In 1971, George Harrison of the Beatles held the first large-scale, rock-and-roll benefit at Madison Square Garden for the people of Bangladesh using sitars and other Indian instruments. He was joined by Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Leon Russel, Badfinger, Billy Preston and other musical friends.
Wonderous Stories: The Concert for Bangladesh Re-visited marks an all-star tribute to Harrison and that memorable music night. The performance will take place at the Space at Westbury on Saturday, March 2 at 8 p.m.
For three years in a row, 2007 to 2009, Wonderous Stories played Harrison’s Concert for Bangladesh in its entirety at BB King’s Blues Club in Manhattan to sold-out audiences. They played in 2011 and 2013 at the Highline Ballroom and in 2017 at the Space at Westbury.
In those years, special guests included members and former members of Badfinger, Paul McCartney’s Wings, the Alan Parsons Project, Vanilla Fudge, the Hooters, Zebra, Tower of Power, Ted Nugent, Dire Straits and the Soul Survivors, as well as people who were behind-the-scenes at the original 1971 show and special guest promoter Sid Bernstein, who produced the Beatles’ concert at Shea Stadium.
For the second year, Wonderous Stories will play on Long Island on the Space at Westbury’s large stage to accommodate all of the musicians who will present the multi-instrumental show, in addition to Harrison songs that were sorely missed at the original show.
A portion of the money from the concert will be donated to the St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in memory of Harrison, who died of cancer in 2001.
Some of the musicians who are scheduled to perform, along with the five members of Wonderous Stories, include guitarist Denny Laine (Wings), drummer Steve Holley (Wings, Julian Lennon, Ian Hunter), guitarist Godfrey Townsend (John Entwistle, Jack Bruce, Alan Parsons Project, The Turtles), saxophonist Arno Hecht (J. Geils, Dion, Buster Poindexter, Uptown Horns), keyboardist Tommy Mandel (Bryan Adams, Ian Hunter, Dire Straits), bassist John Montagna (Alan Parsons Project, Happy Together tour, Hippie Fest tour) and trumpeter Phil Granger (Jay and the Americans).
To purchase tickets to this timeless, throwback show, go to www.thespaceatwestbury.com.
The Space at Westbury is located at 250 Post Ave. in Westbury.
