One last dance in Melbourne for Tubular Bells for Two
Tubular Bells for Two will mesmerise audiences for one last time with a high-octane re-imagining of Mike Oldfield’s iconic album at Arts Centre Melbourne’s Playhouse on September 8 – 9, 2023.
Performers Daniel Holdsworth and Tom Bamford will juggle over 20 instruments in a live spellbinding performance that coincides with the 50th anniversary of Oldfield’s 1973 studio album Tubular Bells. The album was the first ever release on Richard Branson’s fledgling label Virgin Records – selling over 40 million copies and featured in cult-classic horror film The Exorcist.
Performer Daniel Holdsworth:
We’ve been in contact with Mike many times over the years, and he has been incredibly supportive of the show. When we first spoke to him, he just said he thought we were crazy.
When we’ve toured in the UK we’ve even been supported by his son, Luke Oldfield, and his band Gypsy fingers. To be honest, this show has been a massive part of my life for over a decade. It’s time for me to move on, but I really wanted to farewell the show properly and the 50th Anniversary feels like fitting send off for our little show, and to celebrate such an important piece of music.
There’s a sense of finality for this farewell run of Tubular Bells for Two with the work taking off at Arts Centre Melbourne over a decade ago.
Holdsworth:
Arts Centre Melbourne were the first major venue to give this show a chance back in 2011. I think we played in the Fairfax for a whole week, and from that point everything just took off. With that momentum we were invited to the Edinburgh Fringe, so it’s a really special to come back for one last run.
The show has completely changed live performance for me. It requires such intense rehearsal and for the shows themselves, you need to get into a zen-like state. It is so demanding as a performer because we need to keep track of so many different parts.
You just need to trust the process. Trust that your hands and feet know what to do. If you start to think too much, the entire thing comes crashing down. Which, to be honest, is why the show is so engaging. It’s like a tightrope act.
Things can go wrong at any moment. As soon as we play that first note, you can’t stop, it’s a journey to the very end, regardless of what happens.
Season Details
Venue: Playhouse
Date: 8 – 9 Sept 2023
For more information click HERE
