Yusuf Islam – the artist formerly known as Cat Stevens – played his first U.S. concert in 33 years last night, performing at the El Rey Theater in Los Angeles for an invitation-only crowd of 400 fans. According to a report from Reuters, the hour-long set mixed classics such as “Peace Train,” “Wild World,” and “Where Do the Children Play?” with a clutch of songs from Islam’s new album, Roadsinger.
“I bet you thought we’d never make it,” Islam said early on, referring to the infamous 2004 deportation he endured when his name appeared on a government “no-fly” watch list. Islam, who became a Muslim in 1977, was alleged at the time to have given money to charities that support terrorism. The singer denied the allegation and has since returned to the U.S. several times.
Islam had last performed in America in 1976. In 1979, he put aside his pop career to concentrate on his family and his faith. He made a tentative return to popular music in 2006, releasing an album titled An Other Cup and performing an intimate London show that was filmed for release on DVD.
Islam’s current visit to the U.S. has not been trouble-free. A New York performance scheduled for May 3 had to be canceled due to an unspecified work-visa issue. Nonetheless, by all accounts, Monday’s show was a triumph, with many songs generating standing ovations. Several celebrities were in attendance, among them actor Colin Farrell and singers Chris Isaak and Michelle Branch.
Islam said more shows are planned around the world in support of the new disc. To date, however, no additional U.S. concerts have been announced.