Gig review: STEVIE WONDER – British Summer Time, Hyde Park, London, 12 July 2025

STEVIE WONDER- British Summer Time, Hyde Park, London, 12 July 2025

(Photo: Isha Shah)

Legend of soul, songwriter of countless hits, but why you may ask is Stevie Wonder being reviewed in a website dedicated to rock music?  Well, many of the top singers in our world, from Glenn Hughes to Steve Overland, cite him as an inspiration. And, alongside other pioneers like Parliament and Sly and the Family Stone, during that golden sequence of albums in the early to mid seventies he created the whole new genre of funk. Without him, we would never have had the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Faith No More, Dan Reed Network and a host of other favourites.

It was clear we would be in for a long evening when at 7:45, and thankfully with the heat earlier in the day abating, Stevie Wonder came on stage arm in arm with two of his children, dreadlocks held in place by a cap and wearing a white Nehru jacket embroidered with the faces of Marvin Gaye and John Lennon.

STEVIE WONDER- British Summer Time, Hyde Park, London, 12 July 2025

(Photo: Bethan Miller)

In a show very different from what I am used to, he opened with a speech of about eight minutes, expounding on his views on life and explaining the theme of the ‘Love Light and Song’ tour. Finally taking to his bank of keyboards, he opened on a similar lyrical theme, not just with his own ‘Love’s In Need of Love Today’ but his interpretation of ‘Imagine’, complete with harmonica solo.

‘As If You Read My Mind’ may have been one of his lesser known songs but showed off that funky sound with a four man horn section prominent, before the first couple of hits in ‘Master Blaster (Jammin)’ with that great dirty bass line, and ‘Higher Ground’ (such an influence on those aforementioned bands). It was already obvious from my station about half way back that the whole of Hyde Park was in the mood for a dance.

STEVIE WONDER- British Summer Time, Hyde Park, London, 12 July 2025

(Photo: Bethan Miller)

He also has a very playful sense of humour I didn’t expect, notably often drifting into an impression of a London accent, and getting the crowd to sing the old standard ‘You Are My Sunshine’ before it segued into ‘You Are The Sunshine Of My Life’ (a song I always associate, talking of impersonations, with Mike ‘and this is me’ Yarwood). He paid tribute to Sly Stone and invited on Corinne Bailey Rae (who was the only name I had recognised on an undercard that focused on contemporary artists) to duet on ‘Everybody Is A Star’.

There was a fabulous atmosphere as the stage was lit pink and purple with love hearts during ‘Signed Sealed Delivered I’m Yours’ where he orchestrated a male versus female singing contest and the singalongs continued during  ‘Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing’ and the ‘la-la-la’s of ‘My Cherie Amour’.  The 75 year old’s voice was in stunning shape and ballads such as ‘Lately’ and ‘Overjoyed’ were a perfect showcase. I found myself watching closely on the big screen and admiring his control techniques.

STEVIE WONDER- British Summer Time, Hyde Park, London, 12 July 2025

However to give him a rest other band members stepped forward for solo slots, beginning with ‘Stranger On The Shore Of Love’ with KJ McNeill sounding not unlike his band leader, and two of the female backing singers doing a cover each.  After ‘Contusion’, a jazz fusion instrumental and probably in the closest territory to rock all evening, and ‘If You Really Love Me’ where Zuri Harris came to the piano to duet, there were more ballads in ‘You And I’ and daughter Aisha singing ‘Save Your Love For Me’.

Naturally energy levels had sagged in the crowd but fortunately the hits returned just in time.  On ‘I Just Called To Say I Love You’ he rather teased the audience with the words, maybe reflecting the fact that this was his most successful yet critically reviled song (or as we now call it a guilty pleasure). Even better was to follow with a series of glorious, yet very diverse, songs, with the brassy ‘Living For The City’ and ‘Sir Duke’, the crowd almost scat singing along to the latter, the funky ‘I Wish’ and the sentimental ‘Isn’t She Lovely’.

STEVIE WONDER- British Summer Time, Hyde Park, London, 12 July 2025

That was of course famously written about Aisha and keeping it in the family, son Mandla came on to sing another ballad ‘I Can Only Be Me’, showing a very accomplished stage presence. By now I was mentally crossing off the few big hits we hadn’t yet heard, and after he brought on his 13 year old daughter (but he cheekily also dedicated the song to anyone who has a birthday in the next 12 months) ‘Happy Birthday’ sparked another mass singalong.

Then with the synthesiser intro that was so groundbreaking at the time, the song that launched that whole funk rock scene in ‘Superstition’ featured some superlative extended musicianship. That would have been a good ending but it segued medley style into ‘As’ and ‘Another Star’ – before he was led off in a love train now numbering several family members.

STEVIE WONDER- British Summer Time, Hyde Park, London, 12 July 2025

It completed what was at times a quirky performance, but for over 2 ½ hours this legend had us all dancing to his remarkable catalogue and forgetting our and the world’s cares. The mission of celebrating love light and song had certainly been accomplished.

Review by Andy Nathan
Photos by Bethan Miller and Isha Shah (as credited)
Other Photos by Andy Nathan


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Power Plays w/c 14 July 2025

KURT FROHLICH Policy Of Truth (Golden Robot Records)
INDECENT BEHAVIOR I fell In Love Every Weekend (Long Branch Records)
DROP DEAD GORGEOUS Six Feet (The Artery Foundation)
SOULWEAVER Red (indie)
HEALER Bad Patterns (indie)
THE HUNNA Hide And Seek (FLG)

Featured Albums w/c 14 July 2025

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003 – 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003 – 2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003 – 2024 (Singer Songwriter)


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