It’s with great pleasure The Frontier Touring Company confirms the return of Mercury Prize winning artist PJ Harvey to Australia and New Zealand in 2008. PJ Harvey will play concert halls in Auckland, Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth, in each city for one evening only this February.
On stage, PJ Harvey sits firmly in the ‘not to be missed’ column. A recent show in Los Angeles - only one of two US shows to celebrate the release of White Chalk - saw her raw talent showcased on stage. The Los Angeles Times were thrilled with her performance, declaring PJ the “art-rock queen of the meaningful scream.”
Harvey will perform an intimate solo set which sees her move between guitar, piano, autoharp and an array of instruments, helping blend a career-spanning set with her new material seamlessly. Favourites from past albums are all included and are transformed in a way we’ve previously never seen.
The Daily Star claimed the opening night of PJ’s European tour to be “the best show of the decade to date,” describing it as “truly blistering.” The Evening Standard weren’t far behind with their praise, assuring us that the new album may be “sublimely haunting but PJ Harvey still knows how to rock.” And the Financial Times were enraptured, describing her ovation as “the loudest, most committed I’ve heard in a long while, and totally justified".
In the music world today, few have ascended to the heights or achieved the longevity that have been awarded to PJ Harvey. One of the finest and most respected figures amongst her peers, PJ has collaborated with musical alumni including Thom Yorke, Marianne Faithfull, Josh Homme and Nick Cave - associations that can only attest to the high regard PJ is held in amongst her peers.
However, the respect extends beyond PJ’s contemporaries. Of her eighth studio album, White Chalk (available now through Universal Music), critics have been nothing short of smitten. “It’s a brave and brilliant refocusing of her energies, virtually a rebirth,” Mojo declared, while Q Magazine gushed: “It’s so alluring you have no choice but to follow.”
Rolling Stone awarded the album 4 stars announcing it “stronger and more assertive” than 2004’s Uh Huh Her.
With a dedicated following in both Australia and New Zealand, there is no doubt these shows will be a sell out . Playing songs from White Chalk for the first time ever in Australia and New Zealand, each performance - limited to one night only per city - will be one to remember for years to come.
Wednesday 13 February, Auckland
Civic Theatre
Friday 15 February, Sydney
Sydney Opera House Concert Hall
Sunday 17 February, Brisbane
Concert Hall
Wednesday 20 February, Melbourne
Hamer Hall
Friday 22 February, Perth
Concert Hall
Pre-sale tix on sale NOON, 8 NOVEMBER 2008 until noon, 9 November 2008
