There are concerts that entertain. And then there are moments like this — concerts that reach inside your soul, stir up your past, and remind you of why music even matters in the first place. Yesterday at BST Hyde Park, amidst one of London’s hottest days on record, something truly magical happened: Yusuf / Cat Stevens took to the stage, and for 60 glorious, transcendent minutes, time stopped.
Phot by @jrcmccord – BST-Yusuf Cat Stevens
Although Neil Young was the official headliner, it was evident — from the sea of tearful faces and the standing ovations — that many of us were there for Cat Stevens. I was one of them. Like so many fans, I’ve waited a lifetime for this moment. And when it finally arrived, it wasn’t just a performance — it was a homecoming. A communion. A collective exhale.
From the opening chords of Tea for the Tillerman to the final notes of Peace Train, his music wrapped around us like a memory. Songs like Father and Son, Where Do the Children Play? and Miles from Nowhere reminded me vividly of my own childhood, of learning to strum a guitar with clumsy fingers just so I could sing along to his melodies. These weren’t just tunes — they were lessons. His lyrics helped shape my values, my worldview. They taught me about pacifism, kindness, thoughtfulness… things that feel more urgent than ever in today’s world.
He performed Little Ones with a heartbreaking dedication to the children lost in the Srebrenica Massacre and those currently suffering in Palestine — a quiet but powerful reminder that his songs are never detached from the world’s realities. His was a performance full of grace, full of grief, and above all, full of hope. And he sounded better live than on records (which is insane as his recorded music is already perfection).
And when Moonshadow floated through the dusky Hyde Park air, we all seemed to breathe differently — lighter, freer, gentler. I saw strangers holding hands. Couples swaying. Grown ups crying. I was one of them.
If I could say one thing to him, it would be:
“So beautiful indeed, @yusufcatstevens. Your music has accompanied me like a sister on the journey of life. I learnt the guitar just to play your songs. And last night… I cried tears of joy. Please come back. The world needs more of your voice, your wisdom, your peace.”
Yes, Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts gave us a powerful, rock-filled headline set — with Harvest Moon perfectly timed to the sunset, and Rockin’ in the Free World thundering into the night. But it was Yusuf’s quiet strength that lingered long after the amps cooled and the crowd drifted home.
What a night. What a man.
What a world we might yet create if more of us sang along to his message.
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Monica Costa founded London Mums in September 2006 after her son Diego’s birth together with a group of mothers who felt the need of meeting up regularly to share the challenges and joys of motherhood in metropolitan and multicultural London. London Mums is the FREE and independent peer support group for mums and mumpreneurs based in London https://www.londonmumsmagazine.com and you can connect on Twitter @londonmums
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