1 of 5 | Duran Duran is set to perform at the opening ceremonies of the upcoming Commonwealth Games in their hometown of Birmingham, U.K. File Photo by James Atoa/UPI |
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July 20 (UPI) -- Duran Duran, the 1980s rock group considered icons of British music, will headline the upcoming Commonwealth Games, the band announced Wednesday.
The group will be the star attraction at the upcoming games in Birmingham, U.K., -- the same city in which Duran Duran was formed in 1978. The band is slated to provide the soundtrack for the opening ceremonies on July 28.
The opening ceremonies will take place in the newly-redeveloped Alexander Stadium, giving Duran Duran a live audience of more than 30,000 and an estimated television viewership of over one billion.
"The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games is a momentous event for the great city of Birmingham," Duran Duran's lead singer Simon Le Bon said in a statement. "We in Duran Duran are honored to be a part of it in our hometown."
"It is so good to be participating in the Opening Ceremony of the Commonwealth Games this year, bass guitarist John Taylor added. "It will also be exciting to hand around some of the world's greatest athletes, hoping to get some fitness tips."
Drummer Roger Taylor echoed a similar sentiment.
"We are so proud to be returning to our hometown to close the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony," he said. "It is a true honor to be part of a global event that will bring sports people of all cultural backgrounds around the world together as one."
The ceremony will be produced by Steven Knight, the creator of the popular British crime series Peaky Blinders.
Since their 1978 formation, Duran Duran has established itself as one of the premiere English rock bands. Led by Le Bon, the quartet has gone through a number of musicians before landing on its current lineup.
Their second studio album, Rio, was released to critical acclaim and helped put them on the international map. The album contains two of the band's most well-known songs: The album's eponymous "Rio" and "Hungry Like The Wolf."
Duran Duran saw a lull in production in the late 1990s, marked by a number of songs that were critical failures. A turnaround began in the 2000s, though, and their latest album, Future Past, was released in 2021.
The band also helped celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee in June during a concert for the royal family. Other famous names at the concert included Elton John, Diana Ross, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Lin-Manuel Miranda.
The Queen may have a run-in with the band again if she attends the Commonwealth Games. The games, which are a celebration of the U.K.- based Commonwealth of Nations, have taken place every four years since 1930, except during World War II.
The 2022 Commonwealth Games featuring Duran Duran will run from July 28 to Aug. 8.