CELEBRATING THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF GEORGE HARRISON
WITH A ONE-NIGHT-ONLY GLOBAL THEATRICAL SCREENING OF ‘CONCERT FOR GEORGE’
IN CINEMAS ON 29 NOVEMBER 2022
COMMEMORATING THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MOMENTOUS CONCERT, FEATURING PERFORMANCES BY ERIC CLAPTON, PAUL MCCARTNEY, TOM PETTY, RAVI SHANKAR AND RINGO STARR, AMONG MANY OTHERS
RE-EXPERIENCE THE GRAMMY®-WINNING CONCERT FILM IN NEWLY REMASTERED DOLBY ATMOS® IMMERSIVE AUDIO
SCREENINGS INCLUDE A BRAND-NEW INTRODUCTION FROM DHANI AND OLIVIA HARRISON
Abramorama, in association with Craft Recordings, announces a very special one-night-only screening of ‘Concert for George’, taking place on 29 November in selected cinemas across the world (click here for tickets and listings). Coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the momentous 2002 concert, the theatrical event will celebrate the life and music of George Harrison. First released in 2003, the GRAMMY®-winning concert film features performances by Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, Tom Petty, Ravi Shankar and Ringo Starr among many others. Fans will now have the opportunity to re-experience the concert in immersive Dolby Atmos® Audio, newly remastered by GRAMMY-winning engineer Paul Hicks. The anniversary screenings will also feature a brand-new introduction by Olivia and Dhani Harrison.
Hicks also brought his artistry to the film’s accompanying Concert for George album, which is available in Dolby Atmos®, starting today, on digital platforms (click here to listen). Certified 8x Platinum by the RIAA, the acclaimed 27-track album can also be found in a variety of existing physical formats, including a 180-gram 4-LP box set, 2-CD/2-DVD and 2-CD/2-Blu-Ray packs, and a 2-CD package (click here to order).
On 29th November 2001, the world lost one of its greatest musical talents, George Harrison. Rising to meteoric fame with the Beatles, the British artist wrote some of the 20th century’s most enduring hits, including “Here Comes the Sun,” “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” and “Something”. A deeply introspective being, Harrison wove his love of Indian culture into his work and was instrumental in introducing the country’s rich musical traditions to the West.
Following the breakup of the Beatles, the breadth of Harrison’s work grew exponentially, as he embarked on a highly successful solo career, releasing such universally beloved albums as All Things Must Pass (1970), Living in the Material World (1973) and Dark Horse (1974). In the late ’80s, meanwhile, Harrison found a new generation of fans with his No.1 hit “Got My Mind Set on You”, while he formed the popular supergroup Traveling Wilburys, alongside Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne. When Harrison lost his battle with cancer at the age of 58, he left behind an inimitable body of work and a hugely influential musical legacy.
Exactly one year after his death, on 29 November 2002, Harrison’s life and music were celebrated during a historic evening at London’s Royal Albert Hall. Organized by the late artist’s longtime friend and collaborator Eric Clapton and his widow, Olivia Harrison, Concert for George brought together a star-studded line-up of talent to perform highlights from Harrison’s four-decade-long career plus his favorite music. Among the participants were Gary Brooker, Joe Brown, Dhani Harrison, Jools Holland, Jeff Lynne, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Billy Preston, members of Monty Python, Ravi and Anoushka Shankar, and Clapton, who also served as the evening’s musical director.
“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.’ 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 potentised 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.”
Olivia Harrison, November 2022
“20 years ago, I stood on stage beside my father’s dearest friends and celebrated his life and music. 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.” Dhani Harrison, November 2022
Abramorama’s Richard Abramowitz and Evan Saxon shared, “Abramorama is honored to continue our long and fruitful relationship with the George Harrison Estate and Craft Recordings. Fans will once again share in the joy of Concert For George on the big screen, with the Dolby Atmos immersive presentation taking it to a new level.”
All audio from the event was produced by Harrison’s close friend, collaborator, and Traveling Wilburys bandmate Jeff Lynne, while Concert for George was filmed by director David Leland (Wish You Were Here, HBO’s Band of Brothers and the Traveling Wilburys’ “Handle With Care” video). The evening was filled with memorable performances, including moving renditions of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” (featuring Eric Clapton on guitar, Paul McCartney on piano and Ringo Starr on drums), “Taxman” (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers), “The Inner Light” (Lynne and Anoushka Shankar), “My Sweet Lord” (Billy Preston), “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)” (Lynne) and “Handle With Care” (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers with Lynne and Dhani Harrison).
Upon its release, Concert for George earned a GRAMMY for Best Long Form Music Video, while the album received accolades from the likes of the Guardian, Uncut and the New York Times, which hailed, “The sweet, solemn music of George Harrison…has rarely sounded more majestic than in the sweeping performances of the enlarged star-studded band….” Record Collector added, “George’s songs take center-stage here, lovingly arranged by musical director Eric Clapton to accommodate as many famous friends as possible.”
For information on venues and tickets for Concert for George screenings on November 29, visit ConcertForGeorge.com.
CONCERT FOR GEORGE
ONE-NIGHT-ONLY THEATRICAL SCREENING
IN UK CINEMAS 29 NOVEMBER 2022
Addlestone – The Light Cinema Addlestone – TICKETS
Ashford – Ashford Picturehouse – TICKETS
Birmingham – The Mockingbird Cinema – TICKETS
Bolton – The Light Cinema Bolton – TICKETS
Bradford – The Light Cinema Bradford – TICKETS
Bromley – Bromley Picturehouse – TICKETS
Cambridge – The Light Cambridge – TICKETS
Edinburgh – Cameo Picturehouse – TICKETS
Henley-on-Thames – Regal Picturehouse – TICKETS
Kidderminster – Lume Cinema – TICKETS
Liverpool – Picturehouse at FACT – TICKETS
London – Brixton Ritzy Cinema and Cafe – TICKETS
London – Crouch End Picturehouse – TICKETS
London – Finsbury Park Picturehouse – TICKETS
London – Hackney Picturehouse – TICKETS
London – The Chiswick Cinema – TICKETS
Norwich – Cinema City – TICKETS
Sheffield – The Light Cinema Sheffield – TICKETS
Sittingbourne – The Light Sittingbourne – TICKETS
Stockport – The Light Stockport – TICKETS
Thetford – The Light Cinema Thetford – TICKETS
Wallasey – The Light Cinema New Brighton – TICKETS
Walsall – The Light Cinema Walsall – TICKETS
Wisbech – The Light Cinema Wisbech – TICKETS
Woodhall Spa – The Kinema In The Woods – TICKETS
About Abramorama: Abramorama is the preeminent global distribution, marketing, and rights management partner for feature films and episodic programming, centred on music and social impact documentaries. An innovator in focused, niche film distribution, direct-to-consumer engagement, and live, event and digital cinema, Abramorama provides expertise and results to filmmakers and content owners worldwide.
In its 20 years of operation, Abramorama has been the trusted film partner to many of the most respected global brands in entertainment: The Beatles, Stevie Nicks, Neil Young, Laurie Anderson, Jimi Hendrix, Pearl Jam, Metallica, Green Day, National Geographic, Discovery, AARP, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, HBO, Showtime, Hulu, Universal Music Group, Atlantic Records, Warner Music, Sony, Concord Music Group, and many, many others. For more information visit www.abramorama.com.
About Craft Recordings: Craft Recordings is home to one of the largest and most essential collections of master recordings and compositions in the world. Its storied repertoire includes landmark releases from icons such as Joan Baez, John Coltrane, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Celia Cruz, Miles Davis, Isaac Hayes, John Lee Hooker, Little Richard, R.E.M., Joan Sebastian, and Traveling Wilburys. Plus, the catalogue recordings of celebrated contemporary acts including A Day to Remember, Evanescence, Alison Krauss, Nine Inch Nails, Taking Back Sunday and Violent Femmes, to name just a few. Renowned imprints with catalogue issued under the Craft banner include Fania, Fantasy, Fearless, Musart, Nitro, Panart, Prestige, Riverside, Rounder, Specialty, Stax, Vanguard, Varèse Sarabande, Vee-Jay and Victory, among many others. Craft creates thoughtfully curated packages, with a meticulous devotion to quality and a commitment to preservation—ensuring that these recordings endure for new generations to discover. Craft is also home to the Billie Holiday and Tammy Wynette estates which preserve and protect their respective names, likeness and music through day-to-day legacy management of these cultural trailblazers.
