PJ Harvey

PJ Harvey was this year’s must see artist at the very successful Mona Foma, playing a 90-minute performance at Princess Wharf shed number 1(PW1). For Hobart, a town where tickets are generally purchased the day of the performance, the show sold out quickly. And as the crowd poured in, it was clear that Hobartians had come to worship at the altar of Ms Harvey.

I love the PW1 and although a latecomer to the charms of PJ Harvey am now a true believer. Having spent the week listening to her latest album Let England Shake, I couldn't wait to hear the album live. Unfortunately – at least for me – one of my favourite venues and one of my favourite artists did not a good marriage make. No matter where I stood, my 5”1’-inch stature was never enough to see more than an alabaster white forehead and some feathers. I heard she looked great but I'll just have to take everyone else's word for it. Standing three rows back from the front and to the side I did see John Parish’s face, however, which was good but only enough to brave the serious fans for around three songs. Is there such a thing as passive aggressive moshing? These guys were serious!

Moving to the back of the venue provided more space but even further disconnect from the performers. The acoustics were not good. There was often feedback on the bass and on a few occasions a screech similar to that you get from placing two microphones close together. On top of this, the nuances of the music were often lost with instruments and voice becoming a bit of a blancmange.

Indeed, ninety per cent of the crowd around me were engaged in conversation with each other and busily 'checking in' or whatever it is people do on their mobile phones after paying $85 to see someone perform. Apart from finding this disrespectful to artists, I just find it a little weird. Even weirder was at the end of each song, the chatting, texting crowd would whoop, cheer, whistle and clap as though they had actually been listening. I offer no analysis of this, only observation.

There was certainly no chit chat to be had between Harvey and the audience. On a stage of white light, sparsely lit, she faded from view when moving out of the spotlight and (according to a tall friend) used this to great effect. Perhaps at another venue this would have enhanced the experience of the profound subject matter on the Let England Shake album. However, due to the aforementioned problems, I felt as though I had stumbled into an 'alternative' Enya concert.

Forty-five minutes in and I was hoping for some old hits that would send a spark through the back half of the hall. I was thinking ‘OK PJ, I get that you want to play your new album, but if I went to the art gallery I wouldn't want to only see paintings from 2012.’ I was becoming irrational I know. When Harvey did burst into ‘Down By the Water’, the crowd went wild but just as quickly went back to mild, texting again before the end of the first chorus.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars for PW1 and MOFO, 4.5 out of 5 stars for PJ’s music. As a couple? 1.5 out of 5 stars

MONA FOMA presents
PJ Harvey live
PW1
Saturday January 21st, 2012