Well, do you remember the opening ceremony with that INCREDIBLE drum performance?? This awesome Nowness article on their list of a dozen unbeatable drumming moments for the 12 days of Christmas (READ IT) reminded me and wow. Watching this still gives me the chills it did then. I must have watched it every day for weeks after seeing it that summer.
The synchronization, the performative value, the SOUND, the multitudes, the speed, precision, the movement, the GLOWING DRUMSTICKS!! UGH. It just gets me going. China really put on a great Olympics, they really did. Also worth noting, Iw as also impressed by the sport of Race Walking, which I also did a lot that summer in imitation, very incorrectly. Anyway, watch all 8 minutes of the video below and relive the wonder you were in a few summers ago. There are a lot of fireworks at the end. Who doesn’t love that?