Jarvis Cocker Charity Show

Former Pulp frontman and all round musical hero Jarvis Cocker played his first ever acoustic headline slot in Manchester yesterday (April 16th).

Jarvis Cocker place Pulp on hiatus in 2002, and since then has worked on a solo career. Debut solo album 'Jarvis' is set to be following by the forthcoming release of 'Further Complications' some of which was debuted on a solo tour last year.

The show was in aid of a local children's hospital, and took place in Manchester's Royal Northern College Of Music. The one time Britpop star played a mixture of covers, some old Pulp classics and new tracks.

Jarvis Cocker seemed at ease, despite this being his first headline slot armed only with an acoustic guitar. The singer opened with the title track of his forthcoming album, telling the crowd:

"It’s a song about life and how it's like a plastic bag. It starts off empty and as you go through life you fill it, but be careful - if you put too much in it the handles might break."

He added: "It's also worth pointing out that there was a bit I couldn't fit into the song which was that if you don’t put anything in it, it’ll blow away in the wind like those bags you see near tower blocks. Very deep. Having said that this song is almost obsolete, as it's all bags for life nowadays."

Cocker also played the track 'Slush' which he explained was written on a boat travelling to Greenland. "It’s not a howl of eco-protest, although it does kind of relate as slush is probably what the North Pole will end up being," he joked.

Cocker also played a number of covers by the likes of Talking Heads, Bruce Springsteen and The Velvet Underground. The singer was joined by the likes of I Am Kloot, Stephen Fretwell and Badly Drawn Boy.