Last night, the Spandau Citadel was transformed into a magical soundscape as part of the Citadel Music Festival for a performance by PJ Harvey, their only concert in Germany this year.

After the somewhat strenuous opening by the Norwegian jazz musician Bendik Giske, PJ Harvey entered the stage after a long bell ringing. In a beige dress, over it a white, long poncho, printed with black trees, by friend and designer Todd Lynn, PJ folded her hands as if in prayer and began with "Prayer At The Gate" from the current album "I Inside The Old Year Dying".

Her crystal-clear voice created an almost mystical atmosphere in the warm night, which fit perfectly with the historic backdrop of the citadel. With minimalist lighting design and supported by their excellent band, which also included John Parish again, Harvey offered a haunting performance in the open air over the course of the evening.

Particularly touching was the performance of "A Child's Question, August" and "A Child's Question, July" from the current album, which provided goosebumps with its melancholic melody and profound lyrics.

PJ Harvey's powerful voice, coupled with the dynamic instrumentation, transformed the citadel into a sea of enthusiastic fans younger than anyone could expect. The energy was palpable and showed once again why PJ Harvey is one of the most influential artists of her generation.

Despite her intense performance, PJ Harvey was approachable (also to our photographer) and humorous between songs. She thanked the Berlin audience several times and seemed to visibly enjoy the special atmosphere of the citadel, where she has performed several times.

The main part ended with loud applause with the classics "Dress" (from the 1992 debut album "Dry") as well as "Down By The Water" and "To Bring You My Love" from the 1995 album of the same name, between which Polly Jean introduced her band.

As an encore, there was only one song, "White Chalk" from the album of the same name from 2007, which underlined the reverent, unobtrusive atmosphere of the evening and gave the audience a pleasantly warm feeling.

PJ Harvey's performance at the Spandau Citadel was more than just a concert – it was a musical experience that will resonate for a long time. Her unique mixture of melancholic voice, alternative rock and poetic lyrics, combined with a captivating stage presence, made the evening a sublime highlight of this year's concert summer.