Britpop legends Pulp head to Manchester this week, fresh from a barnstorming performance at Finsbury Park in London at the weekend. The indie pioneers will be headling at Castlefield Bowl as part of the ongoing Sounds of the City series at the outdoor venue.
Back in May, Pulp confirmed their first Manchester show in more than 20 years as part of their summer reunion tour called This is What We Do For an Encore. Known for hits including Disco 2000 and Common People, the band is fronted by Jarvis Cocker, and has released seven albums since 1983.
The Castlefield Bowl show, which will feature support from indie musician Baxter Dury, will be the band’s first gig in Manchester for 22 years. They last performed in the city at the O2 Apollo on November 25, 2001 as part of their We Love Life tour.
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The Finsbury Park gig at the weekend gave fans a taste of what they can expect here in Manchester, and if the setlist is anything like that one we're in for a treat. It included a special tribute to former Pulp bassist Steve Mackey, who died at the age of 56 in March 2023.
Here, we've rounded up some of the essential information you need if you're heading along on Tuesday night to the Pulp gig.
Stage times and support
Timings for live gigs are always subject to change, so the best advice is to always arrive as early as you can in order not to miss any of the action. But here are the timings we've been given.
- Doors - 5.30PM
- DJ - 5.30PM
- Baxter Dury - 7.45PM
- Pulp - 9PM
Setlist
This is what Pulp have so far been performing on This is What We Do For An Encore summer tour. But as with all live gigs, setlists are always subject to change.
I Spy
Disco 2000
Nis-Shapes
Something Changed
Pink Glove
Weeds
Weeds II (The Origin of the Species)
F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E.
Sorted for E's and Wizz
This is Hardcore
Do You Remember The First Time?
Babies
Sunrise
Like a Friend
Underwear
Common People
ENCORE
Razzmatazz
How to get there
Castlefield Bowl is located on Rice Street in Castlefield (M3 4JR) and is just off of Deansgate in the city centre.
There are two entrances for ticket holders - via Duke Street/Castle Street, which is also the disabled access entrance, or via Liverpool Road where you access the site down steps.
By public transport
It is roughly a five-minute walk from Castlefield Bowl to the main line train station at Deansgate. Here you can also access the Deansgate-Castlefield tram station where there are trams every 12 minutes connecting to all of the main tram routes in the Greater Manchester area.
By car
If you're driving, a number of NCP’s Great Northern car parks are just a short walk away. There are 1,240 spaces in total and prices start from around £3.95 per hour. Use the postcode M3 4EE if using a sat nav.
The NCP Manchester Central next to Bridgewater Hall car park is also nearby, with 643 spaces. For sat navs the postcode is M15 4PS. The next nearest NCP is on Spinningfields on Quay Street with 680 spaces.
Food and drink
There is a wide variety of street food stalls and beer tents at Castlefield Bowl where you can buy hot food and drink around including the ‘food village’ at the Canal Street entrance. In previous years, street food on site included Grandad’s Sausages; Wrap Up burritos, nachos, halloumi and fries; and Tibetan Kitchen.
There are two bars serving alcoholic beverages and soft drinks, plus a gin bar and prosecco bar at the very top end of the site up the steps. For those not acquainted with the area, there are also a host of restaurants, bars and pubs along Liverpool Road on the way into Castlefield, as well as the popular bars and restaurants on and around Castle Street in the heart of Castlefield.
The weather forecast
The current forecast from the Met Office for Manchester this week looks a largely unsettled picture, with sunny spells, showers and longer spells of rain at times. So the best advice is to arrive prepared for cooler and wetter conditions given it is an outdoor gig.
