Filmed at the Royal Albert Hall in 2002, a year to the day of Harrison’s death, it’s hard to think of a more fitting tribute to a man who, despite being in the world’s biggest band, spent so much of that time in the shadows of his fellow players. George’s songs take centre-stage here, lovingly arranged by musical director Eric Clapton to accommodate as many famous friends as possible.
It’s a night of reunions; the surviving Beatles share the stage for smooth versions of For You Blue and All Things Must Pass, while Jeff Lynne and Tom Petty return to Wilbury territory. The heart-tugging highlight of the whole shebang, however, might just be Billy Preston’s suitably soulful rendition of My Sweet Lord, closely followed by the sight of Harrison’s son Dhani strumming along throughout the show, looking the spit of his dad as a young man.
Beyond Harrison’s own material, the Monty Python team provide a light-hearted interlude of Sit On My Face and The Lumberjack Song (with Tom Hanks making a sneaky cameo). Lest we forget, George played a big part in financing the Pythons’ cinema projects, and it’s only right that his sense of humour is celebrated alongside his life and music.
