PJ Harvey began NYC run at Terminal 5 (pics, video, setlist)
PJ Harvey was in NYC last year for a special “poetry, conversation, and music” event where she gave a brief performance, but other than that, when she started her North American tour last week it had been seven years since she played a proper show in this part of the world; it’s good to have her back. She’s supporting 2023’s I Inside the Old Year Dying, and as ever she’s totally switched up her performance to really bring that album to life. Sunday night’s (9/15) show at Terminal 5, her first of two NYC shows, started with PJ and her band — John Parish, James Johnston, Giovanni Ferrario, and Jean-Marc Butty — playing it in full from beginning to end. Each song had its own very purposeful staging and lighting, often incorporating dance and movement, and you could tell a lot of care had gone into everything from the set pieces and beautiful cracked backdrop to everyone’s onstage attire. I Inside the Old Year Dying was inspired by PJ’s novel-length epic poem Orlam, and seeing it play out in its full, performance art-adjacent glory was a welcome reminder of the depth of language and storytelling it contains. It also sounds fantastic — “I Inside the Old I Dying,” with its ghostly harmonies, was a particular highlight live as it is on record.
After I Inside the Old Year Dying, PJ’s bandmates came forward to perform Let England Shake track “The Colour of the Earth” without her, and she reemerged for “The Glorious Land,” starting the second part of the show. They kept the Let England Shake going with “The Words That Maketh Murder,” then proceeded to play a bunch of older favorites, including “Send His Love To Me,” “Man-Size,” “Dress,” “To Bring You My Love,” “C’mon Billy,” and “Angelene.” “The Garden” was a particular highlight with dramatic shadows cast upon the wall, PJ ended the night with “White Chalk,” pulling out her harmonica to huge cheers. An amazing show all around.
PJ Harvey is back at Terminal 5 tonight (9/16); she goes on at 8 PM sharp and there’s no opener.
See pictures from Sunday night’s show belong, along with the setlist and attendee-taken video.
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SETLIST: PJ HARVEY @ TERMINAL 5, 9/15/2024
Prayer at the Gate
Autumn Term
Lwonesome Tonight
Seem an I
The Nether-Edge
I Inside the Old Year Dying
All Souls
A Child’s Question, August
I Inside the Old I Dying
August
A Child’s Question, July
A Noiseless Noise
The Colour of the Earth
The Glorious Land
The Words That Maketh Murder
Angelene
Send His Love To Me
The Garden
The Desperate Kingdom of Love
Man-Size
Dress
Down By The Water
To Bring You My Love
Encore:
C’mon Billy
White Chalk
