process what I was thinking in 2010, but I certainly didn’t believe that Pulp would go on a lengthy hiatus after finishing that tour. 

So, I was forced to wait for them to return to the states. And wait. And wait some more.

Finally—some 12 years after that ill-fated decision, my time in purgatory was over—Pulp came back to San Francisco, performing at the cavernous Bill Graham Civic Auditorium.

They did not disappoint.

A surreal experience, the legendary Brit-poppers blasted through their greatest hits on Monday night, delighting fans (most in their 40s, nearly all outfitted in Modish gear) who were clearly just as eager as me to see the Sheffield band back in America.

The whole show seemed aimed at celebrating this unlikely reunion event, with a set of graphics reeling off Pulp concert statistics just prior to the beginning of the performance. The visual display then capped off by the declaration, “THIS IS WHAT WE DO FOR AN ENCORE.” It was a stirring reminder that this beautiful voyage by Pulp isn’t over yet. 

And then the music started. And it was like the last 12 years never happened.

The band went immediately into their hits, starting off with the lurid, campy anthem “I Spy” from their seminal 1995 album, “Different Class.” That opener warmed the audience up nicely, but the crowd truly went into a frenzy for the ensuing number, “Disco 2000,” quite possibly the finest document of the 90s Britpop era (I say possibly, because of another Pulp song, which we will get to later.)

Throughout the night, Cocker was a mesmerizing, inspiring presence. The old cliché about rock-stars being gone is pretty bogus, particularly since most of the tropes that were long praised were actually indicators for predatory, shitty behavior—but damn, with all that said, Cocker is a ROCK STAR. He absolutely owned the crowd, strutting around the stage with his slinky dance moves, while effortlessly belting out his purring vocals.

The setlist included tracks from a host of Pulp albums, but the band leaned hardest into “Different Class,” playing seven tunes from that record. Pulp got huge crowd reactions from “Babies” and “Do You Remember the First Time,” both enduring numbers from their 1994 release, “His n Hers.” “This is Hardcore”—the controversial title track from their 1998 LP—got a similar response.  

But the songs from “Different Class” felt the most anthemic. Whether it was the sleazy drug ode, ‘Sorted for E's & Wizz,” the ballad “Something’s Changed,” or the sultry “F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E.,” every song performed from “Different Class,” felt as timeless and special now, as they did some 30 years ago. 

And then there’s “Common People.” Cocker’s spot-on take on class warfare and the voyeurs who try to blend in with plain working folk, is one of the best songs ever written (“Disco 2000” isn’t too far away, though.) It was clear that the crowd was anxiously waiting for that number and when Pulp finally played it during their first encore, people started justifiably freaking out. The jittery synth opening, the spiky guitar licks, Cocker’s whispered narrative of a spoiled Greek heiress, the unforgettable chorus—it was all there, just like we remembered. It was glorious, and the 8,000 or so souls gathered at the venue belted out every word to the song.

While “Common People” was the clear highlight of the night, the show didn’t end there. The band returned for a second encore, playing new song “Spike Island,” (does that mean a new Pulp album is coming????) before closing the night with the beloved “Glory Days” from “This is Hardcore.”

The whole show was unforgettable. Maybe Pulp will be back in San Francisco again. But nothing will be able to top the anticipatory experience of finally seeing a band that remained elusive for so long. Pulp is back, which means I finally got to be a part of their world.

Alvvays Embrace the Bigger Stage with Sold-Out Show at the Fox Theater

At some point, Canadian pop-power mavens Alvvays graduated from indie rock cult darlings to full-fledged stars. 

It might have been the glowing Pitchfork review for their wonderful 2022 album, “Blue Rev,” or their relentless tour schedule (they’ve played some 170 shows in the past two years), but whatever the juncture, the band has grown out of their one-time niche market into a well-oiled rock ‘n’ roll machine.

