GENRE-DEFYING Dorset musician Polly Jean – PJ – Harvey is performing a rare home gig in Bridport tomorrow.

The globally famous star will perform with her long-time collaborator John Parish to kick off a world tour supporting their latest album, A Woman A Man Walked By.

The CD will hit the shops at the end of this month and the accompanying tour will take Polly and John across Europe. She will also be performing solo for Camp Bestival at Lulworth Castle in July.

Arts centre director, Lindsay Brooks said, “We’re very excited that PJ Harvey has chosen Bridport Arts Centre as the first stop on her forthcoming tour. She told us: ‘It has been wonderful to have such a supportive, creative space as Bridport Arts Centre around me as I have grown up, and over the years I have seen many memorable events, as well as being able to use it for my own performances. It is still a place that I like to go to and perform in.’ “I’m sure our audience will be delighted to welcome her back!”

PJ grew up on her parents’ farm at Corscombe where music – mainly Captain Beefheart and the blues – was part of everyday life.

As a teenager she learned the saxophone and was in several bands while studying sculpture at Yeovil College before joining the Bristol-based collaboration Automatic Dlamini with John Parish and Rob Ellis.

Her first solo single Dress was picked by John Peel as the NME’s single of the week and her second release Sheela na Gig was equally lauded.

By 1995, Polly was nominated for the Mercury prize and two Grammy awards, and bagged the Artist of the Year award from Rolling Stone and Spin magazines.

In 2000, her album Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea, influenced by New York and Dorset, was hailed as her best to date and won the South bank Show Award. Her latest album, 2007’s White Chalk, was another huge success.

Throughout her career, PJ Harvey has confounded and amazed her critics and fans and her performance at Bridport is the perfect chance to see her at her best, on home territory, with the man who, musically, has been with her since the beginning.

Polly and John are at Bridport Arts Centre on Thursday, March 12 at 7.30pm. Tickets are £15 plus concessions. Call 01308 424204.