Duran Duran are set to headline the Opening Ceremony of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
The ‘Hungry Like The Wolf’ hitmakers – comprising Simon Le Bon, Roger Taylor, John Taylor and Nick Rhodes – join fellow Birmingham legends, including Black Sabbath’s axe-slayer Tony Iommi, in performing at the multi-sport event.
The Opening and Closing ceremonies on July 28 and August 8, respectively, will be staged at the “newly-redeveloped” Alexander Stadium in front of a live audience of more than 30,000 and an anticipated television audience in excess of a billion.
Frontman Simon, 63, said: “The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games is a momentous event for the great city of Birmingham. And we in Duran Duran are honoured to be a part of it in our home town.”
Drummer Roger, 62, commented: “We are so proud to be returning to our home town to close the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony. It is a true honour to be part of a global event that will bring sportspeople of all cultural backgrounds around the world together as one. Another milestone in a most incredible year for us.”
Bassist John, also 62, added: “It is so good to be participating in the Opening Ceremony of the Commonwealth Games this year, performing for the first time with the CBSO. It will also be exciting to hand around some of the world’s greatest athletes, hoping to get some fitness tips…”
Heavy metal legend Tony, 74, and acclaimed saxophonist Soweto Kinch will lead a dream sequence, ‘Hear my Voice’, based on the title track from 2020 film ‘Trial of the Chicago Seven’, reimagined by local RnB vocalists Indigo Marshall and Gambimi.
Birmingham Conservatoire graduate and mezzo-soprano Samantha Oxborough will perform the National Anthem for the United Kingdom as part of the formal opening of the Games, supported by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.
The Closing Ceremony line-up will be announced in the coming weeks.
Commonwealth Games Minister, Nigel Huddleston, said: “The Birmingham 2022 Opening Ceremony is the next blockbuster in our major year of sport and culture – the curtain-raiser for an incredible 11 days of sport.
“London 2012 brought spectacles of this kind to a whole new generation. Ten years on, this ceremony will connect a new, global audience and showcase the very best of Birmingham and the whole of the UK.”
The Opening Ceremony marks the start of 11 days of sport, with 19 events over 16 venues.
It’s a history-making event already, with “the biggest ever para sport programme and featuring more women’s medals than men’s for the first time ever”.
Limited tickets for both the Opening and Closing ceremonies are available via birmingham2022.com.