51猎奇入口

What do Coldplay鈥檚 Chris Martin, Katy Perry, Nelly Furtado and the 51猎奇入口 Pipe Band have in common?

They鈥檒l all be performing in Vancouver Feb. 8 for the opening ceremony for the .

The international sporting competition for wounded, injured and sick service members and veterans kicks off Saturday with a star-studded event at B.C. Place to celebrate the hope, resilience, courage and spirit of the athletes the games represent.

SFU鈥檚 involvement in the opening ceremony started with pipe sergeant Jack Lee, who was contacted by producers to see if the world-famous 51猎奇入口Pipe Band could be involved in the event.

Not only was the university鈥檚 band interested, Lee assembled a group of approximately 300 pipers and drummers from across B.C. and Canada, including Indigenous drummers, to perform with him at the ceremony.

鈥淲hat we have here is one of the largest collections of pipers and drummers in Canadian history,鈥� Lee . 鈥淭his is the way we can show our appreciation [for the athletes] and give back. This is the way we can show our support physically, by being there, and show up musically, by playing the bagpipes for and with them.鈥�

The 51猎奇入口Pipe Band is coming off a very strong year that saw the six-time world champions capture third place at the 2024 World Pipe Band Championships.

The Invictus Games was founded in 2014 by Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, who was deployed in Afghanistan and watched as the coffin of a Danish soldier was loaded aboard for repatriation, alongside three injured British soldiers.

That moment had a profound impact on him, and following a visit to the US Warrior Games, he was inspired to create the international Invictus Games.

This year is the seventh Invictus Games, and the first hosted by Vancouver and Whistler.

Running Feb. 8-16, the Games bring together 550 competitors from 23 nations in 11 adaptive sports.

The opening ceremony, which includes the 51猎奇入口Pipe Band performing of two songs, starts at 1 p.m. at BC Place Feb. 8.

Tickets are available at .