Stevie Wonder opens UK anniversary tour with full album performance
Stevie Wonder opened a UK tour celebrating the 50th anniversary of *Songs in the Key of Life* with a full performance at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena. The show brought the album’s rich arrangements to life while keeping its songs about inequality, empathy and faith resonant for a contemporary audience.
The large ensemble included a string section, five brass players and six backing vocalists, while Wonder moved between keyboards, piano and a harpejji. The original recording involved 108 musicians; on stage, Wonder added instrumental passages, extended songs and restarted “Isn’t She Lovely” after disliking the first version. The set included four tracks from the accompanying *A Something’s Extra* EP and ended with “Superstition” as an encore.
- Wonder performed *Songs in the Key of Life* in full in Birmingham.
- The anniversary show featured a large ensemble and expanded arrangements.
- The album’s messages and deep cuts still made a strong impression.
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Stevie Wonder is an American singer, songwriter and musician whose work has shaped soul and pop music for decades. Released in 1976, Songs in the Key of Life is a double album often regarded as one of his major works, combining soul, funk, jazz and pop.
The album ranges from personal songs, including “Isn’t She Lovely”, to reflections on social inequality, compassion and faith. Its layered sound drew on a large group of musicians, and its songs remain familiar to listeners across generations.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “Stevie Wonder review – playing his greatest album in full, he knocks everyone sideways”.