Sadly, Jeff Lynne’s ELO, the current incarnation of the Electric Light Orchestra, was forced to cancel the last two concerts of its farewell tour this past week because frontman Jeff Lynne was stricken with “a systemic infection.” As previously reported, the 77-year-old Rock & Roll Hall of Famer announced that he was advised by his doctors that performing was “simply not possible at this time nor will he be able to reschedule.”
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The canceled shows had been scheduled for July 10 in Manchester, U.K., and July 13 at Hyde Park in London. ELO’s last concert was held on June 9 in Manchester at the Co-op Live venue, and it appears that this show will be Lynne’s final gig.
Fans lucky enough to attend the concert were treated to a guest appearance by Dhani Harrison, son of late Beatles guitarist George Harrison, who also was a member of supergroup the Traveling Wilburys alongside Lynne.
Dhani was the opening act for Jeff Lynne’s ELO at all three of the band’s 2025 U.K. shows. At each gig, Harrison also hit the stage with ELO to perform two classic Traveling Wilburys tunes with Jeff. The songs in question were “Handle with Care” and “End of the Line.”
Fan-shot video of Dhani performing both tunes at the July 9 Manchester show has been posted on YouTube. Harrison looked and sounded eerily like his dad during both performances, as he sang George’s parts and strummed an acoustic guitar.
Dhani posted a series of photos from the July 9 show on his social media pages.
Dhani Has Performed Traveling Wilburys Songs with Jeff Lynne Before
Dhani Harrison previously served as the opening act for Jeff Lynne’s ELO during the band’s 2019 North American tour. During that trek, Dhani also regularly came out and performed “Handle with Care” with Lynne and company.
In addition, Dhani took part in a performance of “Handle with Care” at the 2002 Concert for George tribute show at the Royal Albert Hall in London. That rendition also featured Lynne and Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers.
More About “Handle with Care” and “End of the Line”
The Traveling Wilburys, of course, were a supergroup featuring Lynne, George Harrison, Petty, Bob Dylan, and Roy Orbison. “Handle with Care” and “End of the Line” were the first two singles issued from the band’s debut album, Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1, which was released in October 1988.
The songs peaked at No. 45 and No. 63, respectively, on the Billboard Hot 100, and both reached No. 2 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock tally.
Lynne and Harrison co-produced the album, which reached peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200.
(Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)
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