The Triumphant Return of Cat Stevens
by Bobthepoet on 12/15/14The Masonic - San FranciscoRating: 5 out of 5Having never had the opportunity to see Cat Stevens live in his heyday, I have, in effect, been waiting almost 45 years for this show. I can honestly say that it was well worth the wait; it actually exceeded my admittedly very high expectations. Cat Stevens, now known as Yusuf, may look older, but he was in fine voice throughout, and very energetic. He played two sets, each exactly an hour long. The set list encompassed the whole of his legendary career, including two songs from the early albums he recorded as a teenage Pop star in swinging London during the late 1960s. Of course, all of his seventies folk classics were present too, as were several blistering Blues numbers from his excellent now album, "Tell 'Em I'm Gone." The Peace Train theme was well-represented by a beautiful stage set representing an old-time railway station. There were three encores, the final one being a gorgeous rendition of "Morning Has Broken," the first song of his that I ever heard. I was in heaven all night long; I felt as though I were 17 again. This wonderful show really was the fullfillment of a life-long dream. On the way out, an elevator operator at the Masonic Auditorium asked me, "Did he do the song about his dog?" He didn't, but this is a minor quibble after such a fantastic show.
