Pulp headline Rough Trade's 50th anniversary celebrations at Southbank Centre this weekend
Pulp non-fiction
If you're looking for a culture-packed weekend in London, Southbank Centre has you covered. Taking over the riverside venue from the 17th–19th of July, the three-day celebration brings together one of Britain's biggest bands, acclaimed authors, theatre, film and live music for a programme that stretches from afternoon matinees to evening headline shows.
The biggest draw is undoubtedly Pulp, who will play the Royal Festival Hall on Friday night with a performance that's part album launch and part greatest hits set. The Sheffield icons will perform their latest record, More, in full before dipping back into a catalogue that includes some of the defining songs of Britpop, making it one of the band's most unique London performances in years.
The rest of the weekend is just as stacked. On Saturday, Scritti Politti take over the Queen Elizabeth Hall for not one but two performances, with a 3pm matinee followed by an evening show at 8pm, giving fans two chances to catch Green Gartside and co. in one of London's most intimate concert venues. Sunday continues the musical theme with a performance from Caroline alongside special guests My New Band Believe, bringing together two of the most exciting names on the contemporary experimental scene.
Music isn't the only thing on the bill, either. Sunday afternoon sees Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker swap the microphone for the projector as he introduces a special screening of Ken Loach's 1969 masterpiece, Kes, in the Royal Festival Hall. Rather than a standard cinema screening, the film will be accompanied by a live orchestra performing the score, creating an altogether different experience for one of British cinema's most celebrated classics.
Literature also plays a major role throughout the weekend thanks to Rough Trade Books, which is bringing together a host of writers, poets and performers for a series of exclusive events. Friday evening features one-off readings, performances and collaborations from some of the publisher's biggest names, while Saturday sees the debut stage adaptation of Hanna Patterson's acclaimed novel Ungone. The production follows a woman who attempts to avoid confronting her mother's dementia by hiring someone else to take her place during visits to her care home, exploring memory, grief and family with both humour and emotional weight.
The literary lineup also includes Sam Reid, who will bring The Pin Jar to life with live musical accompaniment, Max Porter with a specially created sonic performance based on All of this Unreal Time, and award-winning poet Ella Frears, making the weekend as much a celebration of storytelling as it is live music.
Whether you're heading down for Pulp, hoping to catch Jarvis Cocker's introduction to Kes, or simply fancy spending a summer weekend moving between gigs, theatre and talks on the South Bank, there's enough on the programme to fill an entire day — or even all three. Individual tickets remain available for many events, although several performances have already sold out, so it's worth checking availability before making plans.
Tickets for each event are individually priced, with the talks and performances starting at £17, with musical performances a little higher at £22, all the way up to £77 if you want to see Pulp. Head to Southbank Centre’s website for details and all the information on the event.
Skip the search — follow Shortlist on Google News to get our best lists, news, features and reviews at the top of your feeds!
