Fans react to “mesmerising” Yusuf/Cat Stevens performance at Glastonbury Festival 2023

25 June, 2023

Yusuf/Cat Stevens took to the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury 2023 today (June 25), performing a set that fans have praised as “mesmerising” and “magical”.

The singer-songwriter performed in the legends slot on the Pyramid Stage at the final day of the festival, where he opened with ‘The Wind’ and performed songs like ‘Wild World’, ‘Morning Has Broken’ and ‘Peace Train’.

He finished the set with a powerful performance of ‘Father And Son’ – encouraged by a loud crowd singing along to every word – as he duetted with a younger version of himself that played on the big screen behind.

Many praised the artist’s “phenomenal” set, with festival-goers tweeting from the crowd that there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.

Cat Stevens – CREDIT: Ge

Elsewhere in the set, he led a tribute to Beatle George Harrison, playing ‘Here Comes The Sun’.

“Well, now I’d like to play a tribute to another Beatle,” he said, after comparing a previous song to a Paul McCartney melody. He continued: “[He was] a great inspiration of mine and many. He inspired us to take a trip, take a journey Eastwood towards the light…George Harrison.”

He then went on to do a cover of Nina Simone’s ‘Please Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood.’

There’s was also some political comments, including a reflection on ‘Peace Train’, a song he wrote about the Vietnam war. “There’s been more wars since then,” he continued, adding: “lock all leaders up in London Zoo,” to huge cheers.

Cat Stevens Glastonbury – CREDIT: Getty

The set also included calls to do more for the environment.

Earlier in the set, he shouted out one of his biggest fans – comedian Ricky Gervais.

“Oh Glastonbury, are you enjoying yourselves?” Stevens asked his audience. “You should be, it’s teatime! The only person missing right now is Ricky Gervais.”

Gervais is a huge Stevens fan, having picked ‘Lilywhite’ as one of his Desert Island Disc’s previously. ‘Tea for the Tillerman’ was also the closing song on his show Extras.

Stevens also thanked all the NHS “doctors and nurses” on stage mid-set.

“This is the 75th year of the NHS and I must say, I’m one of the lucky ones. It was born only a few months before I was born,” he began.

“Please say a big thank you to the NHS,” he continued, before everyone shouted a big thanks to the NHS.

Speaking to NME earlier this year about his upcoming Glasto slot, the music legend said: “I’m petrified, obviously! I haven’t done a big gig like that in a long time.” He did, however, describe the honour as a “bucket list moment”.

Many fans praised the artist’s performance, with one Twitter-user sharing: “Oh Yusuf/ Cat Stevens, you have broken me – what a voice! What a set! I am in awe and so very grateful.”

“Just had a transcendent experience,” another shared on Twitter. “Humble, unapologetic in who he is, confident in what he does.”

Find more reactions to the performance and the full setlist below.

Cat Stevens played: 

‘The Wind’
‘Moonshadow’
‘I Love My Dog’ / ‘Here Comes My Baby’
‘First Cut Is the Deepest’
‘Matthew & Son’
‘Where Do the Children Play?’
‘Oh Very Young’
‘Hard Headed Woman’
‘Sitting’
‘Tea for the Tillerman’
‘(Remember the Days of the) Old Schoolyard’
‘If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out’
‘Morning Has Broken’
‘Take the World Apart’
‘Here Comes the Sun’ (The Beatles cover)
‘Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood’ (Nina Simone cover)
‘Highness’
‘Peace Train’
‘Pagan Run’
‘Wild World’
‘Father and Son’

Check out all the latest from Glastonbury 2023 on the NME liveblog here, and see more news, reviews, photos, interviews and more here.

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