Brandi Carlile Performs Joni Mitchell’s ‘Blue’ At Carnegie Hall

Brandi Carlile paid tribute to Joni Mitchell on Saturday at Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium in New York City. Carlile performed Mitchell’s landmark 1971 album Blue in its entirety for the second time. The homage came on the eve of Joni’s 78th birthday and Brandi led the audience in singing “Happy Birthday” to the legendary singer-songwriter.

Carlile first delivered Blue in its entirety at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles on October 14, 2019. “Am I really crazy enough to do this again?… Absolutely,” Carlile wrote in a note announcing her second performance of the beloved album. Not only did Brandi perform Blue the night before Mitchell’s birthday, but it also comes during the 50th anniversary of the 1971 LP. Carlile penned the liner notes for the 50th anniversary reissue of the album writing, “In my opinion, Blue is the greatest album ever made. Blue didn’t make me a better songwriter. Blue made me a better woman.”

Carlile filled her set with Blue’s ten tracks, opening with “All I Want” along with other favorites like “My Old Man,” “California,” “River” and “A Case Of You.” Brandi also welcomed Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig of Lucius for gorgeous harmonies on “Carey” and “This Flight Tonight.”

Wolfe and Laessig would stick around for the four-song encore which began with Mitchell’s “Woodstock.” Brandi then offered up some original material with “Cannonball” sans mics from her 2007 album The Story before Jess and Holly returned for “You and Me on the Rock” from Brandi’s recently released album, In These Silent Days. Lucius stayed on for the final song of the evening, Joni Mitchell’s “Shine” from her 2007 album of the same name.

Watch a clip of Carlile leading Carnegie Hall in “Happy Birthday” to Joni Mitchell along with a clip of “River” below:

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Setlist

Source: JamBase.com