That evolution was on full display Friday night at the Fox Theater in Oakland, where a sold-out crowd snaked around the block to enter the venerable 2,800 capacity venue. That scene marked a far cry from the cozy confines of the Independent, San Francisco’s 400-seat venue that hosted Alvvays back in 2015. Nine years is almost a lifetime for a band to get famous, but plenty of indie rock outfits never elevate beyond the (totally admirable) limits of a venue like the Independent. 

Amazingly, Alvvays’ rise (it can’t quite qualify it as meteoric, but it’s definitely been a steep ascent) is almost completely the result of their staggeringly complete song catalog. Molly Rankin, the leader of the Halifax-based band, is almost criminally low-key, offering hilarious self-deprecating takes on a regular basis while avoiding anything that might remotely resemble aggrandizing self-promotion. The band eschews controversy like most people avoid carbs and after more than a decade of existence, the group members seem somehow nicer than ever.

On Friday night at the Fox, Alvvays let their music do the talking. Rankin occasionally added in a few wry comments, but the band mostly deferred to the songs, which numbered 21 in total—an impressive setlist for a band with only three full-length albums. And even though it’s been nearly two years since the release of “Blue Rev,” the band leaned heavily on that album, with 13 of the songs coming from that record.

In many ways, drawing from that album makes perfect sense for a large venue like the Fox. While it contained all the same hooks as its predecessors, “Blue Rev” is much more muscular and assertive, boasting booming, distorted guitars and volume levels reaching up to 11, while drawing favorable comparisons to My Blood Valentine’s seminal album, “Loveless.” 

Songs like “Easy On Your Own,” “Belinda Says,” and “Pharmacist,” with their waves of feedback-laden guitars, pack an extra wallop and they easily filled the rafters of the cavernous Fox. The band also leaned into their dancier, more experimental numbers such as “Velveteen” and “Pomeranian Spinsters,” providing opportunities for indie kids to bust out some awkward moves.

All those tunes resonated deeply with the audience on Friday, but it would be negligent to mention an Alvvays show without discussing “Archie, Marry Me.” Much like the band, that song has become ubiquitous in recent years, rising to the pantheon of modern day live classics like “All My Friends,” “Dancing On My Own,” and “The Rat.” Hearing nearly 3,000 people belt out the lyrics to that classic ode to matrimonial aspirations is an unforgettable experience. 

While the band rarely closes out their sets with “Archie, Marry Me,” (On Friday, they ended with the janglepop gem, “Next of Kin” from their self-titled debut), it has all the elements of a show-stopper. 

It’s a power-pop song for the ages, and one that illustrates better than ever why Alvvays ever-growing renown could not be more well-earned.

Ageless Indie Rockers The Walkmen Dazzle Sold-Out Crowd at Bimbo’s

Photo Credit: Marisa Plaice

Has any band enjoyed a second (and third) act quite like the Walkmen?

The New York quintet burst upon the scene with two perfect albums—their 2002 debut, “Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me Is Gone,” and their explosive 2004 follow up, “Bows + Arrows.” The first album was a twisted vaudevillian update for modern times and their sophomore release was a scathing rejoinder of urban ennui—you could practically feel the stale beer and cigarette smell on the songs.

But by 2007, the band had largely been overshadowed by their New York City peers, with indie darlings like Grizzly Bear and brooding dad rockers The National stealing the headlines. That was mostly the result of their uninspired 2006 album “A Hundred Miles Off,” and their ill-fated cover of Harry Nilson’s album, “The Pussy Cats.”

Seemingly destined to join the endless list of once-promising bands consigned to anonymity, the Walkmen followed up with 2008’s “You and Me,” a tour-de-force that recounted all of “Bows + Arrows” best moments. It was rapturously received, and they then released two other stellar and inventive albums, “Lisbon” and “Heaven,” before going on a hiatus in 2013 (although they have always disputed that term.)

That unexpected comeback alone would have been a great story, but the Walkmen reemerged last year after a decade-long break to stage their “Revenge Tour,” a string of shows that included an array of sold-out dates and prominent festival appearances. The band sounded as sharp as ever in those performances, and their fans had clearly not forgotten them.

