MUMBAI: The London Olympics 2012 culminated with a musical extravaganza featuring performances by leading international artistes at the Olympic Stadium in London.
The night kicked off with composer David Arnold and Kim Gavin’s ‘A Symphony of British Music’ with Scottish singer Emeli Sande performing ‘Read All About It’. Madness, the Pet Shop Boys, One Direction and The Kinks frontman Ray Davies also performed before 10,800 participant athletes.
Muse enthralled the spectators with their official Olympics track ‘Survival’, while Brian May performed a guitar solo for the crowd. He was joined by Jessie J for a rendition of ‘We Will Rock You’.
In a final speech, London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games chairman Lord Sebastian Coe said, “Today sees the closing of a wonderful Games in a wonderful city. We lit the flame and we lit up the world, for the third time in its history London was granted the trust of the Olympic movement and once again we have shown ourselves worthy of that trust.”
Other highlights of the event included gigs by George Michael, the Kaiser Chiefs, Annie Lennox, Fatboy Slim and a rendition of Pink Floyd’s ‘Wish You Were Here’ by Ed Sheeran with drummer Nick Mason.
Liam Gallagher and his group Beady Eye were the surprise addition to the festivities as he performed ‘Wonderwall’ before former Monty Python star Eric Idle presented a sing-along with the audience on the track ‘Always Look on the Bright Side of Life’. Pop band Spice Girls reunited to perform a medley of their 1996 hit ‘Wannabe’ and ‘Spice Up Your Life’ amongst others.
The host city of the 2016 Olympics, Rio de Janeiro performed a musical carnival as the band Take That rendered their hit ‘Rule The World’. The crowd also witnessed a ballet routine by Darcey Bussell and a gig by ‘The Who’ performing a string of their hits including ‘My Generation’ amongst others.