PJ Harvey – The Salt Shed (Chicago) – September 30, 2024

October 1, 2024

How can one fully express the glorious reverie of witnessing such power and simultaneous grace as the incredible PJ Harvey? Even their mere whispers carry a memorable weight in songs that are often transcendent. To see it, you have to make sure that this breathtaking creature is not a mirage. She commands the stage in a striking white dress and moves with an elegance that gives the impression that she is an enchanted creature in some kind of wondrous and wild dance. An evening with her is certainly the best gift you could wish for!

PJ Harvey began her almost two-hour set with current songs from her tenth album in her highly successful career spanning over 30 years. I die in the old year. This is an album that has a touch of White chalk in its disarming poetry and live songs like “Lwonesome Tonight”, “A Noiseless Noise” and the recurring August theme on the album and live seemed just as convincing! Although Let England shake “The Color of the Earth,” “The Glorious Land,” and “The Words That Make Murder” helped to complete an outstanding set that never let up in intensity. Since Polly Jean doesn't tour Chicago very often, most fans here haven't been able to hear as many of these songs live.

However, fans of songs from her much earlier work weren't dismayed either, as she performed her brilliant “Man-Size,” “To Bring You My Love” and “Down by the Water,” channeling a greatness that expressed past incarnations brought our present with astonishing eloquence and powerful grace against a backdrop that evoked alert tree textures and elements of creative existence. She really gave the impression that every moment was vital. Even more special for Chicago is that she dedicated an acoustic version of “The Desperate Kingdom of Love” to Steve Albini, who died earlier this year.

It should also be noted that while PJ Harvey is a talented multi-instrumentalist herself, her four-piece band completed the songs with drums, keyboards, backing vocals, guitar and at times violin. Particularly noteworthy is the presence of long-time collaborator John Parish on stage, which gave the songs a special touch. PJ Harvey herself often put her own vocals and commanding presence front and center, sometimes with some noticeable shadows of her and the band behind her. However, she also played the guitar, autoharp and piano at times. Whether she was playing an instrument or simply singing without a band behind her, such as in “The Color of the Earth,” it was fascinating to be in her presence. Closing the set with “White Chalk” was also an extraordinary way to send us off with one of their most intellectually dramatic yet poetic songs, making us feel like there really is no one else in the world like PJ Harvey!

Remaining tour dates here