independent and unofficial
Prince fan community
Welcome! Sign up or enter username and password to remember me
Forum jump
Forums > Music: Non-Prince > Stevie wonder Live = Big Dissappoinment
« Previous topic  Next topic »
Page 2 of 5 <12345>
  New topic   Printable     (Log in to 'subscribe' to this topic)
Reply #30 posted 09/11/08 5:27am

funkymf

avatar

Bewdy said:

well to be honest I couldn't careless if someone questions my taste in music because I don't kiss the ground an artist walks on.

The dud tracks as I put it were tracks I didn't even recognize.


I thought as much!!! It has nothing to do with kissing the ground artists walk on, it's to do with knowing what you are talking about before you comment. It doesnt make a track a "dud" just because you haven't sat down & ever listened to the Stevie albums you claim to own. I'll take this guys comments with a pinch of salt, as Im sure most of you who've read his comment have anyway
The Funk, the whole funk & nothin' but the funk, ya dig?!
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #31 posted 09/11/08 5:33am

Bewdy

funkymf said:

Bewdy said:

well to be honest I couldn't careless if someone questions my taste in music because I don't kiss the ground an artist walks on.

The dud tracks as I put it were tracks I didn't even recognize.


I thought as much!!! It has nothing to do with kissing the ground artists walk on, it's to do with knowing what you are talking about before you comment. It doesnt make a track a "dud" just because you haven't sat down & ever listened to the Stevie albums you claim to own. I'll take this guys comments with a pinch of salt, as Im sure most of you who've read his comment have anyway


yeah yeah, you're obviously very touchy about anyone having an opinion about this, and I don't see why my views should be taken with a 'pinch of salt' as you so arrogantly put it. Were you at the concert then? what did you think?

As I said, most of the first half, sounded pretty much like jamming, and audience participation. But you'd know better I guess?
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #32 posted 09/11/08 5:40am

Ellie

avatar

I have a friend who went to this same concert in Manchester. He quoted the setlist from his memory and the only songs I didn't know that I wouldn't consider classic Stevie hits was a new one and the odd thing Aisha sang. Everything else sounded MINT and I can't wait for the show I going to tomorrow night.
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #33 posted 09/11/08 5:44am

Ellie

avatar

I haven't seen any official setlists so in no order what my friend remembered:

My Cherie Amour
Signed, Sealed, Delivered
Superstition
Blame It On The Sun
Visions
Living For The City
Golden Lady
Higher Ground
Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing
Sir Duke
I Wish
Knocks Me Off My Feet
Isn't She Lovely
As
Another Star
Did I Hear You Say You Love Me
All I Do
As If You Read My Mind
Master Blaster
Do Like You
Overjoyed
People Make The World Go Round
Ribbon In The Sky
Stop Foolin' Yourself Baby Girl
'Aisha's song'
I Just Called To Say I Love You
Do I Do
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #34 posted 09/11/08 5:45am

wasitgood4u

avatar

I saw SW in '87 in Sydney and it's still one of the best gigs I've ever seen. I didn't like most of the 80s stuff, but it was such a great bunch of musicians and amazing vibe and talent. Maybe what surprises some of the people responding is that you see him doing extended jams as a bad thing...
"We've never been able to pull off a funk number"

"That's becuase we're soulless auttomatons"
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #35 posted 09/11/08 5:47am

Ellie

avatar

Don't judge Bewdy though, there are a bunch of shows I've been to for various people which I would class among some of the most boring hours of my life yet other people came out raving about it. I even hated Prince on the One Night Alone tour (although that's not one of the worst).
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #36 posted 09/11/08 5:58am

Bewdy

most of that set list is right from memory, though there's a few there that I don't know so i can't comment on them, and I don't know if you were trying to or not, but they weren't in that order, a lot of the more upbeat stuff, do i do, superstition, signed sealed came much later on.

I'm a musician myself and it was clearly a great and very talented band, don't get me wrong, it was just a lot of the tracks just seem to unnecessarily carry on, or he wouldn't finish the track completely, then would just dick about on the piano a bit, not playing anything structured as such, just dragging the ending out in a bit of a lame way, as thought he was practicing singing his scales.

