Glastonbury 2024: Watch PJ Harvey perform ‘Let England Shake’
During her fifth performance at Glastonbury Festival, alternative icon PJ Harvey rolled out the classic anthem ‘Let England Shake’ as part of her set on the Pyramid Stage.
The veteran star from Bridport released her tenth solo album in 2023 with I Inside the Old Year Dying. Speaking about the record in a press release she described it as “a resting space, a solace, a comfort, a balm—which feels timely for the times we’re in”, and she certainly brought that sentiment to Worthy Farm.
This atmosphere was partly helped along by the fact that PJ Harvey followed on from the unusual occurrence at Glastonbury Festival of a seven minute silence over at the Pyramid Stage instigated by the performance artist Marina Abramović.
However, ‘Let England Shake’ certainly put any silence aside as it took performative protest in a different, more visceral direction. The classic track from her 2011 award-winning record of the same name that looked at England’s history of conflict.
At the time, it marked a drastic change in her style, as she told Bridport News: “I couldn’t sing [the songs] in a rich strong mature voice without it sounding completely wrong. So I had to slowly find the voice, and this voice started to develop, almost taking on the role of a narrator.”
The titular track managed to muster much of the same atmosphere that she captured last time she played it at Worthy Farm over on the Other Stage back in 2016. However, it was noteworthy how it is perhaps even more prescient than ever before.
Adding to this was the fact that Damon Albarn had just delivered a political message as he joined Bombay Bicycle Club for a surprise guest appearance in their set and stated: “Three things, and you have to show me how you feel about them: Palestine. Are you pro-Palestine? Do you feel that’s an unfair war? Okay,“ he said as his questions were met with resounding affirmative cheers.
He then continued: “The importance of voting next week? Now, I don’t blame you for being ambivalent about that, but it’s still really important. And thirdly, maybe it is time we stopped putting octogenarians in control of the whole world.“
Glastonbury Festival is currently underway until June 30th and Far Out is on the ground at Worthy Farm to provide coverage directly from Pilton. This year’s event will be headlined by Dua Lipa, Coldplay and SZA.
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