Rugby the Carisbrook curtain-raiser for rock band Shihad

For once, the rugby will be the curtain-raiser.

Rock band Shihad is to play at Carisbrook when the Highlanders play the Crusaders on March 7 but, in what is believed to be a first for the ground, the band will play after the game.

Having a band play at Carisbrook is not a rarity but it usually performs before the rugby kicks off.

Highlanders marketing manager Chris Green said the franchise wanted to create an event as close as possible to a standard concert.

The band will start playing about 9.30pm and play for more than an hour.

Green said it would be Shihad's second concert of the year, after it played at Lake Hawea earlier this month.

Shihad lead singer, Jon Toogood, said it was the closest he would get to being a professional rugby player and he was looking forward to playing at Carisbrook.

The game comes at the end of university orientation activities and Green hoped a big crowd would turn up.

The Highlanders play the opening game of the Super 14 against the Brumbies at Carisbrook on February 13.