Joni Mitchell to play first live show in over twenty years

As noted in the article, she did play the Newport Folk Fest this year, so not her "first live show in over twenty years."

Still cool.  I considered going up to the Gorge for this, but if its like her earlier appearance, she really won't be singing much and when she does it is a bit rough.  Good bless her though.  One of the greats.

If I lived in ephrata I would be all over this.

First proper show.  It will be a full show.  Her performance at Newport was impromptu, as part of a tribute to her, and she only played on a handful of songs, while other artists sang her songs.  This show will be her supported by Brandi Carlile.  I will  be there.

Btw, prices have kept dropping.  Lawns were down to $77 this morning,  and I saw some pavilions for under $150.  When they went on sale, they were gone in an instant, and instantly listing for 5-8 times those prices.

^^^^

Have fun at the show Dave.  Hopefully we will see a similar price drop for Dead & Co.  There were $86 lawn tix today on CoT and $64 yesterday, but they were snapped up lickety split.  Got to be faster on the draw,

Last night at the Gorge was a truly special show, and testament to the power of music.  Things ran late with the show ending at midnight, and it was a clusterfuck getting out of the parking lot, but all worth it to see Joni & Co. deliver the goods.  Will try to post a proper review later.  Here's the setlist:

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/joni-mitchell/2023/the-gorge-amphitheatre...

This is just so great.  Not many of us will get a chance to do a major reprise in life when we are older.  So glad Joni is getting to do this.  She obviously has worked so hard to make a recovery of this magnitude.  Inspiring to say the least!

Last night's return of Joni Mitchell to the big stage was triumphant, life-affirming, brilliantly played, poignant, comical, full of several "you had to be there" moments, a first rate production, and one of the best shows I've witnessed.

Dubbed Joni Jam 2: A Return To The Canyon, this show had a magical quality that reminded me at times of The Last Waltz, except instead of witnessing a farewell, we were party to a rebirth of an iconic, legendary musician.   In this way, it was similar to Jerry Garcia's return after his coma in 1986, or Bob Dylan rediscovering his muse on Time Out Of Mind.   Like The Last Waltz, this show featured a superb selection of guest artists who were inspired by, empathetic to, and were celebrating the career of the featured attraction.

The show was hosted by Brandi Carlile, the middle night of three consecutive evenings at The Gorge Amphitheater for her, with her band featured on the opening Friday night, and her Country Rock project, The Highwomen, with special guest Tanya Tucker headlining Sunday night.  
 

Like many others who had converged here from seemingly every corner of the earth, I was drawn by the hope of seeing Joni,  not really knowing what to expect.  Besides rehabilitating from a brain aneurysm she endured in 2015, the 79 year old hadn't performed a headlining gig since concluding the Both Sides Now Tour in 2000.   While there were reports that it had rained Friday night, and it had been overcast earlier in the day, as the gates opened at 5 p.m. and the longest line I've ever seen queued up for a show (all the way back across the ravine to the overnight camping grounds) began to enter, the sun broke loose, late enough in the day to not be uncomfortably hot and dusty.  It was in the mid 70s then and would drop down to the upper 50s by the show's conclusion at midnight.

Carlile and her longtime band mates, twin brother Phil and Tim Hanseroth got things started with an opening set starting at 7:40.  They played acoustic, with Brandi stating this was the hardest opening set she had ever performed, knowing that so many had come from so far to see Joni.  The trio more than delivered the goods.  Carlile has a strong, dynamic, and richly textured voice, with a great ear for harmony.  She's also a very gifted and natural stage performer with a talent for engaging her audience.  Amongst rarities from her own catalogue in her 11 song set, she also played choice covers of Crosby, Stills & Nash's "Helplessly Hoping" in a nod to the Laurel Canyon singer-songwriter scene, as well as Tracy Chapman's "The Promise" and a raucous cover of Queen's "Fat Bottomed Girls", which followed a featured performance of the Hanseroth twins covering Simon & Garfunkel's "The Sound Of Silence", which she intoduced by saying "if you want to hear something that will.blow your.mind, check out twins harmonizing!".  Here's their complete setlist:

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/brandi-carlile/2023/the-gorge-amphitheatr...

