By Jim Harrington
 

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

The grinding 80-minute commute from the freeway exit to the Sleep Train Pavilion parking lot, as traffic moved along with the speed of Barry Bonds chasing a fly ball, was enough to make anyone uptight.
But the moment you walked into the Concord venue and heard that one-of-a-kind voice rising up so proudly on a perfect summer night, the sour mood melted away. In that instant, it just felt like - ahh, yeah - everything's alright.

That voice belonged to Stevie Wonder, the Motown legend who local fans have been waiting for more than 12 years to return to the Bay Area. The 57-year-old Michigan native, of course, is a first-tier musical icon, one who can be evenly compared with such giants as Dylan, Miles, Bruce and Billie. There were times during his sold-out show Sunday in Concord, however, that he was simply incomparable.

Yes, it was worth the wait - and then some.

Wonder, whose previous Bay Area outing was in early 1995 at the Paramount Theatre in Oakland, delivered a show that was overwhelmingly satisfying and - given his long layoff from touring - surprisingly generous. For more than two hours, the vocalist-keyboardist rolled through the years and relived many of his greatest triumphs. That meant such '60s era Motown nuggets as "Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours," classic '70s cuts like "Superstition" and even a few '80s hits, notably "Part-Time Lover" and "I Just Called to Say I Love You."

The Man of the Hour was in a joyous mood and full of energy - so much so that he bared almost no resemblance to the hushed, somber Wonder who I interviewed a few weeks back. He joked with the crowd, told tales and acted as if he was entertaining a group of friends in his living room. At times, that casual vibe detracted from the overall concert experience, as Wonder spent time sharing stories that could have been used for playing more songs. But it's better to show too much personality than to come across like a robot onstage.
Wonder was never in danger of the latter. He just seemed so full of life, bursting with the same spirit that has colored so much of his recorded work, and his enthusiasm was as contagious as the first cold of the season at kindergarten.

Backed by an 11-piece band, which included daughter Aisha Morris, one of three backup vocalists, Wonder thrilled the crowd in numerous ways. He delivered some of his most heartfelt work early on as he touched upon 1973's "Innervisions" - the first of three consecutive releases by the artist to win Album of the Year honors at the Grammy Awards - for a gorgeous version of "Visions."

Sticking with that landmark effort, Wonder had the crowd on their feet and grooving to upbeat, mercilessly funky, versions of "Living for the City" and "Higher Ground." He moved from the electric keyboards to the grand piano and let his fingers sell "Golden Lady," yet another "Innervisions" cut, and really stretched out his vocals on the early '80s hit "Ribbon in the Sky."

It was fascinating to watch the faces in the crowd as each new offering came into focus. There were ripples of delight that accompanied nearly every song, as alternating pockets of fans heard the one particular Stevie Wonder tune that meant the most to them. As the faces brightened and the screams rose into the air, it seemed fair to ponder whether there is anyone, at least over the age of 20, who hasn't been touched by this man's music?

Given how quickly all the tickets were snatched up for Wonder's dates in Concord and Saratoga - where he performs Sept. 4 at the Mountain Winery - the answer appears to be no.

Some of that popularity can be credited to simple supply and demand. Twelve years, after all, is a long time to wait between local concerts.

But they say it pays to be patient. In this particular case - during a night in which Wonder definitely lived up to his name - that proved to be the truth.