The concert opened with a traditional Sanskrit invocation, the Sarveshamchant, followed by Indian music starting with Anoushka Shankar, daughter of Ravi Shankar, playing "Your Eyes". Next, Anoushka Shankar, Dhani Harrison, and Jeff Lynne performed "The Inner Light", followed by a Ravi Shankar composition "Arpan" (Sanskrit for 'to give'), specially written for the occasion.
The event was filmed and a motion picture version, directed by David Leland and photographed by Academy Award-winning cinematographer Chris Menges, was released on DVD on 17 November 2003. A compact disc version was also released on the same date although the Monty Python and Sam Brown tracks were not included on the CD. A Blu-ray version was released by Rhino Records on 22 March 2011.[4]
In 2018, to honour what would have been Harrison's 75th birthday, the concert made its debut on streaming services, and was issued on a vinyl LP set for the first time.[2]
Set list
"Sarveshaam"
Traditional prayer – including a dedication by Ravi Shankar
Anoushka Shankar: sitar; Jeff Lynne: vocals, acoustic guitar; Dhani Harrison: backing vocals, piano; Rajendara Prasanna: shahnai; Tanmoy Bose: tabla; Sunil Gupta: flute; M. Balanchandar: mridangam; Unidentified musicians: other instruments
"Arpan" (Ravi Shankar) – 23:01
Anoushka Shankar: conductor; Sukanya Shankar: vocal-shloka; M. Balanchandar: mridangam; Rajendara Prasanna: shahnai; Vishwa Mohan Bhatt: mohan vina; Tanmoy Bose: tabla, dholak; Chandrasekhar, Balu Raghuraman: violins; Eric Clapton: acoustic guitar; Pedro Eustache: wind instruments; Sunil Gupta: flute; Anuradha Krishamurthi, O.S. Arun: vocals; Jane Lister: harp; Gaurav Mazumdar: sitar; Snehashish Mzumdar: mandolin; Ramesh Mishra: sarangi; Pirashanna Thevarajah: percussion; Kenji Ota: tanpura; Barry Phillips: cello; Emil Richards: marimba; Partho Sarathy: sarod; Hari Sivanesan, Sivaskti Sivanesan: veena; Boys and Girls Choir courtesy of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan; English Chamber Choir; London Metropolitan Orchestra (Andrew Brown, Roger Chase, Chris Fish, Helen Hathorn, Lynda Houghton, Ian Humphries, Zoe Martlew, Stella Page, Debbie Widdup)
Michael Kamen – string conductor, string arrangement
Comedy Interlude including four members of Monty Python: Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin. Also performing: Neil Innes, Carol Cleveland, Tom Hanks, and The Fred Tomlinson Singers.
Joe Brown: vocals, acoustic guitar; Neil Gauntlett: acoustic guitar; Dave "Rico" Niles: bass; Phil Capaldi: drums; Andy Fairweather-Low: electric guitar
Joe Brown: vocals, mandolin; Neil Gauntlett: acoustic guitar; Dave "Rico" Niles: bass; Phil Capaldi: drums; Andy Fairweather-Low: slide electric guitar
Tom Petty: vocals, 12-string acoustic guitar; Mike Campbell: guitar; Benmont Tench: electric piano; Ron Blair: bass; Steve Ferrone: drums; Scott Thurston: backing vocals, guitar
"Handle with Care" (George Harrison / Jeff Lynne / Roy Orbison / Tom Petty / Bob Dylan) – 3:27
Tom Petty: vocals, 12-string acoustic guitar; Jeff Lynne: vocals, guitar; Dhani Harrison: acoustic guitar; Scott Thurston: backing vocals, guitar, harmonica; Mike Campbell: guitar; Benmont Tench: electric piano; Ron Blair: bass; Steve Ferrone: drums; Jim Keltner: drums
Paul McCartney: vocals, acoustic guitar; Ringo Starr: drums; Eric Clapton: 12-string acoustic guitar; Dhani Harrison: electric guitar; Klaus Voormann: bass; Marc Mann: slide guitar
Eric Clapton: vocals, guitar; Jeff Lynne: vocals, acoustic guitar; Paul McCartney: piano; Ringo Starr: drums; Andy Fairweather-Low: vocals, guitar; Supergroup of Guest Musicians: other instruments