Pan Am Games closing ceremony: Fans cheer Team Canada, Kanye West's mic cuts out
A spectacular fireworks display from the CN Tower and an apparent microphone malfunction for headliner Kanye West helped end the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto with an exclamation mark during the closing ceremony on Sunday night.
- Kanye West performs 'Stronger' at Pan Am closing ceremony
- Full story: Kanye's mic, Pan Am Games go out
Athletes entered the Rogers Centre to a standing ovation, and the national anthem played with the Canadian flag displayed on a stage set of a miniaturized Toronto skyline.
Full house in the Rogers Centre. Team Canada has arrived. Congrats to all the athletes! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/panam?src=hash">#panam</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbcnewsarts?src=hash">#cbcnewsarts</a> <a href="http://t.co/7Pci6BvA1L">pic.twitter.com/7Pci6BvA1L</a>
—@CBCTashaunaO Canada <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CBCPanAm?src=hash">#CBCPanAm</a> <a href="http://t.co/76TrkA0xam">pic.twitter.com/76TrkA0xam</a>
—@cbcsportsWe see you, Kia Nurse <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ClosingCeremony?src=hash">#ClosingCeremony</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CBCPanAm?src=hash">#CBCPanAm</a> <a href="http://t.co/WVXNDwoUkF">http://t.co/WVXNDwoUkF</a>
—@cbcsportsCanadian singer Serena Ryder impressed as always, though some poked fun at her colourful outfit when she performed the games' official theme, Together We Are One.
.<a href="https://twitter.com/serenaryder">@serenaryder</a> rocks the the PAD! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CBCPanAm?src=hash">#CBCPanAm</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/closingceremony?src=hash">#closingceremony</a> <a href="http://t.co/CmNKAGZwZR">pic.twitter.com/CmNKAGZwZR</a>
—@CBCOlympicsDancing around the circle of the sun w <a href="https://twitter.com/serenaryder">@serenaryder</a> at the closing ceremony <a href="https://twitter.com/TO2015">@TO2015</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Toronto2015?src=hash">#Toronto2015</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SerenaRyder?src=hash">#SerenaRyder</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TO2015?src=hash">#TO2015</a> <a href="http://t.co/Ev6HQ9w4PP">pic.twitter.com/Ev6HQ9w4PP</a>
—@Usualsuspectguy
Why is Serena Ryder dressed like Macho Man Randy Savage? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CBCPanAm?src=hash">#CBCPanAm</a>
—@ChrisArnold33Pitbull brought the energy:
"Mr. Worldwide" in the building <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CBCPanAm?src=hash">#CBCPanAm</a> <a href="http://t.co/5hVD5KxNp8">pic.twitter.com/5hVD5KxNp8</a>
—@cbcsportsWho sweat more? The Pan Am marathon runners or Pitbull? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CBCPanAm?src=hash">#CBCPanAm</a> <a href="http://t.co/hzBym8T4pf">http://t.co/hzBym8T4pf</a>
—@cbcsportsPitbull though! He's like the Weird Al Yankovic of rap right?
—@vankayakThe main event, however, was Kanye West, who thundered in with Stronger and then turned on the lights, forgoing fanciful pyrotechnics or light shows for the rest of his set.
Enter Kanye <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CBCPanAm?src=hash">#CBCPanAm</a> <a href="http://t.co/ABkrVCotq3">http://t.co/ABkrVCotq3</a>
—@cbcsportsKanye calls for the lights to come on. We're going into Power. He wants us to all clap for the athletes. The people do what Kanye says.
—@sjbattersbyKANYE WEST has everyone on their feet and singing. Who said Canadians don't like <a href="https://twitter.com/kanyewest">@kanyewest</a>?! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbcnewsarts?src=hash">#cbcnewsarts</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/panam?src=hash">#panam</a> <a href="http://t.co/PaxJ6Z8Zrc">pic.twitter.com/PaxJ6Z8Zrc</a>
—@CBCTashaunaTouch the sky, Toronto <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CBCPanAm?src=hash">#CBCPanAm</a> <a href="http://t.co/cGbE9mT1qb">http://t.co/cGbE9mT1qb</a>
—@cbcsportsBut right as the clock stuck 10 p.m. ET, Kanye's mic appeared to cut out. Yeezus looked up at the crowd, threw the mic into the air and then left the stage to a raucous, cheering — and somewhat confused — crowd.
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kanye?src=hash">#Kanye</a>'s mic appeared to stop working before he threw it 50 ft skyward & marched off stage cueing fireworks <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/T02015?src=hash">#T02015</a> <a href="http://t.co/fMPf1D5vBC">pic.twitter.com/fMPf1D5vBC</a>
—@mikedgregoryThat poor microphone <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CBCPanAm?src=hash">#CBCPanAm</a> <a href="http://t.co/kM7N2o6jyc">http://t.co/kM7N2o6jyc</a>
—@cbcsportsPan Am officials later clarified that a "technical error" led to Kanye's mic cutting out in the stadium, although the broadcast audio remained.
UPDATE: Official word from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TO2015?src=hash">#TO2015</a> on Kanye's mic issues: "Technical error." <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CBCPanAm?src=hash">#CBCPanAm</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/closingceremony?src=hash">#closingceremony</a>
—@CBCOlympicsDespite the technical snafu, the show ended in style with a fireworks display at the CN Tower.
I know my spot for fireworks was better than yours... <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbcpanam?src=hash">#cbcpanam</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/cbcsports">@cbcsports</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CBCOlympics">@CBCOlympics</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TO2015?src=hash">#TO2015</a> <a href="http://t.co/sjoLlRDzTt">pic.twitter.com/sjoLlRDzTt</a>
—@ansonhenry<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PanAm2015?src=hash">#PanAm2015</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TO2015?src=hash">#TO2015</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PanAm2015Games?src=hash">#PanAm2015Games</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/closingceremony?src=hash">#closingceremony</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cntower?src=hash">#cntower</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/fireworks?src=hash">#fireworks</a> <a href="http://t.co/shsr5e51em">pic.twitter.com/shsr5e51em</a>
—@capi_rlOne more <a href="https://twitter.com/TourCNTower">@TourCNTower</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/TO2015">@TO2015</a> shot. Ending in a glorious blaze. Well done, Toronto. <a href="http://t.co/lc7yPR2Mwq">pic.twitter.com/lc7yPR2Mwq</a>
—@Devin_Heroux