HK Sevens: Just more than rugby!

The Hong Kong Rugby Football Union (HKRFU) has unveiled details of the entertainment extravaganza on offer for fans at the 2013 Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens which will be held from 22 to 24 March at the Hong Kong Stadium.

For the first time in the 38-year history of the Sevens, the HKRFU is inviting Sevens fans to rate their favourite songs of the Sevens, and suggest new Sevens anthems to be played inside the Hong Kong stadium over the tournament weekend.

The songs of the Sevens have become iconic reminders of the various tournaments. This year, the HKRFU is inviting fans to vote on whether they love or hate some of the classic stadium staples, that have entertained the Sevens fans, over the years and to suggest the music they would most like to hear at the world-famous Hong Kong Sevens.

Fans are encouraged to visit the official Hong Kong Sevens and Hong Kong Rugby Football Union facebook pages to vote for their favourites.

The fans have already spoken with Psy’s ‘Gangnam Style’ an early front-runner for inclusion over Sevens weekend, ahead of the internet sensation the ‘Harlem Shake’.

The HKRFU will also initiate a facebook campaign inviting fans to propose their favourite song by one of the headline live acts for this year’s Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, the Beach Boys.

The Rock and Roll hall of fame artists, the Beach Boys will entertain the audience fist with a short set on-event. The Beach Boys will perform immediately following the 23 March Past at 2:30 p.m. on a temporary stage set-up along the North Stand.

Having sold over 100 million albums worldwide, the Beach Boys were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988. Their seminal Pet Sounds album was named number two in Rolling Stone’s 2003 ‘500 greatest albums of all time’ compilation; the same publication also voted ‘Good vibrations’ the ‘Number one song of the century’.

The Beach Boys have performed more shows than any other major rock act. They play on average 150 shows a year, ranging from Super Bowls to Live Aid, but the Hong Kong Sevens marks the first time this legendary super-group has ever played for an international rugby audience.

Other entertainment on the weekend sees a unique blend of the cultures of East and West as the London Welsh Rugby Club choir will join with the Hong Kong Welsh Male voice choir to perform as part of the Sevens opening ceremony.

Choristers’ contribution

The performance by the two Welsh choirs will mark the first time singing, as part of the opening ceremony of the Sevens.

London Welsh Rugby Club choir Chairman Joe Jones said: “To be part of the first choir to sing on the pitch in the 38-year history of this fabulous tournament is an immense honour. We’re thrilled to have been asked, and are very proud to represent both the club and the Welsh Nation on this high-profile stage.”

The London Welsh Rugby Club choir was part of the closing ceremony entertainment at the Olympic Stadium during the London 2012 summer games, performing in front of a crowd of 80,000 and a televised audience of over one billion viewers.

The Welsh choirs’ choral performance will be followed by a Chinese Lion Dance featuring performers from the Liongogo Chinese tradition culture club and students from local charity group, Changing Young Lives foundation.

On Saturday, the 28 participating teams at the Sevens and members of all 19 Hong Kong mini Rugby clubs will once again be piped into the stadium by the massed pipes and drums of the Hong Kong Police, Auxiliary Police and Scout and Fettes College Pipe bands in the Sevens’ pitch parade.

Entertainment will be provided throughout the Hong Kong Stadium as usual, on the weekend as the two upper concourse stages host a wide variety of musical acts from some of Hong Kong’s leading schools and performance groups including jazz and rock bands, pipes and drums and more.

Adding to the excitement will be the sports performance group the Kukri Cheerleaders who will be encouraging the players and the crowd alike over Sevens weekend.

With world-class rugby on the pitch and world-class entertainment off it, the 2013 Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens is living up to its billing as the biggest and best Hong Kong Sevens ever.