Stevie Wonder's recent tour announcement came out of the blue ...
But the legend wanted to get out there and do a little campaigning on behalf of his candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris. (He even released a new tune, "Can We Fix Our Nation's Broken Heart.")
Naturally, I wanted to see him. (I've had the pleasure twice ... most recently here ...
https://forgottenhits60s.blogspot.com/2015/10/stevie-wonder-live-at-united-center.html) ...
And it was a most amazing show.
We didn't get tickets this time around ... (it's a pretty hefty-priced ticket!) ...
But thankfully Tom Cuddy DID ...
So now we all get to live vicariously thru him!!!
Take it away, Tom!
I’ve been attending concerts since the early 70s and there was only one artist in 2024 that was still on my bucket list: Stevie Wonder. I had seen him perform a few songs over the years at charity or awards events, but never at a full-fledged Stevie Wonder concert.
That all changed last week when the 73 year-old Motown wonder decided to do a sold out one-nighter at Madison Square Garden.
I feel so fortunate that I attended. He delivered one of my more memorable concerts — ever!
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Stevie doesn’t tour very often, and the reason he decided to pursue this small tour was to encourage his fans to go out and vote. He would like to see the first black female President.
After a tardy 30 minute start, Stevie was firing on all cylinders. His biggest challenge was to sing as many hits as possible in 2 ½ hours. He came close, but couldn’t fit them all in.
It appears that just about every attendee at the Garden knew all the lyrics and was thrilled to sing-a-long to Wonder’s Songbook:
Higher Ground
You Are The Sunshine Of My Life
For Once In My Life
Signed. Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours
My Cherie Amour
Sir Duke
Send One Your Love
I Just Called To Say I Love You
Living In The City
I Wish
Isn’t She Lovely
Superstition
Stevie does not cut corners in his attempt to make the songs sound just like the records you heard on the radio!
He has a huge band/orchestra: Six piece string section, five horn players and five back-up singers. The entire ensemble totals to about 20.
Mr. Wonder’s love of life and his unique sense of humor is on display for most of the night.
Depending on the market, he’ll slip a cover tune into his set:
Among those he’s inserted into the show one night, but not all nights:
Billy Joel’s “Just the Way You Are”
“Betcha By Golly Wow,” the Stylistics classic
“Chapel of Love” (the Dixie Cups favorite, he was singing to a friend that just got engaged)
“Love Train”
“Ain’t No Stopping Us Now”
“You’ve Got A Friend”
“Stand By Me”
He writes them, sings them, plays multiple instruments -- and who plays a harmonica like Stevie?
Nobody!
- Tom Cuddy
New York, NY
