PJ Harvey Singles Out Sexist Gig Review - Noise11.com
PJ Harvey. Photo by Ros O'Gorman.

PJ Harvey. Photo by Ros O'Gorman.

PJ Harvey Singles Out Sexist Gig Review

by Tim Cashmere on January 18, 2012

in News

PJ Harvey has silently pointed out a review of her Perth show drenched in gender stereotypes and the general feeling that women need to prove themselves worthy of inclusion in the gang of their male counterparts.

The review was posted on Harvey’s Facebook page with no comment from Harvey (or whoever in her camp had posted it), although it has attracted 81 comments (at the time of writing). PJ’s fans are almost exclusively outraged at the review which recounts the story of how reviewer Ian Church met a fellow “male” while waiting to go in where they discussed “how although we as men are not massive fans, we both have great respect for her and her song writing.”

It’s okay though, if you have a penis and you’re worried about feeling like less of a man for attending a PJ Harvey gig or even owning one of her albums, Church reminds us that “this lass can hold her own with the boys,” pointing to collaborations with Queens of the Stoneage leader Josh Homme and Screaming Trees/QOTSA member Mark Lanegan as evidence.

Harvey’s Facebook doesn’t regularly take to posting gig reviews so this sole post is telling and her wordless approach to giving it to her fans is deafening.

A quick search of Church’s name in Google informs us that he “is an audio engineer and produces the promos that you hear on ABC Radio in Western Australia. Ian has mixed all the stories you see in Picture This and has also recorded a few of the stories as well.” His qualifications relevant to relaying a PJ Harvey performance to his audience are unclear.

There have been more aimless reviews, struggling to make a point about the actual music – I’m probably guilty of writing some of them myself in my younger days – but it’s hard to remain silent when a review so strongly reinforces Australia’s reputation as a conservative country so stubbornly refusing to move past the sexist norms of the past. At least this time it hasn’t gone unnoticed. While Church’s review was probably “accidentally” sexist, it doesn’t excuse it. This review isn’t just offensive to women, it’s offensive to everyone.

Read it here.

UPDATE: ABC have updated the review toning down the blatant sexism in the beginning of the article and adding this indirect disclaimer at the end:

“Perth Arts welcomes audience reviews. For all information on how you can submit a review of an event go to the Perth Arts site. Reviews are the opinion of the reviewer and may be edited by the ABC.”

It’s unclear what is meant by “audience review”, but as we pointed out earlier, Ian Church is on staff at the ABC and it is not the first review he has written. He also was sent along to review Gary Numan on the 17th of May, 2011. The “audience review” disclaimer does not appear at the end of that article.

Follow the author Tim Cashmere on Twitter.

Related Posts

Howard Jones Celebrate It Together
Howard Jones To Tour USA With ABC in 2025

Howard Jones is teaming up with ABC for a double header tour of the USA in 2025. Radio DJ Richard Blade is on the tour as well.

November 20, 2024
Silverchair at Big Day Out 2002 photo by Ros O'Gorman
ABC Removes All Silverchair Songs From Australian Story So Part Two Can Stream

Days after the first episode of the two-part Silverchair Australian Story program was removed from the ABC’s streaming service iView, the ABC has covered its tracks by taking out all unlicensed Silverchair music from part two so the second half can stream. Part one at this stage has not been re-edited.

September 26, 2023
Daniel Johns of Silverchair 2005 photo by Ros O'Gorman
Daniel Johns Explains Why Silverchair Australian Story Episode Was Pulled From iView

Former Silverchair singer Daniel Johns has gone public with his reasons for having the Australian Story Silverchair episode taking down from ABC TV’s streaming service iView.

September 25, 2023
Mick Jagger, The Rolling Stones image by Ros O'Gorman, Noise11, photo
Vintage Australian Mick Jagger Interview Surfaces

Historic Australian footage of Mick Jagger being interviewed by Richard Carleton in 1969 has surfaced.

January 4, 2023
Double J
Federal Government To Commence Study To Take Double J To The FM Band

The ABC’s DAB+ radio station Double J may soon head to the FM band. The Australian Federal Government has revealed plans to fund a feasibility study to take Double J onto FM frequencies around Australia.

October 26, 2022
Martin Fry ABC
ABC’s Martin Fry Was Horrified By Diagnosis At Age 27

ABC singer Martin Fry felt “guilty” about getting diagnosed with cancer during his band’s heyday.

March 1, 2022
Denis Handlin AM, Chairman and CEO of Sony Music Australasia
Four Corners Sony Music Expose Is Just The Tip of the Iceberg

Let me start by saying I am not a fan of ‘Trial By Media’. The objective for a television program is eyeballs, not a legal conclusion. That is precisely what a huge brand name like Sony Music can deliver. Four Corners simply opened a door and allowed viewers a peak inside the entertainment industry and it was pretty ugly.

October 12, 2021