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| Concert for George | |
|---|---|
| Name | Concert for George |
| Type | live |
| Artist | Various artists |
| Released | 2003 |
| Recorded | 29 November 2002 |
| Venue | Royal Albert Hall, London |
| Genre | Rock, Classical |
| Length | 145:00 |
| Label | Eagle Records, Warner Bros. Records |
| Producer | Olivia Harrison, George Harrison (posthumous tribute) |
Concert for George was a memorial tribute concert held on 29 November 2002 at the Royal Albert Hall in London to celebrate the life and music of George Harrison, former lead guitarist of The Beatles. Organized by Harrison's widow Olivia Harrison and friends, the event featured performances by members of The Beatles, collaborators from Rock and Roll Hall of Fame–level careers, and prominent musicians from United Kingdom and United States rock, folk, and classical scenes. The concert combined songs associated with Harrison's solo career and his work with The Beatles alongside instrumental pieces from the Indian classical music tradition.
The tribute grew out of events following Harrison's death in November 2001 and involved figures from Harrison's life such as Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, and members of Monty Python who were personal friends. Olivia Harrison coordinated with music industry executives at EMI Records and representatives from Apple Corps to curate a program reflecting Harrison's interests in Indian music, Alfred Hitchcock-era aesthetics, and charity work like Music for Youth. Producers consulted with Harrison's former collaborators including Dhani Harrison and associates from Harrison's work with Travelling Wilburys and Apple Records. The planning involved arranging sitar and tabla artists familiar with Harrison's ties to Ravi Shankar, and securing the participation of guest musicians who had worked with Harrison on albums such as All Things Must Pass and Cloud Nine.
Performers included Eric Clapton, Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, Ravi Shankar, Ringo Starr, members of The Band, and surviving members of The Beatles in assembled form with Paul McCartney declining to perform onstage. The setlist featured Harrison compositions like "My Sweet Lord", "All Things Must Pass", "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", and "Here Comes the Sun", alongside Indian classical music performances including pieces by Ravi Shankar and ensembles of sitar, tabla, and sarod players. Guest appearances came from artists associated with Harrison's projects: Billy Preston, Eric Idle, Joe Brown, Anoushka Shankar, and Klaus Voormann. Orchestral arrangements by George Martin protégés supported numbers, and backing musicians included members of Mad Dogs & Englishmen–era lineups and session players who had recorded on Harrison's solo records, connecting the concert to works like Concert for Bangladesh.
The Royal Albert Hall stage was adapted to accommodate both Western rock instrumentation and traditional Indian ensembles, with set design referencing Harrison's interest in Hinduism and iconography associated with his solo albums. Production was overseen by concert promoters linked to Stage Entertainment and technical teams from Metropolis Studios and sound engineers who had worked on The Beatles (band) archival releases. Lighting design invoked the aesthetics of Harrison's 1970s tours and commemorative art directed by Olivia Harrison in collaboration with longtime visual designers from Apple Corps. Security and crowd management involved coordination with Metropolitan Police and venue staff, while ticketing and charity allocations were administered through established entities in the music industry.
The concert was filmed and produced into a feature-length documentary directed by David Leland with production handled by companies experienced in music films for labels such as Warner Bros. Records and Eagle Rock Entertainment. The audio and video releases appeared on DVD and CD, and were distributed internationally in markets including United Kingdom, United States, Japan, and Australia. Broadcast rights were negotiated with television networks and music channels that had previously aired events related to The Beatles and major memorial concerts. Special edition packages included liner notes by Olivia Harrison and archival photographs from sessions for albums like All Things Must Pass.
Critical reception highlighted the quality of performances by veterans like Clapton and Lynne and the emotional significance of contributions from figures such as Ringo Starr and Ravi Shankar, drawing comparisons to prior events like Concert for Bangladesh. Reviews in major publications cited the concert's role in reaffirming Harrison's legacy among audiences for classic rock and Indian classical music. The releases contributed to renewed interest in Harrison's solo catalog and led to reissues of his albums on labels including Capitol Records and Parlophone Records. The event is frequently cited in retrospectives about Harrison's influence on cross-cultural collaboration in popular music and has been referenced in biographies and documentaries about The Beatles, Harrison solo careers, and figures such as Eric Clapton and Paul McCartney.
Category:Tribute concerts Category:2002 concerts