Concert Review
Stevie Wonder
American Airlines Center
Dallas, TX
March 22, 2015
Glib and galvanizing, pitch-perfect yet passionate, Stevie Wonder regaled over 10,000 eager fans when he brought his "Songs In The Key Of Life" tour to Dallas' American Airlines Center on Sunday night.
Considered one of the most defining and influential albums of all time, Songs.... contains a number of extremely popular songs, as evidenced by the instant sing-alongs like "Sir Duke," "Love's In Need Of Love Today" and "Knocks Me Off My Feet," which had couples swaying and slow-dancing at their seats as they parroted each verse.
Despite his status in pop culture as a living legend, the 63-year-old Motown Alum, after receiving a standing ovation, established a humble and often-hilarious rapport with the audience. If he wasn't encouraging participation ("I'ma take off my glasses so I can see what you can do Dallas!") while warning that he was still the star ("You tryna' step out on my red carpet, don't be showing out on my show!"), he was navigating from side-to-side keyboards and a piano (covered with multiple harmonicas) as he and a full band delivered spot-on renderings of "Pastime Paradise," "Ebony Eyes," "If It's Magic," and "Village Ghettoland."
If the music being sublime wasn't enough, Mr. Wonder revealed his softer sides, speaking tenderly of the 'little bad girl,' daughter and background singer Iesha Morris, who influenced his hit "Isn't She Lovely" ("She would always runaround as a baby saying 'oh sh---,' don't know where she got that from!") and was visibly moved to tears when close friend, Yvonne Wright, to whom he dedicated the show for her courage in fighting pancreatic cancer, came onstage and embraced him as he sung "Joy Inside My Tears."
Whether the music evoked memories of college, courtships or just memories from a happy childhood, Stevie Wonder's Songs... concert touched all who witnessed it. Irrespective of the era that spawned the masterpiece, numbers like "Living For The City," "I Wish" and the venue-rocking show-closer, "Superstition," proved that it's never too late share a classic and that a truly great collection of songs, just like the icon who created them, can never really go out of style.
By Melody Charles