Customer Reviews

Concert for Bangladesh [VHS]

5 star:		(102)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The George Harrison-led "Concert for Bangladesh" will make its DVD debut Oct. 25 via Rhino, the same day Capitol releases a remixed, remastered CD of the project. Rhino is also creating a deluxe edition set with a reproduction of Harrison's handwritten lyrics for the then-new song "Bangla Desh," a postcard set, a sticker and a print of the original show poster.

Staged on Aug. 1, 1971, at New York's Madison Square Garden, the show raised funds via UNICEF for Bangladeshi refugees caught in the middle of the country's battle for independence from Pakistan.

It featured Harrison performing alongside Bob Dylan (making a rare public appearance in the wake of a serious motorcycle accident), Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Ravi Shankar, Billy Preston, Badfinger and Leon Russell. The event was chronicled the following year on a triple-LP set and a feature film.

Rhino's DVD restores the original 99-minute movie in 5.1 sound and tacks on a wealth of extras, including a rehearsal performance of "If Not for You" with Harrison and Dylan and a soundcheck take on "Come on in My Kitchen" with Harrison, Clapton and Russell, plus Dylan performing "Love Minus Zero/No Limit," an outtake from the theatrical release.

The DVD will also include a 45-minute documentary, "The Concert for Bangladesh Revisited 2005," which features interviews with Bob Geldof and United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan.

Here is the track list for "The Concert for Bangladesh":

"Bangla Dhun"
"Wah-Wah"
"My Sweet Lord"
"Awaiting on You All"
"That's the Way God Planned It"
"It Don't Come Easy"
"Beware of Darkness"
Band Introduction
"While My Guitar Gently Weeps"
"Jumpin' Jack Flash"
"Youngblood"
"Here Comes the Sun"
"A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall"
"It Takes a Lot To Laugh, It Takes a Train To Cry"
"Blowin' in the Wind"
"Just Like a Woman"
"Something"
"Bangla Desh"

Some year, 1971. The year of the bad rock-star beard. George Harrison had one. Leon Russell had one too, not to mention miles of split ends. Leon! What were you thinking?

It's all evident in the Concert for Bangladesh movie. But that's not what I'm here to discuss.

I first saw it when it was released in the theaters in 1972, that's how old I am. I still have the original vinyl album and the great booklet with all the pictures.

I remember one summer the movie played at the local drive-in and I went with a bunch of buddies, crowded into a lime-green Volkswagen Beetle. When Bob Dylan came on, everyone honked their horns and flashed their lights. It was a cool moment. Of course, one of my cynical friends had to complain. "Look at Dylan! He's a has-been! He's OLD!" What was he, like thirty? I guess that was old back then, wasn't it.

Looking at the film on DVD all these years later, I'm struck by just how much sprituality was in evidence at that show. Harrison was so earnest in his beliefs and it really rang true. It still makes sense to me today. He never sang about subscribing to a certain religion, but simply what you can find inside yourself. You know, The Inner Light and all that.

There was such a heartfelt camaraderie on the stage that night. Ringo Starr looked great behind the skins, alongside future Wilbury Jim Keltner. When those shimmering first chords of It Don't Come Easy come up, so do my goose-bumps. You have to put this in perspective; The Beatles had only broken up a year or so earlier, and these guys were still infallible gods at the time. Not only that, to see Bob Dylan in person was an event; he'd been in exile for several years at this point. When the spotlight hit Harrison for the first time, he was greeted with an extended standing ovation. It was as though the audience just wanted to thank him for all those years as a Beatle. Well, I guess that's what they were doing.

Honorable mention goes to Billy Preston, who delivered a stirring rendition of That's the Way God Planned It, a song that could thaw even the coldest of atheist hearts. The moment he loses control and dances all around the stage is a moment for the ages. Eric Clapton, unfortunately and shamefully, was pretty strung out at the time. It didn't even look like him, and there was certainly no fire in his playing; he just sort of stumbled about. Thank goodness he managed to yank himself out of that deadly haze before he wound up on the cover of Rolling Stone for the wrong reason.

At the Concert for Bangladesh, George Harrison pulled it off. He came out from behind the shadow of Lennon/McCartney, proving himself as an artist to be reckoned with. He also proved himself to be a great humanitarian.

1971 may have been the year of the bad rock-star beard, but it was a good one for the world.

