Release Athens 2024 / Pulp + The Smile

Release Athens 2024 welcomes Pulp, on Thursday 20 June, at Plateia Nerou.

The Smile, the band created by Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood, the creative core of the great Radiohead, together with Tom Skinner of Sons of Kemet, will perform as co-headliners with Pulp, in a unique festival night with a lineup that includes some of the greatest personalities in the world music scene of the last decades.

Let’s all meet up in the year 2024!

Pulp

Pulp, the legendary band from Sheffield, reunited this year for a series of live performances in the UK, is currently preparing for their big European tour, with Greece being one of their chosen destinations!

Led by the charismatic Jarvis Cocker, one of the best frontmen of the global music scene, Pulp composed the soundtrack of adolescence and adulthood for an entire generation, remaining relevant and influential to this day. “Common People”, “Disco 2000”, “Something Changed”, “Razzmatazz”, “Do You Remember The First Time?”, “Babies”, “Lipgloss”, “Sorted for E’s & Wizz”, “This Is Hardcore” are just a few of the masterful singles they gave us, adding a unique quality to what it is called pop music.

Part of the “big four” of the Britpop era (Oasis, Blur, Suede being the other three) Pulp never sounded like anything else.
With the band’s lineup becoming steady, one great album followed another. “Separations” (1992) immediately grabbed the attention of audiences and critics alike, with outstanding tracks such as “My Legendary Girlfriend”, “Death II”, “Countdown”.
In 1994, “His ‘n’ Hers”, was their game-changing masterpiece, including tracks that still remain untouched by time and preparing the world for the triumphant sequel.

The monumental “Different Class” (1995) skyrocketed Pulp into the stratosphere, stirring up the buzz around them. “Common People” remains the absolute Britpop anthem and one of the best pop singles of all time, the brightest peak in an album full of such. A timeless pop song of wit and bliss that will never cease to sound contemporary and meaningful.

“Different Class”, still tops every list related to the British scene of the 90s, unsurpassed both by the rest of their contemporaries and by themselves. The stunning “This Is Hardcore” (1998) and “We Love Life” (2001) round out the band’s discography to this day, faithfully embodying the creative and adventurous spirit of a band that has consistently aimed to evolve and push the boundaries of their music.Indie, glam-pop, alternative rock, art-rock, it’s hard to label Pulp. They had the rare gift of talking about everyday things that we all had experienced too (or would like to)!

Immersive, theatrical and at the same time entertaining, just like Jarvis Cocker! One of the best lyricists of his generation, witty, elegant, always in his velvet jacket, with his framed glasses and his unique dance moves.

Pulp disbanded in 2002, triumphantly reunited for concerts in 2011, and they are returning again this year! The rave reviews described their shows and stage presence as equivalent to their glory days. “A celebration, an emotionally nostalgic evening for the ages” , similar to the one we will experience on the evening of June 20th, at Plateia Nerou and Release Athens 2024!

The Smile

The Smile was created during the lockdowns. Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood had a lot of new ideas they wanted to work on but at the same time the other members of Radiohead were also busy with their own projects.

The band took their name from the title of a poem by Ted Hughes. Yorke said it was "not the smile as in 'ahh', more the smile as in the guy who lies to you every day". Their first appearance came via streaming for Glastonbury Festival, in May 2021, and a year later, their excellent debut, ‘’A Light for Attracting Attention’’, was released. "Enchanting with fascinating ideas", "without a doubt, the best side-project from members of Radiohead", "complex as well as wisely simple" are some of the rave reviews from the Media.

"You Will Never Work in Television Again", "The Smoke", "We Don't Know What Tomorrow Brings" are immediate standouts. A post-punk sound, merging afrobeat and electronica, along with progressive arrangements. The stunning "Pana-vision" was part of the "Peaky Blinders" soundtrack, while “Open The Floodgates” is a dreamy masterpiece, similar to the finest moments of Radiohead.

Their sophomore album, ‘’Wall Of Eyes’’, recorded at the Abbey Road studios, will be released on January 2024. The first single, ‘’Wall Of Eyes’’ is accompanied with a video directed by the great Paul Thomas Anderson, creator of "There Will Be Blood" and "The Master", in which Greenwood wrote the το soundtrack. P.T. Anderson also worked with Yorke for the 15-minute music video, “ANIMA”, in 2019.

On June 20, in addition to the wonderful Pulp, Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood will return to Greece almost 24 years after their last visit, this time with The Smile. A festival day dedicated to some of the top artists that created – and still create – what we call truly great music!