Review: PJ Harvey at Piece Hall in Halifax

PJ Harvey took that to a whole new level throughout her mesmerising performance at Piece Hall last night.

The acclaimed singer, songwriter and musician delivered a sublime set to a sell-out crowd at Halifax's historic courtyard. It's a rare treat to see the twice Mercury Prize-winning and eight-time BRIT and GRAMMY nominated artist perform, and for 90 minutes we were in the grip of a hushed reverence as she took us through the extraordinary back catalogue of her 30-year career, starting with Prayer at the Gate from recent album I Inside the Old Year Dying.

The acclaimed singer-songwriter delivered a sublime set (Image: Cuffe and Taylor/The Piece Hall)

She swept through a series of tracks from the 2023 release, including Autumn Term, The Nether-Edge and A Child’s Question, August as well as earlier crowd-pleasers such as The Glorious Land, Man-Size, 50ft Queenie, Down By The Water and Dress, and a dazzling encore of C'mon Billy and White Chalk.

“I’ve never been here before - it's a beautiful building,” she said, gazing out at the courtyard.

PJ Harvey delighted a sell-out crowd at Piece Hall (Image: Cuffe and Taylor/The Piece Hall)

There was an ethereal, eerie beauty to her performance. Each song had an intimacy and a life of its own; her voice, in turn, sweetly soprano, earthy blues, serene folk and wild-eyed rock as she prowled around the stage like a panther, stood with her guitar in bewitching stillness and sat at a writing desk in a kind of solitude.

With birdsong filling the air, and a twisted twig lying on stage - a haunting reference to her most recent album cover - this compelling show felt like opening a book of folk tales, West Country ghost stories or Polly Jean's own poetry. Stories brought deliciously to life in music by her extraordinary vocal range and multi-instrumental skills - she played a zither and harmonica as well as a range of guitars - and her otherworldly stage presence.

She was accompanied, beautifully, by her impressive four-piece band, including long-term collaborator John Parish, and James Johnston of the Bad Seeds.

Supporting PJ Harvey was critically acclaimed singer-songwriter and award-winning composer Mica Levi.

Mica Levi on stage last night (Image: Cuffe and Taylor/The Piece Hall)

* This week marks a run of seven consecutive headline concerts at TK Maxx presents Live at The Piece Hall. Tonight is Pixies, followed by The Streets, Biffy Clyro, Fatboy Slim, Jungle and Cian Ducrot. Visit thepiecehall.co.uk