PJ Harvey performs 'Silence'. Image: Il Fatto Quotidiano

Justine McNamara reviews PJ Harvey at The State Theatre.

PJ Harvey last caused a stir in Sydney in 2008, when she was touring 2007 album ‘White Chalk’. That show saw her mostly alone on stage, with only a little help from long time performance buddy Mick Harvey. He joined her again on this tour, along with John Parish and Jean-Marc Butty, to bring life to her most recent album ‘Let England Shake’.

The band arrive on stage before PJ and waited for her to walk out. She doesn’t waste any time with greetings or introductions and jumps straight into the album’s title track. Her voice sounds delicate and wavers throughout the song’s high notes, but this is no criticism. The nature of it calls for urgency and vulnerability, which she delivers.

They finish abruptly and shuffle around in darkness to prepare for single ‘The Words That Maketh Murder’. The lyrics to this song are incredibly graphic and war-themed but it’s easily the catchiest on the album. The lyrics: “I’ve seen soldiers fall like lumps of meat… Arms and legs were in the trees,” should sound sinister but set to this melody, it’s hard not to dance.

PJ swaps between an auto harp and a guitar throughout the set and while both are played perfectly, she’s clearly more comfortable holding the guitar. The only song that has any movement from her is ‘Pocket Knife’ where she dances around the stage showing off the top of her leg by pulling up her dress.

The sound in the State Theatre is loud but not confronting and every note on every instrument sounds clear. The only problem on the night is at the start of ‘Bitter Branches’ – Mick Harvey’s guitar isn’t making any noise. But no one makes a fuss, PJ simply comes closer to her microphone and plays her guitar harder until Mick’s can be heard. PJ stays silent between every song until the encore and then introduces her band. The lights are still on when they start ‘The Piano’ and this unfortunately takes away from the haunting atmosphere they’d built before.

‘Silence’ is the last song of the encore and upon finishing, the crowd jump up into a standing ovation. PJ and her band watch us and smile for a few minutes, giving people a quick chance to snap some photos, before they walk off and leave us to reflect on the beauty we’ve just witnessed.