Joni Mitchell Sang Classics She Hadn’t Performed In Decades At Joni Jam In LA

Saturday night, Joni Mitchell played her first Los Angeles show in 28 years at the Hollywood Bowl. Like her 2022 surprise set at Newport Folk Festival and her 2023 headlining gig at the Gorge Amphitheater, the legendary singer-songwriter was joined by her rotating cast of backing band members known as the Joni Jam. This go around, the band included Brandi Carlile, Fleet Foxes’ Robin Pecknold, Annie Lennox, Dawes’ Taylor Goldsmith, Marcus Mumford, Blake Mills, Jon Batiste, Jacob Collier, Allison Russell, Lucius, Abe Rounds, Celisse, Phil and Tim Hanseroth, Sista Strings, and Rita Wilson. Together, they performed some songs Mitchell hadn’t done live in decades.

Some setlist highlights include “God Must Be A Boogie Man” for the first time since 1983, “Dog Eat Dog” for the first time since 1985, “Sunny Sunday” for the first time since 1995, “Refuge Of The Roads” for the first time since 1998, and “Hejira” for the first time since 2000. There was also an Elton John cover, a George Gershwin cover, and plenty of frequent Joni staples like “California,” “Both Sides, Now,” “Carey,” “A Case Of You,” and “Big Yellow Taxi.” It was a whopping 27-song setlist. Not bad for 80 years old! And she’s doing it all again tonight! See some fan-captured clips and the full setlist below.

SETLIST:
“Be Cool” (First Time Since 2000)
“Harlem in Havana” (Live Debut)
“Hejira” (First Time Since 2000)
“Cherokee Louise” (First Time Since 1995)
“Coyote” (First Time Since 2001)
“Carey”
“The Sire of Sorrow (Job’s Sad Song)” (Live Debut)
“God Must Be a Boogie Man” (First Time Since 1983)
“Sunny Sunday” (First Time Since 1995)
“If I Had a Heart” (Live Debut)
“Refuge of the Roads” (First Time Since 1998)
“Night Ride Home”
“Both Sides, Now” (Followed By Intermission)

SET 2
“Big Yellow Taxi”
“Raised On Robbery”
“California” (With Marcus Mumford)
“The Magdalene Laundries” (First Time Since 1998)
“Ladies of the Canyon” (With Annie Lennox)
“Summertime” (George Gershwin Cover)
“Come In From The Cold”
“A Case Of You”
“I’m Still Standing” (Elton John Cover)
“Dog Eat Dog” (First Time Since 1985)
“Amelia”
“If”
“Shine”
“The Circle Game”