September 9-10, 2006 It was a beautiful fall weekend for the Second Annual Beijing Pop Festival in Chaoyang Park. Blue skies and a cool breeze accompanied the international sounds of bands from the US, the UK, Norway and China on the main stage. The big names came out at night, heating up the cool evening air, with blazing sets from Placebo, Sebastian Bach and Supergrass. Overall, it was an experience you'd only find in China – an army of grey-uniformed bao'ans clamping down on any displays of rock ecstasy, Beijing yaogun back to back with down home rock n' roll, a performance of "Beijing Metalheads" warming up for "It's Alright" – the pictures tell the tale.

Photos by Simon Lim