The Concert For Bangladesh - Rehearsals

Rehearsals

The Harrisons decamped to the Park Lane Hotel in New York City, and the first rehearsal took place on Monday, 26 July, at Nola Studios on West 57th Street. Harrison had written a possible setlist for the concert while sketching design ideas for Shankar’s Joi Bangla picture sleeve. As well as the songs he would go on to perform on the day, his list included “All Things Must Pass” (“with Leon”, apparently) and “Art of Dying” − both from All Things Must Pass − and “Bangla Desh”’s B-side, “Deep Blue”; Clapton’s song “Let It Rain” appeared also, implying that the guitarist was expected to have his own solo spot; while the suggestions for Dylan’s set were “If Not for You”, “Watching the River Flow” (his recent, Leon Russell-produced single) and “Blowin' in the Wind”.

Only Harrison, Voormann, the six-piece horn section, and Badfinger’s Pete Ham, Joey Molland, Tom Evans and Mike Gibbins were there on that first day, and subsequent rehearsals were similarly carried out in “dribs and drabs”, as Harrison put it. Only the final run-through, on the night before the concert, resembled a complete band rehearsal. One such informal rehearsal took place in Harrison’s hotel room, where he and guitarist Peter Frampton ran through the entire set together − a measure, Frampton later realised, taken by Harrison to cover the increasing likelihood of a Clapton no-show.

On 27 July, Harrison and Shankar (accompanied by a pipe-smoking Allen Klein) held a press conference to promote the two upcoming shows − “Just thinking about it makes me shake,” said the notoriously performance-shy Harrison. The “Bangla Desh” charity single was issued in America the next day, with a UK release following two days later.

Ringo Starr arrived on the Thursday, and by Friday, 30 July, Leon Russell was in town, interrupting his US tour. Russell's band members Claudia Linnear and Don Preston were added to Nix’s choir of backing singers; Preston would switch to lead guitar for Russell’s solo spot during the shows, just as bassist Carl Radle would replace Voormann temporarily. By this point, Eric Clapton’s participation was gravely in doubt, and Jesse Ed Davis had been drafted in as a probable replacement. The ex-Taj Mahal guitarist received last-minute coaching from Voormann, who was more than familiar with Harrison’s songs, as well as those by Billy Preston and Starr.

The final rehearsal (or the first for some of the participants) was combined with the concert soundcheck, at Madison Square Garden, late on 31 July. Both Dylan and Clapton finally appeared at the soundcheck that night. Even then, Clapton was in the early stages of heroin withdrawal − only a cameraman supplying him with some methadone would result in the English guitarist taking the stage the following day, after his young girlfriend had been unsuccessful in purchasing uncut heroin for him on the street. As for Dylan, he seemed to be having severe doubts about performing in such a big-event atmosphere. “Look, it’s not my scene either, man,” Harrison countered. “ is the first time I have ever done anything on my own. You, at least, have been a solo artist for years.”

Through Harrison’s friendship with The Band, Jonathan Taplin had been recruited as production manager, while Chip Monck was in charge of lighting. Gary Kellgren from the nearby Record Plant was brought in to record the concerts, overseen by Phil Spector. “Allen Klein’s people” would handle the filming of the event.