Rock
and Roll Hall of fame inductee is a charismatic, inspirational and spiritual artist
and he held the capacity audience in the palm of his hand as he performed.
(Review by Keith Millar)
Heavy
downpours seem to be mandatory when it comes to staging major concerts in the
city of Durban. On this occasion, however it made little difference as the
concert last night was housed in the huge ICC Arena and the inclement weather
outside in no way dampened the enthusiasm and adulation displayed towards the
legendary British singer/songwriter, Yusuf Cat Sevens.
The
69-year-old Stevens was presenting the final concert of his first tour of South
Africa. The Rock and Roll Hall of fame inductee is a charismatic, inspirational
and spiritual artist and he held the capacity audience in the palm of his hand
as he performed, with the help of a brilliant four-piece band, all of his
beloved hit tunes from a career which spans five decades.
Stevens
first made his appearance on the music scene in the mid-1960’s with tunes such
as Matthew and Son, Here Comes My Baby and The First Cut Is
the Deepest. He grew from a teen idol to a global superstar and one of the
most influential singer/songwriters of his generation with songs such as Wild
World, Moonshadow, Father and Son, Peace Train, Hard Headed Woman, Where Do the Children
Play, the much-loved Morning Has Broken and Can’t Keep It In.
In 1968 the pop-star life style and heavy work-load
led to serious health issues. He began to question aspects of his life and
spirituality. Then in 1975 he experienced another life-changing event when he
nearly drowned in the Pacific Ocean. This led to him leaving music and
dedicating his life to the Divine path, concentrating on education and
humanitarian relief issues.
Stevens returned to mainstream music in 2006 and is
as popular and prolific as ever.
Last night playing before an audience of mostly
middle-age and above fans he performed nearly three hours of music. All of
which the ecstatic audience recognised and sang along with.
The performance took place in front of a clever set
and backdrop which represented a London West End railway station platform with
silhouettes of chimney pots and Big Ben in the background. Along with clever
and lighting this created a moody ambience for the concert.
In the second half, although the backdrop stayed
the same, the set was transformed into Steven’s attic where from time to time
he found interesting items such an album cover, an old programme and books to
show the audience.
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