Long line-up of Aussie musical talent on the cards for Closing Ceremony

AFTER a less-than-overwhelming Opening Ceremony, the producers tasked with closing the 2018 Commonwealth Games have been told to lift their game. This long list of musical talent appears to be their bold response.

WHILE the Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony fell flat of memorable moments, organisers have been told to lift their game for the Closing Ceremony.

It is understood a host of top Australian pop stars, including Guy Sebastian, Dami Im, The Veronicas, Amy Shark and Samantha Jade, will perform at Carrara Stadium for the finale.

Yothu Yindi and the Treaty Project and Anthony Callea are also expected to be involved in the closing party, with the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games Corporation (GOLDOC) reportedly telling ceremony producers Jack Morton to lift their game after the less than overwhelming opening bash.

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“They thought the opening ceremony was inauthentic, too long and too slow,” an insider said.

Dami Im is thought to be among the list of signers set to perform at the Closing Ceremony. Picture: Nigel Hallett

“They’ve told them to lift their game for the next one.”

Boston-based US company Jack Morton was controversially contracted to produce the opening and closing ceremonies after a worldwide selection process.

The ceremonies have a combined budget of $30 million, $17 million of which is understood to have been spent on the opening.

Rehearsals for the closing ceremony have been underway at the Dream Centre, across the road from Carrara Stadium, where the event will be held next Sunday.

The closing ceremony is considered the less formal of the two events at both Commonwealth and Olympic Games meets.

The opening ceremony alone was to reach a global broadcast to more than 1.5 billion people.

Local act the Veronicas, aka Lisa Origliasso and Jessica Origliasso. Picture: Christian Gilles

Iconic Working Class Man singer Jimmy Barnes will be on the Gold Coast for a show at the Star but is not believed to be involved in the closing ceremony.

But don’t rule out a rumoured surprise appearance by Midnight Oil frontman Peter Garrett when Yothu Yindi perform as part of the April 15 finale.

It is these sorts of moments that commentators said the opening ceremony lacked.

“There was no comedy or irony in the openining ceremony,” a source said.

Meanwhile, News Corp can reveal organisers approached John Farnham to perform in the Opening Ceremony. When he declined, musical director Katie Noonan offered the job of singing a snippet of Farnham’s hit You’re The Voice to relatively unknown Brisbane singer songwriter Emma Dean.

As Delta Goodrem and Christine Anu were standouts, many criticised the lack of ‘moments’ in the show and industry insiders told of tensions behind the scenes as Noonan came under fire for putting herself at the centre of the production.

Katie Noonan was one of the big names performaing at the Opening Ceremony for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, but will the Closing Ceremony top it? Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

While other performers belted out their bits with dancers, fireworks and light projections around them, Noonan’s song, You’re Welcome Here, was a stripped back track with just the singer and a choir.

In response to questions about why she put herself in the show, Noonan said: “So proud of my Gold Coast, my state of QLD and my country. It is so disappointing that after the extraordinary world class ceremony I feel our community presented to the world, a ceremony in which we showed our best selves with a message of sister/brother and not other ... that is the angle your journalistic ideals take you.”