The 2024 Paris Olympics have come to an end, with the closing ceremony going down today at Stade de France. To help say “Au revoir” in true French style, local artists — including Phoenix, Air, and more — performed.
Phoenix kicked things off, performing their hit “Lisztomania” to usher in the party portion of the ceremony. Set up on a small stage in the center of the stadium, and surrounded by a crowd of Olympic athletes, the band delivered an upbeat rendition of the 2009 classic, to a warm response from the crowd. Then, they helped the DJ Kavinsky perform “Nightcall,” before diving into their 2000 track “If I Ever Feel Better.”
From there, they welcomed a number of guests, including Air — who performed their 2000 song “Playground Love” — and Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig, who sang “Tonight” with the group. Then, Phoenix closed their portion of the ceremony with another hit: “1901.” Watch videos of the performances below.
Phoenix, who first formed in the Parisian suburb Versailles in 1995, released their most recent album, Alpha Zulu, in 2022. This year, they celebrated the 15th anniversary of their seminal release, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, and recently spoke with Consequence about the album’s legacy and impact. Up next, they’re booked for a handful of live appearances in Japan, France, and the UK (get tickets).
As for Air, they also formed in Versailles in 1995, and released a string of acclaimed albums between 1998 and 2012. Through the rest of 2024, they will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of their 1998 album Moon Safari with a number of live shows, including a North American tour kicking off in September and stopping in Seattle, Los Angeles, New York, Miami, and many more cities. Get tickets here.
olympics had phoenix at their closing ceremony indie sleaze is back in full force omg pic.twitter.com/61R3YD69HU
— tom hardy’s slutty blonde wig (@jewelbundrn) August 11, 2024
Phoenix et Air refont leur morceau culte “Playground Love” de la bande-originale de “Virgin Suicides”. 😍
Le direct du concert : https://t.co/iiF8qAxhr9#Paris2024 #CeremonieDecloture pic.twitter.com/gLGBnmd4aB
— France tv (@FranceTV) August 11, 2024