Over the weekend, Joni Mitchell staged her first concerts in Los Angeles in 24 years with a two star-studded “Joni Jam” sets at the Hollywood Bowl.
As with her other recent live performances, Mitchell was backed by an all-star ensemble that included Brandi Carlile, Marcus Mumford, Annie Lennox, Dawes’ Taylor Goldsmith, Lucius, Fleet Foxes’ Robin Pecknold, Allison Russell, and Blake Mills. Additionally, Meryl Streep and Sir Elton John joined in on the fun during night two of the “Joni Jam,” with John accompanying Mitchell as she covered his song “I’m Still Standing.”
Elsewhere during her set, Mitchell performed a trio of songs live for the first time in her career, including “Harlem in Havana,” “The Sire of Sorrow (Job’s Sad Song),” and “If I Had a Heart.” She also dusted off a number of other tracks for the first time in decades, such as “Be Cool,” “Hejira,” “God Must Be a Boogie Man,” “Refuge of the Roads,” and “The The Magdalene Laundries.”
Earlier this month, Mitchell released a new archival box set, The Asylum Years (1976-1980), which collected material from the era spanning 1976’s Hejira, 1977’s Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter, her 1979 collaboration with Charles Mingus (titled Minugs), her 1980 live album Shadows and Light, and more.
Joni Mitchell covered Elton John’s “I’m Still Standing” with the backing of Brandi Carlile, Annie Lennox, Meryl Streep, and Sir Elton himself during her show at the Hollywood Bowl on Sunday nightpic.twitter.com/BnMHIFQuGN
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