Anyway, I'm not going to go on about it anymore. just felt like I was watching people watching a gig, rather than being there and feeling it, and it was disappointing. my brother reckoned that the huge number of people singing along to 'I just called to say I love you' was kinda indicative of the audience as a whole. To be clear, i was cringing while he was playing that too.
[Edited 9/11/08 6:01am]
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #37 posted 09/11/08 6:05am

Ellie

avatar

That's a shame sad I'm the sole Stevie Wonder fan in my family. but when the IJCTSILY video comes on TV if I'm at my mother's house, thats the one she'll sing along to and want to leave on *sigh* Then again, for some reason that song is still one of the biggest selling singles of all time in the UK. Baffling, isn't it?
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #38 posted 09/11/08 6:11am

Bewdy

Ellie said:

That's a shame sad I'm the sole Stevie Wonder fan in my family. but when the IJCTSILY video comes on TV if I'm at my mother's house, thats the one she'll sing along to and want to leave on *sigh* Then again, for some reason that song is still one of the biggest selling singles of all time in the UK. Baffling, isn't it?


it is baffling... no accounting for taste I suppose,

but then I guess that's what a lot of you will be thinking about me after these comments, ha!
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #39 posted 09/11/08 6:45am

wasitgood4u

avatar

Bewdy said:

Ellie said:

That's a shame sad I'm the sole Stevie Wonder fan in my family. but when the IJCTSILY video comes on TV if I'm at my mother's house, thats the one she'll sing along to and want to leave on *sigh* Then again, for some reason that song is still one of the biggest selling singles of all time in the UK. Baffling, isn't it?


it is baffling... no accounting for taste I suppose,

but then I guess that's what a lot of you will be thinking about me after these comments, ha!


Never understood it - I was even anti-SW altogether for a while after that came out...
"We've never been able to pull off a funk number"

"That's becuase we're soulless auttomatons"
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #40 posted 09/11/08 7:24am

graecophilos

avatar

Bewdy said:

well to be honest I couldn't careless if someone questions my taste in music because I don't kiss the ground an artist walks on.

The dud tracks as I put it were tracks I didn't even recognize. i can't claim to be as big a Stevie fan as I am a prince fan, and there is probably some obscure stuff he's done that I don't know. Having said that I do have a lot of his albums, and me the set seemed to be lacking what I would describe as his better known and more upbeat tracks. but that wasn't really the issue, it was more of a self indulgent long vamped up tracks with loads of audience participation which was cringey and bit like a butlins holiday routine.

If Stevie wants to play down beat material at his gigs ("and it's all about world peace") then fine. I just expected a little more from one of the greatest performers in the world. No I'm not interested in seeing Kylie putting on different wigs, though I'd happily watch her change costumes (if you know what I mean), and as i said I was trying to be diplomatic by saying perhaps I was expecting something that he is not. but fact is Stevie has a lot of upbeat stuff, some of which he did, but the concert was a bit of a mish mash. Fast track slow track etc... and as I said it took about 3/4 hour before he played anything that most would describe as a hit, which to me seemed odd, for someone with so many hits. This followed by the long boring speech, which seemed contrived knowing that he had already made it a couple of night before at the Birmingham gig.

The people in the audience seemed quiet and a bit flummoxed , which is not like other gigs I've been to where people are definitely in the vibe.

The last gig I saw before this was the 02 prince one, so maybe I was just spoiled by that!!

Anyway man, there are some closed minds on this forum, people who really idolize performers thinking they can do no wrong. To me the concert was pants, and not worth the money I paid for it. Just thought stevie would have been better than that. oh and the sound wasn't great either. but guess some of you'll will probably flame my sound engineering credentials too eh?
[Edited 9/11/08 4:01am]


sorry, I think your totally pretentious.

1.) So, tracks you don't reckognize (as someone who doesn't even know all of his stuff) are dud??

2.) SW's most famous songs are not necessarily upbeat songs.

3.) "Loads of audience participation..." Erm, that's what makes the most fun!!!

4.) "One of teh greatest performers.." Sorry, I heavily disagree. I like watching SW because he's pure TALENT. But he's not a great performer. Madonna, Michael Jackson are great performers.

Tu sum up your post: I think you went with totally wrong expectations. You have every right to dislike what you've seen anyway. But the way you told insecured many of us who have yet to see him.
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #41 posted 09/11/08 7:28am

graecophilos

avatar

wasitgood4u said:

Bewdy said:



it is baffling... no accounting for taste I suppose,

but then I guess that's what a lot of you will be thinking about me after these comments, ha!


Never understood it - I was even anti-SW altogether for a while after that came out...


