ncerts Joni gives detached, uneven show By J EDDIE FIELD Stills, Graham Nash and Neil in tlie Municipal Auditorium at seeing a robot per- man. Then she played "Just Young. Her classic song "Wood- the concert. form. like This Train" and I caught Last Friday night Joni Mit- stock" and appearance in the The audience was dressed in I was getting mad; I don't myself thinking "Oh, that's one chell made her first appearance film "Celebration at the Pill- jeans except for a few women like being ignored. I wanted to of my favorites!". in San Antonio to "sing with more" boosted her poppularity, in long simple dresses. The scream, ?Say something to us, Another high point of the her whole heart," as the radio which rose further with her crowd was almost all white mid- please!" but I silently watched concert was hearing a new song commercials put it—but that AM radio hit "You Turn Me On, dle class. Joni missed a sellout Joni sit at the piano to crank she wrote the night before. It didn't happen. I'm A Radio." Her next major by 500 seats. The crowd was dif- out another song. An equally didn't have a title, and she sang Joni .Mitchell was born. Joan hit, "He'p Me" from the Court ferent from rock concerts, and frustrated person on the left the words from her notebook. Anderson in Fort Macleod, Al- and Spark , was played one guy said "too many screamed, "We can't see you, 'She was offered four roses berta, She grew up in Saska- into the gTound by commercial straights here, just look Joni." The grand piano was during the set, took a sniff and toon hoping to become an art- radio. The single sold 800,000 around,". placed on stage right, blocking put them on her stool, then ist. She left art school at 19 to copies, while her six The LA Express started the his view. Mitchell replied "We went into the next number. No become a professional musician, sold over 4.6 million copies. Hex concert, racing through a set moved this piano the best we comment was made. I guess the and married Chuck Mitchell, a 1 s st two albums, "Miles of of slick, uninviting jazz. The au- could, so just pretend it's the gift of the roses is familiar club performer frcm Detroit. Aisles" and "The Hissing of dience was restless. The best days of radio." from past concerts and has now The marriage lasted six months Summer Lawns," have sold fu- number was "Down the Middle," Joni played "For Free" and become an old trick that doesn't and Joni moved to New York, rious'y lately. by drummer . the words gave me some under- faze her. where became her Joni's audience now ranges At 9:40 pjn., an hour and 40 standing of this concert. "For record-company president, per- from the grown-up youth of the minutes after the scheduled Free" is about iMitchell, a paid The final section included "In sonal manager and musical 60's to contemporary adoles- start, the house lights went out. professional performer, seeing France They Kiss on Main tutor. She completed her first cents. Women particularly seem A six-string guitar could be a man play his music for free Street," "Don't Interrupt the album, "." to find Joni's expression of heard, strumming softly. The on a street corner. The words Sorrow" and "Harry's Houses— Centerpiece," all from her la- By 1968 parts of the musical womanhood accurate. Some men announcer's voice boomed, "La- describe her working art: test album. Oldies like "Eainy community were tuning in to admire Joni as the ideal woman. dies and gentlemen, welcome Night House," "Trouble Child" her music. She became associat- "I just love her, her voice, Joni Mitche!!!" The lights came Now me I play for fortune and "Raised on 'Robbery" were ed emotionally and musically lyrics and music. She is the best up and she was there, on sta^e And obey this curtain call recognized within the first with James Taylor, Leonard female vocalist around," said left, paying her guitar, walk- I got a black limousine chords. Cohen, David Crosby, Stephen the woman sitting next to me ing toward the mike and sing- ing "Help me, I think I'm fall- She quickly spoke, " and a After more requests Joni said ing in love again ..." she faded good manager, and a good road "I'm not going to play all those. out and busted the song. She crew too." The next lines in the I'm not going to become an- Wve started over, getting it right song explained everything. other Judy Garland and sing this time. The audience applaud- 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow' got ed continually, not noticing her And ril play if you have the all the time." mistake. money, In her last number she sang She rattled through the first Or if you're a friend to me. "The Jungle line", marked by what six songs without a single pause pounding drums. The image or greeting. She sang "Free We sat in our $6 seats, get- didn't fit, with the savage you Man In Paris," "Cold Blue Steel ting an expensive joy thrill, not rhythrnn accompanying the frail and Sweet Fire," and "Big Yel- a presentation of an artist and figure in front of the band. Af- low Taxi's". People around me her talents. ter the song she strolled off the need. me were saying "I hope she After the piano numbers, Joni stage without a word. plays one of my favorites." returned to her guitar and said, She came back to perform Shouted requests for "Wood- "I've got some new songs to lay the encore, "Twisted", in mat- stock", "" and on you." The new song was "On ter-of-fact fashion, and offered "Circle Game" rose up and died, The Freeway," and it was great, us this litt'e morsel: "Are you unanswered. Joni ignored them. with attractive music and all crazy? Well, we all are up She tuned her guitar calmly unique poetic sequences. She re- here, some more than others." and played for herself, forget- ferred to an aggressive lover She tossed a kiss and left for OLM06 ting the audience. It was like as a coyote who was a traveling good. PHWMCY 822-5561 "BEST ACTOR" —National Board of Review "BEST ACTOR" —National Society of Film Critics "BEST ACTOR" —The New York Film Critics

"Brilliantly understated movie about the human spirit, an anthem really." —

JACKNKHOUON. ONE FlDtf OVER CUCKOO* NES

I •ill'..I \ /l/jll. Stam^ LUVISE FLEUVER and WILLIAM REDFIELD fax Jon ilte naif I fa KEN KESET' STARTS TODAY EXCLUSIVE SELECTED THEATRE ENGAGEMENT IN SAN ANTONIO /NEW LAUREL) V 2310 SAN PEDRO . 736-4551 J Pogo 8 THE TR1NITQNIAN