Ignoring the bad omens, on Friday 13th I nipped over from Lichfield to Bilston
to hear the Joni Mitchell tribute band, Foni Mitchell. For more information
on Foni Mitchell there is a website.
Lichfield's most famous son, Dr Johnson, once said that a woman's preaching is
like a dog walking on its hind legs, 'It is not done well, but you are
surprised to find it done at all.' At the risk of being somewhat cruel, the
same could be said of Foni, although in fairness the shortcomings had more to
do with the venue than the band.
Bilston is in the heart of the UK Black Country, so named because of the
factories that in former times led the world in global pollution, before the
U.S. took on that role. Although much cleaned up of late, the crook-locks
fitted to the cars in the car park, and the plastic glasses in the bar,
suggested that this is still an area that can get a bit lively at times. The
venue was the somewhat scruffy "Robin", a popular place for live music, housed
in a converted something or other (a 1930's cinema?).
The main hall is divided into two reasonably sized flat floor areas on a split
level. There are about four tables with seats - everyone else has to stand.
Obviously this is a place where people come to dance. Foni were the support
to 'Quill', described on the programme as a Celtic Rock band. It was clear
that most of the 200 or so audience who filtered in during Foni's set had come
to rock celtically and so were not the usual 'listen to the words' Joni crowd.
Joni's music is very good to commit suicide to, but it certainly isn't 'get up
and jive' and so the band had it tough from the start.
The Foni Mitchell line up was:
Vikki Clayton as Joni - well known on the local folk scene Vikki also does a
good Sandy Denny. She has a good strong voice, clear diction, and gave a good
rendition of the vocals without trying to imitate Joni.
Ella Wright on keyboard, 'lead triangle' and backing vocals - a sweet voice
and excellent support.
There are also two guitars and a drummer who were less impressive - too loud
and too distorted. Perhaps this was because they might have been using the
next band's sound system and set up, but they never quite seemed to 'get it
together'.
The band started appropriately with "I Had a King", the first song from the
first album, which they played in a 'Miles of Aisles' style that worked very
well. The rest of the set was all early Joni, running as follows: Chelsea
Morning, Carey, All I Want, A Case of You, River, Both Sides Now, The Gallery,
Woodstock, Big Yellow Taxi.
The band were in a 'catch 22' from the start - play 'acoustic' and the
audience would talk over you, or play loud and lose the subtlety of the songs.
For the most part they tried a compromise between the two, which satisfied
neither side but was probably the best that could be done in the
circumstances. I thought the quieter ones worked best, especially when Vikki
played guitar or when you could hear the keyboard.
All in all I would go and see Foni again if in a different venue. How about
the Guildhall in Lichfield? Foni Mitchell are a tribute to Joni, and their
hearts are in the right place, if occasionally their fingers aren't.
