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Feeding off the love of the 'land: Stevie Wonder at the Greek Theatre

Posted 09/10/2007 at 10:03 PM  |  4 comment/s

Stevie Wonder w/ daughter, Aisha Morris, at the Greek Theatre (9.5.07)

I wouldn't have been upset if Stevie Wonder had disappointed last Wednesday in Griffith Park. At 57 years old with a growing tunic-shrouded girth, the musical genius is allowed to miss a few notes or flub a few lyrics or bomb a few performances but he managed to not only put on a tight, crowd pleasing show, but do so in grand and gracious fashion. Taking the Greek Theatre stage at 8:44 PM on the arm of his daughter Aisha, Stevie dug in for 27 songs-all classics, many hits-often just accompanying himself on piano and sounding nearly as good as he is immortalized on his many records. He began by addressing the death of his mother, Lula Mae, last year and the challenging times that followed after which he sat down, ever cognizant of the international moment, and played the opener of Songs in the Key of Life, "Love's in Need of Love Today." I sat there and listened among strangers, albeit friendly ones. Despite logging on to Ticketmaster, primed to by my ticket, minutes before concert tickets went on sale, when the hour struck I couldn't get two seats together despite many searches so my mother, who I treated, was on the other side of the Greek in her $125 seat ($147.40 with service charges) while I sat perched in my $125 seat in the Terrace. I wrestled with standing up for this and many other slow numbers therein obstructing the view of the middle aged couples behind me but I managed to rein my enthusiasm in for my fellow concert goers benefit. I'd seen Stevie before, at the Apollo no less, and they were novices from what I earhustled of their pre-show convo. Even during "Golden Lady," a song that makes me want to go there, I just juked hard in my seat.

To my surprise, Stevie played quite a few more songs from Innervisions (1973) and Talking Book (1972) including a host of ballads. Maybe that's why I felt more melancholic than transcendent. Talking Book is blue: Innervisions too. I would have liked to have heard a song ("I Love Everything About You") or two ("Happier than the Morning Sun") from Music of my Mind (1972) and all indications suggested that Stevie had much more in store for us before having to end his concert due to neighborhood imposed nighttime noise restrictions. A master performer with a keen awareness of the arch of a live performance, I imagine that Stevie would have fully transitioned into some more buoyant high energy songs if he had the time. Instead he sped through his final numbers mushing the high energy hits into a grand medley. An unoccupied drum kit that sat prominently to Stevie's right throughout the show suggested that the audience missed out on at least one treat, likely a hit from his early years. (And no, he didn't sing "As")

As anyone who's ever attended a Stevie Wonder concert knows, he lives up to his legend. Studying, researching, writing about pop music is as exhilarating as it is disheartening so to witness an artist as committed to craft as humanitarianism is an extraordinary privilege.

Set list:
Love's in Need of Love Today, Too High, Visions, Living For the City, Master Blaster, Higher Ground, Golden Lady, Ribbon in the Sky, Overjoyed, Can't Imagine Love Without You, You and I, Blame it on the Sun, Lately, How Will I Know w/ Aisha Morris, Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing, Signed, Sealed, Delivered, Memphis (Chuck Berry cover), Boogie On Reggae Woman, My Cherie Amour, When I Fall in Love w/ Anita Johnson, Sir Duke, I Wish, Isn't She Lovely, You Are the Sunshine of My Life, Superstition, I Just Called to Say I Love You, Another Star

Link: The Orange County Register ran a thorough review from which the photo above was taken.

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