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Post by windofmysoul2 on Dec 7, 2009 11:26:16 GMT -5
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Post by SuzieQ on Dec 7, 2009 12:00:31 GMT -5
Link from Yusuf's Myspace page... LIVERPOOL DAILY NEWSMUSIC REVIEW: Yusuf Islam, Echo Arena Liverpool  AS YUSUF Islam himself put it , he is “back 33 years after my journey through the universe”. As well as a physical journey, it was a deeply spiritual one, leading to a conversion to Islam, a change of name and the renouncing of his beloved music. His beliefs have shifted just enough to allow him to return to public performance, and he seemed a little surprised, yet delighted, by the crowd’s enthusiastic welcome on Saturday. The show started with a preview of Islam’s new musical, Moonshadow, with Chris Holland standing in for Noel Sullivan, formerly of reality TV winners Hear’say, who had bronchitis. As a work in progress, it had plenty of potential – an intriguing parallel universe setting, gradually engulfed by darkness; a daydreaming hero searching for a better world; and undertones of ethnic divides, which will hopefully be further developed in the final script. Giving some of Islam’s best known songs (Matthew and Son, Old Schoolyard and Wild World) the musical treatment brought out their strong melodic qualities. Islam’s own set was heavy on the greatest hits, but also included a number of his more recent compositions, which he asked the Arena audience to indulge him in performing. His voice had lost none of its unusual timbre, as he sang classics Morning Has Broken, Peace Train, Where Do the Children Play and, of course, Moonshadow. Islam had fantastic rapport with the audience, amused by the hecklers (“I love my dog? – no, that’s far too old”) and thanking them for spending so much money on their tickets, which he added would go to charity. He was rewarded with a demand for two encores – including the Beatles’ Long and Winding Road and Father and Son. As one member of the crowd yelled, we could have stayed there all night. Another link |
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