RecapWhen legends played Hong Kong, from David Bowie and Whitney Houston to Duran Duran
Relive iconic visits and concerts by music superstars Bowie, Houston, Duran Duran, Sammy Davis Jr and Pat Boone when they came to Hong Kong
From David Bowie’s record-breaking 1983 Serious Moonlight tour to Whitney Houston’s diva antics and Duran Duran’s sold-out Queen Elizabeth Stadium shows, these stories turn the spotlight on some of the music legends that have played Hong Kong.
1. David Bowie’s record-breaking 1983 Hong Kong concerts were a sold-out smash
David Bowie electrified Hong Kong with record-breaking shows at the Coliseum and, despite complaints over audience behaviour, the sold-out concerts were a monumental success. The two dates marked the finale of Bowie’s 1983 Serious Moonlight tour and saw massive queues for tickets when the shows were announced.
2. When Whitney Houston was booed on stage in Hong Kong for turning full egotistical diva
Despite initial success, American superstar Houston’s humiliating treatment of a fan on stage resulted in jeers from the audience at her final show. At the time the South China Morning Post reported that her diva behaviour had hit “new highs in egotism – even by the pop world’s standards”.
3. Duran Duran’s Hong Kong shows see Simon Le Bon reclaim teenybop crown at a sold-out Queen Elizabeth Stadium
Duran Duran’s 1989 Hong Kong concerts were a testament to the band’s enduring popularity, except with bosses at the Convention Centre who objected at the eleventh hour to the band playing there. The gigs were moved to Queen Elizabeth Stadium and were a massive success with fans treating singer Simon Le Bon like a god, reported the Post.
4. When Sammy Davis Jr insisted on playing Hong Kong in 1970 because it has “the finest tailors in the world”
The legendary American singer loved Hong Kong – and it’s tailors – and didn’t mind if his shows lost money because he wanted to play there so much, the promoter said at the time. Despite a last-minute change of venue due to red tape, the audience at the Lee Theatre were left spellbound, the South China Morning Post reported.
5. Pat Boone mobbed by screaming fans when he arrived in Hong Kong for two concerts in 1964
Police had to called in to hold back crowds of fans when teen idol Boone landed at Kai Tak airport on a whirlwind 24-hour visit that took in two City Hall concerts, media engagements, a visit to a foster child and a reception. Boone, known for his ballads, performed a repertoire of hits to adoring fans and even commented on the popularity of The Beatles.
Part of this article was produced with the assistance of generative AI.