ShareStevie Wonder performing his Love, Light & Song Tour at The Utilita Arena Birmingham on Monday 7th July 2025.
Review by Kevin Cooper
On a weekend that Oasis stole all of the musical headlines, a vintage musical superstar, Stevie Wonder, stormed the stage at the Utilita Arena Birmingham on Monday night, with a hits laden repertoire that was jaw droppingly spectacular.
This rare UK visit saw the familiar figure accompanied by two of his children who gently guided him to the centre of the stage, and whilst he did not go as far as Bruce Springsteen did during his recent concerts when he proclaimed that America had fallen into the hands of a “corrupt, incompetent and treasonous administration”, Wonder’s anger was palpable as he talked of being “very disappointed with the leaders we have – all of them” at the start of his set, reminding the administration that they are supposed to make the world a better place.
He opened with Love’s In Need Of Love Today taken from his 1976 double album Songs In The Key Of Life which held up a twenty- six song set list that contained hit after hit all taken from an incomparable repertoire of incredible albums. He got the party started early with As If You Read My Mind and Master Blaster (Jammin’) that had the capacity crowd immediately on their feet.
During a set that lasted nearly two and a half hours, Wonder showed his skills as a soul man, balladeer, funkmeister and of course synthesiser soul explorer none more evident on the glorious groove on Higher Ground.
On stage with him were two guitarists, two percussionists, a drummer, two keyboard players (plus himself), a bassist, multiple horns and backing singers which all served to produce a huge funky sound. Blind since shortly after birth, Wonder decided to swap his sunglasses telling the crowd that he could not see without them before he led them into an impromptu burst of Jimmie Davis’ You Are My Sunshine by way of an intro to You Are The Sunshine Of My Life which had the crowd singing along.
Wonder is almost unique in his ability to roll out great songs of such astonishing variety, from pure 1960’s pop such as Signed, Sealed Delivered I’m Yours to the soulful slower Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing and the lovely My Cherie Amour.
The American Ghanaian took a well earned break on the hour mark, which seemed to extend a tad longer than the band expected but it enabled backing singer Jada Spright to deliver a phenomenal version of the Wonder penned Aretha Franklin classic Until You Come Back To Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do) which was followed by an upbeat Confusion.
When he returns the tempo is immediately lifted as he enters into a run of his greatest hits and the Arena became a thriving mass of people recreating a 1970’s disco. There was a slight lull as his son Mandia Morris took lead vocals on I Can Only Be Me before Wonder turned full on human jukebox, as he delivered Lately, Golden Lady and Living For The City.
Dance tracks Like Sir Duke sounded magnificent, showcasing a voice that still has its rich timbre and all its shades of expression as it growled, yelped and roared, only rarely showing its age in a few places. When he started with the opening to Isn’t She Lovely there was the mother of all sing alongs that continued into the opening chords of Ebony And Ivory.
With a shortened version of I Just Called To Say I Loved You and with the curfew beckoning, he finally ended with a blistering ten minute version of Superstition whilst yelling at the crowd as to how much he loved them.
This show was very much a celebration of roads that Wonder has travelled whilst at the same time offered a timely reminder of the brilliance, endurance and uniqueness of one of pop’s true greats. When the music started, the crowd were quickly reminded that they were in a midst of a legend. Wonder has still got it and it would seem that nothing is going to stop him.