Jarvis Cocker, Royal Festival Hall, London <!-- none onestar twostar threestar fourstar fivestar -->
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.It begins as a wrap party, yet develops into something much more engrossing. As he points out, the director for this year's Meltdown has spent the past fortnight watching his favourite artists, but now it is back to the day job.
In a year packed with music festivals, Jarvis Cocker has ensured that the South Bank Centre's musical flagship has maintained its reputation for the unexpected, so the sight of Nick Cave singing Disney show-tunes ranks as a landmark alongside the live return of The Jesus and Mary Chain. It is fitting, then, that the former Pulp front man should close Meltdown by transforming his own music.
Before that, Greg Weeks, of the Philadelphia folkies Espers, led The Valerie Project, a live score for the cult 1970 Czech obscurity Valerie and Her Week of Wonders. This movie has become a totem for the folk revival and the Project's switch from beguiling to sinister provides a perfect counterpoint to its visuals.
There is little pastoral about Cocker's artistic return to his favourite concerns, social decay and urban alienation. He points out that he selected the film as it reminds him of watching films with his kids, something that also inspired the number "Disney Time". Like many tracks on his eponymous solo album, it lacks Pulp's immediate pop thrills - with none of the propulsion of "Disco 2000" or the anthemic pull of "Common People" - but no matter when his band's glam stomp comes to life.
Their chugging rock rattles around the still gleaming auditorium, which leaves Cocker free to demonstrate his immaculate stagecraft. The length of his limbs accentuates the pointing that punctuates almost every phrase.
Gradually, his backing group take hold, with a keyboardist making full use of the hall's improved acoustics on a grand piano. Then a choir and chamber orchestra appear for a middle segment that adds depth to his album's quieter moments. Finally, it is back to frivolity for an encore of Survivor's Rocky III theme "Eye of the Tiger".
This is a performance not to be repeated, though after tonight you want to hear Cocker rework tracks from his own album in a similar, revelatory manner.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments