Following on from the hugely successful extended 50th anniversary celebrations of Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells across Europe, The Best of Tubular Bells I, II & III, which celebrates the brilliance of these iconic and seminal musical pieces, will tour across Europe in Autumn 2026..
One of the most pioneering and influential musicians of all time, Mike Oldfield’s visionary Tubular Bells series spans three albums and 27 years, with TubularBells created in 1971 and released in 1973, Tubular Bells II released in 1992, (the filming of the premier from Edinburgh Castle is one of the most viewed and streamed musical events ever) and Tubular Bells III released in 1998, (with the excerpt of Far above the Clouds featured in the 2012 London Olympic Opening Ceremony) . With each album, Oldfield expands on the incredible themes and theatrical variations he first composed at 17 years old, continually innovating and pushing boundaries.
The Best of Tubular Bells I, II & lll European tour will feature an expansive live group, led and arranged by Oldfield’s long-term collaborator Robin Smith, which will see whole of Tubular Bells l performed in full, along with extended sections of Tubular Bells ll and lll, as well as worldwide hit single Moonlight Shadow.
Tubular Bells, created in 1971 and released in 1973, 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 the horror film, The Exorcist and went on to become the highest selling instrumental album of all time. A bold and progressive fusion, Tubular Bells is a journey through classical, jazz, folk, progressive rock, and electronica and went on to win a Grammy for Best Instrumental Composition in 1974.
Tubular Bells II was released in 1992 and, like its predecessor, charted at No.1 in the UK Albums Chart. Featuring the top 10 single ‘Sentinel’, Tubular Bells went 2x Platinum in the UK.
The third instalment in the Tubular Bells series was released in 1998 and draws on inspiration from the electronic music popular in bars and clubs in Ibiza, where Oldfield moved to in 1996.
Since the Premier of Tubular Bells 50th celebration it has been obvious the huge love that there has been for Mike’s music. Smith says, “In The Best of concert we get to perform excerpts from all 3 masterpieces and highlight the musical brilliance and technical advancements that have occurred between the first and the third albums. It will be an unforgettable evening and a great challenge for the wonderful musicians."
Robin A. Smith, the Grammy-nominated Musical Director of the tour show, was completely mesmerised by Tubular Bells the moment he heard it. He studied Composition at the Royal College of Music, spent several years touring the world as a piano player and was the principal pianist of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, before meeting Mike Oldfield over 30 years ago. Smith has collaborated with Oldfield for more than three decades, with performances of various Tubular Bells albums at iconic locations such as Edinburgh Castle, Horse Guards Parade and the 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony. The Tubular Bells 50th Anniversary Tour Concert from London’t Royal Festival Hall can now be viewed on Amazon Prime.
Zitat von Robin Smit:
"I have been lucky enough to work with Mike since the premiere and the conception of Tubular Bells II. All of these epic works in the Tubular Bells series are filled with music of the utmost creativity and continually take the listener on extraordinary journeys of imagination.
We have been lucky enough to tour our new reimagined version of Tubular Bells extensively around the world, a show that has been embraced by so many. We thought how wonderful it would be to incorporate music from all of Mike’s three major works so everyone can delight in his sensational themes and dramatic episodes.
Night after night we have huge pleasure in knowing that we are continuing to keep the legacy of Mike’s music alive for the people who love it already and for new listeners. So we delight in bringing you this new show - it is so full of energy, so full of life, and will be an incredible spectacle."
