Tubular Bells to ring out again 

Tubular Bells for Two is returning for a final Melbourne performance, with the live arrangement of Mike Oldfield’s seminal 1973 masterpiece to be staged at Arts Centre Melbourne’s Playhouse on September 8 and 9. 

Coinciding with the album’s 50th anniversary, the show promises to be an arresting rendition of the musical magnum-opus that sold more than 40 million copies and featured in the cult-classic horror film, The Exorcist.

According to Daniel Holdsworth, when he and fellow musician Tom Bamford first approached Oldfield with an idea for a performance that involved the two artists spread across 20 instruments for more than an hour, Oldfield “thought [they] were crazy”.

Described as “mesmerising” by the Sydney Morning Herald, Holdsworth noted that the show “requires such intense rehearsal” that the pair “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,” he said. 

“You just need to trust the process. Trust that your hands and feet know what to do.” 

“As soon as we play that first note, you can’t stop, it’s a journey to the very end, regardless of what happens.” •