My first time seeing this prodigious talent, I was impressed with the authenticity, sincerity, and quality of the performance.  At one point she pointed out her two daughters out in the audience, and openly and honestly shared her story of embracing motherhood as the non-childbearing partner in a lesbian couple with her wife, Catherine Shepherd Carlile, who joined her onstage to more than capably perform two songs, apparently her first time on a big stage.

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I'm going to crash now, and will try to post a review of Joni's set tomorrow when I'm rested.

The most amazing thing you need to remember with Joni is that she not only hadn't headlined since 2000, but that she had a nearly fatal brain aneurysm in 2017, and has had to relearn how to walk, sing, and play guitar.  Her mind is still fairly sharp, as she is still a charming raconteur, if occasionally a little fuzzy on the details.

The sun was setting, casting it's cosmic tapestry of shadows and light through the canyon as Brandi introduced the cast of supporting players and singers for the, Joni Jam.  Luminaries like Annie Lennox, Sarah McLachlan, Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman (aka Wendy & Lisa from Prince's Revolution band),  and trumpeter Mark Isham, we're joined by younger emerging talents like Allison Russell, Celisse Henderson, the duo Lucius (Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig) and Marcus Mumford, and lesser known talents like pianist Ben Lusher and guitarist and singer/songwriter Rick Whitfield, Taylor Goldsmith, Phil and Tim Hanseroth, Blake Mills, and Josh Neumann, formed a versatile and generous supporting ensemble.

Brandi described how she had been introduced to Joni by her wife Catherine, and that Joni had invited her over to her house in Laurel Canyon to participate in informal monthly Jams she was hosting.  Brandi said she realized how special these Jams were the first time she came to Joni's house and Herbie Hancock was sitting at the piano.  These Jams would continue for the last year and a half, as Joni regained her ability to play and sing, and enjoyed hosting the gatherings.  Over time, legends like Paul McCartney and Elton John would join these Jams.  Some of the participants at the Gorge show, like Ben Lusher and Rick Whitfield were regular fixtures.

Joni was escorted out to her comfortable chair to a rapturous standing ovation from the packed house, and the group launched into Big Yellow Taxi, with it's highly appropriate refrain of "you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone".  Celisse had the first of several featured lead guitar spots here.  She's got a great tone and some serious chops.

Next up was a fascinating take on Night Ride Home which fit the mood as the evening shadows moved in.  This was followed by Raised On Robbery, after which Joni shared that it had been written about a hooker she had encountered at a Saskatoon hotel.  Brandi pointed out that Joni's songs were all based on true stories, to which Joni replied, "yeah, but they're not all about me".  
 

Joni kept delving into her songbook, with Come In From The Cold, Amelia, and Carey in succession.  Most of the songs were interspersed with playful banter between Brandi and Joni, replicating the spirit of the Laurel Canyon Jams at Joni's house.  At Brandi's urging, Joni told the story of how she and Carey had lived in a cave in Crete for two months where she had composed that song as a young hippie.  These stories were shared over sips of wine Brandi poured out of a wine bottle on a table next to their chairs, another nod to the informal gathering of friends vibe of these jams.  Joni told several great stories throughout the evening, her mind still sharp, and her attention to detail magnificent.  At one point, she shared that she had played the Gorge twice before, most recently in the latter 90s with Bob Dylan and Van Morrison, before telling a funny story about how she and Van had crashed Dylan's set that night.

The set continued with the introspective Sex Kills, an interesting ballad I wasn't familiar with, before Joni's take on Gershwin's Summertime.  The cover material gave great insight to Joni all night, this one displaying her affinity to Jazz Vocals.

Brandi then surrendered her chair besides Joni to Annie Lennox, who first shared her story of getting turned onto and inspired by Joni's music as a young poor bohemian, and how it had set her on a course to make a career in music as a woman when there weren't many women doing so, before performing an excellent version of Ladies Of The Canyon.

Celisse got her big feature next, with her rearranged take on Help Me, before the spotlight turned to Rick Whitfield, who performed his song Where There's A Will, There's A Way at Joni's insistence.  Brandi said that he'd originally been slotted to cover one of Joni's songs,  but that Joni was a longtime fan of his, having often seen him playing in L.A. clubs and she wanted him to do one of his own songs.  He's got a lot of talent, and nailed his performance.
 

