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By Gary Sims, Wednesday 9th November 2005 11.05am (1464 views)
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George Harrison and Friends - The Concert for Bangladesh (DVD)
Released: 23rd October 2005
Label: Warner
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A landmark benefit concert including legendary performances from George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Leon Russell, Ravi Shankar, Eric Clapton, Billy Preston, Ringo Star and many more…
This concert was synonymous as it set down the gauntlet that so many benefit concerts since then have followed suit. To simply put it, The Concert for Bangladesh will forever be symbolic in demonstrating such a high accolade of major artists collaborating for a common humanitarian cause and setting the precedent that music could be used to serve a higher cause. This may seem blatant by today’s global climate and expectations, but over 30 years ago this would have been a colossal leap for mankind and one that had never been attempted before. The feat that this concert achieved is summed up perfectly by UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan on the second DVD, “George and his friends were pioneers.” I think very few people would disagree with this.
The concert, held in New York’s Madison Square Gardens and although booked at very short notice, still managed to sell out completely within minutes. Even rehearsals only started a week before the big event and an anxious George Harrison recalls how he felt that the concert would not succeed. However, the beauty of this concert prevails. Regardless of personal problems most notably with Eric Clapton and the egoistic mentality of Bob Dylan, it was soon realised that this event was much bigger than any superstar on the planet. Music was simply a tool that got the message across. Playing and being present at this concert was a privilege for all to endure and one that will remain with those forever.
At the time there were many causes that this benefit concert could have voiced for but, when asked why for Bangladesh’s independence from Pakistan, George simply replied during a press conference, “My friend asked me to.” This friend was Ravi Shankar who alerted George to the enormous scale of suffering by Bangladeshi refugees who had fled to neighbouring India to escape hunger, disease, and bloodshed from their struggle for independence from Pakistan. The concert’s proceedings all went to UNICEF and although only a small fraction of what was needed was actually raised, what made this concert so special is that it created an overwhelming sense of awareness. Suddenly people all around the world who were oblivious to global events were sitting up and doing what they could, to make the world a better place. Music simply served as a medium to get this message across effectively, but what a powerful one it has proved to be.
Disc one of this two DVD set shows the concert in its entirety. Performances include, Here Comes The Sun, Something, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, My Sweet Lord with the wonderful Clapton working his magic on lead guitar, Dylan’s Just Like A Woman, Blowin’ In The Wind and, A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall. The concert’s best moment for me is the Indian musical introduction headed by Ravi Shankar. Even the tuning of instruments which, incidentally took the best part of ten minutes is amazing. It’s so deep and spiritual; at times you have to pinch yourself that you haven’t been morphed back to the 1970s - truly inspirational indeed. The second DVD is filled out with extras and features the 45min documentary, ‘The Concert for Bangladesh Revisited with George Harrison & Friends’, giving background to both the shows with exclusive interviews from most musicians back then and recently.
In addition, there is also previously unseen footage: ‘If Not For You’, featuring George and Bob Dylan from rehearsals , ‘Come On In My Kitchen’, featuring George, Eric Clapton and Leon Russell at the sound check and a Bob Dylan performance from the afternoon show of, ‘Love Minus Zero/No Limit’, not included in the original film.
Overall, this DVD set is a musical delight and a great all-round package. If there’s only one thing that you will bring away from watching this, is that music certainly harmonises the world and makes it a better place. Incidentally, all artists’ royalties from the sales of this DVD set and the accompanied 2-disc audio CD set will continue to go to UNICEF.
For more information you can visit: http://www.theconcertforbangladesh.com
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