On Monday night, Cat Stevens (now known as Yusuf) performed his first show in Los Angeles in more than 30 years.
The occasion of the invite-only gig was the launch and showcase his new album ‘Roadsinger’, an album of contemporary Cat Stevens songs with Yusuf sounding like Cat Stevens again, acoustic guitar et all.The gig was a bridge between the Cat of old and the Yusuf of new. The bridged the gap with help from Alun Davies on guitar, who played in the Cat Stevens band back in the Catch Bull at Four era.
Yusuf peppered his set with songs from the classic ‘Tea for the Tillerman’ (Father & Son, Wild World, Where Do The Children Play) and ‘Teaser and the Firecat (Peace Train, The Wind).
He went as far back as the Mona Bone Jakon album and played ‘Lilywhite’, the last song of the 1970 album.
‘Don’t Be Shy’ from the movie Harold and Maude must have been a surprise for the audience.
He also threw in ‘Boots and Sand’, an unreleased song about his arrest by the US government for being “a terrorist”.
The ‘Roadsinger’ album is out now. Look for under the name Yusuf, not Cat Stevens.
The setlist from Monday nights show at the El Rey in LA was:
Intro
Welcome Home (from Roadsinger, 2009)
Lilywhite (from Mona Bona Jakon, 1970)
Don't Be Shy (from Harold and Maude soundtrack, 1971)
Where Do The Children Play (from Tea for the Tillerman, 1970)
Thinking ‘Bout You (from Roadsinger, 2009)
The Rain (from Roadsinger, 2009)
The Wind (from Teaser and the Firecat, 1971)
To Be What You Must (from Roadsinger, 2009)
Wild World (from Tea for the Tillerman, 1970)
Roadsinger (from Roadsinger, 2009)
All Kinds of Roses (from Roadsinger, 2009)
Boots and Sand (unreleased)
Encore
Father and Son (from Tea for the Tillerman, 1970)
Peace Train (from Teaser and the Firecat, 1971)
Watch the video for Boots and Sand featuring Paul McCartney and Dolly Parton:
