Joni Mitchell‘s Los Angeles Joni Jam shows on Saturday and Sunday, her first Los Angeles headlining dates in over 24 years, had her joined by Brandi Carlile, Annie Lennox, Jon Batiste, Blake Mills, Robin Pecknold, Marcus Mumford, Celisse, Taylor Goldsmith, Lucius, and Allison Russell, among others — but that was only on stage. Turns out there were even more guests backstage, some of whom joined Joni for a rendition of Elton’s “I’m Still Standing” (which she also performed onstage on both nights). Elton, Russell, Mills, and Tim Hanseroth can all be seen in the video clip, which Carlile posted on her Instagram, as can Chappell Roan and Lucy Dacus:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBcBaVRvsP3/
Carlile also posted a group photo of herself, Roan, Dacus, and Elton with the caption, “@jonimitchell with the full backing of the gay mafia…”
https://www.instagram.com/p/DBbqDX8vNCq/
More from Los Angeles Times about Saturday night’s Joni Jam show:
The heart of Saturday’s concert (which was filmed by multiple cameras) was Mitchell’s more searching and complicated work from the ’80s and ’90s: “Sunny Sunday,” “Night Ride Home,” “The Magdalene Laundries,” “Dog Eat Dog,” “Come in From the Cold.”
After “Dog Eat Dog,” a dreamy yet percussive soft-rock song about “snakebite evangelists and racketeers and bigwig financiers,” Mitchell said she wished she could vote in the upcoming presidential election. “I’m Canadian,” she added. “I’m one of those lousy immigrants.” Then, repeating an exclamation from someone in the crowd, she said, “F— Donald Trump,” to a roar of approval from the audience.
Read their review in full here, and see attendee-taken video below.