PJ Harvey began her fifth Glastonbury performance in an unconventional way this year, enlisting artist Marina Abramović to deliver a speech to the crowd before encouraging them to participate in a seven-minute silence.
Abramović told the crowd she was “terrified” and “honoured” to open Harvey’s set, saying “I never in my entire life saw this kind of audience.” She then asked that fans take part in a performance piece she’s titled ‘Seven Minutes of Collective Silence.’
“What I’m proposing is something that’s never been done in any of the festivals of music’s entire history,” she said. “I am proposing a seven minute silence.”
Serbian artist Marina Abramović joins PJ Harvey on the Pyramid Stage for a 7 minute silence
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The artist asked the crowd to put a hand on their neighbour and participate in the silence – which was brought in by Emily Eavis ringing a gong. Abramović then opened her arms to reveal a dress in the shape of a giant peace sign.
The silence is in recognition of what Abramović has previously referred to as a “dark moment in human history”. She told the crowd: “The world is in a really shitty place… There is war, there is a hunger, there is a protest, there is a killing, there is a violence. But what is happening if we look into the big picture? Violence brings more violence. Killing brings more killing. Anger brings more anger. Demonstration brings more demonstration.”
She continued: “Here if we try to do something different, how to be in the present, here and now, and how we can actually all together give unconditional love to each other.”
Harvey then took to the stage fourteen minutes after her scheduled arrival, opening with ‘Prayer At The Gate’ from her 2023 album ‘Inside the Old Year Dying’.
The delay caused some confusion for fans watching on the live stream, with Abramović’s speech not aired by the BBC.
Is PJ Harveys set not being streamed on iplayer?
— Becky
(@beckyboris) June 28, 2024
Earlier this summer, Harvey used her performance at Primavera Sound 2024 to pay tribute to the late record producer Steve Albini, who produced her second studio LP, 1993’s ‘Rid Of Me’. While performing in Barcelona she said: “I would like to sing this next song in memory of Steve Albini. Steve should have been here for this festival, and it would be nice if you all think of him.” Harvey then performed ‘The Desperate Kingdom Of Love’ from 2004’s ‘Uh Huh Her’.
Her Glastonbury performance, however, was a quieter affair, with Harvey only addressing the crowd once to thank her band.
PJ Harvey’s Glastonbury 2024 setlist was:
‘Prayer At The Gate’
‘The Nether-edge’
‘I Inside the Old Year Dying’
‘The Glorious Land’
‘Let England Shake’
‘The Words That Maketh Murder’
’50ft Queenie’
‘Black Hearted Love’
‘The Garden’
‘Man-Sized Sextet’
‘Dress’
‘To Bring You My Love’
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