George Fest: A Night to Celebrate the Music of Harrison

happened at the Fonda Theater in Los Angeles on September 28, 2014 and the whole shindig appeared in a variety of incarnations -- CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays, and downloads -- in February of 2016, a few days after what would've been 's 73rd birthday. His son directed the concert and, with the exception of and 's , he favored alt-rock stars of the 2000s: ' , from , and form the backbone of this tribute. Around this core orbit some names that seem suitable ( ), some that seem odd ( ), and some that seem like ringers ( ), but this group is united by an affection for , a love that runs so deep that none of the crew even make feints toward possible reinterpretations of the tunes. Everybody plays the songs they love in the way they learned them, so the highlights fall along the spectrum of sensitivity to enthusiasm. excels on both "Something" and "Behind That Locked Door," treats "I'd Have You Anytime" as a torch song, and sways handsomely to "I Me Mine," while throws himself into "Let It Down" and the two nominal comedians, , tear it up on "Old Brown Shoe" and "What Is Life," respectively. That's enough to provide a hook for this lengthy concert but the lasting impression of is not about the performances here but rather the depth and range of 's work, which perhaps is how it should be. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine