PJ Harvey 2016 tour

Man, I think the heat has frazzled you!

 

It actually did. I got there at 1:00 pm (1st in line) and despite buying a bottle of water at the show, I was out of it (still am) when I got home.

Mid 90s and humid yesterday.

 

Amazing show tonight at Wolf Trap! Sadly, the place seemed half empty. Though it was miserably hot and humid out there tonight.

 

Just back from Wolf Trap. Not my first time seeing PJ, but kinda is: saw her open for U2 8 times in 2001 but honestly remember nothing of her performances. Went to this one because my girlfriend wanted to go.

Good show overall - didn't make me a fan but I thought it was a well-done performance, albeit one with no apparent spontaneity.

Which made me wonder: is PJ always that "pre-planned"? Does she ever talk to the audience? This was the least interactive concert I've ever seen - and I've seen both Dylan and the Cars, so I know something about artists who don't interact with the crowd!

 

I also caught her in Vancouver when she opened for U2 in 2001 and must tell I still remember that 45 minutes short set with the greatest fondness. She stormed the stage and delivered such an energetic set, with songs culled from her then recent Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea album that sent shivers down my spine. The performance of The Whores Hustle and the Hustle's Whore still haunts me and I would pay a fortune to be able to see that again. In my view, she just washed the stage with U2 that night. My problem is, that I wish I could see her with such a rebellious, charismatic state of her mind as she presented herself at that time. Despite her current material is still pretty contentful and more than worthy, I'm afraid she turned too theatrical nowadays in her live performances that put much of her rocking side to rest.

 

Interesting that you remember the opening set so well when I can't recall anything about the 8 times I saw her! Ehh - I'm old!

Also interesting that she was so much more "free-wheeling" back then. She definitely doesn't "rock out" much in this show - other than "Queenie", there's not a whole lot of raucous material...

 

Agree on all accounts. I became a fan listening to Stories from the City, which is reputed to be her most "commercial" and "accessible" albums to outsiders. Whatever it is, it is full of great songs. It took me several years, but I learned "to understand" her earliest material. That rawness of her early material is so special and, yes, it is not likely to be replicated later in her career, either in the studio or on tour. But it is fun to experience on her earlier albums -- To Bring You My Love, Is This Desire?, Dry, etc.

 

I have only seen her once - last summer. I have seen enough youtube clips to know she tends to have changed it up every tour. I'd like to spend some time seeing video of full concerts through her career.
From what I have seem (which is minimal) - if I only get to see her once, I am glad it was this tour rather than the last couple. On the other hand I wash I had seen her back in the 90s and early 00s.

 

I was introduced to PJ Harvey with the release of Rid Of Me. While her latest stuff is just okay in my opinion, I was over the moon when she busted out "50 Ft. Queenie" last night. I can say that I've gained a better appreciation of the last two albums, which naturally make up the majority of what's being played on this tour.

She was also selling what appears to be a tour-only 7-inch. I passed on it, after wondering how they might be holding up in this heat. $20 also seemed pretty steep compared to what I've paid for similar items at shows, but they seem to be going for more than twice that on the secondary market right now.

 

Got into her back when Is This Desire? first came out in 1998 or so. I've seen her about 4 or 5 times now:

- First time on the Uh Huh Her tour, where she very much was rocking out at the time. Great show, wish I had caught her live as far back as SFTCSFTS though.
- Twice during the White Chalk era, once for a Yahoo live taping in Beverly Hills, and once completely by herself onstage for that album. I don't think she spoke a word to the crowd at either! But she was chatting with and receiving fans outside before the Yahoo taping, clad in her very ornate white dress. Walked right past her but I was too shy to meet her, lol. She's very pretty and small.
- Once during the A Woman, A Man Walked By tour with John Parish and friends. She really cut loose at this show and seemed to be having a great time, and her band absolutely smoked.
- Finally, last year for the H6DP first US leg. Really made me appreciate this record and Let England Shake a bit more.

Yeah, I wouldn't say she's big on interacting with the crowd verbally between songs that much.

 

But is what I got last night the norm? Literally no comments other than a) band intros; b) choir intro; c) "thanks for coming!"

 

To the best of my memory, yeah pretty much.

Can't really see her being like "How's everyone doing toniiiight? Alright!!!"

I don't know if its an English thing or not. Caught Swervedriver back in 2014 or 2015 when they came out with their last new record, and I don't think Adam Franklin spoke a word to the crowd besides introducing their replacement bassist on that tour.

 

Definitely not an "English thing" - I've seen plenty of chatty artists who hail from the UK.

And to be fair, I didn't expect "hello, Cleveland - we are here to ROCK YOU!!!" I did think she might offer some comments about the songs or at least some personal observations.

I go to a lot of concerts and am not sure I've ever seen anyone who said less during a concert than PJ did last night. Not even "thank yous" between songs - even Dylan does that!

 

Point taken--yes, Robyn Hitchcock and Nick Lowe were both extremely chatty between songs in my experience.

I would say she prefers the material to speak for itself. Perhaps she wants to maintain the mystique instead of explaining the story of the beggar child in "Dollar Dollar" every show?

I kind of find it intriguing really, like I find most quiet, mysterious women intriguing.

 

To use a cliche, it's neither here nor there. I can't claim I was upset/offended/bothered by PJ's "silence" - just surprised and curious to know if that's how she's always been.

Even artists who don't tell us stories still at least say "thanks" between songs.

She struck me as though she had stage fright and went with a very pre-planned/chit-chat-free show to help calm her nerves. I'm guessing that's not accurate since I've read the tales of "wilder" concerts in prior years, but that was the way it felt last night: like she kept things controlled and choreographed to cope with jitters...

 

In Detroit she didn't say anything other than the band intros either. But I do remember her smiling at the audience a lot. In a way she did interact. Just not out loud. I just remember her smiling in that appreciative way after the songs. I thought that was ok.

 

I can't see her getting jitters this late in her career, but who knows. Maybe its a way of keeping the show tight because of the amount of performers onstage with her.

In other words, basically I will make excuses for Polly all day.

 

I didn't speculate she developed them now - I wondered if she'd always had stage fright.

Though I think "stage jitters" could develop. Look at ballplayers who get "the yips" - catchers who've thrown the ball back to the pitcher thousands of times suddenly get a mental block. I'd think the same could happen to performers.

Anyway, like I said, I suspected my theory wasn't correct, but she still gave off the vibe of someone not especially comfortable on stage.

Yeah, I noticed!

And you don't need to make excuses - I'm not actually criticizing her. I just tossed out observations based on last night's show!

 

Less talking equals more music

 

So why do chatty artists like Springsteen, McCartney and Dave Grohl play for 2.5+ hours - and PJ left the stage after about 90 minutes?

No, she didn't pack in more - or close to the same amount - of music into her show than those others do in theirs...

 

If she was being chatty in those same 90 minutes there would be a song or two less, right?

 

I think it is just a personality thing. Some people are chatty. Some are not. One thing I do not get as sense of is any stage fright.

 

No - it's not like there was a curfew and they yanked her off the stage.

She could've chatted a little and added maybe 4 minutes to the show. It was a short show - barely 90 minutes with no opening act.

"Chatting" and "playing" aren't mutually exclusive - it's not like Springsteen shows would have more songs if he didn't talk so much...

 

That's cool! I can't claim I sensed stage fright from PJ - that was just a theory for how tightly wound the show was...

 

Why should she if she doesnt want to,or feel like doing it? She is the artist. It is her show. If she thinks it is best preforming the music without saying "thank you",or other unnecearry frases to get in the way for the music,and the show,then it is her choice. Speculating in stagefright from an artist who have toured for decades,and are one of the most experienced,and respected in her genre? She looked scared up there just because she didnt chat? I saw her a year ago,and she looked far from scared then,even if she didnt talk to much. Maybe she said thank you. I dont remember,and i dont care. I guess she know we apretiated her show without having to say the obvious thank you`s-
What i remember was a really good concert.