On the way: Stevie Wonder

Unless it rains, there's no way this can be bad. He performed on "American Idol" a few weeks ago, and he still brings it. He's at Starlight Theater on June 26, a Friday. Tickets go on sale Saturday. They'll be $65 to $125. If you go to the box office during the first week of sales, you won't be hit with service charges.

Comments

[Disappointed]

That's it? that's the earthshaking announcement?
I was blowing it up in my mind along something like Paul McCartney maybe.
But no such luck.

[Party like it's 1986]

Snore.

[concert chris]

i agree with Snore and Disappointed. i think "the biggest concert in the theater's history" is and always will be the white stripes when they played there on 8/23/05.

[al]

How bout the Dead. That was pretty big.

Stevie Wonder will be great. Why do they institute service charges at the box office after the first week? That's garbage.

[GMP]

You guys are nuts Stevie Wonder is one of the greatest musicians and songwriters ever. Yes time has not been good to him but his body of work can not be matched.

[wadkc]

Stevie Wonder can still sound like he use to. A buddy of mine saw him in LA 6 months ago and said it was fantastic. (and he's a jam band fan not an R&B guy)
A Kansas City concert for the ages.

[GMP]

I have been looking forward to this for most of my life!!!

[mothman]

This is just one of those shows; right artist, right venue, right time, that I must agree give it historic potential.

[Granimal]

$65? Pass.

[concert chris]

"Rob, top five musical crimes perpetuated by Stevie Wonder in the '80s and '90s. Go. Sub-question: is it in fact unfair to criticize a formerly great artist for his latter day sins, is it better to burn out or fade away?" -high fidelity

[JS]

Great show. There are other artists who are bigger pop culture darlings right now, but on pure musicianship Stevie is one of the best of all time.

[Rick in PV]

I want to go, but could I see for $75?

[Michael]

By the way, Journey's coming to Starlight on August 20th.

[wadkc]

Concert Chris:

THAT I will agree with! Stevie had some of the worst production in the latter stages. Who knows if the songs were any good. The bad synths and drums masked anything that could possibly hold your interest. Great point. I'm still there. :)

[OMG]

""He performed on "American Idol" a few weeks ago, and he still brings it.""

"American Idol" !!!!!

REALLY?!?!?!!!!!

OMG!!!!

weeeeellllll...That is all the
credentials ANYONE needs, these days, okey dokey, this is a MUST SEE SHOW!!!

[Bubba]

STEVIE WONDER, you say? When was the last time he played kansas City? I'll give him THIS much - he does what he does well.

[aquaman]

Awesome quote, Concert Chris - been sitting on that one for awhile, huh?

[concert chris]

not really sitting on it, but that's one of my favorite movies and i probably quote from it on a weekly basis.

i didn't know that he was on Idol though, that hurts even more.

[Winston]

So I'm sitting in my seat in the Kiel Auditorium (St. Louis) one fine September evening in 1972 waiting for the baddest band in rock music to come on stage for their second of two sold-out shows. No one in the building seemingly cared less who the opening act was but when the lights went down and Stevie busted out "Superstition" the place went crazy. Ten thousand white punks on dope boogying in the aisles. Stevie played every instrument on the stage and thoroughly impressed! Oh yeah, the Rolling Stones kicked ass, too!
Go see Stevie Wonder!

[Tim Finn]

I love jack white as much as anyone; the white stripes show was unforgattable (but not a sell-out). And I'd put the Bowie and Krauss/Plant shows above that one.

But really, you can't compare the WS to stevie wonder. blah blah blabh the later material. you can say the same about DMB, no?

