Freddie Mercury makes an appearance at the closing ceremony (Screencap from NBCOlympics.com stream)

The show delivered a celebration of the best of British music that left some 80,000 fans dancing along, opening with with a mix of Madness, the Pet Shop Boys and yes, the British pop sensation, One Direction. But if that wasn't enough, the festivities also featured Timothy Spall (of "Sweeney Todd" and "Harry Potter" fame) as Winston Churchill. 

All this came together for a spectacular display that created a large, impressive homage to the Union Jack. 

But wait, there's more! Below are the top five moments of the night:

Two words: Spice. Girls. 

For those of us who grew up listening to the collective "Zig-ah-zig-ah" of the Spice Girls--and who may or may not be bitter about missing their reunion concert a few years back--tonight's performance was a perfect mix of nostalgia and entertainment. 

The ladies took the stage in five cars, each reflective of their personal style, and rocked the house with a performance of their first smash single, "Wannabe." As the show progressed, the group broke into a dance routine and worked the stadium with another of their hits, "Spice Up Your Life." The closing ceremony is rumored to be the last time the Spice Girls will perform together. At least it was a worthy final show--even London Mayor Boris Johnson was excited and dancing along.

My only question: Do these women age?

Olympic Spirit:

If there is one thing to take away from the closing ceremony, it's the spirit of unity the Olympic athletes displayed tonight. They marched into the stadium in lines at first, touting the flags of their nations. But they quickly began dancing together, embracing one other and reveling in their respective accomplishments. Despite how hard these athletes fought, they were able to let their hair down and celebrate their final Olympic experience as one. 

Muse:

It seems silly that Muse only recently confirmed they would be performing at the closing ceremony. There is no question that their Olympic theme song, "Survival," is an amazing piece of music that evokes a sense of pride and glory--fitting for an anthem that is symbolic of thousands of athletes fighting to represent their country and rise through the ranks. Needless to say, their perfomance tonight was spectacular. Muse does not disappoint. Matthew Bellamy hit amazing high notes, and each strum of the guitar pulsed through the stadium as the band rocked the stage. 

Freddie Mercury:

In what wasn't the only digital appearance from beyond the grave, deceased Queen frontman Freddie Mercury graced us with his presence at the night's festivities. Not one to make a bland entrance--even if he's not really here--the Lover of Life and Singer of Songs came in with an explosion. Literally. After a display of fireworks and a video of Mercury from a 1986 concert at Wembley stadium, the singer's virtual likeness joined the remaining members of the band (along with Jessie J) in a performance of "We Will Rock You." And they did--mission accomplished. 

John Lennon:

Listen to Muse's "Survival" below:

For more of Neon Tommy's Olympic coverage, click here.