Five events at the Coliseum that will live long in Hong Kong’s memory
The Hung Hom venue has given the public plenty to remember – here are five of the biggest, best and most important shows it has hosted
The Hong Kong Coliseum has left an indelible mark on Hong Kong’s collective cultural consciousness. Here’s a look at some of the iconic venue’s finest moments.
Curtain raisers: although the official opening was in April 1983, David Bowie’s December 7 and 8 visit that same year marked the Coliseum’s arrival as an international venue. Bowie was at the height of his powers when he played the two nights that brought to an end his colossal Serious Moonlight tour. By rights, Bowie should have been exhausted, considering he’d played 96 shows in 16 countries, but he saved some of his best for last, and the concerts are widely considered among the best the city has seen.
The Hong Kong Coliseum – 40 years on and still rocking at heart of the city
Long may they run: after 40 years in the business, Paula Tsui Siu-fung is still packing them in (as her concerts over the past week have shown), but in 1992 the flamboyant singer played an incredible 43 concerts at the venue – spread over just 37 days. It was a record run unmatched (in numbers, if not days) until Snow.Wolf.Lake came along in 1997, a star-studded show led by Jacky Cheung Hok-yau. The musical, which saw the “Heavenly King” sharing the spotlight with Sandy Lam Yik-lin, played to 43 full houses over 43 consecutive nights.
WATCH Anita Mui in concert in 1991