Yeovil

“Little fish, big fish, swimming in the water”

So, twenty years ago today I rocked on down to Waverley and caught the nine-thirtyish train down to Taunton. Eight hours plus later I was met by my pal Ian who was living down in Somerset at the time.

This was a Thursday and I’d gone down both for his birthday weekend and to see a band in Bristol the following night, the Friday. I think the first thing Ian said when he saw me was summat along the lines of, “Right, we’ve just got time to go home for some food and then we’re heading to Yeovil for a secret PJ  Harvey gig, I’ve reserved some tickets”. That’s my kind of welcome. A couple of hours later we were safely ensconced in the Gardens Nightclub, Yeovil and, like most small towns where there probably is only one nightspot, this was very much as you’d expect – potted palms in the corner, some themed-wallpaper going on, a bit of neon here and there, not quite the most PJ-like venue you’d imagine but it was a hometown gig after all and I guess she didn’t really have a lot of choice. Oh, and they had the football on the telly in the bar as well, I remember that. The sound did get turned down when the band were on but the set remained very much on throughout.

So, the small stage was set, the musicians came on and started up this big intro – dung-dung-der-dung-dung  of ‘To Bring You My Love’. After a couple of minutes of this on glides this ‘figure’ in a long flowing red gown and a massive black wig – Polly Jean Harvey - pure theatre, a vision of glamour and high drama in front of a tiny audience crammed into a space in front of the stage not much bigger than your average living room. And then came the opening words, delivered in a voice that sounded like it was coming from under the very foundations of the building itself – “I was born in the desert, I been down for years”. I don’t think the audience collectively gasped and then took a step back in a mixture of awe and bewilderment but they should have, it was that kind of opener. As a statement of intent for the hour or so to come it was mightily impressive.

Setlist - To Bring You My Love / Meet Ze Monsta / Working For The Man / Naked Cousin / Dress / Fountain / Water / C'mon Billy / Send His Love To Me / Down By The Water / I Think I'm A Mother / 50Ft Queenie / Long Snake Moan / Legs. Encore- Somebody's Down Somebody's Name / Goodnight.

Souvenir of the night*

Best have a tune to commemorate this silver anniversary. An appropriate photo to match ‘Meet Ze Monsta’ was always going to be something of a long shot, but there’s one track on there that, well, I didn’t have to try too hard…

"Come back here man, give me my daughter"




*Cheers to Ian for the scan of the ticket. I can’t believe I don’t still have mine but I haven’t. I remember having a flyer for the gig that I picked up at the time but it got used for a tape cover some time after. And that tape, like my ticket, is no longer with me. I know, must try harder.