I just spent an evening sitting in the grass witnessing one of the greatest composers of our time. You cannot fully appreciate the quality and volume of his work until you hear only a fraction of it live over the course of just under three hours. Without a doubt, Stevie is still every bit the musician and singer he was as a younger man. In-freaking-credible!

He came out on time to a very enthusiastic crowd. From the start, his sense of humor was brilliant. After letting us know how much he genuinely missed Portland, he introduced us to his daughter, Aisha Morris. Isn't She Lovely? Yes, she is, and has a great set of pipes like her old man. He talked about his family, and of the recent passing of his Mother. He and Aisha sang together and the magic began.

The show was positively amazing. It spanned most of his career -- even sharing a great new tune. I mean, you could expect an incredible performance of Signed, Sealed, Delivered. You do not expect Stevie to kick back into it and lead a hilarious sing-along country version that morphs into an old chestnut from Charlie Rich! His musicians were so hot that they could do absolutely anything at the drop of a hat.

Want another big surprise? How about a flashback to the Apollo with the band laying down a groove for an interactive tribute to James Brown! The people from the audience were painfully embarrassing and lent total authenticity to the moment. By the way, none of them rubbed the Tree of Hope, and they got genuine boos. In the end, the rest of us in the crowd got exactly what Stevie was looking for, everyone was redeemed, and laughing while they went Huh, Huh, Huh. Throughout the night, he shared stories and joked like we were all packed into a theater in Harlem. It was very intimate.

As the stars began to come out, he talked about the coming election. He talked about America. He talked about haters. He said, "Haters need to hurry up and die and go to hell" with the sincerity of a true believer. The laughs were loud, the applause was louder, but the message came through in a way that only Stevie Wonder could deliver. A man who has channeled immense love into our lives for decades still has no time for hate.

Tonight was an experience I will always remember and cherish. Both my girlfriend and I were at work when the tickets went on sale, and since they sold out in around 2 hours, we had no chance to get a seat. So, in a random angelic gesture that would have pleased Stevie no end, we won a pair from our beloved friends at K-Hits. Thank you so much!

Who else went to this incredible show?

Stevie Wonder ROCKS! Just downloaded a bunch of his music into my IPOD. LOVE THAT STUFF!

What is the definition of Endless Love? (Get your mind out of the gutter this isn't dirty!)







Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles playing Tennis!

From Blue Oregon:

"Next year when you make your decision and vote, he said, choose someone who will make us "a united people of these United States."

Go Stevie.

Yes, my friends, that is an exact quote from a deeply heartfelt moment between songs. Like the true harmonica totin' folksinger that he is, he has always been a very active political force for positive change.

Reflecting on the experience, I have to say that few other shows have left me this stunned, amazed and truly spiritually moved. I do not know if that makes a lick of sense to anyone else.