"I Just Called" is schmaltzy, and what in Germany would be described as "Schlagermusik"... White, trashy popmelodies and and a happy world lyric... So that even your grandma would like the song.
That's why so many of his hardcore fans dislike it. You can't believe it's from the same man who wrote Living In The City.
But honestly... it's a great melody.
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #42 posted 09/11/08 7:56am

CoolTarik1

avatar

Lemme chime in on this for a moment; I'm familiar with the setlist Bewdy saw, and I saw Stevie at MSG in 2007, so there is a big difference. Stevie throughout 2007 when he started to regulary tour is more of his familiar setlist, and him singing mostly, few if any jams. Meaning it followed more closely to his Natural Wonder setlist. This new one that Bewdy saw, he started in the US, adding instrumentals like "Spain" which is know drags on for a good ten minutes. Now personally, I heart "Hotter Than July" and those first four tracks are pretty uptempo, but it gets pretty choppy from there when it comes to pacing. But I love that he changes it up. cool
At this point in history, we have a choice to make
To either, walk the path of love, or be crippled by our hate
-Stevie Wonder
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #43 posted 09/11/08 8:04am

midnightmover

Graycap23 said:

BlaqueKnight said:

I'm sorry but when you use "Stevie Wonder" and "dud" in the same sentence without the word "not" in between them somewhere, your credibility is highly questionable. Sorry you didn't like it. Actually, no I'm not.

I don't know how fair that comment is. I hear people going on and on about how good Patty Labelle is live. I went 2 see her and all I heard was 2 hours of screaming and adlibed nonsense.

I agree. People are massively overreacting here. I thought Bewdy explained himself quite well, and I know exactly what he means when he complains about the extended jams that go nowhere, because I have the same problem with Prince. I hate that shit. I'm from the Chuck Berry school of thought. Play the song until it gets boring, then stop and move on to the next one. Sorry, but I don't wanna hear ten minutes of jamming. It bores me to tears.

And we all know Stevie can sometimes drone on in his speeches. He also has a silly side that sometimes comes through in his audience participation routines. I've seen that myself so I know what Bewdy means. HOWEVER, I'd still love the show if Stevie did enough great songs and from the looks of that setlist he did. I think Bewdy's main problem was that he just wasn't familiar with the material. No reason to crucify him for it though.
“The man who never looks into a newspaper is better informed than he who reads them, inasmuch as he who knows nothing is nearer to truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods and errors.”
- Thomas Jefferson
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #44 posted 09/11/08 8:23am

BlaqueKnight

avatar

I wouldn't equate calling someone's credibility highly questionable with being a "massive overreaction". I have seen Stevie but I've never seen Stevie suck, so if anything, the use of the word "dud" in conjunction with a Stevie Wonder concert seems more of the overreaction to me. So pardon me if I don't co-sign some joker on a message board out of the spirit of political correctness when he says that an artist that I'm extremely familiar with has "duds" in his set. Is it possible? Yes, anything is possible and everyone has bad gigs. Is it PROBABLE? NOPE. So, fuck "fair" with regards to my comments.
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #45 posted 09/11/08 8:26am

novabrkr

Bewdy is fully entitled to his opinion, and glad that someone is expressing it also on a public forum.

I thought Stevie's new record was rather okay, but I don't think he is putting too much thought into the overall aesthetics of either his recorded or live output anymore (I am referring only to internet clips I've seen of Stevie live recently though). But did anyone see the documentary where they recreated a few numbers from the "Songs in the Key of Life" using the same instrumentation as they did use back then? Makes all the difference. Stevie used to be one of the best, if not the best, arrangers / producers in soul music in the 70s. He knew what sounds to couple with what - but soundwise he's pretty much all over the place these days.
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #46 posted 09/11/08 8:34am

Ellie

avatar

^ Was that the CLassic Albums series from TV? I got the DVD of that one nod
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #47 posted 09/11/08 8:36am

midnightmover

BlaqueKnight said:

I wouldn't equate calling someone's credibility highly questionable with being a "massive overreaction". I have seen Stevie but I've never seen Stevie suck, so if anything, the use of the word "dud" in conjunction with a Stevie Wonder concert seems more of the overreaction to me. So pardon me if I don't co-sign some joker on a message board out of the spirit of political correctness when he says that an artist that I'm extremely familiar with has "duds" in his set. Is it possible? Yes, anything is possible and everyone has bad gigs. Is it PROBABLE? NOPE. So, fuck "fair" with regards to my comments.

