Photo Gallery: Pulp • Aragon Ballroom • Chicago

Brassneck | September 9, 2024

Pulp

Aragon Ballroom

Chicago, IL

September 8th, 2024

Recap and photos by Curt Baran

They gained success during the Brit Pop era with Blur, The Charlatans, Oasis, and dozens of others. By the mid-90s, they had carved out an expansive international audience, spurred by a reputation as an explosive live act.

So when the band announced a brief tour through North America (a country they’ve never entirely conquered), the faithful all but lost their minds.

Their “This Is What We Do For An Encore” tour touched down at Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom this past weekend as part of an anorexic five-city, seven-date sojourn, and their performance felt as frantic and unhinged as their tour schedule.

Lead singer Jarvis Cocker has always been the performer you can’t take your eyes off; this evening was no exception. He may not jump as high as he used to, but he still has all the requisite rock poses locked down. Watching him straddling the stage monitors or wildly convulsing to the music, Cocker remains the eye of the storm that fuels the band’s post-Brit Pop brand of Disco-infused material. And a packed Aragon hung on every note. From the opening chords of “I Spy” to the evening ending of “Glory Days,” the band was fawned over like the returning heroes they never actually were. Perhaps there’s still a chance for them to conquer The New World.