Pop goes the capital

Chaoyang International Pop Music Festival offers fun for fans of outdoor music festivals who don't want to travel for hours to Beijing's outskirts.

The festival's seventh run will take place at the Chaoyang Sports Center and Chaoyang Park, both of which are within the East Fourth Ring Road. The two venues will be divided into five stages and present more than 70 performances.

But while fans can catch such pop acts as Zhang Chusheng and Yu Quanduo, the festival's name is a misnomer. Rock and folk bands, including Desert Chang, Faith Yang and Pu Shu - who haven't appeared onstage for years - will also perform. So will such indie outfits as Queen Sea Big Shark and Miserable Faith.

Exoticism will be delivered by such foreign musicians as Uruguay's Guitar Duo, Poland's Trebunie Tutki Family Band, South Africa's The Diversity Band and Moscow Girls Band.

Noon-midnight, April 29 -May 1. Chaoyang Sports Center, 77 Yaojiayuan, Chaoyang district, Beijing. 100 yuan ($16) per day. 400-610-3721.