In writing this review I must complement the Harrison family and the executors of his estate for the marvellous job they have done in preserving and not diminishing George's memory. On the eve of the anniversary of his passing we have a quality product which in keeping with the man and his memory, enables us to help those unfortunate souls in the third world while enjoying this entertainment.

"My friend came to me, sadness in his eyes, told me that he needed help, before his country died". How could someone refuse such a request. This concert reissue comes only days after a major earthquake has brought untold devastation and misery to millions in Southern Asia to whom this concert was first dedicated almost 35 years ago. It is fitting that this coincident release will help some of those affected.

Much has already been said about the concert footage which is reproduced on the first disc of the set although much cleaned up and with better quality sound. It is easy to forget what a task Harrison had in assembling such a troupe of musicians at the time. The difficult separation and divorce of the Beatles added to his own inexperience being the leader and not just the member of a band, Clapton with his ongoing substance abuse problems which had driven him to being a recluse and the shyness of Bob Dylan in front of such a crowd, this in the days before arena rock became the norm rather than the exception. Despite all of this the musicians played well together although the wall of sound approach sounds a little over the top when one compares to the slimdown reunion performance of Cream recently. There is a touch of the democratic approach with most of the artists with the exception of Clapton contributing at least one song to the proceedings.

History cannot show how significant this concert was in the sense that younger viewers will not understand what the big deal was and nor will they be enlightened by this set. Save to say that without the huge efforts of George Harrison, before, during but very mainly after this concert, there would not have been any of the super benefit concerts that we see today. Perhaps one daring film-maker may try to tell the tale of all of the hoops Harrison had to go through to finally get all of the total monies raised to actually go to where it was needed and the years he spent in doing it.

The real gem of this set is the second disc which catalogues the making of the concert. Harrison is heard in voiceovers culled from interviews at regular stages. He emerges as the unassuming leader who calls upon a few palls but does not cut them any breaks if they fall down or give up on them. It includes some footage of some of the remaining participants as well as a brief comment from Kolfi Annan about the importance of this musical event bringing the world's attention to this serious problem in Bangladesh. There are three snippets too which will delight Harrison and Dylan fans the best of which is the duet between the two of "If Not for You" with the contrasting voices and approaches of the two men making for a superb historical and musical gem.

There are many worthy causes out there right now even some in our own backyard worthy of your money and attention. As we approach the season of goodwill this is one excellent way to enjoy great music from the man who brought some light to the world and to help others in the process.

This is one DVD I can heartily recommend.

John Sinnott has given a near perfect review, so I won't replicate point by point his findings. I am in full agreement. I just wanted to offer another positive data point to corroborate that this is a great package.

I was not expecting much based on the date of the concert and the recording technology of that era. I bought this simply to have it as a historical document of some of my favorite musicians from a time in the past that I remember from my youth. George Harrison is also someone that I admire and since he is gone, older footage is all we can have now. The bottom line is that I was going to buy this set even if it was in mono with a degraded image. The good news is that some technicians have earned their money on this restoration project. This could have been filmed and recorded this year based on the clarity of the image and the truly fine 5.1 sound. I know that this sound is rendered 5.1 well after the fact, since it was recorded in basic left / right channel stereo, but it is very convincing to me as the sound comes out of my rear speakers at just the right mix with the front speakers.

While the concert is great, I really love disc 2. There are many treats here that will make disc 1 more enjoyable. The navigation for the special features is great. You can for example click on "Eric Clapton" and some highlights of his playing (from the concert) will pop up, and then transition to a modern day Clapton offering reflections on that day, including references to his drug use and having picked the wrong guitar. The great bond between Harrison and Dylan comes through in the rehearsal footage, and Dylan looks so young and vital that you have to remember how long ago this was filmed. These were great performances from a great time that were saved on film for eternity... lucky us!

This would be a great DVD set if it were recorded last week with the most modern gear. That it was shot so long ago and still comes through with a clarity and sound that rivals current issued DVDs, is a testament to the engineers that poured their talent into making this a product they could be proud of. They have succeeded and we are all the winners. Don't wait, get this DVD set!

it's about time the concert for bagladesh came out on dvd. even better is the deluxe edition, which i bought. besides the outstanding quality of the concert dvd, the additional disc, with interviews and bonus tracks is just great. (although it's a pity, isn't it a shame that bob dylan didn't do an interview). then there's the packaging, which is beautiful. the dvds in its own case, and the great booklet. the poster is great for framining and hanging on your wall. postcards are cool, and the apple sticker is ok. this is how older material should be presented, as opposed to the latest lennon "collection". skip the regular dvd edition and get the deluxe.

