samedi, novembre 17, 2007

More Than Enuff For the City: Stevie Wonder at Madison Square Garden


Stevie Wonder Performing "Master Blaster" at Madison Square Garden Last night. Video originally uploaded by JEJ. God is good alright.

Got me some get right tonight. Me and my sis took my mom, who flew in from the town last night, to Stevie Wonder's New York City stop on his A Wonder's Autumn Night tour. Me and moms took in Stevie 2 months ago at the Greek Theatre for the LA stop of his A Wonder's Summer Night Tour but this was a chance for my sis--a post Songs in the Key of Life Aisha--to join in the fun and provided quite an encore of the LA show for my mom. We didn't tell mom we were taking her until around 5PM as we were about to cook dinner and she lost her appetite in anticipation of the musical genius. We arrived at Madison Square Garden right about 8 but will call was out of control (I spotted Michael Rappaport and Ahmad Rashad in line). But we darted our way into a just opened line and only ended up waiting about 20 minutes to get our tix (which they had to reissue since they put the tickets in the mail to me just yesterday. Foolishness but expeditiously resolved). But let me just get to the point and run down the set list:

1. Love's In Need of Love Today
2. Too High
3. Visions
4. Livin' for the City (Many of the concession staff put down their trays and left their posts to throw down in the aisles during this one.)
5. Master Blaster
6. Higher Ground
7. Golden Lady
8. Ribbon in the Sky (He quoted J. Holiday's "Bed" and Amy Winehouse's "Rehab." Quite Cute)
9. Overjoyed
10. If it's Magic
11. You & I
12. Lately
13. How Will I Know w/ Aisha Morris
14. Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing
15. Signed Sealed Delivered
16. My Cherie Amour
17. For Once In My Life (solo)/For Once In My Life w/ Tony Bennett
18. Boogie on Reggae Woman
19. Sir Duke
20. I Wish
21. You Are the Sunshine of My Life
22. Supersition w/ Prince on guitar (I was House of Pain jumping when he took the stage with his hair slicked back and in his black patent leather boots. Quite clean but what else would one expect. He's Prince.)
23. As (Stevie was visibly/audibly choked up about his mom)

Edit: Oooh I forgot he also sang "I Can't Imagine Love Without You" earlier in the set but I can't remember when but in LA he sang it after "Overjoyed" so it was probably then. And I should note the sound system was booty. Intermittent feadback all night. Stevie's mic was too low and it very difficult to hear his band members solos

This is my third time seeing Stevie and it was no less life changing. Shout to fellow concert goers Kia, Kandia and Camara. Good times!

Here are few other recaps on the show (Edit, I added a few additional recaps):
Billboard
JEJ, My Life in NYC
(in French w/ a couple of video clips)
Sortahuman
DebThink
Gabe's View
Yassine's Blog
The Smudged Screen
MOG


I'm pretty sure I saw Ben Ratliff there. If he was there reviewing, it will be interesting to read his take. And it's up: Stevie Wonder and Friends, Here and Gone
The Post's Take: "Just Wonder-ful"

,