Legendary producer Brian Eno and brother Roger are releasing a concert film for one night only with special screenings at Curzon Oxford and Wallingford Corn Exchange.

The brothers performed live for the first time together at The Acropolis in Greece for a very special musically and visually stunning live show in 2021.

It was also one of the few times in the past four decades that Brian Eno, who is based in Oxfordshire, has performed live in any capacity.

Mr Eno said: "I don’t perform live very often, but I couldn’t miss the chance to perform in what may be the world’s oldest theatre, located at the birthplace of Western Civilisation."

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Not only is Brian known for being in the seminal band Roxy Music but also the producer of huge stars as Coldplay, U2 and David Bowie and has a huge solo back catalogue.

A film of a rare live concert of the Eno brothers performing together for the very first time, Brian Eno and Roger Eno Live At The Acropolis, was captured at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus amphitheatre, part of the UNESCO World heritage site, the Acropolis in Athens.

The concert was part of the annual Epidaurus Festival.

In front of a sold-out audience and against a backdrop of Brian Eno’s haunting images projected onto the walls of the amphitheatre, Brian and Roger performed music from their highly regarded 2020 album, Mixing Colours.

As the grip of Covid was beginning to loosen, the brothers performed solo pieces and fan favourites, as well as premiering brand new music from their respective 2022 album releases - Brian Eno’s FOREVERANDEVERNOMORE and Roger Eno’s Deutsche Grammophon solo debut, The Turning Year.

A number of tracks on Brian's album feature additional vocals from his daughter Darla, a former head girl at Headington School, where his older daughter Irial was also a pupil.

Aspiring musicians at the Oxford school got the ultimate inspiration when he opened its new music department in 2009.

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The band featured Roger’s daughter and Brian’s niece, Cecily Eno supplying ethereal vocals, ukulele and mandolin, Leo Abrahams on guitars and Peter Chilvers on keyboards.

Brian Eno said: "I’m grateful to Roger, Cecily, Leo and Peter who made this rare appearance memorable for me, and to the great film-maker Tilo Krause who managed to make a beautiful documentation of the whole event.” 

"The performers had quite a different view to the members of the audience - they saw Brian’s stunning visuals on the ancient walls of Odeon of Herodes Atticus, whilst we saw, above our heads, the illuminated Parthenon as though floating in the blackness of night," added Roger.

"It was an exceptional honour to perform in such a place.

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"This film, I think, captures the moment accurately and sensitively. But it is more than a mere momento or a document - it is a work of beauty in itself that can now be shared worldwide.”

Brian and Roger first collaborated with Daniel Lanois on the soundtrack to For All Mankind, Al Reinert’s epic 1983 documentary on the Apollo moon landing and released as the highly acclaimed album, Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks.

They have also contributed to soundtracks for ‘Dune' (1984), ‘Opera' (1987), 'The Jacket' (2005), Brazilian film, 'O Nome da Morte' (2017) and were nominated for a Bafta award for their score to Danny Boyle’s TV series, 'Mr. Wroe’s Virgins' (1993).  

The screenings will take place on Thursday March 2.

For tickets in cinemas across the UK, please visit: CinemaLive.com/event/brianandrogereno

 

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This story was written by Miranda Norris, she joined the team in 2021 and covers news across Oxfordshire as well as news from Witney.

Get in touch with her by emailing: Miranda.Norris@newsquest.co.uk. Or find her on Twitter: @Mirandajnorris

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