Brit Rock by the Bay: GEORGE HARRISON: NOVEMBER 1974 (PART 2)

June 7, 2012

GEORGE HARRISON: NOVEMBER 1974 (PART 2)

George Harrison

George Harrison
Cow Palace, Daly City, California
November 7, 1974

Photos by Dan Cuny

Dan: This was one of the most anticipated concerts for me, as I was a huge fan of The Beatles and George Harrison. I was always jealous of Michael, as he did get to see The Beatles at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, which was their very last concert in 1966. After The Beatles broke up and All Things Must Pass came out, I wanted to see George Harrison. (Actually, I wanted to see all of The Beatles!) My opportunity to see George finally came on November 7, 1974, when he played with Ravi Shankar at the Cow Palace in Daly City.

I went to this concert by myself. At that time, I wasn't hanging out much with David, Gary, or Michael, and none of my other friends were able to go. This was the only time that I went alone (except for my camera and film, which was enough) to a concert. When I got to the Cow Palace, because I was on my own I didn't have any problem getting close to the stage. Having seen The Concert for Bangladesh, I figured that the concert at the Cow Palace would start with Ravi Shankar and his orchestra.

When the show started, it was unlike any other concert, because the crowd was electric with anticipation to see George Harrison. Ravi Shankar and his orchestra did perform near the beginning of the show, but first George Harrison and his band came out and played a few songs. The band included Robben Ford, Billy Preston, Willie Weeks, Tom Scott, Andy Newmark, and others that I didn't recognize. They started with an instrumental, "Hari's on Tour (Express)," which I really liked. Then they did "Something," which brought cheers from the crowd. The next song was the one that I had anticipated the most, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." George changed the lyrics to "While my guitar gently smiles"... what a great twist. George also played with Ravi Shankar at the end of the Indian performance, and it was great to see them together.

After about forty-five minutes of Ravi Shankar, George and his band returned for their main set. I remember that at one point, a girl got on a guy's shoulders, which was a mistake, as it blocked my view. I'm not proud of this, but I distinctly remember pulling her off his shoulder and her jumping down. They were pretty pissed off, but also stoned, so I showed them my camera and moved in front of them. After that I don't remember what happened, but I did enjoy the rest of the show. The other songs that I can clearly remember were "Sue Me, Sue You Blues," "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)," "Dark Horse," and "What Is Life." The show ended with "My Sweet Lord," another one of my all-time favorite songs. It was a concert that I'll always remember.

George Harrison with Indian musicians:

George Harrison with his own band:

Photos and memories of George Harrison's performance at the Oakland Coliseum Arena on November 8, 1974, can be seen here

More about George Harrison at David's Rock Scrapbook

Next: Dave Mason

7 comments:

motleyhoopleJune 13, 2012 at 7:56 PM
Great photos again. Enjoyed reading your memories of the show as well. Thanks!
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AnonymousJanuary 3, 2013 at 3:24 PM
I was at this show - seriously! I still have my program & ticket stub. Thanks for sharing!
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StuartApril 28, 2013 at 2:23 PM
Great photos
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AnonymousJanuary 10, 2014 at 4:18 PM
Nice photos, and cool to see George playing his Les Paul. If the interview I watched with Eric Clapton is correct, and if I'm remembering correctly, this is the guitar that Clapton bought for George in the U.S. and took back to England for him. It's also the guitar that George gave Clapton to use in the studio to record While My Guitar Gently Weeps with, and it is the guitar that Clapton borrowed back from Georgeto play his famous "Eric Clapton's Rainbow Concert" shows in London.
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AnonymousMay 15, 2016 at 2:22 PM
Was there just one girl on the shoulders of a guy, or many? I ask because I was there, down front and a guy put me on his shoulders so I could get some pictures. I was not stoned, did not take drugs. Maybe the guy was, but not me. It was an amazing night! Thanks for the pics, they are way better than mine. I just had a small instamatic!
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AnonymousSeptember 1, 2023 at 6:12 AM
Thank you so much! I just found this and I’m so happy because I was there! It was my first concert and I was only 14. Brings back so many memories. Any memories of what Billy Preston did? I can’t really recall
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Rick CalouMay 22, 2024 at 7:09 PM
I was at that show. No camera, good weed. Strong memories. Thanks for your camera and posting the photos. I’m 76 now had to be about thirty then, was in high school when The Beatles broke.
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BRIT ROCK BY THE BAY

The Man Who Invented the Business of Rock 'n' Roll

Bill Graham (1931-1991) was a prime figure in the musical history of the Bay Area. In the words of Pete Townshend, "Bill changed the way rock evolved." Starting locally in the 1960s, with small venues in San Francisco, he soon established himself as the leading promoter in rock 'n' roll. He was known to be hardheaded in his dealings, but he also raised the general standards of the business, and, above all, he always worked to further the interests of musicians. He actively nurtured the full potential of the music, taking great pride in providing an experience of high quality to performers and audiences.

From the early 1970s onward, Bill Graham continued to promote frequent shows throughout the Bay Area. After he closed the famous Fillmore West in July, 1971, Winterland became his main venue, with top bands appearing every weekend. (Bill Graham later described Winterland as "the first place where I was able to do things a little larger.") He also promoted shows at Berkeley Community Theatre. Major performers (George Harrison, Eric Clapton, Elton John, Cat Stevens, etc.) who required a bigger venue usually appeared at the Oakland Coliseum Arena, the Cow Palace, or San Francisco Civic Auditorium.

The Heyday of the 1970s

A second wave of British musicians, following closely on the heels of the first British Invasion that began in 1964 with the arrival of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Dave Clark Five, The Animals, The Kinks, The Searchers, Freddie and The Dreamers, Manfred Mann, Herman's Hermits and many others, regularly passed through the Bay Area in the 1970s. For dedicated fans of British rock 'n' roll, it was an exciting time of golden abundance, when leading performers from the United Kingdom, from Humble Pie to Mott the Hoople to Traffic to Fairport Convention to Yes, all appeared on local stages.

During that singular period of broad musicality, when British musicians were keenly pursuing varied forms of tuneful expression, frequent offerings of hard rock, glam rock, prog rock, and folk rock came out of the United Kingdom and were esteemed, embraced, and enjoyed by open-minded audiences at venues in San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley. It all happened within the wider context of a youthful community that eagerly drew musical sustenance from a hip network of record stores and radio stations.

In those bygone days before music became little more than a shallow commodity, when Ticketmaster and Live Nation had not yet gained the upper hand in the promotion of rock 'n' roll, and unbridled greed had not yet become the only rule of the game, a ticket for a musical performance in the Bay Area could be purchased for less than five dollars. Aside from programs and posters, there was little merchandise for sale at shows. The music itself, in all its honest glory, was still at the forefront.

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June 7, 2012

GEORGE HARRISON: NOVEMBER 1974 (PART 2)

7 comments: