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Getting to Know Joni Print-ready version

by Phil Symes
Disc and Music Echo
November 28, 1970
Original article: PDF

A JONI MITCHELL concert is a very intimate thing. Listening to her gently singing of her friends, her experiences, her feelings, you forget you're sitting in an enormously crowded hall. You feel as if you're alone with the lady in a small room and she's telling you everything there is to know about her.

That's how it was at London's Festival Hall last Saturday when Joni played her second concert of the year there and created twice as much excitement. For 90 minutes she poured out her innermost emotions. She showed her humour - "I Could Drink A Case Of You Darling And Still Be On Me Feet"; her serious side - "Both Sides Now," "Woodstock"; and occasionally she was tongue in cheek - "Big Yellow Taxi."

She was alone on stage with three instruments - piano, guitar and dulcimer - yet her sound never became boring. Her voice with it's (sic) amazing pitches kept one in awe. She was reminiscent of Laura Nyro, and her songs have the same frail quality as those of Leonard Cohen.

Someone said afterwards that Joni didn't seem very enthusiastic, but I think that this was mistaking a new found self confidence for disinterest.

She sang all the songs people wanted to hear - "Woodstock," "Chelsea Morning," "The Arrangement" and some new ones as yet untitled. For her encore, she was joined by Graham Nash and they harmonised on "Circle Game" - with most of the audience singing as well.

It was the most refreshing evening I've spent for a long time. -

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Added to Library on August 2, 2021. (1967)

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