It’s all eyes on Birmingham tonight as the second city hosts the opening ceremony for the Commonwealth Games 2022.
Taking place at Alexander Stadium, the curtain-raiser will welcome participants from across the globe ahead of a fortnight of competition.
And who better to greet them than local legends Duran Duran? (Level of sarcasm in that query entirely dependent on preferences of reader.)
Simon Le Bon and his band of merry New Romantics are set to headline the spectacle (presumably having failed with a previous bid for the 2016 Olympics opening ceremony in Rio).
Thing is though, Birmingham have given the world of music so much down the years, and with that in mind, we thought we’d take a look at some of the cultural exports who can perhaps feel a little affronted to have not been given the nod over D².
*Warning, this article may contain traces of Jasper Carrott.
1. Black Sabbath
Tony Iommi is already going to be there, so why not go the whole hog and bring about a full Sabbath reunion? In fact, why stop there? Let’s introduce a new event: ‘The Ozz-tathlon’. Disciplines include rampant swearing and trying to bite the heads of your opponents.
2. Dexy’s Midnight Runners
Would the entire Commonwealth Games be improved if every athlete was forced to compete in a pair of stonewashed dungarees? That’s not for us to say. But yes. Yes it would.
3. ELO
It’s ELO, come on.
4. Wizzard
Perhaps it’s a bit unfair to categorise Roy Wood and the boys as festive one-hot wonders. Then again, imagine how funny it would be if they came on, played ‘I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday’ four times in a row, in July no less, and then sodded off. Perfection.