Commonwealth Games opening ceremony: what do we think?

Loads better groups with roots in Brum in my view.

Spencer Davis
The Move
Wizard
Traffic

Though most of them will be past their peak now. As are Duran Duran.

They're semi Brummies Gabrielle. Two born in Birmingham, one Solihull and Simon Le Bon Hertfordshire I think. They were formed in Birmingham.

We're UB40 in it at all? I didn't watch all just highlights d always think of them as Birmingham's son's not Duran Duran I didn't know that they were Brummies at all!!?

Maybe if a bigger fraction of money given to the event it would have been flashier but it was great! Love Brummies worked with a few over the years. Hope they honour the commitment made for legacies too, they've swindled the people of London out of 5000+ affordable housing at Queen Elizabeth park! National theatre and chums have muscled in and snapped up the valuable land for vanity projects-again the less affluent get stuffed by the greedy fatherless sons......

Riverwalk

I would have preferred UB40 to Duran Duran!

Great to see the multi-ethnic teams, especially England.

Exactly what I've been saying Riverwalk

Birmingham is a brilliant city which is very cultural and vibrant as well as diverse. I understand that the ceremony was produced by the wonderful Peaky Blinders producer? The red arrows were, as always, fantastic and the unfolding story of Birmingham as a city was well told. I especially liked the two airy figures appearing to take the helmet off the bull. Quite spiritual in concept. I was hoping for UB40 rather than Duran Duran but it worked out ok with all the fireworks etc. Birmingham has always been on the map and has now been highlighted!

It’s not London Praise be!
Life doesn’t start and stop in London.
Birmingham should be proud of this event.
Well done to all the UK contestants!

Grantanow

Another distraction from the things that really matter - poverty and the cost of living, for example.

We can't all walk around in sack cloth and ashes. For some people, their tv and sport is the only entertainment they can afford. Everybody needs distraction from their woes. Also, these events bring in visitors to the areas which in turn gives the city income.

Yes, bread and circus's come to mind. BUT.....these Games take place every four years, and has been arranged to be in Birmingham for a very long time.
Sometimes, perhaps, we need a little distraction.....I will enjoy these Games, celebrate all the competitors and officials, but still be very much a part of protests against the horrible poverty happening in this country.
Celebrate those wonderful chain workers in Birmingham as shown in that Opening Ceremony.

Another distraction from the things that really matter - poverty and the cost of living, for example.

I didn't get to see the ceremony but hope to watch it on catch up. Just popped in to say I think Birmingham is a brilliant city...from another soft southerner!

I have visited Birmingham briefly on two occasions and enjoyed walking round as a tourist. I thought the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games was great and loved to learn a bit more about this city. Highlights for me were the bull (amazing) and the union Jack made of cars. I admit though that I turned off when Duran Duran came on ?

I enjoyed it. It had a spiritual theme. It should have been closed by the greatest band that ever came out of Birmingham though...THE MOODY BLUES

I loved it Learning about the history of Birmingham, the medals all being done in the jewellry quarter, Perry Bull and Max Whitlock's handing over the Queen's baton to Denise Lewis who is a Brummie All in all a great opening ceremony

Hate games and all that circus. When is it finished?

Thought it was fabulous and covered all the arts as well as sport, did think Birmingham has been on the map for a very long time though! Those comments are down to Nadine Dorries who used the phrase several times in her radio 4 interview as well as saying amazing multiple times, a woman of limited vocabulary

Lucca

Franbern

Oh for heavens sake - those who wish to discuss the sartorial good and bad of someone who just appeared in the background for less than three minutes please start their own thread.
Please leave this for the Commonwealth Games.

Wow bit rude

Oh dear @ Franbern the thread WAS started about the ceremony , which includes the people involved eg PoW and DoC, history and things about Birmingham and of course the music!
If you want a thread about the games- feel free to start one - as I believe you have done today at 18.03

I’m a Brummie but haven’t lived there since I was a child, but I still have an affinity with the place.

I used to work in an office overlooking the canals in the 1960s, never did I think they would be so transformed.

Franbern

Oh for heavens sake - those who wish to discuss the sartorial good and bad of someone who just appeared in the background for less than three minutes please start their own thread.
Please leave this for the Commonwealth Games.

Wow bit rude

BBC coverage of these games is amazing. We can watch all sports in real time via (free) BBC iplayer.

Why don't the beeb do this with all sports, instead of putting stuff on bbc1 and 2 often simultaneously. Then you could indeed please all the people all of the time.

First Gold Medal of the 2022 Birmingham Games goes to England's Alex Yee. Well done.
BBC coverage of these games is amazing. We can watch all sports in real time via (free) BBC iplayer.

Any objections to talking about UB40? Who weren't even there? ?

The thread's about Commonwealth Games opening ceremony Franbern. Camilla was there for the opening ceremony. Is it OK with you if we talk about what a nice place Birmingham is or should we avoid that too?

If you want to talk about the wider topic of the Commonwealth Games maybe we should start a new thread altogether for that.

Oh for heavens sake - those who wish to discuss the sartorial good and bad of someone who just appeared in the background for less than three minutes please start their own thread.
Please leave this for the Commonwealth Games.

Plenty of rich people look awful.

I had a look as I did not watch on tv.I’ll,be n trouble I know but I didn’t like Camilla outfit.was it wide legged trousers ? Not a fan .
Having said that it makes a change to see an older royal not in pastel or a fascinator (so sick of them!)