My two kids are still at school (until Wednesday). Today is the first day of my summer holiday. Just hope Danny Boyle's remembered to include a pound shop, an out of town retail park and a tanning salon in this evening's show. The year-long build up has bugged me, the corporateness is revolting (people being warned not to wear branded clothing that will clash with official sponsors), the torch relay (showing the best inspirational people we have to offer Jedward and Will.I.Am) but over the last few days I've begun to look forward to it. In a volte face that's quite surprised me, after months of detached cynicism, I'm looking forward to the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics tonight. The picture is from a series of photographs taken by a young Ken Russell of Teddy boys and girls in bomb sites in London in the 1950s. Love it all (although this song isn't actually on File Under Sacred Music). I've been playing a compilation of their early stuff, File Under Sacred Music 1978-81, a lot this week - the cd version not the box set of 7" singles, which costs an eye watering £70- and there really is nothing like early Cramps. The return of The Cramps to Friday evening.
Well done Danny Boyle- hats off to you sir. Followed by the six kids who took the flame for the last part of the journey. Or for that matter, the honour guard for the flame by the people who built the stadium, Danny Boyle pointing out that this should be, maybe, the peoples' Olympics.
Or the sound of Underworld's tripped out acid house belter Rez blasting round the stadium as the teams of athletes began their entrance.
Or the sudden and totally unexpected appearance of Arctic Monkeys playing I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor, then covering Come Together as giant cycling doves flew from the ground beneath them. The tribute to the National Health Service (no political points being made there then) with hundreds of dancing doctors and nurses and patients in hospital beds. The whistle stop tour through British music, including some of the actual good bits, played out through text messages between a boy, a girl and a lost mobile phone. I can't decide what was most impressive and jawdropping about last night's opening ceremony- the wit, scale and verve of the historical section, including dancing Victorian industrialists, marching Suffragists, a pause for the First World War and the destruction of the English countryside by the erection of some giant chimneys.
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