Black-Eyed Peas get it started

The Black-Eyed Peas, one of the most successful hip-hop bands to come out of the US, rocked the Venetian Macao's arena on Saturday night, pulling in crowds from the Pearl River Delta to get the gigantic resort's series of music concerts under way.

The concert was not a sellout, but fans who travelled there from Hong Kong said they were not disappointed.

"It was totally awesome," said Chan Hay-wah, who went with a group of friends. "We saw them in Hong Kong before, but this was way better. The atmosphere, the venue, the fans ... the band. They were amazing."

Macau fans were equally ecstatic. "We thought they were totally cool," said Angel Chan, adding that she was looking forward to the Beyonce concert on Saturday.

It is also understood that the Pussycat Dolls will be performing at The Venetian on New Year's Eve, although this hads not yet been confirmed and tickets are not yet on sale.

"Cool," said Angel. "I guess this year we won't have to spend New Year's Eve in Hong Kong."

Tickets for the Beyonce concert are still available at www.venetianmacaotickets.com.