Originally Posted By Inspector 57 <<you BASTARD!!!!>> LOL! I so know you mean that in a totally loving way. <<I'm so jealous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You are so lucky. That's an AWSOME story!!>> Yeah, I was pretty much freaking out at the realization that I was casually chatting with Stevie. But, two things: 1) Dude, I forgot to say that I am thrilled for you that you are going to get to see him perform! How cool for you! Seriously, X, I am SO happy for you! 2) Do you have connections? Might you be able to wrangle some back-stage priveleges? Maybe you could contact the venue and mention your [you-know-what] connections? Maybe you could email Stevie's website and tell them that I recommended you? [No, he wouldn't have a clue in the world as to who I am, but I'm from Michigan.] Maybe you could tell him you know a couple of Japanese chicks who want to meet him? WhatEVER! Anyway... COOL! Enjoy the show!!!
Originally Posted By Mr X I wish. I doubt any connections I have in Japan will apply here (I did get backstage for Blast!, but that's a slightly different story ). That's okay, I'll just be happy to finally see him perform TOMORROW!! (I don't think I can sleep tonight.
Originally Posted By beamerdog Wow, today's the day!! Waiting for the report! and I'm officially jealous of I57. How incredibly cool.
Originally Posted By Mr X I'm hoping to top him by lurking behind the backstage door or something...but I'm not hopeful. lol. And yes, today is the day. Well, in exactly 14 hours to be exact. (strange, the concert times in Japan...this one begins at 4pm...) So, I'm off to bed, and when I wake up I'll go check out some STEVIE!! Should I review here, or start a new thread?
Originally Posted By Mr X Thanks Mele... Still waiting for that email with pics of freakboy... jammindave@hotmail.com
Originally Posted By Mr X Show was awsome...Stevie is just a legend, nuff said. I had chills the whole time. His voice is just the same in person, sounded great, his playing was awsome, so perfect but so relaxed and fun at the same time. His drummer was really great, wish I knew his name! Rest of the band was excellent too, etc... For a huge arena show, it was surprisingly mellow. The show, I mean. The audience was a different story. It was almost creepy (first time seeing such a big show in japan), you could hear a pin drop. I think it was annoying Stevie too, he said stuff like "y'all ready to go home?" and "are you still out there?". Of course, I was way in the back screaming my head off and my friends were too (and pretty much the few Americans in the crowd were the same). Anyway, that's just that weird Japan vibe that takes some getting used to (I'm sure Stevie is used to it). So, highlights. He opened with "too high" (mellow) and then INNERVISION. OMG. So cool to hear a BALLAD right at the start of the show. Gutsy. And it was AWSOME. In the middle, he started talking (those were my first chills I think), something like "I have a vision of all people living together as one. I pray about it. Cry about it. Smile about it. I hope it's more than just a vision in my mind"...deep. Another huge highlight was Superstition...rocked the house. That was tight. And he did a few "Little Stevie" hits which was cool. I remember Yesterme, Yesteryou, Yesterday, and the other two I don't quite recall...it was cool. Oh, and an improve, ACCAPELLA "Part Time Lover". The band had no idea what was going on...very creative, I can see this becoming a big highlight in future shows as it was obvious they were shocked that Stevie was doing it and all taken by surprise (which was, I think, the point ). It was a little rough for the band...so if they keep doing it I think it'll get better and better and more interesting (it was fine just the way it was though...loved it). He pretty much hit a lot of his highlights (if the show had been twice as long I wouldn't have complained though lol...the guys got a LOT of great material!), good show length of just under 2 hours, though no encore was a bummer. As far as the set, I'd say it was on the tight side especially at first (banged out 6 or 7 tunes before even saying "hello"). More relaxed towards the end. Stevie didn't talk much, but obviously being in Japan there wasn't much point. He spoke a little Japanese (I love you, thank you, "louder louder", and "clap) which was cute. All in all, great to see such an icon in person. I adore Stevie Wonder like he was a family member. Easily a big highlight of my year so far, and many years of anticipation were well worth it! If I had cash to burn I'd be at every single one of his upcoming Japan shows (I think there are 4 or 5 more scheduled)...and I'm SERIOUSLY thinking about trying to get over to Nagoya to see him one more time next week.
Originally Posted By Lisann22 So happy you enjoyed his performance! His voice is amazing, ain't it???
Originally Posted By Mr X Absolutely. Great range too (never realized he could sing so LOW...don't hear that much on the albums).
Originally Posted By Mr X Another highlight, Don't You Worry bout a Thing... I got the feeling this was a VERY interesting set for his band...I don't know if any of them are new, but this was the opening night for the whole world tour (I believe), so I kinda felt like Stevie was "testing" them playfully.. Anyway, they're into don't you worry...and there's that chromatic part where the melody goes down and down and down step by step. Well, Stevie starts improving on THAT, and he's changing KEYS, going up a half step each time...it sounded "off" for a couple seconds and the musicians kinda looked at each other while Stevie was giving them encouragement (signals...and laughing at them too). And they jumped on it REAL quick and they kept improving up and up about 4 or 5 times through that little part. Might have been planned, I don't know, but I really don't think so. You see that sort of thing a lot in jazz concerts (sometimes cool, sometimes not), but I've never seen anything like that in a big pop or rock show where most everything is pre-programmed (although I saw Metallica fall apart on a tune once ).
Originally Posted By Mr X Oh yeah...and that's how they FINISHED the whole tune after the improv...up like a minor third from where they started. Which, for any of you guys who took music lessons, ain't an easy thing to do!! And it sounded great...he's got a lot of talent up on that stage with him! I totally did not explain well how cool I thought that was...sorry.
Originally Posted By Lisann22 The most amazing thing I ever seen was Etta James and Stevie Wonder doing Bird of Beauty in SF. I had completely forgot about this till I was telling a friend about this whole Stevie Wonder thread. We had gone to see Etta and Stevie Wonder was in the audience. She invited him up on stage and began to sing that song. Soon they were doing all the different instruments and bird sounds within the song. It was AMAZING, their voices were like fine tuned instruments. Her band just stood there in stunned silence. Etta yelled at them when they got to a certain point and she wanted them to join in. They were so into the performance they forgot to play. ;>
