Tubular Bells for Two

Tubular Bells for Two is a music-theatre production created and performed by Australian multi-instrumentalists Aidan Roberts and Daniel Holdsworth. In the show the two musicians re-create Mike Oldfield's 1973 album Tubular Bells live with over twenty instruments. They won The Sydney Fringe award for 'Best Musical Moment' in 2010, and have since featured at major arts festivals around Australia and the Pacific, including Sydney Festival and NZ International Arts Festival. The production made its European début at the 2012 Edinburgh Festival Fringe where it won two awards,[1] going on to tour Europe in 2013 for the 40th anniversary of the original Oldfield album.[2] The production has gone on to regularly tour the US, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

Tubular Bells for Two
OriginBlue Mountains, NSW, Australia Show created by:
Daniel Holdsworth
Aidan Roberts
Music by Mike Oldfield
GenresProgressive rock, folk, Celtic
Years active2008–present
LabelsGlynis Henderson Productions
places+spaces, inc.
MembersDaniel Holdsworth
Tom Bamford
Past membersAidan Roberts
Websitewww.tubularbellsfortwo.com
tubularbellsfortwo.co.uk

In July 2017, it was announced that Aidan Roberts would be stepping down from touring the show, and a new member, Tom Bamford, would join the production.[3] Bamford has since toured the UK and Australia receiving high praise after stepping in to such a demanding role.[4]

History

Long-time friends and collaborators, Roberts and Holdsworth, conceived the show 'almost by accident' whilst listening to records around a fire during the Australian winter of 2008. After listening to the original Oldfield classic, the two decided to try to play the album from start-to-finish on two guitars.[5] According to Michael Dwyer, "Performing the album was furthest from their minds. But week by week, as Roberts' living room slowly filled to bursting with dozens of instruments, the bells of destiny became impossible to ignore."[5] Eventually they were attempting to re-create Tubular Bells note-for-note on over twenty instruments between the two of them, and finally, after 9 months of rehearsal, they decided to perform it.

The duo contacted The Clarendon in Katoomba NSW, Australia, and asked for a 'quiet night', because they did not think the performance would have much appeal. They were given the night of Good Friday, 2009, and to their surprise the show sold-out.[6] This led to an invitation to the Sydney Fringe Festival in 2010 where the show received a Sydney Fringe Award for Best Musical Moment.[7]

The pair have since gone on to perform sell-out seasons at the Victorian Arts Centre in 2011, Darwin Festival 2011, Sydney Festival 2012 and the New Zealand International Arts Festival 2012.[1]

Tubular Bells for Two was performed at the 2012 Edinburgh Festival Fringe[1] where the show won a Herald Angel Award[8] and a Sixth Star Bobby Award.[9]

During 2013 the show toured Australia, New Zealand and Europe to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the original Oldfield album. In 2014 there was an extensive tour of The Netherlands, and in 2015 it toured the US, Iceland and parts of Australia.[2]

At the Adelaide Fringe in 2015, the show was garnered with two awards, winning a Weekly Award,[10] and the BankSA Adelaide Fringe Award for Best Music.[11]

DVD

A performance of Tubular Bells for Two was filmed during the Sydney Festival 2012 at the Parramatta Riverside Theatres. The film was directed and edited by Daniel Jameison, and was released on DVD in July 2012 through Birdland Records.[12]

Awards
YearAwardCategory
2015Adelaide Fringe AwardBankSA Best Music Award[11]
2015Weekly AwardBest Music, Adelaide Fringe[10]
2012Broadway Baby Bobby AwardSixth-Star Award, Edinburgh Fringe[9]
2012Bank of Scotland Herald Angel AwardMusic, Edinburgh Fringe[8]
2010Sydney Fringe AwardBest Musical Moment[7]

Instruments and equipment

The following is a list of instruments and equipment used by the performers in the show:

Daniel Holdsworth

Aidan Roberts / Tom Bamford

References
  1. "Tubular Bells For Two Shows". Retrieved 18 July 2012.
  2. "Tubular Bells for Two, UK website". Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  3. "Tubular Bells for Two website". Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  4. "MumbleMusic". 3 October 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  5. Dwyer, Michael (24 April 2011). "For Two The Bell Tolls". The Age, Fairfax. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
  6. Zuel, Bernard. "New Sound With Familiar Ring". The Sydney Morning Herald, Fairfax. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
  7. "The Sydney Fringe Announces 2010 Award Winners". Australian Stage. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
  8. "Edinburgh Fringe Show 2012". Retrieved 11 August 2012.
  9. "Tubular Bells for Two, Broadway Baby". Retrieved 10 September 2012.
  10. "Fringe Weekly Winners". Adelaide Fringe. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
  11. "Adelaide Fringe Awards". Adelaide Fringe. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  12. "Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells for Two". places+spaces, inc/Birdland Records. Archived from the original on 31 December 2012. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
  13. "Tubular Bells For Two – Artist Profile – Daniel Holdsworth". Retrieved 18 July 2012.
  14. "Tubular Bells For Two – Artist Profile – Aidan Roberts". Retrieved 18 July 2012.
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