“On Your Marks, get Set … Glasgow!”

The opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games: Celtic Park, Glasgow.

A couple of days – and many heats and medal ceremonies – ago now. It’s now day 6 but the whole thing started with a moody, but intelligent poem/introduction/shots of the city from Billy Connolly. Want to know how a city can change Billy C is a perfect allegory!

Highlights?

Then a brash in-yer-face expensive end-of-pier musical tour-de-force with John Barrowman (he of chameleon-nationality and over-confidence-beats-talent-anyday). Tongue in cheek, entertaining and fast moving.

The people of Glasgow, lead step-by-step to Rod Stewart (always a champion of the want-away, play-away pantomime Scot) singing the “never will I roam” song. Ironic in so many ways.

Nicola Benedetti, stunning violinist playing “Loch Lomond” as the flags came in, one of those tunes that will forever remind me of local Midlands band Quill in that just when you think  another verse/fill/solo cannot possibly be pulled out – it jolly well is: better, more emotional and powerful than the one you thought couldn’t be topped. The moment when the top wouldn’t come off the Queen’s baton (sir Chris Hoy on hand to help out) and the Queen’s charming small gesture of relief, cheeky delight in the background. The next song from rascal Rod Stewart striking a chord and igniting the games beginning.

    

But, cleverly, powerfully and most importantly Ewan MacGregor announcing the fund-raising for U.N.I.C.E.F. and viewers asked to unite for a single, undeniable purpose: to make things better for the children. It’s easy to be cynical, to say that the commonwealth actually isn’t a sharing “common wealth” but using such an occasion to do some good can only be good. Can’t it?

The Red Arrows trailing their comfortable, traditional red, white and blue trails (the colours of the British flag? A mistake perhaps?) over the Clyde (guess Scotland will have to pay for them to display north of the border if independence goes ahead). Speaking of which Alex Salmond (Scottish Nationalist Party … er, what future for them if the independence vote goes against them?) was there to give a statesman voice to the ceremony, the mayor of Glasgow to give a local politician’s rousing passion and Her Majesty the Queen, head of the Commonwealth to declare it all open.

The parade of athletes, so obviously happy, cameras and selfies in a marvellously crowded arena. the background commentary was also informative and unobtrusive: silent when there was little that needed to be said.

I hope the games go well. I like the simpler approach to sport that is evident here; the “Equality, Freedom, Humanity” label that is the “birthright” of those who belong to the Commonwealth.

It was an enjoyable TV spectacle; had me thinking about sports (there are some uniquely “British” ones in these games: netball is a good example … and the Commonwealth itself: tiny places like Vanuatu, Kiribati, The Isle of Man (the “home nations here are represented separately for a change).

And, like it says soften on the label these are the “friendly games”; not, at this stage anyway, the overly produced reputations at stake Olympics, nor the overly commercialised World Cup.

Bring on the games!