Sunday, November 8, 1998
The Roxy Theatre
Atlanta, Georgia
The anaconda strikes a direct hit! Yes, folks, PJ Harvey is back in full force. This was the third and most surreal time that I’ve seen Miss Polly Jean. Luckily, she played here at a venue suited to her majesty. The Roxy is an old theater that has been converted to a music hall. However, unlike the similar Orpheum Theater in Boston, this one has no seats….so you get to dance around without suburbanites yelling at you to sit down.
Well, I decided to get all decked out with my red velvet and black lace shirt. I even donned my much-too-tight embroidered black pants. All my effort was worth it, though, as a cute little goth boy complimented me on my garb.
For this concert, the elaborate sets and costume changes of the To Bring You My Love tour were replaced by a stark stage and a less made-up Polly Jean. This show was all business. The band (including the brilliant John Parish) formed a straight line along the edge of the stage with Polly Jean in the middle. She stilled looked fabulous, don’t get me wrong. She had that cool Cleopatra cut, only really thick and messy. Kinda like she just got out of bed…very sexy. She was wearing a killer snakeskin skirt and a revealing red top. I never got a glimpse of her shoes due to the overpacked house…oh the injustice of it all.
Her voice was stronger than I’ve ever heard it. She launched into a rendition of Catherine that immediately silenced the crowd. Not missing a beat, she proceeded with several selections from "Dance Hall at Louse Point that culminated in the highlight of the evening, "Taut." This tune was the revelation of the night as PJ danced around grinning like a madwoman to the chorus, "Jesus, save me!" I think I have a new favorite PJ Harvey song.
Admittedly, there was a slight lull in the show following this. It’s hard to sustain that kinda energy. "Joy" was appropriately sorrowful, but "A Perfect Day Elise" was rather underwhelming. However, PJ came back with "Hook" and delivered the killing blow with a rocking "Meet Ze Monsta." At this point she could have farted and the crowd would have loved it. She’s just that amazing.
Another surprise was how well "City Of No Sun" translated to live performance. I’m just sorry that she didn’t do "That Was My Veil" or "Lost Fun Zone." The material from "Louse Point" was simply wonderful. She did exhibit more range, however, with a stunning reading of "The Wind" that was at once stark and ethereal.
As if this performance couldn’t get any better, we were then treated to a serious butt whomping by "Dress" and "Snake." I was in ecstasy as soon as I heard the line, "You snake, you crawl between my legs."
Polly Jean closed the set enchantingly with "Is This Desire?" She thanked the audience repeatedly for making the last night of the US tour so special for her. She seemed happier and more comfortable than I’ve ever seen her on stage.
Naturally, there was a brief encore. "The Garden" and "The Sky Lit Up" proved that the new material is every bit as inspiring as anything she’s ever done. My only complaint is that I really…REALLY wanted to hear "No Girl So Sweet." Oh well, there’s always next time! If only I can wait that long.
At least I can take solace in the gorgeous black and white T-shirts that I grabbed at the show. PJ is the first artist that I’ve bought two different shirts for. They’re just so much more artistic and interesting than anyone else’s. Kind of like the lady herself.
