The old Boston Garden was creaky, malodorous and famously uncomfortable. It had no air conditioning; sometimes fog would form over the ice during Bruins hockey games. During Game 5 of the 1984 NBA finals between the Celtics and the LA Lakers the temperature reached 97ºF INSIDE THE BUILDING and players sat on the bench sucking on oxygen tanks. The bathrooms…let’s just move on…the seats were designed by The Marquis de Sade Furniture Company. Old-time Bostonians loved it. And miss it still, more than fifteen years after it fell to the wrecking ball. TD Garden, its replacement, like most modern arenas reminds one of The Liver Spot, West Virginia Municipal Convention Center—just a whole lot bigger and without the charm. Nonetheless I found myself there last night, crammed in with about twelve thousand of my closest friends to hear the great Stevie Wonder. On the current tour Stevie’s performing the “Songs in the Key of Life” double album in its entirety, with sparkling new arrangements. (Joining him on vocals was the fantastic India.Arie.) His voice was as strong and clear as ever, and not for a second did he seem to be mailing it in. He radiated energy and joy and good-natured humor. (He joked in his opening comments about how he could have pranked the audience by faking laryngitis.) He gave a moving tribute to America’s veterans, and to Boston’s first responders, talking about their courage on the day of the Marathon bombing. And of course, the last encore was a version of “Superstition” that turned that big, charmless barn into a little sweaty club on the South Side of Chicago. I’m at the age where I take fewer things for granted. When I was a youngster sometimes I’d miss a favorite touring musician, thinking, “I’ll catch them next time they’re in town.” Now I realize there might not BE a next time. A lot of people who missed Michael Jackson’s “History” tour in 1997 figured not to make the same mistake again and couldn’t wait to see “This Is It.” So my friends, if there’s a band you want to see, a letter you want to write, a phone call you want to make…don’t put it off…
Posted on: Wed, 12 Nov 2014 14:54:52 +0000
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