*October 16th 2007

PJ Harvey was solo and played two different electric guitars, an acoustic one, piano, harmonica, a grove box, and some sort of lyre. She opened with Bring Me Your Love, and just came out hitting it. She wore a white dress, which she informed us, that had the lyrics of her songs on it. Devil was on her right sleeve.

To fly to L.A. to spend an hour and a half sitting by myself watching this woman sing and dance to entertain us, my friend asked me if it was worth it. And I thought about it, as I sat there wondering if the show before me was worthy of me running away from my family for a day and a half. I dropped the kids off at school on Monday and picked them up Tuesday.

Flying from Oakland to Burbank is about an hour and ten minutes, plus the 2 hours to get to Oakland, so round trip, the travel time was about six hours and twenty minutes. To some, not worth it, but considering she only played in L.A. and New York, and hasnʼt been in the States, since 2003, I think, and I missed that by not paying attention and finding out after the fact, so I hadnʼt seen her since 1996, before children and she is really my favorite performer, and to me what I saw was well worth the travel time.

I donʼt know why PJ Harveyʼs music resonates in me so strongly. Thereʼs something addictive about watching a performer who knows music and is passionate about the craft. Her songs come from within her, they are her, and most of the time what she has to say is so familiar to me, that the music moves through me causing that prickling of understanding. The hair on my arms stand straight, my stomach feels it and sometimes I will tear up, wandering to myself, how is it possible that something that is so separate from me, caused me so much emotion.

I arrived 40 minutes early no traffic on the 101 going from Hollywood to downtown. I sat in my seat, at first feeling a bit awkward being alone in the L.A. crowd, but as I people watched I noticed others who had come alone as well. I sat looking around at the L.A. audience, and the clothes werenʼt so different than the S.F. crowd, it was the attitude. I canʼt explain in words the feeling I was having, but the attitude just felt different.

Then the lights went dark and PJ walks out in her long poofy sleeved dress and her shoes. At first they were covered by the dress, but popped out while she sat to play some songs. Spiked heed, black, and what seemed to be leather, great shoes, but how did she walk around with such ease. I wondered.

Ian, who is rather shy, she told us, handed her another guitar and she began another song and I began to think about how I had gotten in a car, and a plane to come see her, and that I didnʼt need the comfort of company to go out into the world to do what I wanted.

I had been dropped off by friends, but had to take a taxi home, and taxis in L.A. are not like in S.F. they are no where, but I walked out waited for about 5 minutes and there one was across the street. The driver and I made eye contact, and I crossed the street with confidence and got in. $24.35 later I was back in Hollywood drinking a shot of tequila with my friends.