The concert is just minutes old when the crowd recognise the tell-tale first four notes of Stevie Wonder’s 1980 Bob Marley eulogy Master Blaster (Jammin’), and instantaneously rise to their feet in unison and pure joy. For almost two and a half hours, the soul-funk-pop legend rifles through his back catalogue with the glee of a small child deciding which toy to play with next. At various turns he’s peacemaker – encouraging world leaders to “lead us to a better place” – then 1960s soul man, balladeer, funkmeister and synthesiser soul explorer. Such are Wonder’s musical treasures that the 26-song setlist can pile through Higher Ground’s glorious elasticated groove in the first four numbers and omit Uptight, Happy Birthday, He’s Misstra Know It All and many other classics altogether.
This rare UK visit finds the 75-year-old legend in ageless voice and playful mood. Blind since shortly after birth, he swaps sunglasses and jokes “I can’t see without my glasses”, then leads the crowd into an impromptu burst of You Are My Sunshine by way of intro to You Are the Sunshine of My Life. Given his age and the length of the show, it’s understandable that he takes a break. There is a slight lull as backing vocalists take the spotlight, and later his son Mandla Morris sings I Can Only Be Me.
However, in the second half Wonder turns full-on human jukebox, delivering Golden Lady, Living for the City, Sir Duke, Isn’t She Lovely, a riotously joyful I Wish and many more with barely a pause between them. He perhaps mercifully shortens I Just Called to Say I Love You, which signalled his later career excursions into schmaltz. Still, Lately, his 1980 dissection of the pain of a lover’s infidelity, is simply stunning in both rawness and vocal range. With the curfew beckoning, he finally ends with a blistering 10-minute Superstition, yelling “I love you” at the crowd and then as if by magic turning the phrase into a new hook.
This show is very much a celebration of roads travelled, but offers a timely reminder of the brilliance, endurance and uniqueness of one of pop’s true greats.