R&B/pop star Ne-Yo has called off his Sept. 18 date at the Puyallup Fair grandstand due to "unforeseen circumstances," fair organizers announced on their site Tuesday.

Fans can be reimbursed for ticket costs and still receive free gate admission to Puyallup Fair. Learn more here.

A replacement show will likely be announced soon, said Fair spokeswoman Karen LaFlamme.

Beyonce, the reigning queen of pop, just flew through KeyArena (literally, during "Baby Boy.") I’ll dig through my notes for more details in a spell. Meanwhile, here’s a set list for anyone who missed all the bootylicious action.

Beyonce’s I Am Tour set list
KeyArena
April 1, 2009

“Crazy in Love” (with elements of James Brown’s “Pass the Peas,” DJ Kool’s “Let Me Clear My Throat”)
“Naughty Girl”
“Freakum Dress”
“Get Me Bodied”

“Smash into You”
“Ave Maria”
“Broken-Hearted Girl”
“If I Were A Boy”/”You Oughta Know” (Alanis Morissette)

“Diva”
“Radio”
“Me, Myself & I”
“Ego”
“Hello” (called favorite song from new album)
Band jam with snippets of Digable Planet’s “Rebirth of Slick,” The Commodores’ “Brick House,” etc.
“Love Hangover” (Diana Ross, sung by backup singers)

Second stage set:
“Baby Boy” (Beyonce clones dance before the real Beyonce “flies” and flips her way across arena to a second, smaller stage)
“Irreplaceable” (crowd sing along)
“Check On It”
Medley with “Bootylicious,” “Bug-A-Boo,” “Jumpin’ Jumpin’”
“Video Phone”

Ballad set:
“At Last” (to backdrop of civil rights and “Cadillac Footage,” culiminating in Barack Obama’s inauguration)
“Listen”
“Scared of Lonely”
Piano solo
"Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)"

Encore:
Halo

Freddie Stone, co-founder of legendary rock n’ soul group Sly & the Family Stone, will headline a benefit for the IFG Foundation of Tacoma on Feb. 13 at the King Oscar Restaurant, 8820 Hosmer St., Tacoma, the foundation announced today. The event will take place from 7 to 10 p.m. that day, and tickets are $50. Call 253-581-0227 or click here for more info.

The local artist of the week is Tacoma crooner Dwayne D'Arby, who records with South Sound R&B/hip-hop label One Famm Records. This clip is from a show in Seattle, but Friday (Jan. 30) you'll be able to catch him at Jazzbones.

Fame eluded talented Washington, D.C. area singer-songwriter Eva Cassidy when she was alive. Cassidy died of melanoma in 1996, but with the help of Gig Harbor’s Blix Street Records her music lived on. And by 2001 she'd become a cult figure in the U.S. and Great Britain.

Blix Street recently issued another posthumous Cassidy release, called “Somewhere.” So I caught up with label chief Bill Straw to talk about her powerful voice, how the new album came together and the odds of Cassidy's life making it to the big screen.

The songs from the new album you'll hear are, in order, “Ain’t Doin’ Too Bad,” “My Love’s Like a Red Red Rose” (the guitar melody you hear looped in the background), “Somewhere,” “Chain of Fools” and Won’t Be Long.”

P.S. There'll be a related story in Sunday's SoundLife section.

Alicia Keys Saturday night at Seattle's WaMu Theatre.
ERNEST JASMIN

“Superwoman?” Yeah, I’ll buy that; especially after R&B sensation Alicia Keys delivered one of the most triumphant performances I've seen this year Saturday night at Seattle’s WaMu Theatre. Forget that demure piano woman you might have seen on television. When she made her entrance, Keys was a fierce diva, more along the lines of Beyonce, minus the shimmery dress. And she was all sass and hip-swiveling sensuality during an early set that included smash “You Don’t Know My Name.”

But don’t get the impression that she neglected her instrument of choice for too long. “Is it OK with y’all if I play my piano for you,” she asked coyly a few songs into the show. Of course, the crowd roared its approval as she sat down to a black Yamaha that shifted and rotated into different positions throughout the performance.

