PJ Harvey, the Mercury Prize winner, plays a rare show that demonstrates she is the Rock-dame with the mostest

PJ Harvey, newly crowned with the Best Album trophy, appeared to be a bit nervous at the beginning of the show although that didn’t affect her vocal performance much. For the best part she appeared so confident that to face us alone, with a guitar. When she hits, it is made crystal clear she ain’t gonna pussyfoot round our feelings tonight.

The sparks continue to fly with every new chord, every new vocal line and early song selection witnessed Polly Jean pushing her voice to the limit, and getting there. Dunno what warming-up vocal exercises she does backstage but it works because she went for a complex and demanding delivery without easing into it. It seems nothing has become impossible for her and we’ve been treated with the range of characters, from a rock-chick chic to cabaret artist to soul-diva to torch singer to blues-sufferer to (curio) encore.

Her fragile frame is an incredible emotional well that, on this occasion, encompassed both a selection from the Mercury awarded album, ‘Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea’ – ‘A Place Called Home’, ‘This Is Love’ (single-to-be), ‘The Mess We Are In’ and early creations such as ‘Of My Lover’, ‘Hair’, ‘To Bring You My Love’, ‘Is This Desire?’, ‘Send His Love To Me’... Ms Harvey gets so engrossed in her performance she fails to acknowledge the audience until someone heckles her for it.

The beauty of the music is often shattered with a passionate fury as in ‘Man Size’... PJ often sounds like a man-eater the girls cheer to bits. If one had been suffering gender-paranoia, this would have been a well hostile place! A totally mesmerising show, toying with sexual stereotypes; although she is dressed for an eve-out at some posh do, this is the dirty business of emotional autumn-cleaning.

The surprise came at the end when she performed operatic (kidding you not!) version of a cheesy Middle Of The Road Number 1 hit (1971) – ‘Chirpy Chirpy Chep Chep’!? Go figure.

PJ Harvey doesn’t do much visually but hey, no need! Her seduction technique is musical diversity and what could a boy want more from his fictitious date?