Vancouver Olympics closing ceremony features Nickelback, Neil Young, Avril Lavigne, and even William Shatner
The Vancouver Olympics have ended on a celebratory note at B.C. Place.
Tonight's closing ceremony got off to a raucous start with Nikki Yanofsky, Derek Miller, and Eva Avila singing "Let's Have a Party" as the athletes entered the stadium.
Neil Young sang his classic "Long May You Run", and there were also appearances by three Canadian actors: William Shatner, Catherine O'Hara, and Michael J. Fox.
As expected, the B.C.-based band Nickelback performed, singing their hit "Burn It to the Ground".
Tonight's closing ceremony also featured Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson turning over the Olympic flag to Anatoly Pakhomov, mayor of Sochi, which is the Russian city that will host the 2014 Winter Games. Russian culture was featured, just as the Canadians were given time to put on a show during the 2006 closing ceremony in Torino.
In addition, Canadian musicians Avril Lavigne, Alanis Morissette, Simple Plan, Hedley, Marie-Mai, and La Bottine Souriante took the stage at different times.
The evening closed with k-os performing "Eye Know Something". He was accompanied by scores of hip-hop dancers from XXS, NON, and Hip Hop Youth of Vancouver.
Straight staff writer and editor Brian Lynch will file an Olympic Journal column on this site later this evening offering his impressions of the closing ceremony.
Comments
53 Comments
Luaxonna
Feb 28, 2010 at 8:39pm
I'm sorry I must have missed Nickelback's song "How You Remind Me" as I watched the entire closing ceremony and didn't see them perform it, all I saw was "Burn It To The Ground", when did this first song take place?
Betsie
Feb 28, 2010 at 9:01pm
Are you kidding me???? Arizona didn't air any of the nickelback, or aril. Alanis or any others!!! What happened? Did they leave the West Coast out?
Wayne K
Feb 28, 2010 at 9:10pm
What about Michael J. Fox ?
Peace
Feb 28, 2010 at 11:32pm
Hitler's Olympics, China's Olympics, Russia's Olympics, Vancouver Olympics - the show and the dollar must go on. Even a "Heart of Gold" shows no regard for human rights violations and becomes a corporate puppet when the price is right! A sad day for Canada and Canadians.
Kayla
Mar 1, 2010 at 12:39am
To Luaxonna: Ya, I'm pretty sure they didn't show how you remind me. I'm sure there a few things we missed as well as that. I know they cut to a commercial and when it came back on the Canadians were already halfway into the arena! I was annoyed at that because I wanted to see everyone cheer and see them walk in! Oh well. But ya I'm sure there were a few things we didn't see because of commercials :(
mike h
Mar 1, 2010 at 1:17am
wth is thaer problem mister peace what violations are u even talkeing about ................
Char
Mar 1, 2010 at 1:53am
Neil Young should have sung "Rockin' in the Free World" which would have been more fitting being that the song makes reference to homeless, something of which Vancouver has too many of; I always thought of Neil Young as a Political Activist when it came to his music, but then again I guess I was wrong about him, so I guess we'll be seeing more of "The Needle and the Damage Done" on our city streets of the D.T.E.S, being that the Liberal Government has cut funding to programs that help people with addictions.
bud
Mar 1, 2010 at 7:32am
The big Gala show cased BC ONT and PQ. The rest of the country was out in the cold.So never say it was a show case for Canada it was not.
Dianne
Mar 1, 2010 at 7:40am
California sure didn't get to see Nickelback. That was the only reason I watched the show!!
rik
Mar 1, 2010 at 8:16am
The closing ceremonies looked very " low budget"
They stank to high heaven and once again made Canadians out to be cliched refugees from the airport giftshop.Canada is a lot more than Mounties,Beavers,maple syrup,and lumberjacks..Gimme a break..How about a closing ceremony that doesn't reduce us all to tired stereotypes?
Oh ...and didn't Alanis Morrisette give up her Canadian citizenship to become a Yankee...yes she did!
Yeeeeech.
3 words to describe the stink-fest
Stink,stank,stunk.
Canada is awesome...believe in that!!!