Joni Mitchell's Blue

Joni Mitchell's Blue comes to The Lens Studio at Portsmouth Guildhall on Sunday 20 September, as part of the An Evening in Laurel Canyon series. It's a tribute to Joni Mitchell, and the afternoon is split into two distinct halves. The first part looks at the broader Laurel Canyon scene, with a six-piece band and vocals working through songs from the artists who defined that era: James Taylor, The Byrds, America, Eagles, The Doors, Carole King, Jackson Browne, Cat Stevens, Linda Ronstadt, CSNY, and Mitchell herself. The second half focuses entirely on Mitchell, with the band playing her 1971 album Blue in its entirety. You'll hear the whole record, including Little Green, River, A Case of You, and California.

Between the two, it's a fair bit of ground to cover. The first half pulls from a wide circle of songwriters who were all around each other in the hills of Los Angeles in the late sixties and early seventies, while the second narrows the focus to one of the most celebrated albums of that period. The organisers describe the whole thing as "an experience dedicated to a golden age of songwriting — raw, intimate and timeless."

It's aimed at people who love songwriting and folk-rock, and the age recommendation is 14+, with anyone under that needing to be accompanied by an adult over 18. There's a no-cameras-or-tablets rule in place, so it's a night for listening rather than filming. Tickets are €22.85, which includes a 13% booking fee. If you're after more, there's a combined ticket for both Joni Mitchell's Blue and Carole King's Tapestry for €36.40. The show starts at 16:30.