The show began with Stevie Wonder praising God and ended with Jesse Jackson dancing on stage.

Wednesday, September 12th, 2007

By Jamie Sotonoff

The 2 hours and 45 minutes in between (without intermission) contained everything a Wonder fan could wish for: amazing music, a little silliness, feel-good messages and a lot of audience singing.

Tuesday night's sold-out show at Charter One Pavilion marked Wonder's first tour in more than a decade. Rather than rely on a play-the-hits show, as most nostalgia acts do today, Wonder went way beyond that. Yes, he played dozens of his hits. But he also threw in some unlikely (but pleasantly surprising) song choices, such as the lesser-known hit, "Golden Lady."

Before almost every song, he told stories and cracked jokes, giving the performance -- held at a 7,500 seat venue rather than a massive arena -- a personal feel.

With no new CD to promote, Wonder was free to be spontaneous and fun, and he was both. The whole purpose of this tour, after all, was because his late mother inspired him to return to the stage and "spread the love." And the mixed-age, mixed race crowd definitely felt that love.

Backed by a dazzling seven-member band (although, oddly, no horns), Little Stevie added flair to all of his classic songs, whether it was by standing on his piano bench for "Do I Do" (remember, the guy is blind) or experimenting with a psychadelic-sounding intro to "Higher Ground." His version of "I Wish" grooved so much, everyone's neck seemed to spontaneously jut back and forth, starting with the song's famous first bass notes.

A funkified "Sir Duke," and a sexy, salsa-styled version of "Don't You Worry ‘Bout a Thing" were among the night's many highlights.

Even though Wonder has more Grammys than he can carry from his 40-plus year career, he played snippets of songs from other musicians he admires, including "Birdland" by jazz artist Joe Zawinal, who passed away Tuesday.

To indulge Wonder's fondness for country music (who knew?), he sang a goofy, twangy version of "Signed, Sealed, Delivered," encouraging the audience to sing "I'm yaw-ers."

Wonder introduced his daughter Aisha (and yes, she is lovely, as the song says), who led him on stage and then stayed to sing back-up.

A lot of time -- arguably a little too much -- was spent listening to sermons at The Church of Stevie. Before "Master Blaster (Jammin')" he had the audience shouting "God is good! Love is good!" More chanting took place during "Vision," a mellow song that escalated in volume and power as Wonder preached about loving thy neighbor. At the start of the show, he praised God for giving him the opportunity to perform, and then led a moment of silence for the victims of 9-11.

Even after playing nearly three straight hours, you got the sense that Wonder, 57, would have kept going had the venue's curfew allowed.

The night ended with shortened and slightly rushed versions of some of his 70s and 80s hits, and then Jesse Jackson and other Chicago activists came on stage. Standing in a line, they swayed to the music as Wonder sang "Happy Birthday" (his hit version) to thank them for helping to get Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday recognized as a national holiday.

Showing he's every bit the musical genius he's credited as being, Wonder proved he's more than just a nostalgia act and that his best days aren't necessarily behind him. And yet he still gave those fans who wished those days ... would ... come back once more, their wish.