Product Description

Filmed on November 29, 2002 before a sold-out audience at Royal Albert Hall in London, "The Concert For George" is a beautifully filmed, joyous celebration of some of the most significant music of the 20th Century. Friends including Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Ravi & Anoushka Shankar, the cast of Monty Python and other artists who worked with George Harrison throughout his lifetime, present his music in a special concert to commemorate the first anniversary of his passing. This 2 DVD set includes the full 2 hour & 40 minute concert and the 1 hour 40 minute documentary filmed in high definition by David Leland ("Band Of Brothers") featuring concert footage and interviews with the artists about George's life and music. Documentary produced by Ray Cooper, Olivia Harrison and Jon Kamen.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2263 in DVD
• Brand: Unknown
• Published on: 2003
• Released on: 2003-11-18
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Formats: Anamorphic, Color, Compilation, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, DVD, Live, NTSC, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 286 minutes

Amazon.com
Exceptionally moving but not the least bit sentimental, Concert for George is a splendid tribute to the late George Harrison, whose contributions to the Beatles were so often hidden in the long shadows of John Lennon and Paul McCartney. A year to the day after Harrison's November 29, 2001 death, Eric Clapton assembled some musicians--people who had played with Harrison and known him intimately, including McCartney, Ringo Starr, and Tom Petty--to perform his music at London's Royal Albert Hall. They take on not just the predictable ("My Sweet Lord" and "Something," beautifully sung by Billy Preston and Sir Paul, respectively), but also lesser-known fare like "Old Brown Shoe" and "Beware of Darkness," all to superbly empathetic effect. But the tune most likely to make you misty-eyed is "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," which brings together three of the five musicians who played on the original recording: Ringo on drums, Clapton replicating his own classic solo, and McCartney playing piano and harmonizing with Clapton's lead vocal. Concert for George enjoyed a brief theatrical release, but even those who caught it on the big screen will delight in this two-disc DVD edition. Disc 1 features the complete concert (sans interview and rehearsal footage, but with a few additional songs and in the original running order), while disc 2 contains the theatrical version and some additional backstage and photo material. All in all, a beautiful piece of work. Wish you were here, George--but man, what a way to be missed. --Sam Graham

From the Back Cover
On November 29, 2002-one year after the passing of music legend George Harrison-wife Olivia Harrison and longtime friend Eric Clapton organized a performance tribute in his honor. Held at London's Royal Albert Hall, the momentous evening featured George's songs, and music he loved, performed by an all-star lineup that included Clapton, Jools Holland, Jeff Lynne, Paul McCartney, Monty Python, Tom Petty, Billy Preston, Ravi and Anoushka Shankar, Ringo Starr, and many more. Warner Strategic Marketing (WSM) celebrates that magical night with the DVD release of CONCERT FOR GEORGE, a double-disc set highlighting the gala event, which was beautifully filmed for posterity and recently released in a limited theatrical run. Disc one of the DVD contains the complete concert, including performances not featured in the theatrical version. Disc two contains the theatrical version featuring concert highlights, interviews with the performers, rehearsals, and behind-the-scenes footage. Each of the performers had a personal friendship or history with Harrison, and the backstage moments and interviews give a sense of how deeply they felt for him. Directed by David Leland (whose credits include the feature Wish You Were Here, HBO's Band Of Brothers and the Traveling Wilburys video "Handle With Care"), the CONCERT FOR GEORGE DVD captures stunning renditions of some of the most significant music of the 20th century, including "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" (featuring Clapton on guitar, McCartney on piano and Starr on drums), "Taxman" (performed by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) and "The Inner Light" (covered by Jeff Lynne and Anoushka Shankar). Lynne, Harrison's longtime friend and collaborator, produced the audio elements of the concert, while Clapton oversaw the entire proceedings as Musical Director. In one memorable segment, Anoushka Shankar conducted a full orchestra of musicians performing a special composition by her father and Harrison's mentor, Ravi Shankar, celebrating Harrison's love of Indian classical music. The piece, entitled "Arpan," means "offering." Among the other high points are McCartney and Clapton performing a duet of "Something," with Starr on drums; Starr performing his #1 hit "Photograph" (which was cowritten by Harrison); and Oscar-winner Tom Hanks sitting in with Monty Python (featuring Eric Idle, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam, and Neil Innes) for a hysterical version of "The Lumberjack Song," one of Harrison's favorites. Harrison's friend Joe Brown played the old standard "I'll See You In My Dreams" to close the emotional evening. "The Concert For George was all I hoped it would be," said Olivia Harrison. "I don't think I've ever heard a band play with so much emotion and respect." CONCERT FOR GEORGE captures the majesty of Royal Albert Hall from more than a dozen camera locations. The film was shot in high definition and digitally mastered with sound recorded in 5.1 Surround.

