Okee dokee folks… Some of you may know that I have started performing a Cat Stevens tribute called CatMoonShadow. I do this in spite of never having seen Cat play live. Not for lack of wanting to. Back in the mid 1970s he came to the Providence Civic Center on his Majikat Earth tour. I hadn’t yet convinced my parents to let me attend a concert. A couple of my friends went and I was quite jealous of them. I did end up being allowed to go to concerts a couple of months later.
Cat Stevens stopped playing music by the late ’70s after his conversion to Islam and changed his name to Yusuf Islam. He then returned to music after a 20-or-so-years retirement. About ten years ago, Yusuf/Cat Stevens, as he is billed now, was recently at the Boch Wang Center in Boston. I found out about this a bit late, and I TRIED to get tickets but was unsuccessful. At this point I figured that I wasn’t going to ever see him perform live. He rarely tours and rarely comes to the US. Then a few months ago, I saw that he was playing a show in London with Neil Young and Van Morrisson. I did think about it for a minute or two. I do love London but who wants to get on an airplane to go anywhere these days? Certainly not me!
A couple of weeks ago, I received an e-mail announcing the soon-to-be-released book about Cat Stevens and the book tour that would follow (somuchlefttoknow.catstevens.com). “Cool!” I thought to myself – at least I could SEE him in person, even if he is just doing a book reading. Because I preordered the book I was sent a presale code for the book tour. A week later I got the announcement that Yusuf/Cat Stevens would be at the Boch Wang Center in Boston for his book tour/concert! The day tickets went on presale I pulled out the code and my credit card, and jumped on the computer to buy my tix.
Well, it did not go, at all, as planned. Tickets were available. The seats I picked were available. I added them to the cart, and tried to checkout. The Ticketmaster site immediately “timed out” repeatedly. I tried for an hour and a half and the seats I wanted were still there. There wasn’t a run on the tickets, the site just wasn’t working. I pulled out a tablet and tried via both web browser and the Ticketmaster app. Neither worked. I do not have a smartphone. I looked for a phone number to speak to a human at the Boch/Wang. None. I found a number for Ticketmaster and it connected me to “Bob” who was surely in India, or wherever the TM call center is outsourced to. I spent close to an hour on the phone with “Bob” going through my TM account but ultimately that was a complete waste of time. I just wanted to buy the damn tickets and he couldn’t sort them for me either. Before we hung up he promised someone from TM would call to sort out the ticket issue that day because I had a presale code. I am still waiting for that phone call.
Finally I sent a message to my good friend, Greg. He was in the Azores on vacation but he is always on his devices, so I asked if he could try to get the tickets. Within five minutes, he was able to buy the tickets for me. Now I am not sure what the f*ck is the deal with Ticketmaster and why I cannot purchase tickets on their site, but the whole process was infuriating and complicated. Don’t even get me started on their fees. Man, I miss the good old days. Did I mention the price of the tickets? Let’s not go there. Anyway, short story long, Yusuf/Cat Stevens will be at the Boch/Wang Center on Monday, October 6. If you want tickets, have patience and a kidney to sell! “Peace Train” over to: bochcenter.org for more. I hope they let him into the country!!!
I saw a quote the other day and though I am not a Tupac Shakur fan, these words sum up why I always write what I do. He said, “I may not change the world but I will spark the mind that will.” I would just add “hopefully” to this.
I received a couple of more protest songs to pass along. This issue’s contributors are Eric Barao and Digney Fignus. Eric, who also is a Motif-er, sent me his song “Comedian (Democracy Remix)” and it can be heard here: youtu.be/eNHdDaE3-WE?si=fzp6MuRYMuQKoy_R Digney’s song, “Emperor Wears No Clothes,” as well as info about Fignus can be found at digney.com/videos.html Both are well worth your time for a listen. Here is one that wasn’t sent, but I read that it really pissed off the mango moron when the band recently devoted the song to him! It’s by Fishbone! youtube.com/watch?v=HmVihhMwDtA. Keep ’em coming folks!
If you are looking for some acoustic blues served with a side of egg rolls then head to Chan’s in Woonsocket on Tuesday, June 24 for Sue Foley. This will be a special, solo, acoustic show featuring songs from her latest album, One Guitar Woman. The recording was a 2025 Grammy Award and Juno Award nominee for Traditional Blues Album and just won the Blues Music Award for Acoustic Blues Album! For more, Lo Mein over to: chanseggrollsjazz.com
Singer-songwriters Mary Pierce and Margi Gianquinto will host and present songwriter showcases throughout the summer and beyond. The River Songwriters’ Series at The Bend/Wilcox Tavern in Charlestown takes place on the 2nd Friday of each month. June 13 – Lisa Belsky w/Mary & Margi, July 11 – Maddie Cardoza w/Mary & Margi, Aug 8 – Morgan Johnston w/Mary & Margi. At the River Series is also held at Pettaquamscutt Lake Shores Clubhouse in Saunderstown on the last Thursday of each month. June 26 – Barbara and Wyatt Lema, Paul Columbino w/Mary & Margi; July 31 – Michelle Saylors, Ron Carlson w/Mary & Margi; Aug 28 – Polly Bessette, Mike Ward w/Mary & Margi. For more wiggle over to: musicofmarypierce.com
That’s it for now. You can listen to my podcasts at motifri.com/rootsreportpodcast and find my concert photographs at motifri.com/fuzeksfotos. Thanks for reading and listening. johnfuzek.com
