London Olympics | Closing ceremonies

Roger Daltrey, left, and Pete Townshend of The Who perform during the closing ceremony.  (Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images)

Fireworks shower the sky above Olympic Stadium during the closing ceremony.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Performers wearing electronic headgear appear during a Brazilian themed segment near the end of the closing ceremony to help segue into the next Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.  (Diego Azubel / EPA)

Rio de Janeiro mayor Eduardo Paes waves the Olympic flag after receiving it from London mayor Boris Johnson, left, via Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee, during the traditional handover ceremony in London.   (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Athletes take pictures as confetti rains down on them.  (Jae C. Hong / Associated Press)

Annie Lennox performs “Little Bird” at Olympic Stadium.   (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Queen guitarist Brian May and Jessie J, perform “We Will Rock You.”   (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Fireworks were a spectacular part of the closing ceremony.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Flashes from spectators’ cameras kept Olympic Stadium twinkling.   (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Singer Marisa Monte emulates the goddess of the sea, Yemanja, at the closing ceremony.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Members of the United States Olympic team, wearing white, mingle with other athletes and watch the ceremony.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Palace Guards parade into Olympic Stadium.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Performers stalk the stage during the closing ceremony.  (Hannibal / EPA)

British actor and comedian Russell Brand performs.  (Jae C. Hong / Associated Press)

The Pet Shop Boys are led by a procession of well-dressed pointy-headed bicyclists as they perform “West End Girls.”   (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Victoria Beckham, also known as Posh Spice, enters the stadium to join up with the rest of the Spice Girls.  (Ivan Sekretarev / Associated Press)

Singer George Michael performs during the closing ceremony.  (Clive Brunskill / Getty Images)

Confetti flies around the Olympic flame.  (Patrick Semansky/ Associated Press)

Norman Cook, aka D.J. Fatboy Slim, performs in an electronic inflatable octopus.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

The Union Flag waves from the top of a replica of Big Ben at the closing ceremony.  (Pascal Le Segretain / Getty Images)

Volunteers make way for the athletes to parade during the closing ceremony.  (Leon Neal / AFP / Getty Images)

Lee Thompson, saxophonist for Madness, rises to the occasion.   (Nic Bothma / EPA)

An athlete holds the British flag during the closing ceremony.  (Sergei Grits / Associated Press)