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“Concert For Bangladesh” DVD And CD – In Stores 24 October

24 Sep 05

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

“Concert for Bangladesh” DVD & CD Release Slated For 24 October 2005

Rhino will release the long-awaited DVD of the “Concert for Bangladesh” on 24 October 2005, while Sony / BMG will release a remixed and remastered CD on the same day (on Capitol in the U.S). The U.S. street date is 25 October.

All artists’ royalties from the sales of the DVD and the CD will continue to go to UNICEF. Organized by George Harrison and Rhavi Shankar to aid the people of Bangladesh, it was the first benefit concert of its kind. Harrison was accompanied by Eric Clapton on guitar, Ringo Starr, Leon Russell, Billy Preston and a host of others. In addition to being Harrison’s first-ever solo concert, it marked Bob Dylan’s return to the stage following his motorcyle accident.

During the struggle for independence from Pakistan, millions of refugees from Bangladesh fled to neighboring India to escape hunger, disease and bloodshed. The crisis deepened when massive floods hit the region. Alerted to the suffering by Ravi Shankar, George Harrison organized The Concert For Bangladesh with the proceeds going to UNICEF. The event took place on 1 August 1971 at New York’s Madison Square Garden with mattinee and evening performances. Late in 1971, a triple LP was released and a feature film the following year, with proceeds also going to UNICEF.

The film has previously been available on VHS home video. The CD will be remixed and repackaged as a 2-disc set and will contain an additional track, "Love Minus Zero / No Limit" by Bob Dylan. For the DVD release, Rhino has restored the original 99 minute film in 5.1 sound. A second DVD contains all the “extras.” That disc opens with the 45 minute documentary, “Concert for Bangladesh Revisited 2005.” Period comments from George Harrison are interspersed with new interviews with Clapton, Starr, Jim Keltner, Sir Bob Geldoff, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan and others.

Performance extras are a rehearsal performance of “If Not For You” by Harrison and Dylan, a soundcheck of “Come On In My Kitchen” by Harrison, Clapton and Russell, plus Dylan’s performance of “Love Minus Zero / No Limit” which was not included in the original theatrical release. There are also several short featurettes and a photo gallery. A Deluxe Edition DVD set will contain a reproduction of Harrison’s handwritten lyrics for “Bangladesh”, postcards, a sticker, 64 page book and a print of the original show poster. Only 50,000 copies of the deluxe edition will be available worldwide.

Single DVD Track List (The Concert For Bangladesh Feature Film)

Bangla Dhun (Rhavi Shankar) Wah-Wah (George Harrison) My Sweet Lord (George Harrison) Awaiting on You All (George Harrison) That’s the Way God Planned It (Billy Preston) It Don’t Come Easy (Ringo Starr) Beware of Darkness (George Harrison) Band Introduction While My Guitar Gently Weeps (George Harrison) Jumpin’ Jack Flash (Leon Russell) Youngblood (Leon Russell) Here Comes the Sun (George Harrison) A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall (Bob Dylan) It Takes a Lot To Laugh, It Takes a Train To Cry (Bob Dylan) Blowin’ in the Wind (Bob Dylan) Just Like a Woman (Bob Dylan) Something (George Harrison) Bangla Desh (George Harrison)

Aspect Ratio: 4:3 Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1