The Concert for Bangladesh (1972)

I wanted to but couldn't!

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

Few countries in modern history have experienced such traumatic birth pangs as Bangladesh. Still reeling after a devastating cyclone and tsunami double punch that occurred in November 1970, the territory of East Pakistan declared its independence from Pakistan on 3/26/71, resulting in civil war, 1 million killed and some 10 million refugees fleeing into neighboring India. (A smallpox epidemic in early '72 caused many more deaths and even more suffering.) Desperate to help the nascent nation, internationally renowned sitarist Ravi Shankar prevailed on his old friend, ex-Beatle George Harrison, for assistance. The outcome was Harrison's awareness-raising single "Bangla Desh," as well as a follow-up benefit concert. Hastily put together in five weeks, the resultant Concert for Bangladesh raised a quarter of a million dollars, and many millions more when the concert album was later released. That concert (actually an afternoon and an evening show) took place in NYC's Madison Square Garden on Sunday, August 1, 1971, featuring an all-star band that would put future Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Bands to shame. It included Harrison and (a surprisingly low-key) Eric Clapton on guitars, Billy Preston on organ, Leon Russell on piano, Ringo and Jim Keltner on drums, Klaus Voorman and Carl Radle on bass, and Badfinger on acoustic guitars, amongst many others, including Bob Dylan. The two shows, which featured essentially identical set lists albeit in slightly different orders, were cobbled together to create one fairly seamless cinematic experience; released in March '72, "The Concert for Bangladesh" helped raise even more takas for the noble cause.As for the music itself, the show kicks off with Ravi Shankar (along with Ali Akbar Khan on sarod, the great Alla Rakha on tablas, and a woman only listed as Kamala on the droning tamboura) doing a piece called "Bangla Dhun." Demonstrating the greatest sheer technical virtuosity of any song of the evening, this 17-minute piece jump-starts the evening nicely; those viewers who enjoyed Ravi's set in the 1969 "Monterey Pop" film should just love him here! Harrison and his mates then take the stage, diving into solid, straightforward renditions of three songs ("Wah-Wah," "My Sweet Lord" and "Awaiting On You All") from Harrison's "All Things Must Pass," the so-called "Crown Jewel of Beatles Solo Albums." Next up, Billy Preston sings "That's the Way God Planned It," trading some nice riffs with Clapton and galvanizing the MSG crowd with some hyperkinetic dance moves. Ringo offers up his classic "It Don't Come Easy," and then it's back to the "Crown Jewel" with a supernice version of "Beware of Darkness," partly sung by Leon. "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" finds Harrison overpowering Clapton in the song's dueling finale; Eric's guitar seems very thin and submerged here, and truth to tell, I have seen the modern-day band Fab Faux cover this song much more impressively, with Jimmy Vivino always kicking tuchus during the final segment. Fortunately, the concert takes a dramatically dynamic turn when Leon Russell then performs the now-classic medley of "Jumpin' Jack Flash"/"Young Blood," easily stealing the show and leading to repeated FM airplays for years afterward. George and Badfinger guitarist Pete Ham perform a lovely acoustic version of "Here Comes the Sun" after this, and then Dylan steps up to give the audience four of his classics--"A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" (seemingly solo), "It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry," with Harrison providing tasty electric licks behind, "Blowin' in the Wind" (again, seemingly solo) and "Just Like a Woman," with George and Leon singing accompaniment. "Something," featuring a sweet guitar break from Harrison, closes the set, and a fitting encore of "Bangla Desh" brings the evening to a close. Thus, the show/film/LP/CD/DVD reveals itself to be not just a goodwilled example of artistic humanitarianism, but a musical experience that can be well enjoyed today, over four decades later. My only beef: no "Let It Down"?!?!

sadness in his eyes / told me that he wanted help/Before his country dies.That's what Harrison wrote in his single "Bangla Desh" ,released late July 1971 ."My friend" is ,as anybody knows,Ravi Shankar.Apart from Leon Russel's dreadful performance -with the eventual exception of "Jumpin' Jack Flash" - ,all that remains is good ,even splendid.Highlighs include Clapton/Harrison's duet on "while my guitar gently weeps" ,the lovely "Here comes the sun" with the late Pete Ham on an acoustic guitar and Dylan's five songs which are a well chose menu :only "it takes a lot ...." seems weak by comparison but when you deal with such classics as "Tambourine man" "Blowin' in the wind" or "Hard Rain's a gonna fall";and Harrison's and Russel's back up vocals on "just like a woman" are worth the price of admission.Bob Geldof who was praised during the eighties for band aid was not the first one .....

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.

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.