Queen of the night

For me to go away for one night takes a lot of coordination.  It is such a rare thing for me to do that I only do it in exceptional circumstances.  When PJ Harvey announces a few concert dates in Sydney, I classify this as an exceptional circumstance.

For me to attend the concert required Michael to change is working days from home, and my Mum to look after all three children for two half days.  I'm so grateful to them that they could do it.

I caught an afternoon train down to Sydney and met up with my brother Corin after work.  He was coming to the show with me.  Corin took me out for a beer and then to dinner at a yummy Japanese noodle place.  We had a good catch up and a laugh and then it was on to the show.

I've seen PJ Harvey play four times (wish she would tour Australia more often).  Each concert has been different.  The last time I saw her she played at the Sydney Opera House with no other muscian's on stage.  Just her and a dozen instruments and she even had a little chat with the audience.  The time before that she had a band of three behind her and it was much more like a rock concert.  She was animated and danced about the stage.  This time it was different again.

The stage was blackened out with spotlights on her three piece band and a spotlight on PJ.  She was only visible in the spotlight when she sang and when she stopped singing would walk out of the spotlight.  She didn't say a word to the audience until she introduced the band at the start of the encore and that was basically it.  It was a very theatrical concert.  More like a performance piece than a rock gig.  The staging suited the material she was performing.  It was eerie, dramatic and I thought she was mesmerising. 

After the concert it was back to Corin and Yin's place.  When I woke up the next morning I got to have cuddles with my gorgeous nephew Casper, who was excited to show me his toys and tell me stories.  Then it was a bus into the big smoke and back on a train heading north for home.