First of all, a big THANK YOU to my wonderful and dear friend ACE! (sorry Gangsta, this one's not yours ), for without his orgnote hipping me to this show, my disasterously uninformed self would have had no idea this was happening Thank you Ace!!!!!

I caught one of only 2 US shows for White Chalk! The other show was in New York. The show was held at the Orpheum which is absolutely gorgeous. LA actually has quite a rich architectural history that tends to get lost in the shuffle. It's nice to be reminded that my city has such wonderfully beautiful artistic venues

The stage is sparsely decorated. On the left is a Piano, decorated in white holiday lights. In the center back is an amp. On the right is an electronic keyboard, with a cymbal to its right and a little black box on a stand off to the side. In the center front is a mic. The lights are dimmed and Polly comes out to the center of the stage. For the remainder of the night, she was the only participant on this stage, with exception of a stagehand, Roy I think his name was, who came out to hand her different guitars throughout the night. Well he comes out bearing a guitar and PJ wraps herself with her instrument and begins strumming.....

strum, strum, strum, strum, strum
strum, strum, strum, strum, strum
strum, strum, strum, strum, strum
strum, strum, strum, strum, strum

I was born in the desert
I been down for years
Jesus come closer
I think my time is near

And I've traveled over, dry earth and floods
Hell and highwater.....to bring you my love

STRUM STRUM.....

OK, I am already fainting She was spot on vocally on this song, including the tarzan vocals at the end (thanks anx) She then sang Send His Love to Me. She then went to her piano and sang When Under Ether, The Devil and White Chalk. I absolutely loved these songs. OK, I am a HUGE fan of Desire. It's my favorite PJ album, mostly because of how different it is from the rest of her work. It is so poetic She was rockin on her last 2 albums and now she is marmish with a non rock album. Already many fans are unhappy with the tone of this album and the departure it represents. Loving the departure of Desire, I have no problem believing I will be able to devour this album with no regret. She revealed to the crowd that she had written the lyrics to these new songs on her dress so say she needed help with "The Devil", she could look at her right sleeve or her left sleeve for "When Under Ether". Not only was she playing her art but she was cloaked in it as well

She then rocked out to Mansize and then into Angeline..... One of my favorite songs of hers ever. OMG, can't even say what it means to have heard this! She finishes and walks over to the keyboard with the cymbal set up and the little box on a stand, which turns out to be computer programmed beats and stuff like that. She begins her beat on the computer box and then launches into "Leah". Now she played this on the first concert I saw and during that performance it was a band effort. Matter of fact, there were 2 drummers. Like in that first concert, she clanged the cymbal in the middle of the song as it sounds on the album. But this time her lone presence on the stage made the song that much more desolate and haunted. Fabulous!!!

Next, she used the computer box and played Nina in Ecstacy. I only know this song because of a B-Side set that a friend made for me and she said that she has no idea why that song never made it on a proper album but that it was one of her favorite songs. Next she manipulated that computer box and played "Electric Light". Some of you might remember that I posted a thread about my favorite of her albums, "Is This Desire". It is said that most of the songs on that album are about literary characters. I don't think I will ever read any books those characters are in for fear of ruining what Desire has become to me. Well I explained that album and how I see it in that thread and it was with that thread in mind that I listened to "Electric Light" and I had a revelation on how to explain that song in context with the story I told about that album. That thread is here and I have updated my disertation to include my new found story about Electric Light:

http://www.prince.org/msg/8/211561

After that, she donned her guitar and sang Shame, Snake, Big Exit and Who The Fuck. Love, betrayal, devotion, and forcible separation Then her guitar was taken by the stagehand and she proceeded to sit down in a chair and remarked on how beautiful the theater was and she mentioned the chandeliers, which were absolutely gorgeous, and she said they were one of the most beautiful pair of eyes she has ever looked in She held something that at first glance I thought was an accordion but my friend said it was a mandalin but I don't think that is right either. It was probably about 18x18 and it had little strings and she strummed it like a guitar but it looked more like a miniature harp. Anyway, she played that thing and sang "Down By The Water".

Now a friend here at work said that his friend who went was disappointed that she didn't have a band. I told my friend that this concert lacked nothing because of it. He said his friend would have loved to hear a drummer backing her and that reminded me of her performance of "Down by The Water". During the song while she is strumming that little harp, she was using her high heel as percussion. My friend's friend was totally lost on the fact she was taking amazing artistic license and a drummer would have just watered it down and stolen that from her performance.

It was Fantastic to hear the contrast between the piano, the guitar, the keyboards and computer box, and back to the guitar and to the piano. Seriously, made for such richness and texture. After these songs, she played Grow Grow Grow, The Mountain and Silence on the piano. Again loved these new songs. LOVE THEM. With this she thanked the crowd and left the stage. The audience rose to its feet in standing ovation, which she clearly deserved. She came back on and did an encore of Rid of Me, Water, The Piano and Desperate Kingdom of Love, all on the guitar. DESPERATE. KINGDOM. OF. LOVE! OMFG! I absolutely adore that song and it was the song that sparked one of my music mixes in which 2 songs from that disc became the inspiration and the basis on which I wrote my domestic abuse thread.

