A Pleasant Victory for George Harrison

 

A Pleasant Victory for George Harrison

By Jonathan Takiff

The Philadelphia News

December 18, 1974

    Preceded by reams of negative reviews. Dark Horse George Harrison pulled off a surprisingly pleasant victory at the Spectrum last night. No friends, it was not Nirvana personified, nor even the Inner Light revealed. Especially dampening the fire were the strained and often an often oft- keyed qualities of Harrison's vocals, showing off the fabled rock hero is just another mere mortal among men. His features creased and weathered by time. 

    But this concert was not the disorganized self-serving venture portrayed by the national music press on the occasion of the tour opening on November 2 in Vancouver. Harrison, it would seem, has taken heed of his critics. The show now moves at a speedy, entertaining pace. Harrison's lean portions, leaving you hungry for more, now concentrate on established hits. Those reluctant to dwell on his past glories, the former Beatle now designs to throw us a bone or four from the halcyon days, including a curiously suitable jazz-up rendering of John Lennon's "In My Life." 

    Some mid-tour, beefing up of his band, the addition of second drummer Jim Keltner and flutist Jim Horn has also had salutary effects, it would appear.

     In the midst of wailing reeds and brass arranged by Tom Scott and the super tight rhythm section, Harrison could hide his pipes' distress, talking his way through "Something" in a burlesque-ish Bob Dylan style, or more sincerely, in the testifying treatment of "My Sweet Lord" the concert single encore,

     Harrison makes the most points with the trademark sound of his sweetly weeping guitars riding the high end of the neck in a glissando of spare single notes or bluesy staccato attacks.

     In the fashion of his last public appearances, the monumental concerts for Bangladesh held on August 1, 1970 [sic] at Madison Square Garden, George Harrison's current venture strives for an electric variety show approach. As much as not the humble (and uncharismatic) Harrison falls into the shadows to play side man or cheerleader for his friends, Billy Preston, Tom Scott, and the Shankar family of Indian musicians. 

Showman supreme Billy Preston actually pulled the most enthusiastic response from the near capacity crowd, first early on in the proceedings, with "Will It Go Round in Circles", then nearing the final lap, with a gospel-tinged "Nothing from Nothing", and his hit instrumental "Outta Space." The latter is boosted by a bit of Rockettes terpsichord by Preston and Harrison.

 Aesthetically, the evening's zenith came in the East Meets West fusions of the 16-member Shankar ensemble, led by Lakshmi Shankar, in the absence of her ailing brother-in-law, Ravi Shankar.