Stevie Wonder Sells Out Dublin 3Arena for 50th-Anniversary Tour
“Most of all, I’d like to thank Stevie Wonder, who didn’t make an album this year,” Paul Simon said while accepting the 1976 Grammy for album of the year. Nearly 50 years later, Stevie Wonder is performing that exact masterpiece live, selling out the 3Arena in Dublin despite sky-high ticket prices, The Irish Times reported.
Wonder brought his milestone 50th-anniversary tour for Songs in the Key of Life to Dublin’s 3Arena, delivering a performance of the landmark double album in its entirety. The concert opened with a spoken request for audience members to close their eyes and experience the venue as he does. After a brief vocal adjustment as his 76-year-old voice settled, Wonder took command of an expansive backing ensemble that includes three percussionists, two guitarists, full horn and string sections, and a phalanx of backing singers.
Musical Highlights and Deep-Cut Surprises
The extensive 21-song tracklist, which clocks in at 104 minutes on the original studio release, yielded several forgotten gems alongside massive hits. An early highlight featured Wonder opening his vocals fully on “Sir Duke,” complete with a sharp brass breakdown. Bassist Nathan Watts, who played on the original 1976 recording, anchored a joyous rendition of “I Wish.” Other standout moments included the intricate key change driving “Knocks Me Off My Feet” and the instrumental “Easy Goin’ Evening (My Mama’s Call),” which featured horns and a melodica gathered around Wonder’s chromatic harmonica.
Total cop out; fact is they did stand 'idly by' while the Orange State operated a 2-tier system that disadvantaged Northern Nationalists for generations. At the very least Dublin should have been making vigorous representations to London to end this nefarious state of affairs
Guest Instruments and Sonic Precision
The performance showcased a wide array of guest instrumentation and unexpected musical departures. Harpist Brandee Younger joined Wonder on stage to accompany him on “If It’s Magic.” Later in the set, Wonder played a solo on the harpejji—a hybrid instrument bridging a piano and a guitar—and seamlessly wove the melody of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” into his harmonica solos. Sound engineers kept every element of the complex arrangements clearly audible throughout the arena.
Encore Performances and Curfew Defiance
Refusing to slow down toward the end of the evening, Wonder delivered a powerful rendition of “As” that prompted some of his strongest singing of the night. Ignoring any rush to head home, he joked about running past his scheduled curfew before closing the night with “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)” and “Superstition.” Throughout the concert, Wonder engaged directly with the sold-out crowd, offering impromptu singing lessons when he noted an audience member was slightly out of key, and sharing a lighthearted remark about potential Irish ancestry in his family background.
Worth a look