Piano highlights included an epic, jazzy riff on Prince’s “How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore,” with members of Keys’ 10-piece band firing up the crowd with a series of flashy vocal and instrumental solos. Then Keys dedicated feminist anthem “Superwoman” -- a song she said she wrote at a time when she lacked encouragement – to “all my superwomen in the house, and all my supermen that can recognize a superwoman.” Jermaine Paul, one of Keys backup singers, stepped up impressively during duets of “Diary” and a cover of the Force M.D.’s ‘80s hit “Tender Love.” (Man, that one took me back, y’all.) But none of that compared to how Keys’ “No One” galvanized fans for the big finale. You couldn’t help but feel a bit cathartic as hundreds of fans belted out keys soaring chorus, index fingers extended to the ceiling.

[Correction from earlier version of this blog: The opening act was called Novel.]

Keys took some time to strut her stuff before she sat down at the piano Saturday night at the WaMu Theatre.
ERNEST JASMIN

"You don't know who you're messin' with," declared Al Green, mock posturing early during his set earlier tonight at the Emerald Queen Casino. Then he let loose with one of those trademark, falsetto wails, proving that at 62 his voice is still as pristine and arresting as it was during his '70s heyday. Of course, these days his shows have a more religious vibe than they did back then. "We came here to rock the house," Green said at one point. But we're gonna have to let God go first." He tossed copious amounts of roses to the ladies in the audience, and erupted in spontaneous fits of rump shakin', showing he's still having a blast after all these years. And his set included lots of old favorites ("Let's Stay Together," "Tired of Being Alone," "Love and Happiness"); impressive new songs (The title track and "Stay With Me (By the Sea)" from his phenomenal new album, "Lay It Down"); and a few covers (including gospel standard "Amazing Grace," The Temptations' "My Girl," The Four Tops' "I Can't Help Myself (Sugarpie, Honeybunch) and Otis Redding's "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay.") My only complaint is that his set was a bit on the short side. The soul legend delivered about an hour of immaculate material. And I just knew he'd be back for "Here I Am (Come and Take Me)". But nope! The lights came up right away, and there was no encore. Still, it was easily one of the best shows I've seen this year.
ERNEST A. JASMIN

What a sad weekend! First Bernie Mack, now soul legend Isaac Hayes has died. I'll have to see if I can find the tape of the last interview I did with him and hopefully post something later this week as a tribute.

People always ask me what kind of stuff I listen to in my spare time. And here's some of what I've had in rotation on my iPod lately:

Yup, Beck made another weepy album with “Modern Guilt,” which echoes the world weary echo of 2002's "Sea Change," but in more of a psych-pop meets hip-hop kind of way. And that may be a problem if you're still craving “Odelay,” part 10. But the first five cuts and this, the last one, rank with the Beckster's best as far as I'm concerned.

I’ve been listening to a bunch of Stevie Wonder since last Friday’s show at White River Amphitheatre. And after he kicked off with several tracks from “Hotter Than July,” I revisited that 1980 album and fell back in love with one of Stevie's most underrated protest tracks.

Ever notice how when you put your iPod on shuffle it seems to like one artist in particular -- a lot? Well, the other day mine was in a Pixies mood, which lead me back to this, the last track from “Doolittle.” Nope, Nirvana wasn’t the only late '80s, early '90s alt-rock band to perfect that soft-loud-soft dynamic.

Just when you thought political hip-hop was dead. For fans of cats like KRS-One, Public Enemy and Rage Against the Machine.

I was only about 80 percent it was Sanjaya during the early part of Stevie Wonder’s set last night at Auburn’s White River Amphitheatre. The wavy Farrah Fawcett ‘do was hard to miss down there in the good seats. The gal dancing next to him during “Did I Hear You Say You Loved Me?” certainly looked like his sis, as seen on “American Idol” last year. But it wasn't until Wonder got around to “Superstition” two hours later that I had confirmation.

“Did I hear there was someone from ‘American Idol?’ Where’s he at? Get him up here,” Wonder blurted out midway through a fiery “Superstition” jam.

