Posts Tagged With: Olympic

The Olympic Games Closing Ceremony

Posted on August 11, 2012 by Mark

Take your seats please, ladies and gentlemen because the party’s nearly over. But not until The Fab Lady sings.

Kate Bush Olympic Games Closing Ceremony Mark Wallis The Vibes

Kate Bush is rumoured to be performing Running Up That Hill at the Olympic Closing Ceremony. If it’s true then let me tell you, the top of my head will blow off and all manner of fantasmagoria will erupt like the cover of Never For Ever. The astonishingly inept Amazon might have accidentally posted the Running Up That Hill 2012 remix too early and spoilt the surprise…and then removed it again – so I’m taking that as confirmation that she’s on the bill.

The last time she performed live was 1987 (apart from a mere cameo vocal in 2002 with Dave Gilmour of Pink Floyd), and her last tour was in 1979! This a monumental event for British music and Kate’s vast fandom. It’s been a fantastic fortnight of sporting achievement, but this really is the cherry on the cake. I hope she jumps out of one!

We’ll be celebrating in Manchester with Boots’ Chocolate Gold medals and mucho Absolut.

+ + + UPDATE: track available on iTunes, click image to preview + + +

+ + + UPDATE2: Kate Bush no show + bunting taken down + + +

Main picture based on original motion graphics created by Anthem and Mammoth Graphics. Closing ceremony Sunday 21:00 GMT on a TV screen near you, unless you have NBC and then you’ll have to wait for an edited version.

Categories: Design, Music, Random | Tags: 2012, Closing Ceremony, Gold, Gold Medal, Kate Bush, London 2012, Olympic, Olympic Games, Olympics, remix, Running Up That Hill, tv | 19 Comments

Gold Rush for Great Britain – Six in One Day!

Posted on August 4, 2012 by Mark

Team GB won six gold medals and a silver on Day Eight of the Olympics, taking the Great British Goldrush to 14, with 7 silver and 8 bronze. Super Saturday marks the UK’s best performance in the Olympiad for over a century. The crowd in the stadium went wild as Mo Farah and Jessica Ennis stole the show. There’s a wonderful sense of pride in Britain tonight, not least because we are the host nation, and on every television there are tears of joy, shock and awe as the athletes realise their own achievements.

Women’s Heptathlon – Jessica Ennis
Men’s Longjump – Greg Rutherford
Men’s 10,000m – Mo Farah
Women’s Lightweight Double Sculls – Sophie Hosking and Katherine Copeland
Men’s Four – Andy Triggs Hodge, Pete Reed, Andy Gregory and Tom James

Kind of makes up for the Japanese complaints about their gymnastic placing, depriving Britain and the Ukraine of their original medals. Japan, you were really crap. (So much for good grace and sportsmanship…)

Categories: Random, Vibe Monitor | Tags: Gold Medal, London 2012, Olympic, Olympic Games, Olympics, Six, sports, Super Saturday, Team GB, tv, Tv shows | 4 Comments

The Olympic Torch

Posted on July 28, 2012 by Mark

The stunning culmination of the London 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony, as the torch lights the cauldron, seen here from inside the incredible structure. I had to pause my TV and snap this on the iPhone.

Original image BBC TV

Categories: Photography, Random, Vibe Monitor | Tags: bbc, Cauldron, Games, iPhone, Olympic, Olympics, Opening Ceremony, sports, Torch, tv | 17 Comments

Are the Olympics Absolutely Fabulous?

Posted on July 26, 2012 by Mark

Patsy and Eddie speak for the nation!

Absolutely Fabulous Olympic Games Special Patsy and Eddie Torch

In this week’s excellent Olympic Games Special, Patsy Stone and Edina Monsoon eloquently voiced the real feelings of the British people about the biggest event in the history of London. Yes there’s a lot of flag-waving and it’s great for tourism, but it’s a whole different ball game when you actually live here.

Eddie and Patsy present their pre-Games make-over plans to Saffy.

Eddie “We’re gonna be liposuctioned, lasered and lifted, darling. I’m going to be wearing my buttocks as a head rest by the time…”
Saffy “Well you better hurry up because it starts this week.”
Eddie “What?”
Saffy “The Olympics.”
Eddie “What? No! [to Patsy] Darling did you know it started this week?”
Patsy “What?’
Eddie “[panicking] The…running-the Olympics!”
Patsy “Where?”
Saffy “Oh my god! How could you have missed it? Even coming from the airport – it’s everywhere!”
Eddie “Yeah, darling, it’s been ‘everywhere’ for FIVE BLOODY YEARS, hasn’t it? Excuse me if I missed that it actually started! It’s been like tinnitus!”

Absolutely Fabulous Olympic Special Patsy and Eddie running

Image © BBC 2012

Patsy and Eddie find themselves in the Olympic Stadium just days before the big day.

Patsy “It’s empty.”
Eddie “That’s cos nobody could get tickets, isn’t it darling?”

Absolutely Fabulous Patsy lights cigarette from Olympic Flame

Image © BBC 2012

Perhaps the best quote of all is Eddie’s Mother, staring bemused at some unused tickets…

Mother “I don’t see why anyone would actually want to be there when they can watch it in comfort on the good old Auntie Beeb.”

You can watch this episode on the Dear Old Auntie Beeb here and also some big sporting events which are happening this weekend…

Categories: Random, Vibe Monitor | Tags: Absolutely Fabulous, bbc, comedy, humor, Jennifer Saunders, Joanna Lumley, London, London 2012, Olympic, Olympic Games, sports, tv, Tv shows | 10 Comments

Mount Olympus: Origin of the Olympic Ideal

Posted on July 25, 2012 by Mark

Home of the gods and the origin of the Olympic ideal. Mount Olympus was the seat of Zeus, and the games were held in his honour at Olympia. A permanent crown of angry clouds reign above the peaks, ample inspiration for legends and myth.

I’ve stood at the foot of this mountain gazing in awe, wondering if Spielberg was inspired by such an imposing view. You can imagine how the ancient Greeks saw gods in these clouds.

Exploring the mountain itself is an adventure: wild boar bigger than cars, shrines, snakes and giant waterfalls.

In the shadow of the mountain is a museum, containing art, jewellery and sculpture so sophisticated you would think it was crafted in modern times. Walking round with my mouth open, I was amazed at how advanced ancient Greek culture was. It’s easy to see how this was the cradle of modern civilisation.

Greek culture is rich and colourful, and wandering from Mount Olympus down to Olympic Beach you can see how a different kind of deity dominates. The churches have brightly decorated interiors, adorned with icons, murals and relics.

If there isn’t a church to hand, there are shrines everywhere. Even on the beach!

We finally found some holy wine…(don’t run, Panos!)

Angela Merkel was spotted swimming in the sea…

Greece is a wonderful country which I’ve visited many times. Unfortunately Germany is hell-bent on destroying this proud nation, imposing draconian sanctions on the people, causing widespread poverty and suffering. For some bizarre reason, the western media portrays the Greek people as deserving of punishment, and nothing could be more wrong. The people unfairly pay the price of their corrupt government (Spain and Italy seem exempt from similar penalties: I mean, really. Italy!) As Sea Monster Merkel spies oil in the Greek sea, you can rest assured she will make the nation a slave to her appetites.

Despite the economic upheaval, tourism is alive and well, and you can support the Greek people by taking your vacation there. Take a look at my trip to idyllic Santorini here.