Picture the scene: Glasgow, 2014.
Years of restoration and rejuvenation of the Clyde docks (the Clyde Auditorium opened in 1997, the Science Centre in 2001 and BBC Scotland in 2007) had resulted in the recent establishments of the Riverside Museum (2011) and the Hydro (2013).
Although Glasgow was yet to be my home (I hadn’t even visited Glasgow by this point), a palpable buzz from the city was felt all the way down to the south of England. The Commonwealth Games were taking place there and there seemed genuine excitement emanating from the city.
Visually, Glasgow was looking great. Those rejuvenated banks of the Clyde, George Square with the Big G sculpture as its centre piece. Clyde mascots dotted about the city. The City College building adorned Barbie pink with its you-cannae-miss-it PEOPLE MAKE GLASGOW sign. Banners of the signage also adorning lamp posts all over the city. Bunting everywhere.
It was not without its drawbacks. The first of the fires to ravage the School of Art happened in May 2014. Although devastating, at the time there was hope the building would be restored. A second fire in 2018 dashed those hopes. Yet, despite this, there was a general air of future-building in Glasgow and more broadly Scotland as a whole. The campaign for Scottish Independence was in full swing with the Indy Ref taking place on 18 Sept, some six weeks after the Games.
Do you know what else was happening in 2014? Simple Minds were finishing off the album that would become Big Music.
The city was ready in 2014. The people were enthusiastic to host the Games. There had been lots of forward planning.
Fast forward to today: George Square is closed for restoration work. I mean, let’s not try and get it done BEFORE thousands of people come to the city for the Commonwealth Games, eh? Streets are closed off everywhere around the city for the same reason. Or for other reasons. Or for no reason at all, seemingly. The Scotties in the City are out and about, but they’re being vandalised. Yay! Rats scurry around willy-nilly. Sauchiehall Street is dying. There’s construction work going on all over the place to house more students than there are students to fill them (one would think). The City College is an eye sore, yet there are no plans to demolish the building any time soon. The PEOPLE MAKE GLASGOW sign has faded into nothingness, and if it were still vibrant somehow it would be gibberish due to the broken windows on the crumbling building’s facade.
And, what else is happening? Simple Minds have decided that this time is the time they’ll be the main draw for the closing ceremony. Erm…okay.
Why is Glasgow hosting the Commonwealth Games again so soon after the previous time? Well, in a nutshell, because Melbourne – MELBOURNE – said they couldn’t afford to host it. “Yeah, nah. Sorry, mate. We can’t do it. Who else wants it?” and Glasgow said “Oh, aye. We’ll have it! Why naw.” Erm…because the city is ON ITS KNEES!
So, it’s the opening ceremony tonight at the Hydro. Is it sold out? I highly doubt it. Do I want to go? Nope! Is there anything I’m interested in seeing during the competition? Not enough to buy a ticket and go, no. Do I know anyone who is going to any of the sporting events? Nope! Or at least not to my knowledge.
For shits and giggles I looked at ticket prices for the closing ceremony. (It would be frigging funny if the only thing I did go to for the whole bloody Games was the closing ceremony. Lol.) The cheapest adult ticket price is £50. FIFTY QUID! No thank you. Kerr-ching and Co for three songs (‘Alive and Kicking’, ‘Don’t You’, maybe ‘New Gold Dream’ – goodnight, ching, ching, ching!), for fifty? I’d rather not.
But…if you’re interested, you can get ripped off… ahem… I mean, buy your tickets HERE
*I was joking. Imagine a family wanting to go? Cheapest seats – two adults, two kids = £176! Sod off!
