Blue, Joni Mitchell, sung by Mae Karthauser

Event Information

“I was utterly blown away... an absolute emotional rollercoaster..magical” Amy
“In all my years I have never cried at a gig. I was crying on the first song” Martin

Mae Karthauser is lending her voice to a breathtaking new live performance: a heart-wrenching tribute to Joni Mitchell's seminal album Blue.

Mae, who has performed at Glastonbury Festival, on prime-time BBC1 and on BBC Radio 3 and Radio 6, identified Joni Mitchell as the first and most influential songwriter she discovered as a teenager, and was called to delve into recreating the album as a live performance when approached by friend and guitarist Rowland O'Connor at the end of a one-off live tribute to Radiohead at The Barrel House Ballroom back in early 2025. “Who's album would you most like to recreate?” he asked. Unprompted, they both came up with the same answer.

“Joni Mitchell's songs feel like dreams, like journeys off somewhere deep and familiar” says Mae. “It's great to go beyond memorising and really into the magic, the poetry and the stunning emotional landscapes Joni is able to conjure with her songwriting”
Breathing new life into the 1971 classic, Mae's silken and athletic vocals soar nimbly over Joni's melodies, and paired with her expressive piano playing she brings a raw and living presence to these timeless songs. Mae is joined by regular collaborators Rowland O'Connor on guitar, bass and Appalacian dulcimer, Ric Byer on drums and Tess Broach on backing vocals.

THE BAND:
Rowland O’Connor is a Totnes-based guitarist, producer and long-time musical instigator. Along side his own original projects such as Brutus Ord and recording local artists at Dartington’s Sorting Room Studios, he has hosted a regular jam night in the town for nine years, seeding multiple bands and album tribute nights, Joni’s Blue being the latest.

Ric Byer is a multi-instrumentalist and composer from Montreal; and has worked as a multi-instrumentalist (bass percussion, vocals) and session musician in Asia, North America, and Europe. As 05RIC he has created and published music with Gavin Harrison (King Crimson, Porcupine Tree) and collaborated with Nightjar Records, who have supported the first NooN album release on vinyl.

Tess Broach has been a live performance and session singer for the past 20 years in a wide range of original and covers projects. A member of several local bands and choirs including The Devon Afrobeat Collective and Totnes Bulgarian Folk Choir, she is also a familiar presence at local jam nights, and hosts a regular community sing-along at the Totnes Brewing Company.


This heartfelt tribute is a chance to come together over Mitchell’s timeless songs, blending soulful reinterpretations with the raw emotion of the original album. The night is rounded off with a generous handful of other well chosen Joni classics including Both Sides Now and Big Yellow Taxi.

“There are so many unique characteristics to Joni's music that are instantly recognisable. It's such a joy to deep dive into her process and get all of the details under our fingers. It's been such a rich process”

Following two sold out shows at The Barrel House Ballroom at the end of 2025, Mae and the band are taking Joni Mitchell’s Blue on tour in the south west this spring for a fabulous celebration of one of music’s most iconic works—where nostalgia meets fresh artistry.


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