Cat Stevens/Yusuf at Shepherd's Bush Empire
Cat Stevens/Yusuf Islam
Baaba Maal
Shepherd's Bush Empire, 28 May 2009
Finally my belated Cat Stevens concert blog entry. Needless to say it was a fantastic show filled with such a happy, warm atmosphere thrilled at Cat Stevens return. Corny but true.
I've been a fan of Cat, or Yusuf as he now likes to be known, ever since I saw the movie Harold And Maude as a kid and it always saddened me that because he had found God the world had lost Cat Stevens and his music. But after years when his name would only be brought up when describing some Muslim controversy or another, he finally decided that pop music wasn't all bad and returned to the recording studio.
I thought this concert was his first solo show since the late 70s but then I discovered that he actually played his first concert in something like 29 years a couple of years back, but that was a smaller show played purely to be recorded for DVD. Since that would have been impossible to get tickets for and, aside from charity concert appearances, he's only played one concert since (in New York) I still think this show, played as part of Island Record's 50th anniversary celebrations, was something a little bit special. In fact several people around me had found it so hard to get tickets that they had resorted to paying over a £100 to see the show - and I thought the face value of £35 was pretty steep!
Anyway, when I arrived support act Baaba Maal, a world music sensation apparently, was already on stage. To begin with I found it pretty entertaining and danceable, with a girl singer, jazzy guitars and about, I kid you not, five drummers and percussionists banging away through the songs. Each song seemed to turn into an achingly long Afro-boogie jam and it was a bit of a relief when finally, after an hour (god help us!) he seemingly retired from the stage.
Compere MC Count Prince Miller wandered on stage and asked us if we wanted more! No, I thought, please god, no. I've had enough drumming to last for a lifetime in the space of one hour. But the crowd roared and Baaba in his African dress arrived back on stage to the opening chords of U2's One. Then out of the corner of my eye I saw Bono, unmistakable in his trademark shades, lurking at the side of the stage and before I knew it he and all of U2 had suddenly joined Baaba on stage and taken it over. Apparently this was a well-known secret appearance that many had been talking about but I had no clue and it was pretty amazing to see what is pretty much the biggest band in the world playing such a small stage to what must be their smallest crowd in years. I'm not really a U2 fan, although I once did see them in concert (for free) years ago, but it was very cool I must admit, with One perfectly (and appropriately since he was an Island artist too) segueing into Bob Marley's One Love. And then they surprised us all again when Bono announced "I think we have one more in us" and the band (minus Baaba now) launched into an acoustic version of Vertigo. It's the most I've liked U2 in years.
But it was Mr Islam who I had come to see and after a gushing introduction from Bono himself ("poet, pilgrim, guitar picker, natty dresser, iconoclast, family man!") he took to the stage, looking rather cool for a 61-year-old fella, wearing a trendy dark jacket and t-shirt, matching his long grey and white beard. Thankfully, although backed by a full band, there were no drummers for Yusuf's set with him beginning quietly but aptly with the opening number from his new album, Roadsinger, Welcome Home. He then launched into a crowd-pleasing set filled with gems from his Island years: Lilywhite, Where Do The Children Play?, Just Another Night, Miles From Nowhere, The Wind, Ruins, each song greeted with even more applause and an even louder roar of approval, as well as a fair amount of the best songs from his understated new album, which were all received more than favourably.
The highlight for me though had to be finally hearing the gorgeous pop of Don't Be Shy live, while he introduced one of his most famous songs, Wild World, as his granddaughter's favourite, dedicating it to her. Someone in the crowd amusingly shouted "Grandfather and son!" which made Yusuf laugh and he ended the set with "the song everyone came to hear" (not me, though) Father And Son, which still sounded poignant and beautiful despite recent terrible cover versions.
After some of the biggest applause I've ever heard at a gig, Yusuf was drawn back on stage. It was a genuine encore too, not only had he gone over time but Father And Son had been meant as the encore but he had instead decided because they were running late to play it at the end of the set ("I supposed to go off, but I forgot," he joked). Not knowing what to play and looking bowled over at the response, he asked what we wanted to hear. There were shouts for some amazing songs but the loudest was for Peace Train. "Ah, good choice!" said a smiling Yusuf, ending the night with a rousing and feelgood singalong and such was the good feeling and positive energy in the venue that night I wouldn't be surprised if it has enticed Yusuf to return to the stage more often, which obviously is a very good thing indeed.
