“I never thought that the word ‘tubular bells’ was going to play such an important part in our lives ... Virgin going into space most likely wouldn’t have existed if we hadn’t hired that particular instrument.”
— Richard Branson, 2013
History tells us that Tubular Bells was the very first release on the Virgin label. It occupied the UK charts for 279 weeks and is estimated to have sold 17 million copies since its 1973 release. After the opening theme was picked up for The Exorcist movie it became a worldwide sensation, helping Richard Branson’s fledgling company become the multi-billion-dollar enterprise we know today.
Although the current touring production has the composer’s blessing, the posters outside the venue make it perfectly clear he is not directly involved and will not be appearing. Oldfield officially retired from performing some years ago, after all.
But this is far from just another tribute act. The task of putting this extravaganza together fell to musical director and pianist Robin A. Smith. He has worked with Oldfield extensively over the decades (including at the 2012 London Olympics opening ceremony) and he understands this music better than almost anyone else.
The first half of the show comprised sections of Tubular Bells II (1992) and Tubular Bells III (1998). Faultlessly performed though they were, I suspect many in the audience were unfamiliar with these less famous sequels and were itching for the main event to begin. Instantly recognisable however was the 1983 single “Moonlight Shadow” which closed the first half. It featured a terrific vocal performance from Melbourne’s Jameson Butler, who was heard to great effect almost throughout the entire programme.
Watching the eight people on stage meticulously working through this remarkable music, sometimes delicately, often with sledgehammer ferocity, really drives home just what an incredible achievement the original Tubular Bells album was. Mike Oldfield was just 19 years old when he recorded it, largely alone. There were no computers back then. The record was painstakingly pieced together via a thousand overdubs and razor blade tape edits in glorious analogue. And let’s say it again: he played it ALL BY HIMSELF.
Conducted and directed with a series of elaborate hand signals by the charmingly eccentric Smith on piano and keyboards, the sprawling ensemble, comprising two guitars/mandolin, electric cello, bass guitar, two drummers/percussionists and vocals, looked mightily impressive occupying the entire stage. As a guitar spotter I was thrilled to see that Ruben Alvarez and Maxime Obadia were playing period correct instruments. I won’t bore you with the minutia, but onstage were several Fenders, a PRS and a Gibson SG Junior. All of them identical to the guitars used by Oldfield himself. It was a nice tribute and a lovely touch of detail.
Jack Davies impressed with his work on an actual set of tubular bells (positioned high up and placed centre stage, of course), while second drummer/percussionist Will Miles beefed up the sound on a full rock drum kit.
When it came to the famous finale where the instruments are introduced one by one, the bassist (whose name I didn’t catch) held down that interminable wrist-aching motif admirably. As for the voice-over, it sounded like a tape of the original 1973 Vivian Stanshall narration was used.
As an encore we were treated to a manic version of “Sailor’s Hornpipe” which ends side two of the original Tubular Bells album.
Other than perhaps the bassist, the hardest working man on the night appeared to be the long-haired guitar tech. He was almost literally run off his feet, fixing assorted technical issues and emerging from the wings every few minutes with a fresh instrument after re-tuning what seemed like a dozen electric and acoustic guitars, plus mandolins. The fact that from where we were sitting up in the gods, he bore more than a passing resemblance to Neil from TV’s The Young Ones was just a happy bonus.
I’ve long been convinced that the key to Tubular Bells’ success is that missing beat in the introductory section. They may not be aware of it, but the listener is subconsciously waiting for the extra beat to arrive, enabling the piece to resolve. But of course, due to that devilish 15/8 time signature, it never does arrive. The opening passage runs for only four minutes, but it creates an unsettling air of tension, piquing the interest and setting the scene for the delights to come. Which is exactly why it worked so well as the main theme to The Exorcist.
53 years after it was recorded, Mike Oldfield’s magnum opus has become akin to modern classical music. There have been numerous versions over the years, live and on record and it is still regularly performed by rock bands and orchestras around the world. Long may it continue.
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