"In those days a concert was a personal experience. I wanted to be as close as possible to the audience, and of course big stadiums didn't enable you to do that. It wasn't my style"

Cat Stevens expresses a longing for intimacy and connection that he felt was central to performing music. During his early years as a musician, concerts were not just about playing songs to a passive crowd; they were authentic, personal encounters between artist and audience. The closeness he sought was both physical and emotional, he wanted to be near enough to truly see, feel, and communicate with the people who came to hear him play. This closeness fostered an environment where the barriers between performer and audience faded, creating a mutual exchange of energy, meaning, and emotion.

As the music industry evolved and artists began performing in vast arenas and stadiums, Stevens felt the core of this experience slipping away. Gigantic venues, incapable of facilitating genuine interaction, placed performers at a distance, turning the communal experience of a concert into something more removed and impersonal. Stevens’ approach to performance leaned toward the intimate, favoring settings where the human touch and direct communication were possible. The spectacle of large-scale venues did not appeal to him, as it clashed with the values that drew him to music in the first place.

His statement reflects a broader philosophy about the nature of art and performance. For Stevens, music is not a product to be delivered from a lofty stage but a shared, soul-touching experience made richer by proximity and presence. There’s nostalgia as well, a sense of loss for a time when artists weren’t mediated by booming speakers, massive crowds, and security perimeters. Stevens’ preference echoes a desire for authenticity, for a moment where performer and listener occupy the same emotional and physical space. The personal connection, not simply the music, was the essence that defined his artistic identity and set his style apart from those who embrace the grandeur of large stadium shows.