Although there is nothing wrong with the original 3-LP/2-CD soundtrack of the Concert for Bangla Desh, one's enjoyment of this event increases immeasurably by seeing it on DVD. In its present incarnation, the surround stereo mix far surpasses the already-wonderful sound of the original LPs, so one can hear--and now see--the concert as never before.

Even if Bangla Desh weren't an unpredecented massive charity concert--it, and not Woodstock, is the true forerunner of Live Aid, Live 8, and other big charity benefits--it would still be an impressive show. The concert begins with 20 minutes of Ravi Shankar and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan swapping lines back and forth on sitar and sarod--by the time they get to the Gat (fast) section, performed in Teental (16-beat rhythm), they are as astonishing--perhaps even more so--as Harrison and Clapton trading riffs back and forth on the "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" solo. The Indian music section--a series of improvisations over a Bengali folk melody--is an itegral part of the show, not only because it sets the context of the purpose of the concert, but because it reminds the audience that virtuoso musicianship, passion, intensity, and sheer excitement don't just have to be found in electric instruments and blues-based riffs. Harrison tells the audience that the Indian music is "a little more serious" than the rock music to follow, but looking at the sheer delight on Shankar's face at the end of the set, you know not to equate serious with boring. It's a transcendant moment, not even a half hour into the show.

The supergroup Harrison assembled for the second part of the show is no less spectacular. Especially noticeable in the film are the choir (often lost in the LP mix), the powerhouse drum combination of Ringo Starr and Jim Keltner, and Billy Preston's infectious enthusiasm both during his own number and during the rest of the songs in general. Harrison delivers his numbers with a seriousness and intensity that helps to reinterpret the spiritual lyrics of "My Sweet Lord" and "Awaiting on You All" in a new light--even "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and "Something" take on new meaning in light of the occasion.

Bob Dylan's unbilled guest appearance, of course, is nothing short of stunning--Dylan doesn't just whiz through his numbers and run off, he takes the occasion seriously, and revisits his old hits with the confidence and maturity of a man who's had a long rest. No head games with audience, no shouts of "Judas": Dylan's performance is the record of a man who has made peace with his audience and with his own past.

If the concert had a consistent spiritual theme running through it, then that theme was interrupted somewhat by the solo set from Leon Russell--a medley of "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and the old Coasters number, "Youngblood." They're great performances to be sure, but a little out of keeping with the spirit of the event. The DVD includes a sound-check run through of Robert Johnson's "Come In My Kitchen"--maybe a Johnson number would have been a better choice here?

No matter--Harrison returns to form with the encore, "Bangla Desh," a reading that conveys much more passion on the DVD than either its audio form, or in the fairly tepid studio single that was released at the same time.

Any criticisms? Only two--the DVD doesn't include Dylan's performance of "Mr Tambourine Man," which the LP/CD does. No one has explained this--perhaps the film was unusable or never existed. It's a small matter, but it would be nice to have. On the other hand, Disc 2 does include lots of good extras, including a couple of extra Dylan tracks, so I'm not unhappy. The new artwork, too, takes the focus away from the event, as represented by the famous baby in front of the empty bowl photo, and on Harrison--there's even a featurette that explains why a picture of the band wasn't used in the original artwork--it seems a shame not to follow that lead in the 2005 version.

The deluxe version does include the original cover (with the original orange cover) and some extra goodies, but is probably not worth the extra expense. Buy the regular version--hunt down a copy of the vinyl set if you can, if only for the magnificent 65-page colour booklet that came with it, and enjoy the unique piece of history, lovingly and respectfully treated in the DVD release.

Well, the boxed set deluxe edition of "The Concert for Bangladesh" is a thing of beauty - the package is almost identical to the classic 3-record boxed set, with no hideous bar codes marring the cover - and the visuals, the sound, and the extras on the 2nd disc are all sublime. The sticker and the postcard remind me of being a kid in the 70s, 'cause when you bought a Wings or an Elton John album, for example, there would be lots of cool stuff inside - of course that doesn't happen now. Fun things could still be made to fit inside well-designed CD packages, but ours is a disposable culture and the the record companies are just to cheap.

