The Tubular Bells 50th Anniversary Tour (Double Disc) [DVD]

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The whole evening was wrapped up with an energetic arrangement of the ‘Hornpipe!’ I didn’t expect that. It had the crowd up, with feet tapping, clapping hands and happy smiling faces, thanks to the wave of nostalgia that had just been perfectly delivered and washed over us. Mike Oldfield’s ‘Tubular Bells’ The 50th Anniversary Celebration, Brighton Dome 5.2.23 (pic Ian Bourn) Smith’s arrangements of Oldfield were a memorable part of the iconic Opening Ceremony to the 2012 London Olympics. Here, in Tubular Bells 50 th Anniverary Tour, a film directed by Matt Hargreaves of a dramatic concert performance at London’s Royal Festival Hall, Smith is the musical director, conducting his arrangements from the keyboard on which he also performs. As I mentioned, the performance was set over two sessions. The first session delivered a brilliantly constructed listing made up of some of Mike Oldfield’s “Greatest Hits”. Mike Oldfield’s ‘Tubular Bells’ The 50th Anniversary Celebration, Brighton Dome 5.2.23 (pic Ian Bourn) To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Tubular Bells, the iconic masterpiece will be performed live with a full band across the UK in Spring 2023. The Tubular Bells Concert 2023 Tour is conducted and arranged by Oldfield’s long-term collaborator Robin Smith.

Tubular Bells The 50th Anniversary Celebration will feature an expansive live group, conducted and arranged by Oldfield’s long-term collaborator Robin Smith. It will see Tubular Bells performed in full, along with further Oldfield compositions, touring across the UK beginning at Cardiff’s St David’s Hall on 3rd February, right through until the end of March. The orchestra got together for a well-deserved bow for the Brighton crowd who were now on their feet for the second time tonight. It was THAT good! Mike Oldfield’s ‘Tubular Bells’ The 50th Anniversary Celebration, Brighton Dome 5.2.23 (pic Ian Bourn) It amazes me how much can be achieved through fancy wording. All those promotion slogans that describe this absolutely desecrated version of TB as a ‘ground-breaking’ performance with ‘expressive’ singers and ‘intriguing’ arrangements…are as deceitful as those original ads that made hundreds of people believe that Mike Oldfield was actually playing there.Robin said, “The wonder of working with Mike is his amazing creative restraint. He would allow me to paint a musical picture and then very thoughtfully and carefully intwine his own personality and musicality to create something magical. He was always enthusiastic and incredibly generous and thoughtful with the other musicians, and actually a very sensitive instructor.

The show was premiered at the Royal Festival Hall in August 2021 to great acclaim as an early celebration of and tribute to Mike - who in my view is one of England’s greatest composers in the last century. Along with the musicians, it’s a real privilege to be performing this extraordinary work. It’s as fresh today as it was when Mike created it in 1971 - and I love having the chance to bring it to new audiences as well as those who, like me, are still captivated by it whenever they hear it.The high point of the piece - the end of the record's first side - as Vivian Stanshall famously announces each of the instruments (his voice was recorded here) was faithfully reproduced. And there was surely more than one lump in the throat as the years fell away and the clanging tubular bells, situated centre stage, brought the show to its climax. Originally released on 25th May 1973, the Tubular Bells The 50th Anniversary Celebration tour will feature an expansive live group, arranged by Mike Oldfield’s long-term collaborator Robin A Smith. Along with the musicians, I’m really thrilled to be offering this beautiful re-imagined version of Tubular Bells to a wider audience up and down the country.

Once the performers begin playing Tubular Bells and the acrobats take the stage Tubular Bells 50th Anniversary Tour becomes an entertaining mix of music and visuals with the acrobats’ performance complimenting the music but never taking the spotlight from it. The arrangement itself is close enough to the original that it doesn’t sound overly different, apart from replacing the late Vivian Stanshall as Master of Ceremonies. We all filed out into the cold frosty air and everyone was clearly buzzing about what they had just seen and enjoyed. It was great to see the Dome nearly full again, and also the wide range of ages making up the audience. This is a concert for anyone, for those who grabbed the album when it came out on vinyl in 1973 to the Spotify audiences of today. Music is at its best when it’s live! A most enjoyable experience. Mike Oldfield’s ‘Tubular Bells’ The 50th Anniversary Celebration, Brighton Dome 5.2.23 (pic Ian Bourn) I started working on a reimagined version of Tubular Bells about six years after the London Olympics. I wanted to play a cinematic version for a new generation of concertgoers and Mike told me this was a great idea to embrace. I sat down and started recreating the work by altering the tempo and instruments and adding other nuances to give it a fresh vitality. Every melodic note is true to Mike’s original – embellished with colours and textures to heighten emotion and drama. I wanted to show that Mike is not only someone who can play a lot of instruments but is also a genuine composer. The reimagined version culminated in its premier at the Royal Festival Hall in London in 2021 and a CD album and now a 50th anniversary UK tour.” She was introduced to the production company, Fiery Angel who, consequently, are now producing the show. From this opportune introduction the ideas grew and grew and have now resulted in the performances at the Royal Festival Hall in August 2021.The show was premiered at the Royal Festival Hall in London in August 2021 to great acclaim as an early celebration of and tribute to Mike - who in my view is one of England’s greatest composers in the last century. Along with the musicians, it’s a real privilege to be performing this extraordinary work. It’s as fresh today as it was when Mike created it in 1971 - and I love having the chance to bring it to new audiences as well as those who, like me, are still captivated by it whenever they hear it. The show was split into two halves. We were to be treated to ‘Tubular Bells’ performed in full, along with further Oldfield compositions. Mike Oldfield’s ‘Tubular Bells’ The 50th Anniversary Celebration, Brighton Dome 5.2.23 (pic Ian Bourn) Robin was captivated by Tubular Bells when he heard it the first time. He once made the pilgrimage to climb Hergest Ridge to try and understand the heart of Mike’s work. It was premiered at the Royal Festival Hall in August 2021 to great acclaim, as an early celebration of Mike Oldfield’s stunning work – so to be touring the UK in the 50th year is a huge privilege for me and a perfect tribute to one of England’s greatest composers.