On this night, she fronted a group of musical admirers in a sing-along of 'The Circle Game,' taking lead vocal on the verses - timeless meditations on the little milestones that mark the passage of time - in a low, velvety voice. Wearing a jaunty blue beret and sunglasses, her cornsilk-white hair tied into elegant pigtails, Mitchell sat on a plush, gold-trimmed chair as the performer of honor. Mitchell's presence was a complete surprise, as she had retreated from the spotlight after a 2015 aneurysm additionally, the Newport gig was her first full-length concert since 2000.Īt Newport feels like a celebration of her public return - an exuberant and supportive performance resembling a well-rehearsed jam taking place at a party. When Mitchell finally returned to the Newport Folk Festival on July 24, 2022, after a 53-year absence - a performance documented on the new live album At Newport - she also ended her set with 'The Circle Game.' Decades later, however, the crowd responded to her presence uniformly positively - with awe, gratitude, excitement and even tears. The trade magazine Cash Box complimented Mitchell's set and astutely noted 'she is on her way to becoming a star.' However, a review from the Hartford Courant noted that this burgeoning popularity came at a price: 'Hecklers in the back' specifically 'urged Miss Mitchell to sing 'Circle Game' over and over.' No doubt much to the dismay of these critics, Mitchell played the song to close out her set.

Bootlegs reveal a luminous performance driven by mellifluous vocals and aching acoustic guitar, and highlighted by a stunning piano version of 'For Free.' Several months removed from releasing her second LP, Clouds, she landed a coveted Saturday night performance slot along with Arlo Guthrie. When Joni Mitchell appeared at the Newport Folk Festival in 1969, she was on the precipice of a breakthrough.

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