The Beatles guitarist George Harrison was honored with an all-star concert held on the one-year anniversary of his death at Royal Albert Hall in London on November 29, 2002. A special one-night-only screening of the Concert For George will come to select theaters nationwide on the 20th anniversary of the event, November 29, 2022.
Originally released in 2003, the Concert For George showcased performances by The Beatles’ Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, as well as Eric Clapton, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Ravi Shankar and Anoushka Shankar, Gary Brooker, Joe Brown, Jools Holland, Jeff Lynne, Billy Preston and George Harrison’s son Dhani Harrison.
“20 years ago, I stood on stage beside my father’s dearest friends and celebrated his life and music,” said Dhani Harrison. “It was one of the most beautiful things we could’ve done on that day to mark his passing. There was a lot of love involved in that show, which has been preserved in this Concert For George film. I hope you dig it.”
Newly recorded introductions by Olivia Harrison and Dhani Harrison will precede the anniversary screenings that will feature newly remastered immersive Dolby Atmos Audio. An accompanying remastered live album is available now on digital platforms. A variety of physical formats are available as well.
“A long time ago, imagining his ideal gig, George had said, ‘I could do something like that someday… [it’s] the perfect idea… I mean if I had a “special” I would like to have a few people who mean something to me,’” recalled Olivia Harrison. “And he was right, he was so prescient and so right. It went from the sublime Ravi & Anoushka Shankar Orchestra to the ludicrous Monty Python. The most deep moving songs written by George, whose meanings were potentized by his absence, played with heart and soul by a core group of friends. It is a joy to be able to relive that incredible evening again, on a big screen, 20 years on.”
Among the standout performances were “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” featuring Eric Clapton on guitar, Paul McCartney on piano and Ringo Starr on drums, “Taxman” featuring Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, “The Inner Light” featuring Jeff Lynne and Anoushka Shankar, “My Sweet Lord” featuring Billy Preston, “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)” featuring Jeff Lynne and “Handle With Care” featuring Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers with Lynne and Dhani Harrison.
Click here for participating theaters screening the Concert For George. View the trailer below:
