Duran Duran will headline the London Olympics opening concert, but their booking has promoted bemusement from some music fans and celebrities. The 80's chart-topping group will headline the July 27, 2012 show, which will also feature Snow Patrol, Stereophonics and Paulo Nutini, reports the Press Association.
Novelist Tony Parsons was among the first to react to the news on Twitter, joking, "Duran Duran to headline Olympic gig. Who is running the 1500 metres - Sebastian Coe and Steve Ovett?". Author Tom MCLaughlin took aim at the entire line-up, saying, "Duran Duran, Paulo Nutini, Stereophonics and Snow Patrol? We may as well just put Cameron's iPod on shuffle and be done with". Comedian Al Murray joked, "Duran Duran to headline 2012 Olympics gig. Far more worrying than rooftop missiles". It seems the British public are beginning to lose patience with the Olympic ceremony organisers, who last month attempted to approach The Who to reunite with their drummer Keith Moon and perform at the opening extravaganza. One key problem with that booking came when the organisers discovered Moon had died in 1978 after swallowing 32 clomethiazole tablets.
Tickets for the concert go on general sale on Friday (April 4, 2012), though music fans are probably more drawn to the closing concert two weeks later, which features New Order, The Specials and BLUR.