Tim Parsons / Tahoe Onstage photos
George Harrison’s other “Old Brown Shoe” has been located on Abbey Road.
An alternate version of the “Quiet” Beatle’s blues tune will be included on next month’s reissue of the “Abbey Road” album.
It was 50 years ago – Aug. 8, 1969 – when the Fab Four caused a traffic jam as they walked through the zebra-painted crosswalk in a photo shoot for the album cover. Crowds gathered Thursday in the St. John’s Wood neighborhood to celebrate the anniversary.
On Friday, Aug. 9, there was be a celebration at Lake Tahoe, too. “George!” — The Concert starring Nick Bold as George Harrison — was be presented at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Lake Tahoe’s Vinyl Showroom. The quartet is led by Nick Bold.
“George complemented the other two – (John Lennon and Paul McCartney) — so well,” Bold told Tahoe Onstage. “He kept his ego very much under control. He was the perfect guitarist for that groove. A very hard role to fill with two geniuses in the driver gear. He was just so tasteful in his playing. He was the perfect guy for that job.”
Songs played in “George!” are loosely based on Harrison’s 1991 tour in Japan. They include Harrison’s Beatles songs, including two sung by Ringo Starr, his solo material and tunes with the supergroup The Travelin’ Wilburys.
Bold uses pedals to recreate the Beatles’ Leslie sound and Harrison’s sitar. Highlights of a lively 90 minute performance at Hard Rock were “My Guitar Gently Weeps,” “My Sweet Lord,” “Here Comes The Sun” and “Taxman.”
Bold’s resemblance to Harrison led to an appearance about 12 years ago on a British television program, “Stars In Their Eyes.” After his performance was discovered on YouTube, he was recruited to play in the Beatles tribute band The Reunion Beatles.
Bold also plays in a trio, Nick Bold & The Raging Sea. Each of those members play in “George!” plus a keyboardist.
Beatles notes: Bold said “Frank Sinatra famously said “Something” was his “favorite Lennon-McCartney song.” It was, in fact, written by Harrison. … The resissue of “Abbey Road” is Sept. 26 and will include a new version of “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” with an extended jam by “Fifth Beatle” keyboardist Billy Preston. … Although “Let It Be” was the final album released by the Beatles, the band’s final recording sessions were for “Abbey Road.” … Harrison, Lennon and McCartney played in a band called the Quarrymen before they started the Beatles. … Harrison died in 2001 at the age of 58.
— Tim Parsons
