Singer-songwriter Yusuf (Islam), better known to fans of classic rock as Cat Stevens, will be performing a dozen acoustic concerts across the United States and Canada in September and October. The tour, called “A Cat’s Attic,” will include two dates at New York’s Beacon Theatre, Islam’s first public dates in the city since 1976, and another as one of the performers at the Global Citizen Festival in Central Park several days later. The tour opens in Toronto on September 12, continues along the East Coast and into Nashville and Chicago, and concludes with shows in San Francisco and Los Angeles in early October.
The tour marks the 50th anniversary of Islam’s first hit single in the U.K. as Cat Stevens (born Steven Demetre Georgiou), 1966’s “I Love My Dog.” He didn’t break commercially in the U.S. until 1971, when he placed singles like “Wild World,” “Peace Train” and “Morning Has Broken” near the top of the charts. His albums Tea for the Tillerman, Teaser and the Firecat and Catch Bull at Four were huge sellers in the ’70s as well, the latter reaching #1 on the Billboard charts.
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Stevens’ life and career went through a sudden and dramatic transformation at the end of 1977 when he converted to Islam, changing his name and leaving the music business. He continued to create music at times for the Muslim community but courted widespread controversy in 1989 by making comments that appeared to show him supporting a fatwa against author Salman Rushdie over the latter’s publication of a book seen as anti-Islam by some adherents of the religion.
Stevens, as Yusuf Islam, made a tentative return to secular music 10 years ago, dropping his surname from his album cover art. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014, the year of his most recent album, Tell ‘Em I’m Gone. That year, he canceled a planned New York show when he discovered that tickets had mostly landed in the hands of resale agents rather than being sold directly to fans.
This year’s Global Citizens Concert lineup is headlined by Rihanna, Kendrick Lamar, Selena Gomez, Major Lazer and Metallica. Billed just below are Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder, Usher, Ellie Goulding, Yandel and Cat Stevens. The September 24th event’s hosts include Seth Meyers, Hugh Jackman and Neil Patrick Harris.
Tickets for Stevens’ “A Cat’s Attic” dates are available here. If your date is sold-out, try here.
Cat Stevens 2016 North American Tour Dates:
Sept 12 – Toronto, OH – Sony Centre for the Perf. Arts
Sept 15 – Philadelphia, PA – Verizon Hall at Kimmel Center
Sept 17 – Boston, MA – Wang Theatre at Citi PAC
Sept 19 – New York, NY – Beacon Theatre
Sept 20 – New York, NY – Beacon Theatre
Sept 22 – Washington, DC – Kennedy Center
Sept 24 – New York, NY – Global Citizen Festival
Sept 27 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium
Sept 30 – Chicago, IL – Oriental Theatre
Oct 03 – San Francisco, CA – Davies Symphony Hall
Oct 06 – Los Angeles, CA – Pantages Theatre
Oct 07 – Los Angeles, CA – Pantages Theatre
