It was a Wonder-ful evening with Stevie (2025)

Stevie Wonder came to Pittsburgh Tuesday asking the question, “Can We Fix Our Nation’s Broken Heart?” and prescribed two hours of music as a healing balm.

Wonder announced the 10-city tour only three weeks before the PPG Paints Arena concert that served as the opening show.

Considering the name of the tour (it’s Wonder’s new single), its booking primarily in swing states and Wonder’s appearance at the Democratic National Convention, some may have been expecting a political rally as much as a concert.

“Can We Fix Our Nation’s Broken Heart” opened the show and got a long introduction after Wonder walked on stage, led by two of his children, but he talked mostly in generalities, encouraging voting and preaching unity. No mention was made of the candidate for either party.

Instead, Wonder mostly let the music do the talking, playing a set filled with hits and some surprising covers.

Tuesday’s show certainly had some hiccups — some stops and starts, awkward transitions and Wonder pleading for tea late in the evening to help suppress a cough and soothe his throat. But except for a couple of Christmas benefit concerts, Tuesday appears to be Wonder’s first full-length performance this decade (at least according to setlist.fm).

For what seems like a hastily put-together tour, Wonder certainly didn’t offer a stripped-down production. He was backed by a massive band — three percussionists, two keyboard players, two guitars, bass, five-piece horn section and six backing vocalists. I’m not convinced I didn’t miss someone.

And that was just for the first seven songs. After a 15-minute intermission, a 12-piece string section was added to the mix.

There were so many performers on stage, if they all were registered to vote in Pennsylvania, they might be able to swing the swingiest of swing states.

“Higher Ground” as the fourth song in the set was an early peak, immediately followed by the beautiful “You Are the Sunshine of My Life.”

The piano man then turned to another piano man — Billy Joel — for a cover of “Just the Way You Are.” Wonder’s efforts to turn it into a sing-a-long never quite took off, but it was an entertaining rendition. He also sprinkled bits of The Stylistics’ “Betcha By Golly Wow” and The Impressions’ “It’s All Right” in between songs.

Despite Wonder’s talk of voice issues, the show found its groove in the second half. The band took a more prominent role in the arrangements with the percussionists driving hits like “Living for the City” and “Sir Duke.”

The string section made “Songs in the Key of Life” deep cut “Village Ghetto Land” really stand out and added to other numbers as well. Guest vocalist Shelea did a scorching version of “Until You Come Back to Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do),” a song Wonder cowrote for Aretha Franklin. The unintroduced song from her upcoming album was less memorable.

As talented as Wonder’s support was, nothing could compete with Wonder playing those signature keyboard/organ riffs to start “Living for the City” and “Superstition” (songs that have filled dance floors and kicked up house parties for decades) or breaking out the chromatic harmonica on “Overjoyed” or one of several other hits.

It’s almost easy to forget just how many hits Wonder has. He was cramming them in toward the end, playing abbreviated versions of “As, “All I Do” and “I Just Called to Say I Love You” before ending the night with “Do I Do” and “Superstition.”

Whether he fixed a nation’s broken heart Tuesday is up for debate, but he certainly gave the crowd an opportunity to forget its troubles — and the world’s troubles — for a couple of hours.

Andy Gray is the entertainment editor of Ticket. Write to him at agray@tribtoday.com.