Of course, George Harrison's oeuvre was/is the antithesis of "cheap" and "disposable," and this concert, following his now-stone-classic solo debut "All Thing Must Pass," was his finest hour. It's good to at long last see and hear Bob Dylan's performance of "Love Minus Zero/No Limit." But where is George's performance of "Hear Me Lord" from the afternoon show? It's nowhere to be found on either the remastered DVD or CD? His equally gospel-fueled "Awaiting On You All" sounds amazing, so it's hard to think that his performance of the stirring "Hear Me Lord" would be anything less than stellar. So why wasn't that included in either package? I'm assuming that all this was done under the supervision of Harrison, and then his family following his untimely demise. The ommission of "Hear Me Lord" is as glaring as the ommissions on "The Dark Horse Years" boxed set. Very annoying. I'm also annoyed that Dylan didn't appear in the commentaries along with Ringo, Eric, Ravi et al. Of course being a Dylan fan does mean putting up with the man's eccentric quirks (which George evidently did very well). One of the nicest bonuses is seeing and hearing Bob and George dueting on "If Not For You" at the rehearsals, looking at each other each time they sang "if not for you" - very sweet, and their deep friendship and mutual admiration is obvious. Sometimes in our star-struck culture, we need to be reminded that icons are human beings who need refuge from their fame and maybe can seek solace in each other. That said, where is "Hear Me Lord?"

I've not bought the remastered CD. Based on the reviews that I've read here, I'm not sure if I will. Who cares if the gospel voices sounds "dated"; hence the "need" for them to be muted? That sounds suspiciously racist and culturally biased to me. For those of us who have the original LPs and the CDs, we grew up with the asides and ovations that seem now to be deleted. I have no problem with the new cover featuring George - this has always been the iconic Harrisonian image, both Christ-like yet Rasputin-esque in visage - so long as the original cover and art is inside. Starvation is not a pleasant thing to look at, not then and not now, but designer Tom Wilkes made the poor Bengali child sympathetic and universal. I realize the Harrison-the-dead-icon (who, like Lennon, the critics routinely shat upon while they were still living only to cry sanctimonious tears upon their deaths) will sell more copies than a starving Bengali child (Madison Avenue probably figured the people who would buy the "deluxe edition" were the older, hard-core fans who associate the 60s and 70s with now-dead idealism), but let's not forget the WHY of why George organized this pioneering event in the first place.

The Botton Line : Dylan himself, in his encomium to Harrison, called his friend "the sun, the flowers, and the moon." If you love the music of either of these men or both (as I do), you owe to your inner fan to have this DVD in your collection.

I wore out the grooves in my vinyl and was ecstatic when this was released on DVD. Worth the price of admission alone: 1: Ravi Shankar thanking the audience for appreciating his tuning... and then his INCREDIBLE sitar performance! 2: George singing Wah- Wah...omigod! 3: Eric Clapton... need more be said. 4: Bob Dylan actually FOLLOWING someone!! That would be George. 5: Leon Russell... IS Jumping Jack Flash. 6: Billy Preston -God planned this one for sure!!

In other words... one of a kind. Not to be missed!!!

The Concert for Bangladesh was shot on 16mm film with an aspect ratio of 1.33:1 (4:3). When it came time to release it theatrically, it was matted (which is kind of the opposite of pan-and-scan) and blown up to 70mm. Reportedly, the theatrical experience was very poor. Pixels were said to be the size of ping pong balls on the screen. That being said, this DVD lavishly presents the concert in the aspect ratio in which it was filmed, nothing is compromised. It was not an uncommon practice in the 60's and 70's for film-makers to film in 1.33:1 and then crop out the edges of the composition to make it "widescreen-shaped." The benefit in doing this is that it allowed the director to construct 2 shots, 1 for the theatre (widescreen) and 1 for the TV (full-screen), without losing vital information in either version. Stanley Kubrick filmed many of his later films using this technique. In the case of Bangladesh, as most of the shots are perfectly framed for 1.33:1, it's doubtful that the widescreen release was something that was planned from the beginning.

I remember when the original "Concert For Bangladesh came out on 3 LP discs (Vynal record albums for the young uns). I played them over & over again...except side 1. I just couldn't appreciate the music of Ravi Shankar (It just sounded like a lot of noise to me back then). I don't know if it had to do with the aging process, or watching the performance, but the Shankar part is one of the most fascinating parts of the concert. At one point, it almost looks like a duel between Shankar (on sitar), and the sarod player. And the Tabla player is excellent. Had I not SEEN it, I never would have appreciated it. (I think I'll take a second look at my Monterey Pop film).

The sound & picture are clean. The performance (a real piece of history) should be in anyones collection.