To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Mike Oldfield’s multi-million-selling and multi-award-winning album Tubular Bells, a live in concert celebratory UK tour will run in 2023, with a performance at Ipswich Regent Theatre on Saturday 11 March.
Tubular Bells: The 50th Anniversary Celebration will feature an expansive live group, conducted and arranged by Oldfield’s long-term collaborator Robin Smith. It sees Tubular Bells performed in full, along with other Oldfield compositions.
Created in 1971 and released in 1973, Tubular Bells was the debut studio album by English multi-instrumentalist, composer, and songwriter Mike Oldfield. At just 17 years old when he started composing the music, Oldfield recorded and played almost all the instruments on the album, gained worldwide recognition when the opening theme was used for the soundtrack of horror film The Exorcist, going on to become the highest selling instrumental album of all time.
A bold and progressive fusion, Tubular Bellsis a journey through classical, jazz, folk, progressive rock, and electronica and went on to win a Grammy for Best Instrumental Composition in 1974. Robin Smith, conductor of the show, was completely mesmerised by Tubular Bells the moment he heard it. Smith has collaborated with Mike Oldfield for over 30 years, with memorable performances of Tubular Bells at Edinburgh Castle and the 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony in London.
Of the tour, show conductor Robin Smith says:
“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. 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. Joining us on the tour will be the renowned guitarist, Jay Stapley who performed with me at the iconic Tubular Bells II concert live from Edinburgh Castle in 1992.
The wonderful thing about Tubular Bells is that it never seems to age, the actual composition is just perfect and is as spell-binding now as it was 50 years ago. It incorporates so many things - folk and rock, blues and jazz which evoke such melodic beauty and drama. This performance also features others works by Mike: Moonlight Shadow, Omadawn and Summit Day."
Tickets go on sale at 10am on Friday 14 October 2022. More information can be found here.
Image credit – none.
