https://www.facebook.com/notes/oliver-g ... 9146034563 some interesting early reviews on this page..

14 December 1989
Railway Inn, Winchester
The first time I ever saw her was at a gig I promoted myself, at the Railway in Winchester. Back then, the venue was a skittle alley at the rear of the venue and you had to bring in the PA. The band was Automatic Dlamini, previously a three-piece from Yeovil. Now they had suddenly become a quintet and one of the band was a skinny girl with a big semi-acoustic guitar. She mainly lurked at the back of the stage but twice came forward to sing lead on her own songs. There were only about twenty people there but I remember my friend Paul nudged me and asked, “What is it about that girl?” “I don’t know”, I replied, “but if I wasn’t otherwise occupied, I’d ask her if she’d like a manager.” The only conclusion was that she had that “something” which marks out a star, and that it was noticeable even then.

Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth
This was the only time I ever saw a PJ Harvey show which went less than well. She was warming up for Camp Bestival and the performance was the completely solo White Chalk show. Astoundingly, a large chunk of the audience rudely talked all the way through. Polly was visibly shaken and afterwards, the promoter told me she said she was thinking of quitting live performance.