I've been a fan of Cat, or Yusuf as he now likes to be known, ever since I saw the movie Harold And Maude as a kid and it always saddened me that because he had found God the world had lost Cat Stevens and his music. But after years when his name would only be brought up when describing some Muslim controversy or another, he finally decided that pop music wasn't all bad and returned to the recording studio.
I thought this concert was his first solo show since the late 70s but then I discovered that he actually played his first concert in something like 29 years a couple of years back, but that was a smaller show played purely to be recorded for DVD. Since that would have been impossible to get tickets for and, aside from charity concert appearances, he's only played one concert since (in New York) I still think this show, played as part of Island Record's 50th anniversary celebrations, was something a little bit special. In fact several people around me had found it so hard to get tickets that they had resorted to paying over a £100 to see the show - and I thought the face value of £35 was pretty steep!
Anyway, when I arrived support act Baaba Maal, a world music sensation apparently, was already on stage. To begin with I found it pretty entertaining and danceable, with a girl singer, jazzy guitars and about, I kid you not, five drummers and percussionists banging away through the songs. Each song seemed to turn into an achingly long Afro-boogie jam and it was a bit of a relief when finally, after an hour (god help us!) he seemingly retired from the stage.
Compere MC Count Prince Miller wandered on stage and asked us if we wanted more! No, I thought, please god, no. I've had enough drumming to last for a lifetime in the space of one hour. But the crowd roared and Baaba in his African dress arrived back on stage to the opening chords of U2's One. Then out of the corner of my eye I saw Bono, unmistakable in his trademark shades, lurking at the side of the stage and before I knew it he and all of U2 had suddenly joined Baaba on stage and taken it over. Apparently this was a well-known secret appearance that many had been talking about but I had no clue and it was pretty amazing to see what is pretty much the biggest band in the world playing such a small stage to what must be their smallest crowd in years. I'm not really a U2 fan, although I once did see them in concert (for free) years ago, but it was very cool I must admit, with One perfectly (and appropriately since he was an Island artist too) segueing into Bob Marley's One Love. And then they surprised us all again when Bono announced "I think we have one more in us" and the band (minus Baaba now) launched into an acoustic version of Vertigo. It's the most I've liked U2 in years.
But it was Mr Islam who I had come to see and after a gushing introduction from Bono himself ("poet, pilgrim, guitar picker, natty dresser, iconoclast, family man!") he took to the stage, looking rather cool for a 61-year-old fella, wearing a trendy dark jacket and t-shirt, matching his long grey and white beard. Thankfully, although backed by a full band, there were no drummers for Yusuf's set with him beginning quietly but aptly with the opening number from his new album, Roadsinger, Welcome Home. He then launched into a crowd-pleasing set filled with gems from his Island years: Lilywhite, Where Do The Children Play?, Just Another Night, Miles From Nowhere, The Wind, Ruins, each song greeted with even more applause and an even louder roar of approval, as well as a fair amount of the best songs from his understated new album, which were all received more than favourably.
The highlight for me though had to be finally hearing the gorgeous pop of Don't Be Shy live, while he introduced one of his most famous songs, Wild World, as his granddaughter's favourite, dedicating it to her. Someone in the crowd amusingly shouted "Grandfather and son!" which made Yusuf laugh and he ended the set with "the song everyone came to hear" (not me, though) Father And Son, which still sounded poignant and beautiful despite recent terrible cover versions.
After some of the biggest applause I've ever heard at a gig, Yusuf was drawn back on stage. It was a genuine encore too, not only had he gone over time but Father And Son had been meant as the encore but he had instead decided because they were running late to play it at the end of the set ("I supposed to go off, but I forgot," he joked). Not knowing what to play and looking bowled over at the response, he asked what we wanted to hear. There were shouts for some amazing songs but the loudest was for Peace Train. "Ah, good choice!" said a smiling Yusuf, ending the night with a rousing and feelgood singalong and such was the good feeling and positive energy in the venue that night I wouldn't be surprised if it has enticed Yusuf to return to the stage more often, which obviously is a very good thing indeed.
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