Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells

In the organizer's words:

With "Tubular Bells", Mike Oldfield didn't just release his debut album in 1973 - he composed an experimental instrumental album that had a massive influence on the development of British progressive rock. Not only did the album become a number 1 success, it stayed in the British album charts for a whole 288 weeks and is now regarded as the best-selling instrumental album of all time. It was followed in 1992 by "Tubular Bells II", which expanded on the motivic themes and theatrical variations of his first album as well as pushing its boundaries with an innovative spirit. On "Tubular Bells III", which completed the work in 1998, the composer continued to experiment with the diverse influences between musical avant-garde, classical music and modernity such as electronic music and rock music. Following unique live productions of the album and its sequels, as well as a major tour to celebrate the 50th anniversary of "Tubular Bells", the project initiated by Robin A. Smith project MIKE OLDFIELD'S TUBLAR BELLS will return to Europe in fall 2026 with "The Best of Tubular Bells I, II & III". The Grammy-nominated music director describes the shows in Stuttgart, Hamburg, Leipzig, Essen, Düsseldorf, Dresden, Munich and Chemnitz as "unforgettable evenings", which are also a great challenge for the wonderful musicians: "In the best-of concert, we can bring excerpts from all three masterpieces to the stage and highlight the musical brilliance and technical progress that was made between the first and third albums."
When we talk about Mike Oldfield, we are talking about one of the most influential music pioneers and boundary-pushers of his time. With his visionary work "Tubular Bells" - a series of albums spanning 27 years - he made himself immortal. Composed in 1971 at the age of just 17, Mike Oldfield, with his experimental and avant-garde approach as a multi-instrumentalist, played almost all the instruments on the album. The work - celebrated by fans of rock music and classical music alike - became a milestone of progressive rock after its release in 1973 and came to worldwide attention after the album's intro was used in the horror film "The Exorcist" in the same year. In addition to the three "Tubular Bells" albums, Mike Oldfield released a total of 23 studio albums, landed nine times in the top 10 of the UK charts and is respected by musicologists, music lovers and musicians worldwide for his groundbreaking body of work. For over 30 years, Oldfield, who retired from the public eye in 2023 and no longer participates in concerts, has worked with Grammy-nominated music director Robin A. Smith together. Smith himself describes his first experience with "Tubular Bells" as a captivating moment and has since regularly brought the magnum opus and its continuations to the stage with great fascination and innovative spirit.

Please note: This is a tribute show. Mike Oldfield is not on site.