Cat Stevens made a big stage comeback in 2016 with his “A Cat’s Attic” North American tour, commemorating the 50th anniversary of his first major single, “I Love My Dog,” and drawing from his extensive repertoire as well as music that informed his songwriting.
Related: In our review, we called it “a two-way unconditional love fest from the second he’d walked onstage”
Fast forward to summer 2017, and Stevens announced a new album, The Laughing Apple, which features original songs and covers, though the covers on this album are his own. A first single, “See What Love Did To Me,” was released on July 20, prior to the album’s Sept. 15 on his own Cat-O-Log label via Decca Records.
Because of the work required on the album, Stevens waited until November to begin touring in 2017. He began with five dates for his first South African performances, now renamed “A Cat’s Attic: Peace Train Tour.” A week later, he started a 13-date skein of Australia and New Zealand including two at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena.
As with the 2016 tour, the setlist was chock full of Stevens’ classic rock favorites including “Wild World,” “Moonshadow,” “The First Cut is the Deepest” and “Peace Train.” His repertoire is so vast that his 32-song set on Nov. 27 in Melbourne included many “I forgot he wrote that” songs. (See the complete setlist below.)
Watch “Here Comes My Baby”
Watch him perform “Miles From Nowhere”
Watch “Rubylove”
Here’s “Father & Son”
Watch the evening’s second of two encores, “Morning Has Broken”
Cat Stevens, Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, Australia, November 27, 2017 Setlist
Don’t Be Shy
The First Cut is the Deepest
Where Do the Children Play
People Get Ready
Here Comes My Baby
Blackness of the Night
Miles From Nowhere
I Love My Dog
Northern Wind
Daytime
Moodshadow
Peace Train Blues
(Remember the Days of the) Old Schoolyard
Sad Lisa
Matthew & Son
Big Boss Man
A Bad Night
The Wind
Changes IV
Tea For the Tillerman
On the Road to Find Out
Wild World
Rubylove
The Boy With a Moon and Star on His Head
Oh Very Young
The Hurt
Here Comes the Sun
See What Love Did to Me
Father and Son
Peace Train
Encore
If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out
Morning Has Broken
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The Laughing Apple has been nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Folk Album. We’ll let you know when Stevens announces 2018 dates.
