If you were a fan of The Exorcist, or a child of the 70s, the classic Tubular Bells album, composed by English teen Mike Oldfield, will ring a bell or two – pun intended.
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Since its release on Richard Branson’s then fledgling Virgin Records, it has sold more than 30 million copies.
Musician Aidan Roberts grew up listening to Tubular Bells (parts one and two) in his parent’s car on the way to visit his grandparents – it was, after all, almost an hour long.
The first instrument he learned how to play was the piano. But on stage tonight, he and fellow musician Daniel Holdsworth will play about 20 different instruments.
“I have the album on vinyl,” Roberts says. “When Danny came over one time, I was listening to it and he played along on guitar.”
From there the crazy idea to play the album as it is on vinyl developed. The difference is Oldfield recorded each of the instruments on different tracks and put them all together. Although he played many of them himself, he certainly didn’t attempt what these energetic musicians do on stage – play them all.
“We had most of the instruments at our disposal – guitar, mandolin, keyboard – but we don’t have a flute. Our tubular bells were made by a friend from fence piping.”
Roberts is always picking up new instruments. “… Middle Eastern, drums, trumpet, guitar, tubular bells”.
Roberts says no matter how many times you listen to the album, there is always something you miss. “There’s little details you pick up even after you listen to it over and over, so the show is always evolving.”
The pair “started messing around” with the concept in 2008. The first experimental show was at The Clarendon in the Blue Mountains. From there they strategically chose various fringe and folk festivals and eventually took it to Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
“We never anticipated it would take us around the world.”
The concert is “not just a gig, it’s a theatrical experience”, says Roberts.
“It gets a bit frantic with us running around. The audience laughs at us, but its pent up nervous energy as they anticipate whether we succeed at it.
“It starts off quite moody and goes to quite insane and frenetic.”
The lads apparently never sought permission from Oldfield to recreate his masterpiece. “We heard from Mike after a while. He’s seen our DVD. He said, ‘I think it’s amazing you picked it up by ear’.” Roberts says the show is their interpretation of Tubular Bells. “It’s our homage to it.”
The physically demanding show is a little longer than the album. “We enhance it, take a drink, take small subtle liberties,” he says. “Very few albums make you stop and go wow, that’s really different and [Tubular Bells] is even more interesting live.”
