Pulp revealed as mystery band Patchwork as they appear for Glastonbury set

By Casey Cooper-Fiske and Hannah Roberts, PA Entertainment Reporters

Britpop group Pulp have been revealed as mystery band Patchwork as they took to Glastonbury Festival’s Pyramid Stage for a surprise performance.

The Sheffield band began with a rendition of their hit song Sorted For E’s And Wizz while the words “Pulp Summer” appeared on the screen behind them.

Their performance comes 30 years after their headline performance at the festival when they stood in for The Stone Roses after the Manchester band’s guitarist John Squire was injured in a cycling accident.

Groups of people wearing waterproof parkas took to the stage before the performance began, and footage from their 1995 headline show was broadcast on the screen behind.

Following their opening track, the Jarvis Cocker-fronted band launched into one of their best known songs, Disco 2000, from 1995’s Different Class, one of the most acclaimed albums of the 1990s, prompting a mass singalong from the Glastonbury crowd.

Following the song, Cocker said: “My name’s Jarvis, we’re Pulp, sorry for people who were expecting Patchwork, did you know that we were going to play?”

After cheers from the crowd, he added: “Psychic? Good.

“Listen, those two songs we just played, Sorted For E’s & Wizz and Disco 2000, were first played on this stage 30 years and four days ago.

“It was the very, very first time they were played – you could say they were born in Glastonbury.

“Why were we here at Glastonbury that time? We’ll get into that, but if you listen to this song, which isn’t so old, and actually was released four weeks ago or something, it gives you a clue in the title, and I want you all, every one of you, right back to those tents at the back, to come alive.”

The band then played Spike Island, which was the first single from their first album in 24 years, More, released earlier this year, which the band said was intended as a follow-up to Sorted For E’s & Wizz.

Pulp also treated fans to Acrylic Afternoons from 1994’s His And Hers, backed with violin, with Cocker holding some cups up as he sang about cups of tea, and appearing to throw food into the crowd.

Cocker, who was wearing a brown suit and green shirt, then picked up an acoustic guitar for a performance of Something Changed from Different Class, which brought a sway from the crowd.

The band finished with a double whammy of two of their best know songs, Babies and Common People, having played their breakthrough single Do You Remember The First Time? earlier in the set.

Pulp’s appearance comes after keyboard player Candida Doyle had appeared to confirm the band would not perform at the festival.

Asked whether she would be performing on BBC 6 Music, Doyle said: “We wanted to, just because it’s the 30th anniversary and that kind of thing, and they weren’t interested.

“And then we were thinking maybe next year, and then they’re not doing it next year.”

Formed in 1978, Pulp struggled to find success with the dark content of early albums It (1983), Freaks (1987) and Separations (1992), before finding their audience during the 1990s Britpop era with their first UK top 40 single, Do You Remember The First Time? and the subsequent His ‘N’ Hers album, in 1994.

In 1995, they gained nationwide fame with the release of the single Common People and their Glastonbury performance.

Pulp are currently made up of singer Cocker, keyboard player Doyle, drummer Nick Banks and guitarist Mark Webber, and have achieved five UK top 10 singles and two UK number one albums.