Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells II / Tubular Bells III

Average customer rating:

Two Bells For The Price Of The 5.1

great double concert

Excellent!!!!!

Good video but what about the soundtrack.....?

Mikes Best!!

Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells II / Tubular Bells III - Live [1999]
Starring: Mike Oldfield
Director: Hamish Hamilton
Manufacturer: Warner Music Vision
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Tubular Bells Vol.3

ASIN: B00004CZPF
Release Date: 1999-09-20

Customer Reviews:

Two Bells For The Price Of The 5.1 .......2007-02-15

I bought TB2 Live on video when it came out, and the sound quality in HiFi Stereo was very good, and the live version is a lot better than the original studio version, which for some reason, sound dull in parts. Upon seeing the release onto DVD along with TB3 thrown in, I thought what a bargain. Because both of these concerts could of been released on 2 seperate DVD's and generated a lot more money from the fans. And I was even more impressed when I picked up the DVD in HMV and read that the recording was in Dolby Digital 5.1. I rushed home stuck it on, expecting something fantastic. But I soon learned the 5.1 soundtrack was as extinct as the dodo bird. The only bit of 5.1 throughout the entire 2 concerts, is right at the end of TB3, well at least it comes out the back speakers then. I was very dissapointed. The engineers responsable for this DVD should be taken outside and shot, for this reason alone. To me this is false advertising, and personally, I think this DVD should be remasatered with a 5.1 track if at all possable. However the sound quality is good, but no better than the original video, it's just stereo. The picture quality is very good, hence the 4 stars I have rated it. Had it been done properly in the first place it would have got 5.1 stars.

great double concert.......2006-12-17

Value for money as you get two concerts here, TB2 at Edinburgh Castle and TB3 at Horse Guards Parade, London. The former is a very clear and precise rendition, virtually a note for note playing of the CD though with an unexplained key change prior to the bagpipes on 'side two' (which Oldfield precedes with knowing look almost as if to say 'just look at the spectacle we're about to unveil for you here !). Jonathan Gordon Sinclair as MC and caveman is actually very irritating: I'd have preferred Alan Rickman to introduce the instruments as on the album, or better yet Patrick Stewart (as I would have preferred him on the 2003 re-recording instead of John Cleese simply doing his Basil Fawlty again). TB3 is a cleaned up version of the one we got on video in terms of both vision (I was there on the night and the rain was horrendous...this is not too apparent on the DVD) and sound, although this is cleaned up too well: the 'hairs on the back of the neck' moment in the encore where the crowd joins in to introduce the tubular bells is lost. In addition, the DVD loses the excerpt from TB1 that was played on the night itself. Minor nitpicks aside I am thoroughly recommending this DVD to all.

Excellent!!!!!.......2006-03-03

Both these concerts are wonderful. I've only managed to see Mike live once,back at the Royal Festival Hall, but these make up a little for other missed opportunities.
Both concerts are performed brilliantly but most important of all, it's just great music. Tubular Bells III is one of the most enjoyable pieces of music I have in my collection. Whenever I put this on I can't help but smile in sheer joy. If only I could get a DVD of the old 'Essential MIke Oldfield' my collection would be complete.

Good video but what about the soundtrack.....?.......2005-11-21

If you’re looking for a ‘Live’ concert recording, with an excellent 5.1 soundtrack, then look elsewhere (try The Eagles' - Hell Freezes Over). However, if you don’t mind listening in stereo (there is NO surround sound here), to a soundtrack that seems to have been dubbed onto the video by a producer with his mind elsewhere, then perhaps this is for you.

Both concerts are well filmed, I’ll concede that; but the soundtracks appear to have been dubbed from a different venue. You have a choice of either Dolby 5.1 or PCM stereo. Neither will win an award and don’t believe the 5.1 label; there’s nothing through the centre or rear speakers (unless you switch to pro-logic!). In fact, the PCM soundtrack sounds marginally better (wider, clearer and more dynamic) than the Dolby Digital version, which could have been dubbed from a rather dull CD player. That’s not the only oddity with this disk; most of the instruments that the cameraman chooses to zoom-in on remain strangely inaudible, as do the eerily quite crowds of fans. Also, for some reason, the sound regularly falls out of sync with the video. There are several scenes, particularly noticeable with the Tubular Bells, but also evident with various keyboards and guitar sequences, where the musicians are apparently playing along to a recording; not what I’d expect at a world premier concert. One very notable occasion is towards the end of TBII, where a musician pauses briefly but the sound of the tubular bells continues to play several more chimes before the musician begins to play again. This is repeated on TBIII during a close-up shot of Mike when the tubular bells chime before being struck. I know Mike’s an excellent musician, but I hadn't realised that he was quite that good!! Once this became evident, I lost interest in the concert and found myself looking for other faults; there are plenty.

Add to this, a complete lack of sound steering as the camera pans around the stage and no ambience from either location and you’ll hopefully begin to understand why I was so disappointed with this DVD. Just 2 stars from me – these recordings could have been so much better.

Mikes Best!!.......2003-01-18

I recently bought 'Mike Oldfield-The Millennium Bell' and was sadly, not impressed.This, however, is the business in every way.TB2 is easily Oldfield's best concert, with the magical backdrop of Edinburgh Castle and Scottish bagpiping at it's best.TB2 is so closely related to Mike's original and breakthrough album TB that it's simply magical.The musicians really seem to be enjoying themselves on every track and even after the intervening years this concert simply hasn't dated at all.Everybody will have their own favourite tracks but I love 'Clear Light' and 'Tatoo'.
The second concert on this DVD is also quite enjoyable, recorded in London, at Horseguards and a different experience to Edinburgh, it's still very catchy and absorbing in it's own right.Although called TB3 it bears little resemblance to the original TB and is quite unique in it's own right.'Secrets' and 'Far above the cloud's' are both stand out tracks and both are reprised in the concert.
As I bought my first 'Oldfield' album in the early seventies and have bought almost everything in the intervening years:-here is my synopsis:-
Best Concert:-TB 2
Second:-TB 3
Third:-The Millennium Bell.

And as TB2 &TB3 are on this DVD it's hard to go wrong.This DVD is strongly recommended and if you are even a 'lukewarm' fan of Oldfield you can's go wrong.Buy and enjoy!!

Customer Reviews:

Awesome CD. Concert could be better........2008-02-16

I couldnt wait to get this home to watch the Metal God do his stuff! I Must say after watching this DVD i was left a little disappointed. Firstly the documentary, although very good, was a little on the short side. My biggest problem though was with the live concert, it has been filmed at a few venues and rather than use footage from one venue for a whole song they have used a montage of different venues. So although the soundtrack is great, sometimes the actions onstage (guitar solos etc) dont match up. This is a pretty minor point but when I buy a live DVD I expect the footage to match the onscreen action, sorry but im just picky like that. In fact the bonus MTV footage is better than the main concert. On listening to the remastered CD I forgot all that, it sounds awesome and they have done a great job, it sounds like it could have been released yesterday!! So minor niggles aside, this is well worth a purchase if you are into Halford or any good Heavy Metal.

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