Brandi continued to intersperse tales of the Jams, highlighting their improvisational and conspiratorial nature.  She pointed out that Joni loves to host a party, eliciting some of the many laughs Joni would have all night as she was clearly enjoying herself.  The next song, The Clovers' hit Love Potion #9 (composed by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller) was pointed out by Brandi as a regular staple of the house jams.  When Brandi asked Joni why, she said she had just always liked it, since her early Rock & Roll days, although she misremembered it as a Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers song.

Brandi introduced the next song, A Case Of You, as one of her favorites, to which Joni responded "Really?".  Brandi asked Joni what was her favorite.  She thought about it for a moment and replied, "If, the Kipling poem, I changed the ending a little."

After A Case Of You came perhaps the funniest moment of the whole show.  Brandi had earlier pointed out that "at the Gorge, you drink your wine out of a Yeti."  At this point in the show, she took a swig straight out of the bottle, to which Joni exclaimed, "that's pretty butch", eliciting rolling laughter from Brandi, who said, "I just want to point out that Joni just called me butch".  Surrounded by Brandi's predominantly lesbian fanbase, it was a hilarious, you had to be there, moment.

Joni's stroll through her catalog continued with Wendy Melvoin sharing A Strange Boy, from Joni's For The Roses.  She prefaced it with a story of how she and her friend Lisa Coleman had grown up with fathers who were part of the Wrecking Crew stable of L.A. studio musicians, and she had been exposed to Joni's music as an eight year old.  Then she shared that Prince had been a big fan of Joni's and she was sure he would have been here if he had lived, before saying, "he is here".  She shared how once she had accompanied Prince on a visit with Joni at her house in Laurel Canyon.  Prince had walked right up to Joni's piano and started to play.  Joni asked "What's that your playing?"  Prince said "it's A Case If You", to which Joni replied, "I'm pretty good, aren't I?"

After Tyler Goldsmith sang Cactus Tree, Marcus Mumford emerged from behind his percussion kit to sing the lead on California.  Mother Nature then had the unfortunate timing to send me out to search for the port-o-potties, causing me to miss Sarah McLachlan's feature on Blue.  From the loud roar of the audience at the song's conclusion, it sounded like she'd knocked it out of the park.  I'll look for the video.

Joni chose another oldies favorite of hers for the next tune, Why Do Fools Fall In Love.  This was followed by the title song from her ballet Shine.  She and Brandi shared the story of this song's performance at a PBS awards ceremony and their struggles with the censors over the line "the asshole on the right".  Another moment of insight.

In the homestretch now, Joni concluded the main set with two of her best known songs, The Circle Game and Both Sides Now.  Brandi encouraged the crowd to sing along during The Circle Game.  Allison Russell was featured on these. The camaraderie and sense of love was unmistakable.  After Shine, the audience had signaled their delight and approval by lighting up the amphitheatre with their cell phone lights,  Joni showed here how long she has been absent from the big stage by asking "how did they get all those lights?"  She loved this modern concert touch.

For the encores, Joni strapped on a guitar, and started with a stunning take on her instrumental Just Like This Train from her Hejira album, before leading the ensemble through If.  Brandi asked if she wanted to do one more, and a beaming Joni said "yeah, let's do the Sinatra song", before she concluded the evening with the standard Young At Heart as the midnight hour tolled.

It was all over save the ordeal with the exodus from the parking lot at that point, a small price to pay for being witness to and sharing in this memorable and special performance.

Blessings on Joni, Brandi, and all of the participants.  Gold rings on each and every one of you.

Thanks Dave for taking the time to write that review.  So glad you were there. The wonder of the evening comes through. 

 A few more photos that capture the panorama of The Gorge.   It was nice being back here on this night.  My only real beef was that they have a limit on bringing chairs in that are more than 9" off the ground, but the chairs the venue rents themselves are 12-15" off the ground, which made it tough to see over them while sitting, while standing on the hill there for long periods gets tiresome.