The "massive overreaction" comment was directed at EVERYONE here, who is throwing totally unnecessary insults at Bewdy just for expressing his opinion. I think CoolTarik1 gave a good explanation when he said how Stevie has changed his setlist in recent months and the pacing is no longer as good as it was last year. He mentioned a ten minute instrumental called "Spain" for instance which drags on in the middle of the set. If that's true, then it's totally plausible that Bewdy might not have had the best experience. Even Prince, who I think is one of the best performers in the world, frequently fucks up when it comes to structuring his shows.
“The man who never looks into a newspaper is better informed than he who reads them, inasmuch as he who knows nothing is nearer to truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods and errors.”
- Thomas Jefferson
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #48 posted 09/11/08 8:49am

paisleypark4

avatar

Im half biased on seeing him too. I just didnt imagine him doing enough tunes to have me on my feet
Straight Jacket Funk Affair
Album plays and love for vinyl records.
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #49 posted 09/11/08 8:50am

wasitgood4u

avatar

graecophilos said:

wasitgood4u said:



Never understood it - I was even anti-SW altogether for a while after that came out...


"I Just Called" is schmaltzy, and what in Germany would be described as "Schlagermusik"... White, trashy popmelodies and and a happy world lyric... So that even your grandma would like the song.
That's why so many of his hardcore fans dislike it. You can't believe it's from the same man who wrote Living In The City.
But honestly... it's a great melody.


Must be the Yiddish influence: we call massive pop hits "shlager" here in Israel too!!!
"We've never been able to pull off a funk number"

"That's becuase we're soulless auttomatons"
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #50 posted 09/11/08 8:58am

Bewdy

##Did I Hear You Say You Love Me
##All I Do
##As If You Read My Mind
##Do Like You
##People Make The World Go Round

Well I can't comment on how thorough my knowledge of Stevie's music is compared to anyone else on this board who might be suggesting that I didn't like his gig becuase I don't know his music, out of the track list someone posted above these are the only tracks I don't know of Stevies, so I have no idea if he did actually play them, or if they are any good in other people's opinion?

I think unless you were at the gig, I think it is a little unfair to flame me for my opinion. I know there was one other guy on here who went, who enjoyed the concert, so great for him. I think I've justified my comments enough anyway, and I think I've been fair in my appraisal. Of the concert.
[Edited 9/11/08 9:01am]
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #51 posted 09/11/08 9:05am

paisleypark4

avatar

Bewdy said:

##Another Star
##Did I Hear You Say You Love Me
##All I Do
##As If You Read My Mind
##Do Like You
##People Make The World Go Round

Well I can't comment on how thorough my knowledge of Stevie's music is compared to anyone else on this board who might be suggesting that I didn't like his gig becuase I don't know his music, out of the track list someone posted above these are the only tracks I don't know of Stevies, so I have no idea if he did actually play them, or if they are any good in other people's opinion?

I think unless you were at the gig, I think it is a little unfair to flame me for my opinion. I know there was one other guy on here who went, who enjoyed the concert, so great for him. I think I've justified my comments enough anyway, and I think I've been fair in my appraisal. Of the concert.



Hell fuck em you dont owe them no explination of why you dont like the songs..especially if you dont know them.

Only All I Do is one of my favorites, however the rest..I'm wondering why he chose to perform those songs...
Straight Jacket Funk Affair
Album plays and love for vinyl records.
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #52 posted 09/11/08 9:39am

daPrettyman

avatar

Bewdy said:

##Did I Hear You Say You Love Me
##All I Do
##As If You Read My Mind
##Do Like You
##People Make The World Go Round

Well I can't comment on how thorough my knowledge of Stevie's music is compared to anyone else on this board who might be suggesting that I didn't like his gig becuase I don't know his music, out of the track list someone posted above these are the only tracks I don't know of Stevies, so I have no idea if he did actually play them, or if they are any good in other people's opinion?

I think unless you were at the gig, I think it is a little unfair to flame me for my opinion. I know there was one other guy on here who went, who enjoyed the concert, so great for him. I think I've justified my comments enough anyway, and I think I've been fair in my appraisal. Of the concert.
[Edited 9/11/08 9:01am]

If you haven't done so, I highly suggest that you pick up the essential Stevie cds:


It's good to listen to compilations, but Stevie is one of those that doesn't stress "hits" at his shows. He is all about the message.

BTW, "People Make the World Go Round" is not a Stevie track. It is a Stylistics song. He does covers occasionally at some of his shows.
[Edited 9/11/08 9:40am]
[Edited 9/11/08 9:41am]
**--••--**--••**--••--**--••**--••--**--••**--••-
U 'gon make me shake my doo loose!
http://www.twitter.com/nivlekbrad
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #53 posted 09/11/08 9:45am

Ellie

avatar

All I Do was covered and remixed by Cleptomaniacs a few years ago and was quite a big UK club hit. MJ sings the chorus.