While the band has been less active in 2024, they’ve performed at a smattering of music festivals and they scheduled two West Coast shows at Bimbo’s, the venerable North Beach club in San Francisco. On Thursday, July 11, the band performed the first of those two gigs, and hooboy, they did not disappoint.

The Walkmen have always projected a sense of equitable creative collaboration—each member of the group has embarked on various other cprojects—but in a live setting, it’s hard not to be overwhelmed by the sheer presence of lead singer Hamilton Leithauser. 

He might have a name that recalls feudal aristocrats and an appearance that wouldn’t look out of place in Yale’s Skull and Bones Club, but Leithauser is a caterwauling, feral beast onstage. There is no other indie rock singer who reaches the heights of his vociferous wailing, and his facial gesticulations and general intensity in a live setting are just ridiculously infectious—if you don’t feel compelled to scream alongside him, then you damn well might not have a pulse.

The band opened the show with the relatively tranquil “On the Water,” before entering into a devastating back-to-back of “Juveniles” and “In the New Year.” With its call and response of “You’re one of us/Or one of them,” “Juveniles” has earned its spot as a beloved live favorite, and the manic “In the New Year,” with its whirling organ play, is simply one of the best Walkmen songs ever recorded.

The Walkmen flit seamlessly between soft and loud moments (although Leithauser’s vocal theatrics never tend to abate), so quieter tunes like “138th Street” seem to resonate just as profoundly as their more transgressive sounds, such as “Thinking of a Dream I Had.”

Leithauser has always been an able showman, unafraid to charm audiences with his trademark dry humor, and Walkmen shows are typically laden with references to the band’s history. At the show on Thursday, Leithauser referenced the band’s prior stop at Bottom of the Hill—the legendary punk bar in Potrero Hill—and noted that the group’s only previous time playing at Bimbo’s was a “disaster.” He also mentioned that guitarist Paul Maroon’s father, Fred, was a decorated photographer who previously captured stirring pictures of Bimbo’s, some 60 years ago. 

It all felt very homegrown and familial, which makes sense, considering the band all met as high school students in Washington, D.C. And all those years have done nothing to diminish their live show—Maroon is a criminally underrated (and understated) guitarist, and it’s time to concede that the diminutive Matt Barrick is the best indie rock drummer in the world.

In fact, Barrick’s rapid-fire opening salvo is the definitive moment of the band’s definitive song, “The Rat.” Widely regarded as one of the best songs of the century, “The Rat” has long been THE must-see moment of a Walkmen show, and after closing with that number for years, the band steadily moved it up on its setlist. On Thursday, “The Rat” came near the end of their opening act, and unsurprisingly, blew the doors off Bimbo’s. The entire crowd engaged in a near hysteric rendition of the song, faithfully belting out each word at the top of their lungs. 

After closing out their set with the anthemic “Heaven,” (punctuated by its triumphant lines, “Remember, remember/All we fight for!”), the band returned with an encore of “Thinking of a Dream I Had,” and two of their oldest songs, “That’s the Punch Line,” and “We’ve Been Had.” Actually, “We’ve Been Had,” was the first Walkmen song ever recorded, and Leithauser acknowledged—as he has in the past—the significance of this tune, crediting the track with convincing him that his band had legitimate potential.

More than two decades after recording that song in a snowy New York City evening, Leithauser’s initial impressions clearly still ring true. Then as now, the Walkmen are a dynamic, thrilling and endlessly satisfying outfit. Whatever act comes next, it will be worth seeing.

Setlist:

On the Water 

Juveniles 

In the New Year 

Postcards from Tiny Islands 

Angela Surf City 

Dónde Está la Playa 

Woe Is Me 

I Lost You 

138th Street 

What's in It for Me 

Wake Up 

The Rat 

All Hands and the Cook 

Red Moon 

Canadian Girl 

Heaven

**ENCORE**

Thinking of a Dream I Had 

That's the Punch Line

We’ve Been Had