Mott the Dog
5
Stars *****
This DVD concert never comes across as a sad memorial
concert for the late great George Harrison, more of a celebration of the
life, love, music, and most of all faith of a wonderful human being.
During George Harrison’s tragically short life he
touched many people. Obviously he was one of the lovable Moptops from
Liverpool, whose music and attitude changed the world as we know it. He
also started the charity music culture with his concert for Bangladesh
in 1971. (Would there have been Live Aid, etc., if it had not been for
George Harrison’s groundbreaking concert a decade before?) He almost
single handedly made the world aware of whole new cultures from Asia.
In his solo career, he was, at first, the most
successful Beatle to go solo; his first releases back in 1970 went to
Number One all over the world with his magnificent triple album “All
Things Must Pass”, and the single taken from it “My Sweet
Lord’’.
George also formed Handmade movies which saved the
masterpiece “The Life Of Brian” by Monty Python (George actually has
a walk on part as the mayor if you look closely). The world would
definitely be a sadder place without that little Python masterpiece.
This double DVD package has the first DVD devoted to
the whole concert in it’s correct running order, so that all of us
that were not able to be there on that magical night at Albert Hall in
London on November 29, 2002 can get an inkling of what was going on.
The
second DVD gives you snippets of the concert interspersed with
interviews from George’s friends, rehearsals and backstage footage;
interesting and sometimes hilarious stuff. There is over 2 hours and
twenty minutes of material on DVD Two, whilst the concert on Disc One
lasts for nearly 2 1/2 hours.
There are too many musical highlights to mention them
all. But before I list the group of friends that turned up to celebrate
George’s life, and what songs they decided to play, I shall try to
point out a few.
The concert starts out with a specially composed
piece by Ravi Shankar written for George, ‘Arpan’, where what I can
only call a blend of Asian folk/orchestra meets western influences. The
results are quite stunning. Ravi’s daughter plays the sitar as
beautifully as she looks, and she is very beautiful, matching Eric
Clapton when he joins her on acoustic guitar.
The Monty Python team gets on stage for two songs.
The wonderful irreverence of the songs would have had George rolling
around the aisles in laughter. Notice also Tom Hanks having the time of
his life as a Mountie in the chorus line.
Eric Clapton does a wonderful job as musical director
as well as contributing some stunning guitar work, especially in
recreating his solo from “My Guitar Gently Weeps’’ from the
Beatles ‘White Album’. Poor Ringo barely keeps his emotions under
control whilst singing ‘Photograph’. It is also the first time that
Paul McCartney, Billy Preston and Ringo Starr have all performed on the
same stage together since a certain legendary roof top concert over
thirty years ago.
Although the concert would not have been the same
without Paul McCartney, he for once does not dominate proceedings,
leaving plenty of room for others to shine, and shine they do.
George Harrison’ son Dhani, himself a fine
musician, is often allowed center stage. George Harrison’s old mucker
Joe Brown brings the concert to an emotional climax. The set from Tom
Petty and the Heartbreakers in the middle of the second section is
simply stunning. Tom Petty was in George Harrison’s other group, the
Traveling Wilburys, with Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne and Roy Orbison.
Look out for the guitar solo from Albert Lee during
“Honey Don’t” - it raises the Albert Hall Roof a few inches
higher. The singing of Sam Brown and Gary Brooker are, as ever,
highlights of any concert.
This DVD delivers in every possible aspect and would
not disappoint anybody with even a passing interest in the life and
times of George Harrison. There is also a double CD of this concert
which is nice to have whilst driving the car, but you get so much more
with the DVD.
George Harrison’s
Friends on this movie are
Eric Clapton, Musical Director
Featuring Joe Brown, Eric Clapton, Jools Holland and Sam Brown, Jeff
Lynne, Paul McCartney, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Billy Preston,
Ringo Starr and...
Dave Bronze – Bass
Gary Brooker – Keyboards
Jim Capaldi – Drums
Ray Cooper – Percussion
Dhani Harrison – Guitar
Jim Horn – Alto Sax
Jim Keltner – Drums
Katie Kissoon – Backing Vocals
Albert Lee – Guitar
Andy Fairweather Low – Guitar
Marc Mann – Electric Guitar
Tessa Niles – Backing Vocals
Tom Scott – Tenor Sax
Henry Spinetti – Drums
Chris Stainton – Keyboards
Klaus Voormann – Bass
Arpan: Composed by Ravi Shankar, conducted by
Anoushka Shankar, Boys’ and Girls’ Choir courtesy of Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan, English Chamber Choir London Metropolitan Orchestra, strings
conducted and arranged by Michael Kamen.
The Monty Pythons: Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Neil
Innes, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, & Carol Cleveland.
The Mounties: Malcolm Abbs, Mark Brown, Michael
Clarke, Tom Hanks, Bob Hunter, David Porter Thomas and Fred Tomlinson.
And the songs sung
1. Sitar Solo-Your Eyes – Anoushka Shankar
2. Arpan conducted by Anoushka Shankar
3. The Inner Light – Jeff Lynne and Anoushka Shankar
4. Sit On My Face And The Lumberjack Song – Monty Python
5. I Want To Tell You And Give Me Love – Jeff Lynne
6. Old Brown Shoe – Gary Brooker
7. If I Needed Someone and Beware Of Darkness – Eric Clapton
8. Here Comes The Sun And That’s The Way It Goes – Joe Brown
9. Horse To The Water – Jools Holland and Sam Brown
10. Taxman and I Need You – Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers
11. Handle With Care – Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers with Jeff Lynne
and Dhani Harrison
12. My Sweet Lord and Isn’t It A Pity – Billy Preston
13. Photograph and Honey Don’t – Ringo Starr
14. For You Blue and All Things Must Pass – Paul McCartney
15. Something and While My Guitar Gently Weeps – Paul McCartney and
Eric
Clapton
16. Wah Wah – Eric Clapton and Band
17. I’ll See You In My Dreams – Joe Brown
Post
early for Xmas is the theme this week. Having been in the situation where
the express postage on last minute gifts has outweighed the value of the
present, one should start thinking about gifts now.
Mott’s CD review: Concert for George