Le concert pour le Bangladesh

The first benefit rock concert and the greatest concert film ever.

George Harrison is at his peak in this film. The only disappointment is the fact that Eric Clapton arrived late and did not have the chance to perform one of his own numbers. Still, the Dylan songs, the Leon Russell medley and Harrison's own tunes are more than enough to make this an all-time classic.

The passion that is evident in Harrison's voice and on his face during the closing song still gives me goosebumps more than 30 years after I first saw this movie in the theater.

This DVD is a must have for any rock music fan.

This is the film version of the historical show that took place in New York's Madison Square Garden on August 1st, 1971. People may take charity shows like this for granted these days, but back then it was a very special event. It was famed Indian musician Ravi Shankar who thought up the idea of helping the starving underprivileged people of East Pakistan, and he approached former Beatle George Harrison with his concern. George organized a concert to help the cause, in addition to writing and recording a song called "Bangla Desh," which he used to close out the night's performance. Among the musicians who gave their efforts were: ex-Beatle Ringo Starr (on one drum kit with Jim Keltner playing another), Eric Clapton (guitar), Billy Preston (keyboards), Leon Russell (bass and keyboards), Badfinger, and the legendary Bob Dylan.

The program starts off with Indian music, with Ravi Shankar and other musicians, and it is an acquired taste. Ravi asks the audience for patience during their act before the crowd gets to hear their "favorite stars" later in the show. It's a long twenty or so minutes, but eventually George and Friends take over the stage. Harrison performs songs off his recent ALL THINGS MUST PASS album, like "Wah-Wah," "My Sweet Lord," "Beware of Darkness," and "Awaiting On You All". During the course of the evening, he continues with Beatles favorites like "Something", "Here Comes the Sun," and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". Ringo gets to do a vocal of his recent hit, "It Don't Come Easy", but manages to screw up the words pretty badly which is a shame, as it's always been a favorite of mine.

It's purely a matter of personal taste as to what one will take from the performances, but for me Leon Rusell and Billy Preston provide some low moments of the concert. But the highlight of the event, even to a Beatles fanatic like me - which is really saying something here - comes from "a friend of us all, Mr. Bob Dylan". I am a moderate fan of Dylan's, and have always felt he was in excellent form on this particular venue, singing wonderful versions of "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall," "It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry," "Blowin' In The Wind" and "Just Like A Woman" (the latter tune with Harrison and Russell in vocal support).

While the show is not perfect, it's quite good. It may seem more quaint alongside today's LIVE AID's and FARM AID's, and even in comparison to the superb 2001 CONCERT FOR GEORGE tribute for the late Mr. Harrison -- but this baby was an innovator. ***1/2 out of ****

This is the first large-scale benefit gig of its kind ever attempted in the world and there are many things about it that set it apart from Live Aid and Live 8- both great events in their own right but different. The Concert for Bangladesh has a much more intimate feel, and it seems to grasp the optimism of the 1960s at a time when the optimism seemed to be dying out. The atmosphere is also more of a band atmosphere, rather heaps of bands one after the other, which I prefer. In fact, in many ways it would be preferable to compare this to the Last Waltz- another live show with a continuous band with guests coming on and off.

But to say that this has a 'band' atmosphere doesn't do justice to the musicians who turned up at the last minute to perform- Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Bob Dylan, Billy Preston, Leon Russell, Ravi Shankar as well as Geoge Harrisson all lend their talents to the cause and make it a truly unforgettable night.

Highlights are many, and if anything it's the tightness of the concert that makes it so good. If Live Aid and Live 8 have a fault it is that it has a few songs ( and bands ) that lie in the periphery of mediocrity. The Concert for Bangladesh though is a tight 100 minute set with the best of George Harrisson's songwriting there for all to see.

Overall the concert for Bangladesh gives the quiet Beatle the chance to really strut his stuff for a good cause, and as he jams with Clapton on While my Guitar Gently Weeps or reassures with Here Comes the Sun or is pouring his heart out with Something or is singing with Dylan on Just Like a Woman or is writing a real protest song in Bangla Desh it makes you wonder if he was really given his due in the Fab Four.

I thought all the entertainers were excellent. Bob Dylan was good, but really George Harrison was the best of all by along shot. His persona, his songs, his sincerity was by far the highlight of Bangladesh. George will always be remembered as a wonderful entertainer who cared more than most. Yes George Harrison in my view stole the show(it wasn't even close).

In the two years of post Beatledom, it seemed George Harrison could no wrong... With an ambitious No 1 triple album solo album, All Things Must Pass, and smash singles, 'My Sweet Lord' and 'What is Life'...he was so quick off the blocks... it was as though the Lennon/McCartney partnership was holding him back all those years.

So when George's friend, Ravi Shankar, asked him to help in organising a benefit concert for the plight of newly-independent Bangladesh, he assembled a star-studded line up for the historic concert...

This was truly George's concert... despite all his efforts not to make it so. The gorgeous "Something" is simply ethereal and the duelling guitar work of Eric Clapton and Harrison on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" is masterclass... Harrison was energised for his rockers, "What is Life", and " "Wah Wah" and tender for "Beware of Darkness"...

Yes... Leon sings a medley, Billy Preston and Ringo (Starr) chip in but this was Harrison's show...

The huge coup for the night was getting Bob Dylan on stage... whether it is 'Mr Tambourine Man' and 'Blowin in the Wind', he is class...

My only disappointment in all this was why Harrison was not recogised more for this historical concert... this was the first benefit concert of this scale and inspired others to follow... he was so ahead of his time...