‘A Wonder Summer’s Night’ @ The Greek
In my foyer hangs a matted, framed, questionably historic signup form for Stevie Wonder’s Universal Family fan club. Said application fell out of a vinyl record (Songs in the Key of Life) purchased a few years ago at the Melrose Trading Post; almost immediately, I deemed it suitable for framing. I am a fan, to be sure.
Wednesday night @ the Greek: No opener, no encore, just 2+ hours of pure bliss. You can’t mess with Stevie. You just can’t. The voice, the chops, the songs. It’s all still there, and it is killer. For over two hours I sat and forgot about everything that’s going on in my life. I forgot about everything - everything! - but the music that was coming at me from the stage. I even forgot about stacked parking, overpriced drinks and the unintentionally hilarious jumbotron edits and effects. Hell, I even enjoyed the phoned-in (pun intended) instrumental rendition of “I Just Called To Say I Love You” which dissolved into a brief sermon advising us to vote and admonish all haters to die and go to hell.
Recent reviews (one, two) pretty much sum up Wednesday’s show, give or take a few details. The set began with “Love’s In Need Of Love Today” and included at least six songs off Innervisions in their entirety. Full setlist to come; right now, it’s bedtime. One postscript: Let it be said now, lest any of us have forgotten: NOBODY CAN CHANGE A KEY AS EFFORTLESSLY, SLYLY OR AS SEAMLESSLY AS STEVIE WONDER.