Customer Reviews

George!
The concert event had the chance to be sappy and morose. Thank God, it isn't. Instead, it's a lot of George's friends covering his songs, having fun doing it, and otherwise doing what they've always been doing.

Summary: Great guests, superior musicianship. Buy This DVD. Now.

The show opens with a few words from Clapton, who introduces Ravi Shankar and his daughter. They play a fair amount of Indian music. It's pretty good, I have to admit, though not my cup of tea. One word - Ravi Shankar's daughter is quite the sitar player... She plays a piece and violates at least 2 rules of physics. Amazing.

Then the Western band forms up. They play a number of songs, with luminaries being introduces and added to the band over the course of the evening.

Highlights, in no particular order:
1) Ringo :-) During "Honey Don't" Look for Albert Lee. His solo is blistering though short.
2a) Clapton on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"
2b) Clapton having the class to not play all the solos thereby making it the "Eric Clapton Show." Instead most of the real guitar work is being done by someone I don't know. I think it's Clapton's long-time guitarist. My son and I call him "THE Guy".
2c) Clapton in general
3) Watch Tom Petty's guitar player get OWNED by George on "Taxman". Tom does this song kinda weird, it's probably the weakest track.
4) Sam Brown. What a voice!
5) Waa Waa. Amazing.
6) Something by Paul, via uke.
7) Ravi's daughter and her sitar. Your eyebrows will fly up!
8) Dhani has George's spooky eyebrow thing going on.
9) Jeff Lynne is there, and takes an active part doing what he does best. Bob Dylan is notably absent.

Every track is worthwhile and many are superb. And while a lot of similar productions are muddy and horrid, this isn't. Eric is running the show, and keeps it moving and clean.

The only dings I give this production are
1) The "behind the scenes" footage is too sparse. I know there had to me more...
2) The band isn't introduced well enough. I expected a close up of every performer, with a hello, and a name. See 2b) above.

Just saw the theatrical release
Wow!!!! I don't know how anyone can sit through this with a dry eye!! Stunning, heartfelt performances by George's buddies. Jeff Lynne's sound mix was awesome!! The interviews with Eric, Tom Petty and others really shed light on the love for the man we all miss. George created the original benefit concert and it is only fitting that everyone came together on the anniversary of his death to pay tribute. Now I will wait patiently until the DVD release in November.

Long live George!

Simply one of the best concerts ever -- great tribute!
I am an avid Beatles fan and I was just blown away by the concert.

A. The Performances

Great musicians and friends/collaborators of George: Eric Clapton, Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty, Billy Preston, Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, etc. do an outstanding job and everyone of them put their heart and soul into the songs of George Harrison and make them come alive. It is eerie, but when you listen to Clapton singing "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," Paul McCartney singing "All Things Must Pass," or Billy Preston singing "My Sweet Lord," you could sense the presence of George as they're singing! Their renditions of Harrison's songs were just as masterful as George singing them. Those 3 songs stood out to me.

Some other musical highlights:

1) Ringo Starr's touching rendition of "Photograph" (the words take on a completely new meaning in this tribute) and "Honey Don't."

2) Anoushka Shankar's beautiful sitar playing accompanying Jeff Lynne's rendition of "The Inner Light."

3) Joe Brown's tender covers of "Here Comes the Sun" and "I'll See You in My Dreams."

4) Dhani Harrison's acknowledgement and thanks to all the musicians playing.

5) Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr playing together for the 1st time live in over 40 years!!! And they seem to be having a good time!

6) Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and their exciting performance of "Taxman" and spot-on re-endition of "I Need You."

7) Billy Preston's enthusiastic singing of "My Sweet Lord"

8) The funny song "Lumberjack" by Monty Python which really lightened up the crowd and the occasion.

B. The Editing

I also liked how the DVD focussed its shots mostly on the musicians performing the songs, rather than panning to the audience and then back to the musicians. (This back and forth between the musicians and then the audience is a very annoying feature which plagues the Paul McCartney "live" DVDs).

C. The Unique Layout of the Discs

This movie is organized in an interesting fashion:

Disc 1 features the whole complete concert ( 2 hr 26 min) -- you cannot do any chapter or song selections.

Disc 2 is the theatrical version (2 hr 20 min) -- these are songs from the concert rearranged in order and backstage/ rehearsal scenes/ interviews of the musicians are interspersed within the songs. You can do scene / chapter selection for Disc 2.

D. Some Reservations

Even though the "Lumberjack" song was very funny and lightened up the occasion, I didn't care for the song "Sit on My Face" or the mooning of the audience when the Python members bared their rear-ends to the audience. I felt this dampened the whole respectability and dignity of the whole concert.

Summary:

That aside, I highly recommend this DVD. The performances are outstanding; the picture and sound quality are excellent.
If you're a Beatles fan and a fan of George, you'll love this DVD! A must-have! One of the best concert DVDs you can get!