Dexys, Jorja Smith, Goldie To Play Commonwealth Games Closing Ceremony
Dexys, Jorja Smith, Goldie and Beverley Knight are among the acts set to play tonight’s (8 August) Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games closing ceremony.
Bringing to an end 11 days of incredible sport, the high octane production will celebrate the diverse musical heritage of the West Midlands, championing the genres and trends that run through this great Commonwealth city; from rave to reggae, street and grime to R&B, drum’n’bass and rap.
The performances will take the 30,000 strong audience on a journey through a changing Birmingham, alongside tributes to Wolverhampton’s 80s street art scene and a look at the legendary Broad St music venue and how it inspired music and fashion globally.
Masterminded by Creative Directors Amber Rimell and Bronski from TAWBOX, the Ceremony – staged at the Alexander Stadium – will showcase the best of the region’s musical talent past, present and future.
Returning home to perform in an ultimate celebration of the Games’ host city, artists in the line-up includes: Apache Indian, Beverley Knight, Dexys, Goldie, Jacob Banks, Jaykae, Jorja Smith, Laura Mvula, Ash, Mahalia, Musical Youth, Neelam Gill, Panjabi MC, Raza Hussain, Talulah-Eve, The Selecter and UB40.
In a tribute to one of Birmingham’s major global exports of the past decade, the Closing Ceremony will feature a sequence from the much-anticipated nationwide theatre show Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby, staged here with a special performance of a newly-commissioned track from Laura Mvula, inspired by Nick Cave’s Red Right Hand, the TV show’s theme.
Written and adapted for the stage by creator Steven Knight, and choreographed and directed by Rambert’s Artistic Director Benoit Swan Pouffer, the theatre production will receive its world premiere at Birmingham Hippodrome on 27 September as part of the Birmingham 2022 Festival.
To be broadcast live on BBC One and iPlayer, Birmingham 2022’s Closing Ceremony will also include a formal handover to the state of Victoria, Australia, who will be the hosts for the 2026 Commonwealth Games.