by Julian Green
October 28, 2024
I should have brought a box of tissues to Stevie Wonder’s show at Target Center in Minneapolis on Sunday night. Like the smell of bonfires and a crisp autumn breeze this time of year, songs can bring back a rush of memories and emotions. Perhaps I had underestimated how much Wonder’s music has soundtracked my life. Maybe I thought that his age – he turned 74 in May – would contribute to a more muted performance that wouldn’t bring about all those feelings.
Just past a union protest outside of First Avenue, a sea of people filed into Target Center and contributed to the joyous, celebratory atmosphere in the room. Young children with their parents, groups of seasoned fans rocking vintage merch, and people of all races made up the almost sold-out crowd. Although the show was advertised as starting at 8 p.m., Wonder, guided by two of his children, took the stage closer to 8:45 p.m. An impressively large band – comprised of two drummers, a horn section, an orchestra, two keyboardists with at least three boards each, and a choir – filled the stage.
Wonder’s tour is officially titled “Sing Your Song! As We Fix Our Nation’s Broken Heart.” He began the night with an overt message calling for peace. He made multiple passionate pleas for us all to vote, even including a QR code on the screen for people to register while they waited for him to take the stage. Throughout the night, he continued to thank the audience, saying many times that he loved us. The difference between Wonder and most other artists is that I actually believed him when he said this. His joy came through his music and the playful stories he shared with the audience. This love was accepted and reflected back by the audience. Couples danced together in the stands. Beaming smiles that shone for the entire two-and-a-half-hour show. Mothers danced joyfully with their children, speaking to Wonder’s cross-generational appeal and timeless music.
Wonder’s voice is still as powerful as ever. Many times throughout the show, he called upon the audience to sing for him, including “You Are My Sunshine” as a warm-up for “You Are the Sunshine of My Life.” We happily obliged. There were a few breaks taken to drink some tea for his throat. His long, enjoyable monologues between some songs might have also been planned moments for him to catch his breath. The most notable intermission of the night came about when singer Sheléa Melody McDonald came out on stage after Wonder performed “Overjoyed.” McDonald’s powerful renditions of “You’ve Got A Friend” by Carole King as well as her own work were enjoyable. However, it would have worked better as an opening act and not an abrupt intermission. Nevertheless, McDonald as well as the band on stage kept the good times going until Wonder was ready for the second act.
I can only describe the second act of the night as life-affirming. It was when I was most in need of the tissues mentioned earlier. Unfortunately, the sleeves of my sweater had to act as levees to block the deluge of emotion. Back-to-back-to-back-to-back classics kept the audience on their feet and beaming until the end of the show. Music from Songs in the Key of Life, considered by many (including this writer) to be Wonder’s magnum opus, comprised much of this set. Wonder and his band brought these songs to life, adding extended outros and solos.
Wonder’s messages for peace and love paired with his lively, masterful, and, at times, silly presence made me feel at home. It brought back the feelings of hearing his songs on road trips and family functions. His last show in Minneapolis was in 2015, there’s no telling when or if he’ll grace us with a show again. By the looks of it when exiting the show, those in attendance felt this honor and savored the moment. When I entered my Lyft home, the driver asked me if there was a concert at Target Center. “Yes,” I replied, “it was Stevie Wonder.” “Who is Stevie Wonder?” the driver asked. I wasn’t sure how to answer that question. His music and live performance feel like a fact of life. Whether people know Wonder's name or not, almost everyone on earth has had an entry point -- weddings, movies, Walgreens, and so on. His songs truly are in the key of life, everywhere and all-encompassing.
Setlist:
“Can We Fix Our Nation’s Broken Heart”
“As If You Read My Mind”
“Master Blaster (Jammin')”
“Higher Ground”
“You Are My Sunshine” (Jimmie Davis cover)
“You Are the Sunshine of My Life”
“For Once in My Life” (Jean DuShon cover)
“Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)”
“My Cherie Amour”
“Overjoyed”
Without Stevie
“Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)” / “Feel Like Makin' Love”
(sung by Sheléa Melody McDonald)
“You've Got a Friend” (Carole King cover) (sung by Sheléa Melody McDonald)
“Something's Coming” (sung by Sheléa Melody McDonald)
“1999” (Prince cover) (sung by Backup Singers)
“Contusion” (instrumental played by band)
Stevie returns
“Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing” (duet with Sheléa Melody McDonald)
“Love's In Need Of Love Today”
“Village Ghetto Land”
“Living for the City”
“Sir Duke”
“I Wish”
“Isn't She Lovely”
“I Just Called to Say I Love You”
“Superstition”
“My Eyes Don't Cry” (sung by Backup Singers)
“Do I Do”
“Another Star”
Photos
