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Olympic Opening Ceremony, London 2012

I did think though the choice of OMD's Enola Gay was odd, as its about the plane that dropped the bomb on Hiroshima!
I was wondering about that as well, but it's an anti-bomb tune, alluding to I dunno, Greenham Common? Everything was in there for a reason (apart from the arctic shittys obv)
 
Some of my friends took part in the opening ceremony and have been posting up their backstage photos. It looked like absolutely brilliant fun. I wish I'd been part of it.
 
'Danny created a room where no one was afraid to speak, no one had to stick to their own specialism, no one was afraid of sounding stupid or talking out of turn. He restored us to the people we were before we made career choices – to when we were just wondering.'

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jul/29/frank-cottrell-boyce-olympics-opening-ceremony

no wonder it was successful , Danny Boyle understands people..
Nice:
Danny could have asked for camera phones to be banned from the stadium or for people to sign confidentiality agreements. Instead he asked people nicely to save the surprise. "The volunteers are the best of us," he said. "This show belongs to them. This country belongs to them."
 
I watched it again sober last night and it was even better. I understood what was going on finally and I could hear the music properly. The music was well good, though i stopped it when the Arctic Monkeys came on. What else is on after that?
 
I watched it again sober last night and it was even better. I understood what was going on finally and I could hear the music properly. The music was well good, though i stopped it when the Arctic Monkeys came on. What else is on after that?

Macca. :(
 
It must be a constant, crushing disappointment to live in a messy, imperfect world Pickmans :D
It must be a constant source of pleasure to find pride in a chance of birth.

but it's a strange pride in one's country where you applaud a party but don't recognise the dichotomy between the values expressed at that event and what's happening right outside the venue.
 
That would have been good, but I counted and there were only 50 dancers.

BBC report there were 50 of them too.

Catching up on this thread has taken me longer than the bleeding ceremony!

I thought the ceremony did pretty much everything it possibly could considering it had to be a worldwide event, showing off Britain in the most positive way. I'd have preferred The Fall closing things with a cover of Fugazi's Five Corporations, but that was never very likely.

Best bits - going from Powell & Pressburger straight into pogoing punks on bladerunner things, or the bit when the rings all came together. Stunning.
 
Rick Smith of Underworld did a brilliant job with the soundtracking. The music during the industrial revolution bit was amazing, as was the flame lighting part. I don't believe anybody could've done it better. All the hallmarks of the underworld sound were there too, the synth bells used in Two Months Off created great segues between each of the segments. I noted the electronic hooter from Rez/Cowgirl, the arpeggiated rhythms keeping the cast of drummers in check, the breakdown which represented the world wars with the whistling which reprised at the end with the flame lighting. Even the Victorian dudes dancing in a robotic/industrial style in top hats looked amazing. I've watched it three times already :cool:

I loved how Underworld managed to get 5 or 6 tunes to soundtrack the athletes parade. Rez, Confusion the Waitress, Dark & Long, Always Loved A Film, Moon in Water, Crocodile all in there.

Just heard on Today prog that the OC soundtrack is #1 download on iTunes!
 
I watched it again sober last night and it was even better. I understood what was going on finally and I could hear the music properly. The music was well good, though i stopped it when the Arctic Monkeys came on. What else is on after that?

You missed the Dove Bikes. I liked them a lot.

 
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On reflection Id have preferred the opening ceremony if the tree had been an Ent that went about swiping the phones and cameras out of the hands of the parading competitors.
 
Why did people object to the competitors bringing phones and cameras? Why wouldn't they?
Quite. It's a once in a lifetime event (given that each opening ceremony is different), and it can look very different when you're actually in the event to when you're watching it. Also, some of the competitors would be too keyed up to really take in what was happening around them - another reason to take pictures to remind them when they're able to think straight again.
 
Nice:

Danny could have asked for camera phones to be banned from the stadium or for people to sign confidentiality agreements. Instead he asked people nicely to save the surprise. "The volunteers are the best of us," he said. "This show belongs to them. This country belongs to them."

That's funny because I know a guy who was working in the stadium and decided to get his phone out and take a few snaps - and was instantly thrown out and banned!! He was working and not volunteer though, but still, quite a bit of PR has gone into that article methinks.
 
That's funny because I know a guy who was working in the stadium and decided to get his phone out and take a few snaps - and was instantly thrown out and banned!! He was working and not volunteer though, but still, quite a bit of PR has gone into that article methinks.
A couple of my friends who worked on the day as extras have confirmed that they didn't have to sign anything and only posted up their photos after the event.
 
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