After Coldplay, Hong Kong should woo other big acts like Oasis, Eason Chan for stadium launch

Lawmaker Michael Tien says government should ‘immediately’ pitch to recently reunited Oasis to make city their first Asian destination

Reading Time:3 minutes

A mural depicting the Gallagher brothers of Oasis at a pub in Manchester, England. The band split in 2009 but recently reunited for a UK tour. Photos: AFP.

Published: 8:52pm, 4 Sep 2024Updated: 8:54pm, 4 Sep 2024

Hong Kong must ride the momentum of a coming Coldplay concert and invite more international acts such English rock band Oasis to drum up the launch of the city’s new stadium, but transport issues must be identified and sorted with trial runs before hosting global acts, a lawmaker has said.

Lawmaker Michael Tien Puk-sun said on Wednesday the government should continue to woo popular live performers with star power, singling out the British band as an example and requesting that authorities “immediately reach out to Oasis for negotiations”.

The popular band, which split in 2009 after releasing seven studio albums over 18 years, recently made headlines as members announced they were reuniting to perform at least 17 shows in the United Kingdom, which rapidly sold out.

“Oasis said they will be performing beyond Europe in other regions in the second half of next year. The authorities should pitch for the band to make Hong Kong its first stop in Asia after reuniting,” Tien said.

The Post learned on Tuesday from multiple sources that Coldplay will perform at the mega stadium at Kai Tak Sports Park when it opens early next year. The British rock band is slated to be among the first performers to take the stage at the 50,000-seat venue.

Senior Economist Gary Ng Cheuk-yan from Natixis Corporate and Investment Bank said Coldplay could bring “tens of millions of dollars” in visitor spending for Hong Kong.