Joe GallopBirmingham 2022 has released the line-up for the Commonwealth Games closing ceremony tonight, 8 August, with a focus on highlighting local talent such as Jorja Smith, Mahalia and UB40.
The opening and closing ceremonies, both held at Alexander Stadium (cap. 18,000) and broadcast on BBC One, have been overseen by Birmingham Ceremonies Ltd, a joint venture formed by GBA (Gary Beestone Associates) and Done+Dusted.
Led by creative directors Amber Rimell and Bronski from TAWBOX, the closing ceremony will celebrate the musical heritage of the West Midlands, featuring various musical genres such as reggae, grime, R&B and drum ‘n’ bass.
Artists on the line-up include Apache Indian, Beverley Knight, Dexys, Goldie, Jacob Banks, Jaykae, Laura Mvula, Ash, MusicalYouth, Neelam Gill, Panjabi MC, Raza Hussain, Talulah-Eve and The Selecter.
The ceremony will feature a sequence from the upcoming nationwide theatre show Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby, with a performance of a newly-commissioned track from Laura Mvula, inspired by the TV theme by Nick Cave. The theatre production will receive its world premiere at Birmingham Hippodrome on 27 September as part of the Birmingham 2022 Festival.
Birmingham 2022 chief creative officer Martin Green CBE said, “With this closing ceremony, we wanted to create a spectacular line-up of global artists from the West Midlands for an exhilarating musical production to conclude an unforgettable 11 days of sport and culture.
“The medley of high-octane performances will celebrate the vibrant energy and cultural heritage of this incredible city, as we bring these spectacular home Games to a fitting end.”
The ceremony will also include a formal handover to the state of Victoria, Australia, which will be the hosts for the 2026 Commonwealth Games.