A handler whispered the name in his ear. “Sanjaya!” he called. Then – bam! – Federal Way’s most famous reality show contestant was with him on stage. And you know what? As much as the kid made his reputation with sub par singing (and the hair), he didn't sound half bad; especially if his appearance was, indeed, spontaneous and not planned in advance. Perhaps he will parlay his “Idol” experience into a few more minutes on that fame clock. But is America ready for another round of Sanjayamania?

Sanjaya’s wasn’t the only guest vocalist to make a splash, by the way. Brynn Berger, a Lynnwood woman who won a chance to sing with Wonder from a KBSG-FM radio competition, looked stunning (if a bit stiff) as she knocked it out of the park on “All in Love Is Fair.” And Wonder’s daughter, Aisha Morris, sat next to her father for a smoky torch song, Nat King Cole’s “I’m Gonna Laugh You Out of My Life.” Morris appeared on “How Will I Know,” from Wonder’s Grammy-winning 2005 album, “A Time to Love.” And can a solo career be far behind?

“Who you in love with?” Wonder huffed playfully as his daughter started to walk back to her spot with the other backup singers.

“Nobody,” she replied, innocently. “I love my daddy.”

“OK. He betta do you right,” Wonder said. Then playing just a couple of notes, he promted the audience to help him serenade his daughter with “Isn’t She Lovely,” the song she made her vocal debut on back in 1976. (She’s the baby you hear on that track.) And unlike last year’s show at Chateau Ste Michelle, daddy's little girl smiled nervously, looking endearingly embarrassed by the attention.

Otherwise, it was a great if not perfect show. I liked the flow and content of the last year's set list better, with a couple more songs from the classic “Songs in the Key of Life” and funkier numbers grouped more effectively. But it was a treat for me personally this time around when Wonder kicked his set off with several in a row from his 1980 album “Hotter Than July," with "As If You Read My Mind," the reggae-inflected “Master Blaster (Jammin’),” “Did I Hear You Say You Love Me?” and “All I Do” starting things off. I remember digging through my big sisters’ record collection in elementary school, and that being the first record I ever became obsessed with. You know, back when you had to play it on these things called “turntables.”

Other highlights included “Visions,” during which Wonder went on a rant about racial equality, mentioning something about a friend being denied a table at a Seattle area restaurant, presumably for racial reasons. The R&B legend sang a decent new song called “Keep on Foolin’ Yourself, Baby Girl,” from his forthcoming project “Through the Eyes of Wonder.” And among the lesser known selections that Wonder snuck into the set was “Creepin’,” from his “Fulfillingness’ First Finale" album.

“Expect the unexpected,” Wonder declared by way of introducing the jazzy number, perhaps even catching a couple of his band members off guard.

Here are some more clips from that Stevie Wonder conference call. In the first one, the R&B legend gives advice for young performers and talks about some of the new school artists that he’d like the collaborate with and that inspire him. And the second one is a long one but a really good one. Wonder talks about some of the losses he’s suffered in recent years, including his mom. And he talks more about the advice he says his mother gave him from beyond the grave and “Gospel Inspired by Lula,” the album he’s working on inspired by her. Enjoy.

Pt. 4: Stevie’s advice

Pt. 5: Stevie on his mom, loss

And scroll down or click here to hear the three clips I posted yesterday.

Recently, I sat in on a 50-minute conference call with Stevie Wonder, one of the most amazing and influential artists of our times (and also the main attraction Friday night at White River Amphitheatre.) So needless to say, I have some great sound bites for you this week, some of which are posted below. Look for more tomorrow. And in an unrelated matter, I also hope to have some stuff posted from my interview with Mark Arm between now and Green River’s reunion show at SP20 on Sunday.

Pt. 1: Putting together set lists for this tour

Pt. 2: Speaking out on social issues

Pt. 3: Details on two new projects, "Gospel Inspired By Lula" and "Through the Eyes of Wonder," that he's working on while on tour

Expect lots of classics and maybe a few new songs when R&B legend Stevie Wonder when he headlines Auburn’s White River Amphitheatre on Friday (July 11). And if the show is anything like last year’s gig at Woodinville’s Chateau Ste Michelle, he’ll speak out on a few social issues. When asked during a recent conference call about hitting the road after taking so much time off from touring he said, “I do enjoy being at home, being with family, but I just think there’s a lot that needs to be said.”
DAVE MARTIN