Spice Girls Ready to Rock Olympic Games Closer

The London Games are set to end in a blazing tribute to British pop and pizazz, with a closing ceremony that will see stars from the Spice Girls to The Who turn Olympic Stadium into a giant jukebox of musical hits. Two weeks of sporting drama wrap up Sunday with what music director David Arnold has called in the world “the greatest after-party.” “If the opening ceremony was the wedding, then we’re the wedding reception,” Arnold told the Daily Telegraph — with everyone from the Pet Shop Boys to Annie Lennox and Fatboy Slim on hand to get people dancing. Although organizers have tried to the ceremony under wraps, many details have leaked out in the British media — and some of the performers have let the cat out of the bag themselves. The Who, George Michael, Muse and Ed Sheeran have all said they will take part in a show that will include performances of 30 British hit singles from the past five decades. Tips and photos have emerged from the rehearsal venue, an old car plant in east London. The Spice Girls were photographed dancing atop black London taxis, so a rendition of their biggest hit, “Wannabe,” seems certain. So does an appearance by surviving members of Queen, whose “We Will Rock You” and “We Are the Champions” have been ever-present at the games. And Ray Davies of The Kinks is tipped to perform his majestic London ballad “Waterloo Sunset.” Paul McCartney has already performed at the opening ceremony, but it’s inconceivable that there won’t be a bit of Beatles music in a tribute to the best of British pop. And organizers will want to include younger acts such as Tinie Tempah, Jessie J, Emeli Sande and the Kaiser Chiefs. Organizers have said they want the ceremony to be a “cheeky” reflection of modern Britain, so expect touches of Monty Pythonesque humor — perhaps even Python Eric Idle leading a mass rendition of “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.” The Daily Mail newspaper published photographs of what it said was the set, involving reconstructions of London landmarks such as St. Paul’s Cathedral and Tower Bridge. The show won’t be short on spectacle. Director Kim Gavin has overseen tours for the band Take that and directed London’s 2007 Princess Diana memorial concert. Designer Es Devlin has created sets for everyone from Lady Gaga to the Royal Opera. As with director Danny Boyle’s opening ceremony, London is aiming for a plucky, irreverent tone far removed from Beijing’s 2008 Olympic closer, which was heavy on precision displays of fireworks, acrobatics and dancing. “It’s not anything desperately profound,” London games Chief Sebastian Coe said. “It’s not the opening ceremony but I think it will be great. It’s basically a tribute to British music over the last few decades. It’s fun.” There will also be a section of song and dance created by the next Summer Games host country, Brazil. And of course there will be ceremonial elements, including an athletes’ march, the raising of the flags of Greece — birthplace of the Olympics— current host Britain and 2016 games host Brazil, speeches and the extinguishing of the Olympic cauldron, marking the handover of the games to Rio. But the main event will be a mash up of music, theater, circus and hit parade. The ceremony is just the cherry on top of London’s weekend of gold-medal parties. It’s about time, say some social observers, who claim that London’s party scene has been muted during the games, dragged down by economic recession. Britain’s economic gloom means nightclubs and pop-up venues have had to work to lure athletes and celebrities. But they are giving thanks for Olympic swimmers, whose events ended last weekend, leaving them free to party. The paparazzi were also thankful, filling newspaper pages with party-hardy Olympians. U.S. champion Michael Phelps — who ended his Olympic career with 22 medals, 18 of them gold— has been spotted in London’s Soho nightlife district. Teammate Ryan Lochte was photographed leaving the Chinawhite nightclub — long a favorite of partying British royalty. This time around, the club has drawn athletes in droves by offering gold medalists a free Golden Cocktail — a concoction of champagne, cognac and real gold flakes priced, for the rest of us, at 2,012 pounds ($3,150). Lochte emerged looking a bit bleary-eyed, but it could have been the chlorine. Zara Phillips, granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II and a member of Britain’s silver medal-winning equestrian eventing team, was spotted drinking champagne and dancing shoeless at the club.