Here is the full set list and a legend as to what she played during each song:

(g) = Guitar / (p) = Piano / (ck) = computerbox/keyboard

To Bring You My Love (g)
Send His Love To Me (g)
When Under Ether (p)
The Devil (p)
White Chalk (p)
Mansize (p)
Angelene (g)
My Beautiful Leah (ck)
Nina In Ecstasy (ck)
Electric Light (ck)
Shame (g)
Snake (g)
Big Exit (g)
Who The Fuck (g)
Down By The Water (g)
Grow Grow Grow (p)
The Mountain (p)
Silence (p)
-----
Rid Of Me (g)
Water (g)
The Piano (g)
The Desperate Kingdom Of Love (g)

Now look at these songs. They are the extreme nature of how she loves and hates, full of the pain of both. Ridiculously devoted, desperate, desolate, obsessed, wrapped in longing and suffering. Having only seen 2 shows, I would venture to say that this is probably going to rank as one of her most personal shows ever. The starkness and honesty of these songs is astounding and when taken as a collective, you get a real sense as to the person that Polly has been, and is becoming. Never failing to reach down to the bottom of the pit of her soul and giving expression to emotions that most of us barely dare to think about. Thank God there is someone in my life that can make me feel all these things. I am blessed to have such a remarkable musical hero as PJ Harvey.....

.
[Edited 10/17/07 15:19pm]

I went to this show with an orger that many of you don't know but who is enormously important to me. He is TheResistor He is one of my best friends here, and it was just an honor to be able to spend this time with such an amazing friend. Thank you Sistor for being such a good friend to me and thank you for keeping silent on the fact that I sing along at these shows I'm sure you've caught ear of my mostly crappy vocal delivery but even though I'm no Mariah Carey, alas, singing brings me so much joy. Hope I didn't ruin your experience at the Brand New Heavies for the same reason

Again, thank you for your friendship and I'm glad I have such an awesome friend to share experiences like this with

And MikeMatronik, just bow down bitch. JUST. BOW. DOWN!

.
[Edited 10/16/07 20:33pm]

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

I thought that was my orgnote.

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Autoharp: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autoharp

I really like the melody to this song:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=0uctrQBJSY8

While Supa was watching this...:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=pHcgS4XlOGg

I was 2500 miles away watching this:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=VqskVWnUVw4

How cool you got to see this show. I love When Under Ether ~ just the whole vibe of it gets under my skin and into my soul. There is another song I'm insane for but will have to get back to you on which one it is. It's near the end of the cd. My thanks to gangsta too for giving White Chalk to me!!!!

Oh my Jehova!

JEALOUSSSS!!!

Thanks for the review.

Ace said:

OMFG!!!!!

Aceypoo, you do forgive don't you? Yes, my first thanks is to my lovely friend Ace, who is the one who sent me an orgnote for the show Sorry!!! I am in a frenzy of activity almost constantly and I forgot I am thankful to Gangsta for so many things, but this accolade belongs to you

eleven said:

Hi HW!!!!!

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

I'll let it pass. This time!

Ace said:

Well the honest truth is, I did think of you during that concert I was thinkin.....I wonder if Ace would appreciate Polly's wide stance there as she hitched up her dress and spread her legs during her performance with the autoharp
[Edited 10/17/07 11:16am]

i haven't red a lick of this thread yet, but i just wanted to say right quick that i saw ma gurl pj on conan o brain last night, and that gurl tore that mutha up!


a beautiful song and performance. wow!!

ma gurl was lookin' a bit more "marmy" and homegrown than her usually punk glam self, but it was all the more whoop-ass for it!


[Edited 10/17/07 11:48am]

Ace said:

Yes!!! That's it! Since we were in the balcony I thought it was an accordion and got all excited at the thought of her rocking one cuz you know she would have

HiinEnkelte said:

See, I think it just adds to the funk

And for the record, that dress did not prevent her from rockin the hell out on the songs she played on the guitar that night

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

I'm just not feelin' her look this time 'round.

HiinEnkelte said:

It was Leno. Was she interviewed at all? Or just performance?

Ace said:

I can understand that but would you have objected to seein up that dress anyway?

Ace said:

oh yeah

no just performance, autoharp (if that's what its being called), and making a drum thump somehow with her legs.

HiinEnkelte said:

See!!!! High Heel for Percussion!

I already had another show the night of the NY one. I'm angry.

sextonseven said:

I would have skipped Prince for this. Besides, she's not one of your all time faves

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

oh that's what it was?!!
AWESOME!

she could rock in a straightjacket, with a muffled voice though the facemask and drumming her head on a wall

even her voice in that performance. it sounded slightly affected to make it sound like it was resounding, or i don't know what, but it was so dead on, strong, and clear. she sounded angelic, but like an angel that's been around the block and seen a thing or two, if ya know what i mean.

HiinEnkelte said:

You mean like me?!

Yeah, she had this little tick tocker thingie that looked like a christmas tree on top of her piano to provide beats during some of those songs and she had something to give her voice echo but her voice was just astounding the whole night. And to think, this is a freakin farm girl!

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Correct.

I haven't even gotten The Peel Sessions CD yet. I'm not a true fam.

sextonseven said:

HiinEnkelte said:

Heavy reverb on the mic channel.

Thanks again for a wonderful evening!

Hey you forgot to mention how you "accidently" touched the ass of the dude from Queer As Folk at the bar next door to the Orpheum.

I can't take it.