| Main Performers | Jimmy Buffett,
Eric Clapton,
Phil Collins,
Mark Knopfler,
Sir Paul McCartney,
Carl Perkins,
Sting,
Midge Ure,
Elton John,
Jools Holland |
| Secondary Performers | Ralph MacDonald,
Robbie Greenwich,
Guy Fletcher,
Ray Cooper - percussion,
Dave Hartley,
Ian Thomas,
Chris Lawrence,
Dominic Miller - guitar |
| Orchestra or Band | The Band (Robbie McIntosh - guitar, Phil Palmer - guitar, Long John Gidling - bass guitar, Ian Thomas - drums, Paul "Wix" Wickens - keyboard),
London Community Gospel Choir,
Arrow |
| Set List | 'God Save the Queen' (The National Anthem),
Introduction (George Martin),
Introduction of a documentary about the island of Montserrat (Martin Lewis),
'Ah Just Can't Runaway' (Arrow),
'Hot Hot Hot' (Arrow),
Introduction to Midge Ure (Martin Lewis),
'Dancing With Tears in My Eyes' (Midge Ure)
'Vienna' (Midge Ure),
'Matchbox' (Carl Perkins),
'Blue Suede Shoes' (Carl Perkins),
'A Pirate Looks at Forty' (Jimmy Buffet),
'I Don't Know Where I'm Gonna Go When the Volcano Blows!' (Jimmy Buffet, Ralph MacDonald, Robbie Greenwich),
'In the Air Tonight' (Phil Collins),
'Take Me Home' (Phil Collins, Arrow)
INTERVAL
'Bridge Over Troubled Water' (London Community Gospel Choir, Joni Lee)
'Wild Theme' - from Local Hero (Mark Knopfler, Guy Fletcher),
'Brothers in Arms' (Mark Knopfler),
'Money for Nothing' (Mark Knopfler with Sting - co-vocals, Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, Ray Cooper, London Community Gospel Choir),
'Message in a Bottle' (Sting with Ray Cooper, Dave Hartley, Ian Thomas and Chris Lawrence, Dominic Miller),
'Fields of Gold' (Sting, Dominic Miller),
'Every Little Thing She Does is Magic' (Sting, Ray Cooper, Dave Hartley, Ian Thomas, Chris Lawrence, London Community Gospel Choir),
'Your Song' (Elton John),
'Live Like Horses' (Elton John),
'Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me' (Elton John),
'Broken Hearted' (Eric Clapton),
'Layla' (Eric Clapton with Mark Knopfler),
'Same Old Blues' (Eric Clapton with Mark Knopfler, Phil Collins, Jools Holland and Ray Cooper),
'Yesterday' (Paul McCartney - solo with guitar),
'Golden Slumbers', 'Carry That Weight', 'The End' (Paul McCartney - keyboards, then guitar, with Phil Collins, Mark Knopfler, Eric Clapton, Ray Cooper, and George Martin)
ENCORE
'Hey Jude', The Beatles (Paul McCartney - piano and all performers. Elton John and Sting both take verses),
'Kansas City' (Paul McCartney - vocals and all performers),
Goodbye (Paul McCartney and George Martin) |
| Royal Presence | HRH Prince Andrew The Duke of York |
| Performance Notes | This was a fundraising concert organised by George Martin, producer of the Beatles. He had a recording studio on the Caribbean island of Montserrat used by Elton John, the Rolling Stones and others. Martin brought a range of artists together to raise funds for the island after a major volcanic eruption by the Soufrière Hills volcano earlier in 1997 left the island, including its capital of Plymouth, devastated.
The concert starred musicians such as Phil Collins, Ray Cooper, Carl Perkins, Jimmy Buffett, Mark Knopfler, Sting, Elton John, Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, Midge Ure, Arrow and many more, all of whom had once recorded at the island's famous AIR Studios. All artists played for free.
The 4,500 tickets for the event sold out within 90 minutes.
The concert (edited down from the full 3 1/2 hours) was first aired on Tuesday 16 September 1997 on Sky Box Office pay-per-view TV channel. The concert was also broadcast on Heart 102.6 FM.
A DVD was released and proceeds were used for immediate relief and also helped fund the building of a new cultural centre in Montserrat. On its completion in 2006, George Martin gifted the centre to the islanders.
First European perfomance by Jimmy Buffet as well as his first and only Royal Albert Hall performance.
This was Carl Perkins last major live performance before his death in January 1998. Following his arrival on stage after an introduction by Eric Clapton and then George Martin, Paul McCartney told the audience that it has just been pointed out to him that it was 34 years since he last played this venue.
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| Related Archival Material | Programme (RAHE/1/1997/132),
Transparencies (RAHE/3/18/20),
Photographs (RAHE/3/1997/9)
Video (RAHE/5/1997/1) |