Mike Oldfield
June 26, 1973
Queen Elizabeth Hall, London

Source: Sbd->Reel to Reel->Unknown Cassette gen->CD->EAC->FLAC

Live Debut of Tubular Bells with Mick Taylor, Steve Hillage, Fred Frith, Ted Speight, David 
Bedford, Kevin Ayers, and Pierre Moerlin

01. Tubular Bells Part One
02. Tubular Bells Part Two

Virgin Records decided to organise a live performance of Bells at London's Queen Elizabeth 
Hall to promote the LP. The only problem facing Mike was assembling musicians of sufficient 
calibre to perform the piece to a standard as set by the LP. One such quality artist who was 
recording at the Manor around the time as Mike was Steve Winwood. He had listened to the complete
 track and offered to play although due to pre-arranged commitments he had to eventually pull out.

Mike then got together a large and capable, if not totally famous cast, which included Henry Cow, 
a group which Mike was to engineer a couple of tracks on their albums Legend and Unrest at the 
Manor; Mick Taylor, then of the Rolling Stones; Steve Hillage, Robert Wyatt and long time friend 
David Bedford. All that remained for Mike to do was teach the individual artists their parts 
before finally assembling them for rehearsals. At this point Mike was heard to comment: "There's 
no doubt about whether they could do it, the only question was whether we'd be able to create any
atmosphere."

On the 25th June the assembled masses gathered at the Queen Elizabeth Hall to witness Tubular 
Bells first "live" rendition. Mike's preconceived ideas about the project not working were 
totally unfounded, as, with the final note still ringing around the hall, the audience rose, 
in, as one witness was to comment:"One of those rare spontaneous bursts of appreciation."
At a later date Mike was to comment that he was unhappy at the way the performance went adding,
"I stood on the stage at the end of the concert and looked at the audience, and they looked at
 me. And do you know what they did? They actually applauded. I was amazed. I hated that 
concert". These feelings of insecurity especially with what he had produced were again 
highlighted when he commented;"I'll tell you something. I always though that once I had made 
my own album, held the cover in my hands and read my name, I'd think it was wonderful. But, 
you know, it's not like this at all."

From http://www.mikeoldfield.org/info/features/pe02.htm