Stevie Wonder has confirmed a run of live dates celebrating half a century since the release of his landmark album, with the ‘Songs in the Key of Life Performances – 50th Anniversary Tour’ set to bring the record to stages across Europe and North America. The tour, staged with Live Nation and Wonder’s own Wonder Productions, will see the 25-time Grammy winner perform the double album in full for audiences on both sides of the Atlantic.
The tour kicks off in the UK on the 13th of October at Utilita Arena Birmingham, before heading into Europe with shows lined up in Paris, Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm, Hannover, Cologne, Amsterdam and Dublin. Wonder will then return to Britain for further dates in London, Manchester and Glasgow, giving UK fans multiple chances to catch the iconic run. From there, the tour crosses to North America, opening on the 19th of November at Madison Square Garden in New York. Further US stops include Chicago, Washington, D.C. and Detroit, before the run wraps up on the 19th of December at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.
Released in 1976, ‘Songs in the Key of Life’ is widely regarded as one of the definitive albums in Wonder’s catalogue and in popular music more broadly. Packed with hits including ‘Sir Duke’, ‘Isn’t She Lovely’ and ‘I Wish’, the double LP won Wonder his third Album of the Year Grammy and has since gone Diamond with sales topping ten million copies. Its cultural significance was further recognised when the record was added to the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry.
A partner presale for Europe and the UK begins on Wednesday, 9th of September at 10am local time. The general on-sale for North American shows (excluding Detroit) follows on Thursday, 10th of September, with the European and UK general sale opening on Friday, 11th of September both at 10am local time. Detroit’s on-sale lands slightly later, on Tuesday, 15th of September at 10am local time. Fans are advised to check local listings, as individual venues and promoters may run their own pre-sales ahead of the general dates!
With a career built on more than three decades of chart-topping hits and a reputation as one of the most influential songwriters in modern music, Wonder’s decision to revisit ‘Songs in the Key of Life’ in full gives audiences a rare chance to experience the album performed live from start to finish, five decades on from its original release.