[concert chris]

i was at the Bowie show too, that was a great night. i threw out the white stripes bit because i knew it would stoke the fire for some more comments and bring out some haters, that's what music blogs do best. and the "high fidelity" quote, well that's a memorable line from a great music movie.

as for Stevie's new or old stuff, i never really got into it. it's just, i have a hard time subscribing to the fact that older is always better. unfortunately, older is often what fills 18,000 seat basketball courts when i'd rather be at the 180 person record bar seeing something newer.

and as for dmb (for outsiders here, Tim knows me well) their new album will most likely be abysmal and that's fine. Lefsetz already called the first 7 tracks torture to listen to. i'll listen to it once and stash it away on a back shelf in my iPod.

[aquaman]

Stevie's take on Blowin' in the Wind at the Dylan 30th Ann. concert was incredible. Dude owns his sound, there just aren't that many artists who can say that.

[pellboy]

I have been looking forward to this for most of my life!!!

Posted by: GMP

Totally agree. While I would have loved the opportunity to catch him earlier in his career and am somewhat skeptical about how good this show will be, as someone said earlier, the venue is perfect so I plan on grabbing this chance to see a true legend.

As for the White Stripes comparison, they're great and I love 'em but Stevie Wonder is a top 10-level artist in rock history. Definitely (well, 'earth shattering' maybe a bit much for ANY band) not hyperbole on Starlight/promoters part.

[Bubba]

DAVID BOWIE, 2004 at Starlight was DEFINITELY the best concert I've ever experienced there. I felt like a kid walking into a candy store for the very first time. Too bad he can't do anymore full scale tours because of that heart problem he had developed while out on tour. The man is a sheer genius.

[Geezer]

I am surprised the ageist/racist arent out in full force saying Stevie is too old to do this, like thay always do.

Age is NO REASON to stop doing ANYTHING.

[Gary]

Coming to KC it's the AARPalooza featuring The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Iggy and the Stooges, Lou Reed, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Fleetwood Mac, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, George Jones, Wanda Jackson and acts still to be signed.

[Bubba]

Bogus concert alert: sometime in early August in Kansas City - IGGY & THE STOOGES, the SEX PISTOLS, NEW YORK DOLLS, X (all four original members) and NINA HAGEN. Tickets will be $25 and $35. Dream on, Skippy!

[ThereYOUare]

ah there is the racist et. al.
thanks for not dissappointing.

Be sure to keep discrimating based on anyone/anything that is different than you, it will lead you to all things, which you deserve.

[gramps]

what they "deserve" is a hard punch to the face.

been ecountering these lil douchbags for too long now. it is over, for them. So far, 2 of them have been schooled about "gramps".

Funny how they are more polite after the lesson.

The trick is when you hear them doing thier smart ass talking about "too old" people, is to ask thme what they mean, and when they samrt off, use the heel of your hand to hit them as hard as you can, above thier eye socket. This lose flesh opens up very easy.

It is time to shut these douchbags up. Give them what they deserve.

[aquaman]

...sorry to see the medication still isn't working, gramps.

hehehe

[Kilby]

"Bogus concert alert: sometime in early August in Kansas City - IGGY & THE STOOGES, the SEX PISTOLS, NEW YORK DOLLS, X (all four original members) and NINA HAGEN. Tickets will be $25 and $35. Dream on, Skippy!"

......now THIS is a show I wouldn't mind seeing! Iggy, as well as The New York Dolls (albeit a truncated version) have new albums out and The Sex Pistols still play shows every now and then with original bassist Glen Matlock. X even gets together occasionally, so don't knock the older groups. What, would you rather see lesser-lights like Fall Out Boy or Paramore?? I wouldn't.........

By the way, why hasn't any promoters brought the New York Dolls (circa 2009) to The Uptown or one of the Casinos yet? Some of us have been waiting patiently. The Todd Rundgren-produced new album is actually better than their last release from 2006, "One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This." Even better, put them on a double-bill with Iggy! Ah, one can dream.......

[gramps]

aquadouche, not everyone is a drug addict, like you, but it is a free country, so keep taking your meds, but please stop shoving your "soulutions" on others.

Drugs are not everyones cure all.