Sunday Synth Jam: This video captures an full-on live performance, by Mike Oldfield & friends and a choir and an orchestra, of his complete Tubular Bells II.
The performance was filted at Edinburgh Castle in 1992.
In addition to Oldfield, Craig Pruess, Richard Cottle & Dave Hartley play keyboards.
via stigmarestroom
Blows the pants off dance, don’t it? Oldfield fits the prog label somewhat, but he’s more of a unique entity all his own. There are so many influences going on that the result is a meaningful hybrid. I’ve always liked his work, but if you want the perfect Oldfield artifact (IMO), check out AMAROK. It encapsules pretty much all of his turns and whims over many years. The musicianship and studio craft are ear-popping and there’s a hilarious British society dame bit near the end that’s a gut-buster. Its a 56-minute-long work, but you’ll be sorry when it ends. He’s one of the reasons I can’t relate to dance past a certain point, because most of it sounds like one-tenth of an Oldfield track to me.
Old field has done a lot if great work, over the years. Hergesy Ridge and Ommadawn are a couple of under appreciated classics.