One of the top names in our recent list of "most overdue acts" in Twin Cities concert, Stevie Wonder will finally return to Minneapolis to perform at Target Center on March 29, his first local gig in 27 years. As if that doesn't make it special enough, the concert is part of his "Songs in the Key of Life" tour, in which he performs a live adaptation of his landmark 1976 album.
Tickets go on sale Jan. 24 at 10 a.m. for $39.50-$149.50 plus fees through AXS.com, 1-888-9-AXS-TIX or the arena's box office. Pre-sale offers begin Tuesday through Citi Card Private Pass.
Wonder's last local concert was back in 1988 at St. Paul's long-defunct RiverFest. The Detroit-bred Motown music legend, 64, eschews conventional touring and mostly plays sporadic fly-in dates. Ours is only one of 10 spring dates announced today. He kicked off his "Songs in the Key of Life" itinerary at Madison Square Garden in early November and has been earning raves for it. The Grammys are hosting a special tribute concert in Wonder's honor next month, which will air on CBS on Feb. 16 and include guests such as Willie Nelson, Chris Martin, Usher and Ed Sheeran.
A double-album that capped off a string of classic early-'70s LPs, "Songs" was ranked No. 57 in Rolling Stone's list of rock's 500 greatest records. It includes the hit singles "Isn't She Lovely" and "Sir Duke" along with topical deeper cuts such as "Black Man" and "Village Ghetto Land."
