Joni Mitchell He gave his first full live performance since 2002 at this weekend’s Newport Folk Festival. Mitchell, 78, performed Mitchell classics including A Case of You, Both Sides Now and Big Yellow Taxi with country musician and friend Brandi Carlile. During the 13-song set, Mitchell also performed a guitar solo from Just Like This Train.
Including her and Carlyle – who are closed Mitchell’s 1971 album Blue In full – featuring Marcus Mumford, Wynonna Judd, Blake Mills, Jess Wolfe and Holly Lasik of the Lucious Band and Mitchell’s bandmates Bill and Tim Hanseroth and Chelyce Henderson: a live version of one of Mitchell’s private “Johnny Jam” nights. His Los Angeles home in recent years has been with the likes of Elton John, Bonnie Raitt and Herbie Hancock.
“I just realized that Joni is the most nervous person here,” Carlyle told the crowd.
Along with renditions of Mitchell songs including Carrie, Amelia and Circle Game, the group also covered Gershwin’s Summertime, Frankie Lyman’s Why Two Fools Fall in Love and Leiber and Stoller’s Love Potion No. 9. Performance videos on Pitchfork and read the list below.
Mitchell’s last full live performance was on November 13, 2002 at the Wiltern in Los Angeles. He last appeared at the 1969 Newport Folk Festival on the same bill as Arlo Guthrie and the Everly Brothers.
From having a Brain aneurysm in 2015, Mitchell returned to public life. He attended a tribute concert celebrating his 75th birthday in 2018 and appeared on stage while other musicians performed Big Yellow Taxi to blow out the candles on his birthday cake.
To mark Blue’s 50th anniversary in June 2021, Mitchell shared a video thanking fans for “getting” an album that was originally “underwhelmingly critical” — meaning an undignified oversharing of her honest lyrics. she Appeared at the Kennedy Center Honors In December 2021, Gala – who told reporters, “I’m faltering, but I’m doing well” – was among the recipients. In April, Mitchell was named MusicCares Person of the Year and gave a brief performance at the ceremony honoring her.
Mitchell is also working on a series of archival releases to share demos, previously unheard material and covers. Firstly, Joni Mitchell Archives Vol 1: The Early Years (1963–1967), released in October 2020 and liner notes feature a rare new interview with Cameron Crowe.
In January, She removed her playlist from Spotify Kudos to Neil Young, who directed his management and label to remove his music from the streaming platform in support of Joe Rogan, who was criticized by doctors for spreading misinformation about Covid-19 and the vaccine.
“Irresponsible people are spreading lies that are costing people their lives,” Mitchell said. “I stand in solidarity with Neil Young and the global scientific and medical communities on this issue.”
Joni Mitchell’s full Newport Folk Festival schedule
Carrie
Come in from the cold
help me
Your case
Big yellow taxi
Like this train
Why fools fall in love
Amelia
Love potion number 9
Shine on
Summer time
Now on both sides
Round game
