The Oppenheimer Report 12/8/14

The Yusuf Cat Stevens concert proved to be everything I’d hoped it would be. Thank you to my lovely wife Shauna for that wonderful birthday gift! As I mentioned in last week’s report, this concert involved substantially more security than most others I have attended. We arrived at 6:15PM for an 8PM concert and the line was already half a mile down Yonge Street. A friend of ours was standing in line with us, and her significant other was late. He is an actor and had a scene in the TV series The Good Witch. The shoot was 4 hours behind schedule, and he had to come from somewhere far out on the west end, which meant that, by the time we reached the front entrance of Massey Hall, he had not yet arrived. According to the strict rules of admission, she was required to enter with him or he would not be allowed to attend. Once in the venue, no one was allowed to leave (tough luck for the smokers!). I don’t know how she pulled it off, but she did eventually get him in when he arrived, and he only missed two songs. Perhaps the security guys took pity on her. The concert was delayed by over an hour because of the tight security. It became “The Peace Train a Little Late Tour.”

Anybody can go on Cat’s Facebook page and see the set list for the show, and of course there are pictures of his performance all over the internet. His voice is still as distinctive as ever. He played a lot of the old favorites from Tea for the Tillerman, and Teaser and the Firecat, and he played a lot of songs from his new album, Tell ‘em I’m Gone as well. That album is a bit of a departure from the Stevens music I know, and it has a bluesy edge to it. As I said in the last report, I did not go to this concert with any preconceptions about his politics or his religion, and he did not really talk about his beliefs with the audience. He did make some cryptic references to the bad press he has battled for much of his career. Of course there were the usual jerks in the audience that jeered “Play something we know!” which must drive an artist nuts. I think Cat did a great job of entertaining us, and even his several covers were unique. When he played Father and Son, I admit it, I had tears in my eyes. Of late I’ve read a bit about how he is perceived in the public eye, and it makes me wonder if I could ever tolerate being a celebrity. A lot of people are saying nasty things about him, and especially now, when Islam is being tainted by the actions of a small radical minority, he is perceived by some as a radical Muslim. Back in the late 80’s he made some comment about the fatwa imposed on author Salmon Rushdie, and I think it was blown way out of proportion. I am wary of any religious fundamentalism, especially when it spawns violent zealots, but I have never had the impression Stevens was like that. In fact I think he has moved more to the center than he used to be, specifically because of the onerous restrictions of religious fundamentalism.

 

Last Friday, Shauna and I dropped in to Hunter’s Bay Radio for a visit and to pick up five copies of “The Gift”, the new compilation CD of local artists. Of course, we’ve listened to the disc several times through now and I for one am impressed. Many of the 14 holiday songs are strong, original tunes, and while I did not submit a track for this year’s CD, I feel honored to be a part of the musical community that produced such good work. Ten dollars from the sale of each CD will go to area food banks, and it is being sold at many local establishments from Huntsville down to Gravenhurst. Ranging from bright and cheery to quite dark, some of the songs really moved me, and I am going to send copies to some of my musical friends and family. Next year, I want to write a song about Krampus, the Christmas monster who eats naughty children, thus making Santa’s job a little easier. I’m not making this up; Google Krampus if you don’t believe me (or refer to The Oppenheimer Report 12/19/11 in the archives of this blog)! If you can, buy this CD, or ask me to send you a copy (a deal at $15, and I’ll even throw in the shipping), it really is good. The starting gun for Christmas has long since been fired and, as we brace ourselves for the onslaught of forced over-eating and drinking, fist fights in shopping mall parking lots, and nonstop television advertising depicting Norelco shaver-riding Santas and Scrooge lusting after wireless headphones, I wish you all patience, peace, and balance in your lives. I can be found holed up in front of my television set, watching  It’s a Wonderful Life over and over again, crying like a little girl ... Zuzus petals!!!! Don’t get me started on that movie.

 
Written by Jamie Oppenheimer c2014 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED