‘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.
Amen! I’m not going to say that I’m a big Stevie Wonder fan, but his would definitely be a show that I would have to see before I die.
[...] longtime readers may recall I’ve mentioned the goodness that is mid-70s Stevie Wonder once or twice before on these pages. Generally speaking anytime you see Stevie on vinyl for pennies you’d [...]
I was at the Greek Theater and saw Stevie for the 5th time. Been a fan since I was around 7 years old because my babysitters played the 45’s over and over again. From the first notes of Signed,Sealed,Delivered I was hooked.
Not only is he talented but he is one cool guy who talks to his fans like if they were sitting in his living room having a conversation.
He has brought me so much joy and inpriration that I named one of my boys after him. My wife thought I was crazy but she understood how much of an inspiration Stevie is in my life.
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