Cards on the table I am a big George Harrison fan and as one of the participants here says, greatly admire his ability not to mention his determination to establish his songwriting identity and credentials in the considerable shadow of the seemingly all-encompassing partnership of Lennon and McCartney.
This then was the third multi-performer concert film I've watched built around him, the first his own groundbreaking "Concert For Bangla Desh" in 1971 at Madison Square Garden and the second Eric Clapton's star-studded tribute concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 2002.
This evening in L. A., curated by George's chip-off-the-old-block son, Dhani is a much more modest affair, being staged in a comparatively small theatre and certainly with a less starry ensemble singing and playing these Harrisongs. The filming too is less grand and ennobling but I think that works here.
While it starts with a couple of minutes of footage and recorded snippets of the man himself, it then kicks into the song-list, performed as is usual in these things by a very capable house-band with guest artists walking on stage to sing and / or play their designated song. Because I didn't know many of the artists, I was slightly confused as to their identities until they got to speak a few words to the camera after their performance. The camera-work isn't especially flashy or innovative, this ain't no "Stop Making Sense" but in its aim to showcase the music it certainly succeeds.
I knew all the songs and none of the renditions displeased me. There were a handful of what I suppose you'd call big names, Brian Wilson, with Al Jardine is wheeled on and off for a spirited vocal go at "My Sweet Lord" and Ravi Shankar's daughter Norah Jones respectfully takes on "Something" without changing the gender in the lyric, are probably the best known artists but I equally enjoyed the Flaming Lips souped-up version of "It's All Too Much", Ben Harper's delicate take on one of my most favourite songs from the catalogue "Give Me Love" and even Weird Al Jankovic's frenzied run at "What Is Life".
Yes, I missed a few of my favourites like "I Want To Tell You", "You", "Blow Away".and where oh where was "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" but on the whole I thoroughly enjoyed these well-pitched, highly enthusiastic and very entertaining performances of some of my favourite songs and would recommend any other George fans out there to track this down for a look-see.