Di I Hear You Say You Love Me is one of my favs so I've looking forwards to that one.
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #54 posted 09/11/08 9:49am

CoolTarik1

avatar

Bewdy said:

##Did I Hear You Say You Love Me
##All I Do
##As If You Read My Mind
##Do Like You
##People Make The World Go Round

Well I can't comment on how thorough my knowledge of Stevie's music is compared to anyone else on this board who might be suggesting that I didn't like his gig becuase I don't know his music, out of the track list someone posted above these are the only tracks I don't know of Stevies, so I have no idea if he did actually play them, or if they are any good in other people's opinion?

I think unless you were at the gig, I think it is a little unfair to flame me for my opinion. I know there was one other guy on here who went, who enjoyed the concert, so great for him. I think I've justified my comments enough anyway, and I think I've been fair in my appraisal. Of the concert.
[Edited 9/11/08 9:01am]


Fair enough bro. I think most of these tracks weren't even released as singles, but I think all of them are uptempo enough to carry their weight, especially Do Like You. However, I think if you just have the greatest hits collection, you wouldn't be familiar with these tracks. But at the same time, I like that Stevie changes it up since, I've heard him do it all before. But I can see to someone who isn't too into Stevie be disappointed.
At this point in history, we have a choice to make
To either, walk the path of love, or be crippled by our hate
-Stevie Wonder
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #55 posted 09/11/08 9:52am

CoolTarik1

avatar

midnightmover said:

BlaqueKnight said:

I wouldn't equate calling someone's credibility highly questionable with being a "massive overreaction". I have seen Stevie but I've never seen Stevie suck, so if anything, the use of the word "dud" in conjunction with a Stevie Wonder concert seems more of the overreaction to me. So pardon me if I don't co-sign some joker on a message board out of the spirit of political correctness when he says that an artist that I'm extremely familiar with has "duds" in his set. Is it possible? Yes, anything is possible and everyone has bad gigs. Is it PROBABLE? NOPE. So, fuck "fair" with regards to my comments.

The "massive overreaction" comment was directed at EVERYONE here, who is throwing totally unnecessary insults at Bewdy just for expressing his opinion. I think CoolTarik1 gave a good explanation when he said how Stevie has changed his setlist in recent months and the pacing is no longer as good as it was last year. He mentioned a ten minute instrumental called "Spain" for instance which drags on in the middle of the set. If that's true, then it's totally plausible that Bewdy might not have had the best experience. Even Prince, who I think is one of the best performers in the world, frequently fucks up when it comes to structuring his shows.


Just to be fair to Stevie, the instrumental is tight, at least on the live track i got, but not everyone is going to be for it. Sure Stevie has earned the right to well do whatever the hell he wants to when it comes to live performances, but it doesn't equate being entertaining.
At this point in history, we have a choice to make
To either, walk the path of love, or be crippled by our hate
-Stevie Wonder
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #56 posted 09/11/08 10:07am

Bewdy

just to be clear, I have Stevie 10 albums, of which 3 are comps.

So I don't know where this idea has come from that I start need to buying more Stevie albums has come from?
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #57 posted 09/11/08 10:13am

purplecam

avatar

Thank you Bewdy for your review of the Stevie Wonder concert. I enjoyed reading it and I'm glad that you were honest with your review. I still want to go see Stevie perform and I hope to do so the next time he comes back to NYC.
I'm not a fan of "old Prince". I'm not a fan of "new Prince". I'm just a fan of Prince. Simple as that
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #58 posted 09/11/08 10:16am

purplecam

avatar

Bewdy said:

just to be clear, I have Stevie 10 albums, of which 3 are comps.

So I don't know where this idea has come from that I start need to buying more Stevie albums has come from?

Dude, you don't have to justify anything to anyone here. Stevie is not above getting ripped apart if someone doesn't like what he's doing just like people love ripping Prince apart in here too. Just keep doing you and dig Stevie however you want to with the albums you have.
I'm not a fan of "old Prince". I'm not a fan of "new Prince". I'm just a fan of Prince. Simple as that
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #59 posted 09/11/08 10:27am

lilgish

avatar

Stevie is big and old now, It's not classic Stevie you're going to see now, he's way past his prime... Were you expecting 70's Stevie?
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Page 2 of 5 <12345>
  New topic   Printable     (Log in to 'subscribe' to this topic)
« Previous topic  Next topic »
Forums > Music: Non-Prince > Stevie wonder Live = Big Dissappoinment