In 1984, Elton John's Hong Kong debut sparked ticket complaints from fans
'A local music promoter yesterday described ticket sales complaints by
Elton John fans as 'misleading and unreliable',' reported the South China Morning Post on March 13, 1984. ''We have reserved more than 80 per cent of tickets for the public for Elton's first concert in Hongkong,' said Mr Johnson Chiu, assistant to the managing director of Jesu International Entertainment Ltd. Elton John is due to give his debut performance at the
Hongkong Coliseum on March 30 […] The reason for the sell-out of high-priced tickets was that a good lighting design was anticipated. [John] and his 27-member team will arrive in Hongkong on the eve of his scheduled concert.'
'A local music promoter yesterday described ticket sales complaints by Elton John fans as 'misleading and unreliable',' reported the South China Morning Post on March 13, 1984. Credit: SCMP Archives
On March 30, the Post reported that, '
Elton John will be pacing back and forth more than usual tonight just before he steps on stage. The English rock star said he was nervous about his two Hongkong concerts because he wasn't quite sure what to expect. 'I have never played here before. At least in America and Britain I know what's what,' he explained.
Advertisement
'Hongkong is the third stop on [John's] world tour. Over 20 European countries, including Yugoslavia and Poland, lie ahead of him. After that it's onto the US and Canada.
Rock star Elton John holds a press conference at the Holiday Inn ahead of his two concerts at the Hong Kong Coliseum in March 1984. Photo: SCMP Archives
'Elton said he hoped his Hongkong audiences would find his concerts at the Coliseum – promised to last more than two hours – an entertaining and enjoyable experience. 'We've got the most amazing light show. Well I say it's amazing. I never see it because I'm on stage, but everyone says it's pretty good.' Local promoters Jesu International are paying just over $1.5 million for the two performances. Tickets are still available for tonight.'
On April 2, the Post ran a note from Jesu International's managing director, Rigo Jesu, who wrote that he 'would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused to patrons of the two Elton John concerts by our shifting of the stage location. This had to be done when it was learned that the Hongkong Coliseum did not have sufficient rigging points […] The only possible way to hang the lighting was to move the stage to its ultimate position, which resulted in some seating disarray. However, anyone who attended Elton's concerts will agree that this small inconvenience was worth the incredible light show [but] I hope someone will look into the problems of rigging points there to enable future shows to be presented in their full glory'.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RTHK
4 days ago
- RTHK
'Beckham to be awarded knighthood by King Charles'
'Beckham to be awarded knighthood by King Charles' King Charles chats with David Beckham at the Chelsea Flower Show. Photo: AFP David Beckham will be awarded a knighthood by King Charles next week in recognition of his football career and his charity work, reports said on Friday. The former England football captain is set to be named in the King's Birthday Honours List, according to sources. Other sporting figures who have been awarded the title include Beckham's former manager at Manchester United, Alex Ferguson, and British tennis great Andy Murray. The Sun newspaper said he would take the title of "Sir" and his wife, Victoria, a former member of the Spice Girls pop group, will be known as Lady Beckham. Beckham played 115 times for England as well as for a list of high-profile clubs, including United and Real Madrid. He is currently the president and co-owner of the US team Inter Miami and co-owner of Salford City, who play in the fourth tier of English football. The 50-year-old, who has long been in the running for a knighthood, was appointed an officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2003 – a lower award in Britain's honours system. Victoria later received the same award for services to the fashion industry. David Beckham was last month named in Time Magazine's list of the 100 most influential leaders in philanthropy. He is an official ambassador for The King's Foundation, supporting its education programmes and "efforts to ensure young people have a greater understanding of nature" and has been a Unicef goodwill ambassador since 2005. (AFP)
HKFP
30-05-2025
- HKFP
Hong Kong parody musician Sunny Lam axes concert after ‘careful consideration'
Hong Kong parody singer-songwriter Sunny Lam, known for his satires on current affairs, has called off an upcoming concert after 'careful consideration.' Lam, who has 151,000 followers on Facebook and 122,000 followers on Instagram, announced on Friday that his two-day show – translated into English as 'Sunny Lam Birthday Concert in Hong Kong' – would be cancelled. In a post shared on his social media accounts, Lam said the decision to axe the concert, scheduled for Sunday and Monday, was made 'after careful consideration.' Those who purchased tickets would be contacted within seven working days for a refund, the musician added. 'We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience and disappointment this cancellation may cause and kindly ask for your understanding,' his post read. 'Thank you for your understanding and support. We will continue to work hard and look forward to seeing you again in the near future.' The concert was set to take place at Lau Bak Freespace Livehouse inside the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD). Lam originally planned to host one show on Sunday only but added a second show after tickets sold out within a day in early May. Some netizens said the cancellation was 'expected,' while others urged Lam and his team to consider moving the concert online instead. According to Lam's YouTube channel, the musician began sharing songs he wrote on the video-sharing platform in November 2009. Many of his works are parody songs about political and social events in Hong Kong. His most popular hit, with 1.3 million views, was a song published in August 2022 about lawmaker Eunice Yung and her father-in-law Elmer Yuen, who has a HK$1 million bounty on his head for alleged national security offences. The song, based on the 1991 Cantonese hit 'Queen's Rd. East,' depicts the conflicts between Yung, a pro-establishment politician, and self-exiled activist Yuen, who stands accused of colluding with foreign forces and committing subversion by requesting sanctions on Hong Kong government officials and judicial officers. Yuen, who left Hong Kong in June 2020 before the national security law was enacted, was also said to have launched a 'referendum' to form 'The Hong Kong Parliament,' which Hong Kong authorities say aims to achieve self-determination and subvert state power. In recent months, Lam has also written songs about the US tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump, the controversial ports deal by Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing's conglomerate CK Hutchison, and Kai Tak Arena's decision in March to kick dozens of snooker fans out of the facility before a match at the World Grand Prix concluded. Past cancellations Musicians in Hong Kong have encountered venue cancellations for their shows. In December, Cantopop singer Pong Nan, known for his support for the 2019 extradition bill protests, announced he would scrap his concert due to a venue cancellation by the WKCD. The WKCD told HKFP at the time that it had no comment on the hiring arrangements for any individual events. In May last year, activist-singer Denise Ho announced that she would move her performance online after being unable to secure a live venue. Police showed up during the online gig. The singer, who was arrested in 2021 in connection with the Stand News sedition case, said it was very difficult for her to do a 'normal show' in an 'abnormal place.'
South China Morning Post
24-05-2025
- South China Morning Post
FPL: Under pressure like Kevin Keegan, ‘I would love it' if I beat my rivals
Never did I think that a Fantasy Premier League season could jeopardise my professional career, but here we are. The Post's mini-league, despite my utter dominance throughout, has somehow come down to the final day, with just five points between my side, Various Artists, and the team in second. As the Post's resident FPL 'expert', how can I walk back into the office with any shred of dignity if I somehow throw away the league? My editor has even hinted that I will be sent on a post-season FPL tour should I fail to bring back silverware, something I suspect might be a metaphor for more serious ramifications. Right now, I feel like Kevin Keegan after his infamous 'I will love it if we beat them' rant. I have been top of the league for as long as I can remember, but my run-in – much like that of the ill-fated 1996 Newcastle United side – has been nothing if not average: in the previous Gameweek, I scored 58 points, 62 the week before that, and a shocking 38 in Gameweek 35. My closest rival closed the gap after an impressive run, racking up 202 points in three weeks.
