NEWS
EVENTS
The Olympics go out with a bang
Monday 13th August 2012 | Osh
The last two weeks watching Team GB in the Olympics has been a roller-coaster of emotions as we cheered on our Olympians as they delivered results that exceeded all expectations. With GB up to our eyeballs in medals, the closing ceremony had to be nothing short of spectacular to match.
The musical event, dubbed as the ‘Symphony of British Music’ brought together the most bizarre array of our best British artists to close the final curtain on our proudest Olympics to date.
Every era of the UK’s musical history was showcased in a weird and wonderful way with acts getting more absurd with every passing minute. An estimated four billion viewers along with the 90,000 spectators in the
stadium were blessed with the zany sights of nuns on roller-skates, John Lennon and Freddie Mercury holograms and Boris Johnson throwing shapes to ‘Spice Up Your Life’, you just can’t make this shit up.
The ceremony began with Emeli Sande performing ‘Read All About It’ on a stage awash in newspapers, which then went on to Batman and Robin scene being played out from Only Fools and Horses. Shortly after Madness performed their renowned single ‘Our House’ as a street party went on around them. Each performer had to out-do the one before when appearing on stage in iconic British transport with Ray Davies performing from a taxi, Pet Shop Boys on rickshaws, Kaiserchiefs on a fleet on mopeds and Spice Girls speeding around the stadium on the roofs of black taxis. Russell Brand didn’t disappoint either as he came on wearing Willy Wonka attire as he rode around on a magical mystery tour bus which almost seemed normal compared to Fatboy Slim performing his magic on the decks as he stood raving from inside the head of a giant blow-up octopus.
Beady Eye took the stage to deliver Oasis’ ‘Wonderwall’ and although criticism of sounding nasal and off-key, still managed to give the best of us goose bumps. It was George Michael who put a downer on the night as he sang his new and completely unheard of single ‘White Light’ which silenced the whole stadium with most spectators choosing to use his few minutes as a toilet break.
With more performances from Muse, The Who and Brian May the legendary British talent just kept coming and coming. The overwhelming atmosphere that blasted through the stadium could be felt all the way from our sofas with such force it vowed us to never again slate GB as an honourable country. The inspiring athletes that have given the country something to be proud of once more were given the acclaim and send-off they deserved with a trippy extravaganza that definitely won’t be forgotten anytime soon.
Hanna
