Stevie G: A magical night with Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder and harpist Brandee Younger. The Motown soul legend had his audience spellbound at Dublin’s 3Arena.
Stevie, a song-writer who more than any uses seasonal changes for some of his themes, must have helped manifest a dry sunny afternoon that felt more July than November. Ultimately, it was more than the unlikely good weather which had us smiling by the evening’s end. The iconic Songs in the Key of Life artwork provided the backdrop as we patiently waited for the Motown soul legend to enter the stage.
As expected, Love’s in Need of Love Today kicked things off, and the album order was initially only interrupted by a brief interlude where Stevie performed his own Weakness (originally performed by Dionne Warwick), Oh Happy Day, and well received nod to his former friend (and distant cousin) Michael Jackson, with a harmonica instrumental of Billie Jean (sung eagerly by the crowd).
I thought back to Stevie’s poignant performance of Never Dreamed You’d Leave in Summer, and about all of those who he had seen come and go. That sense of loss had hung in the air before the show, as news broke that Detroit music pioneer Juan Atkins had sadly died on a weekend where fellow electronic artist Cevin Fisher had also passed. Ireland’s great Donal Lunny, an artist with similar broad ambitions and versatility to Stevie, had been buried on Friday, the same week where our local music scene mourned the passing of Cork rapper Trigger, a writer who also documented life as he saw it, and whose pen won him friends from both near and far. Stevie’s young daughter Zaiah performed a cover of one of the most Stevie Wonder coded songs of all, Imagine, by his friend John Lennon, in one of the evening’s many many high points.
Songs in the Key of Life is art at its very best, and like all of his work, it deals with themes such as loss, love, grief and joy with amazing insight. An artist who was in his mid 20s at the time he wrote the album effortlessly glided through this classic album 50 years on. Many of his lesser heralded songs found new impetus as the night proceeded and, backed by an incredible band, Stevie had the whole 3Arena audience under his spell all evening.
It is hard to put into words what Stevie’s music means to me, and long before I was a DJ these tunes were a part of my life. He has been a star longer than most of us have lived, and while we sometimes take these living legends for granted, we shouldn’t always have to wait for them to pass before celebrating their impact. The songs on this album alone have soundtracked my own DJ journey, and Sir Duke, As, Another Star and many other classics remain songs which can work in almost any musical setting. Many music fans will have the same feelings.
It was a gathering of music people from all over Ireland and beyond, and I met many friends from all over at the show, all of whom stood there spellbound as Stevie’s three- hour set reached a finale with a medley of some of his best-known songs. Highlights during the evening were many, but we were particularly enthralled by his surprise rendition of Do I Do, a track which originally featured Dizzy Gillespie. Original bassist Nathan Watts was one of many who played on Sunday, as did long-time musical partner Greg Phillinganes.
From the newer school, regular visitor to Cork, harpist Brandee Younger, accompanied Stevie for the poignant If It’s Magic, reprising the iconic role of Doroty Ashby, ahead of her full solo show at the Sugar Club in January. Other highlights were too many to mention, but we all left the venue after three hours full of communal joy. Stevie Wonder once revolutionised r&b and pop music with both the synthesiser and his voice, and over 50 years on these Songs in the Key of Life sounded as good as ever. It really was a special night.
