September 17, 2009 0:00

Cat Stevens announces first tour since 1976 and ticket details

Artist now known as Yusuf Islam returns to the stage this November

Yusuf Islam, formerly known as Cat Stevens, has announced details of his first full tour in 33 years.

He is set to play material old and new at the dates, which kick off in Dublin on November 15. A gig in London, at the Royal Albert Hall, has also been announced.

Yusuf played a show of largely Cat Stevens material in London in May to celebrate the 50th birthday of his label Island Records.

Yusuf will also play material from his new musical, called 'Moonshadow', at the gigs. In a statement, the singer said he has wanted to work in theatre since he was a child.

"It's taken a long time to arrive, but it's always been a dream of mine to write a musical," he said. "Growing up in the West End of London, surrounded by theatres and shows, obviously left a strong impression on me. I originally wanted to be a composer, not a pop star."

Yusuf plays the following gigs:

Dublin, The O2 (November 15)
Birmingham, NIA (23)
Liverpool, Echo Arena (December 5)
London, Royal Albert Hall (8)

Tickets for the gigs go on sale on Monday (September 21). To check the availability of Yusuf tickets and get all the latest listings, go to NME.COM/TICKETS now, or call 0871 230 1094.