It was unbelievable but it's true. Hong Kong went crazy like a fool last night to the disco beats of the Daddy Cool Concert featuring Liz Mitchell of Boney M.

Even before the start, a handful of diehard fans sporting afros of varying shades and sizes received a standing ovation. Husband and manager Thomas Pemberton introduced Mitchell, who greeted the capacity crowd of five-year-olds to grandads with hello in Cantonese.

After opening with Amazing Grace, Mitchell wasted no time getting down into the front row, prising Hong Kong's own golden oldie, 'Uncle Ray' Cordeiro, onto the stage for a number, followed by Sunny, Belfast and King of the Road.

Audience participation was the main thrust with Mitchell, whose friendliness and energy lit up the stage and had almost everyone jumping out of their seats to dance and clap their hands to Daddy Cool and Ma Baker, by far the most popular songs of the night as Mitchell sang both again in her encore.

But a few stiff audience members in the front couldn't shake off their shyness to get up and dance.

Her group, comprising a brass section, percussion, drums, bass, guitar and three backup singers, didn't fail to please. A highlight was the athletic svelte male back-up singer/dancer whose backflips and excellent dance moves had the women - and possibly some men - swooning in every aisle.

Mitchell, who frequently thanked the audience, then took it down a notch with a few obscure laidback numbers inspiring a lone lighter waver.

Mitchell then invited about a dozen children on stage for Let It Be. They stayed for Mary's Boy Child and Hooray! Hooray! It's a Holi-Holiday. The Christmas song was a tad cheesy, but still entertaining.

After Ra Ra Rasputin, she paid tribute to Bob Marley with No Woman, No Cry. She closed with the longest version of Rivers of Babylon I have ever heard and after Calendar Song, the crowd clamoured for an encore. They got it.