4. Stevie took to the talkbox following the preachy Visions, jamming a tube down his throat Schiavo-style for a throwback medley that included New York, New York, What’s Goin’ On, and a We Want the Funk chant > Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now > We Are Family (as seen on video here). I guess it was pretty sweet, but I couldn’t help but think how unnecessary the talkbox is as an instrument. I could barely understand a word he said. Frampton got lucky.
5. One of the standout moments came during a Ribbon in the Sky, when Stevie had the crowd sing along to two separate lines, first all females, then all males. Eventually he put it all together and the segregated-by-sex crowd sang its lines without even the band’s beat. I remarked at the time and I think it’s more true today, but that must be cool as hell for a blind performer, to have a crowd of at least 15,000 all singing along to your song without the accompaniment of music. He especially must really get off on that. Goose pimples. And I loved the “Don’t go in there” movie theater-type girl who yelled out “My baby got it” when her man successfully repeated Stevie’s line directive.
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6. While we’re at it, you think there’s any chance that Ribbon in the Sky is an especially literal song about a pair of rhythmic gymnasts in heaven? Or is it possible that God himself is the rhythmic gymnast in question? Or both. Or neither. Also, I think “Sky Ribbons” would just be an overall catchier title for the song. Shorter, too. From now on, that song is called Sky Ribbons.
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7. An apparent 25-year-old sitting two rows in front of me went absolutely batshit bonkers when Tony Bennett came out on stage. I have nothing here, other than a simple question: What is it about Tony Bennett that would drive a 25-year-old male to pump his clenched fists high, clap loudly above his head and yell out “Tony Fucking Bennett, yeaaaaahhhhhh!” as if his sports team just won the championship? I kinda want to know. Are you him? E-mail me, if so. Is it the great head of hair?
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8. Prince got a welcoming ovation I’ve almost never heard before…ever. In fact, this is the only ovation at MSG I’ve ever heard that beat it. Not even Stevie received an ovation as loud as Prince’s. And even though he didn’t play much, and you could barely hear him in the mix aside from when they broke it down to just Prince, Stevie and the drummer, I thought Prince just exuded coolness. His strut, his outfit, his look — he could sue me just for listening to him (and he might!) and I’d still be okay with it. With Stevie crossed off the list, Prince is my new #1 must-see. I’ve gotta catch that guy soon.
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9. Prince and Tony Bennett will grab most of the sit-in headlines, but Frederic Yonnet dueled with Stevie on harmonicas and wowed the crowd (I forget which song). I don’t know anything about this guy, but he was pretty damn good. At one point he and Stevie locked opposing hands as they played their respective harmonicas, as if to start a thumb war on stage. And I just gotta say, thumb wars are unacceptable. I can’t believe it!
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10. Finally, there was no encore. This may have had to do more with the fact that Stevie and the band played two-and-a-half straight hours, but part of me thinks it’s just a huge hassle. I mean, it just seems like a lot of work to get Stevie on and off the MSG stage, so once he’s down, maybe he’s just down.
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Incomplete setlist: Loves In Need of Love Today, Too High, Visions, Livin’ For The City, Masterblaster (Jammin’), Higher Ground, Golden Lady, Ribbon In The Sky, Overjoyed, You and I, Lately, If Its Magic How Will I Know, Don’t You Worry Bout a Thing, Signed Sealed Delivered (I’m Yours)> reprise of SS&D played as a country song, My Cherie Amour, Boogie on Reggae Woman, For Once in My Life, Sir Duke, I Wish, You are The Sunshine of My Life, Superstition, As
That last bloc from Don’t You Worry Bout a Thing through As was worth every single penny of my $95 tickets. Man, that’s just how you put on a show.
UPDATE: Apparently I have seen Prince…my mother weighs in on this review: “thanks for sharing and you know this is so up my alley. stevie is definitely in my top 10. you did see prince when you were about five or six. there was so much pot there we felt like we were going to get arrested for child abuse. we all loved it though.” My mom rocks.
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