Steve Wonder plays free surprise show in DC

The show was part of a promotion for his tour, “Songs in the Key of Life Performance”, according to The Washington  Post.

Wonder announced 20 new dates for the tour, including a show at D.C.’s Verizon Center on Oct. 3. Wonder played at the Verizon Center in November as part of the tour. He will play similar pop-up concerts today in Philadelphia and New York.

“I jumped out and raced out here when I found out about it,” said Jay Cropps, a restaurant manager and bartender who lives in Petworth. He found out about the 10 a.m. concert from a friend at 9:10 a.m. “It was a bucket-list item that I can now cross off.”

Events DC — the organization that manages the convention center, the Stadium-Armory campus and other public event spaces throughout the city — threw the concert, which was open to the public.

The legendary singer played five songs at the #AWonderMoment concert, including “Love’s in Need of Love Today,” “Sir Duke,” “I Wish” and “As.” He talked to the audience about social issues and noted his new “Curb the Bullet” campaign, which will work to end gun violence.

“To me, the world is more in need of love than ever before,” he said.

The performance lasted about an hour.

“I work for myself, so yes, I bailed on work,” said Rafiq Rashid, a taxi driver in attendance who unsuccessfully tried to see Wonder play at the Verizon Center back in November. “The tickets that were available were too expensive, so this was great.”

Organizers had said that the first 1,000 people to show up Monday would receive free doughnuts.