Folk rock singer Ma Tiao starts the night of folk ballad at Beijing Exhibition Center Theater on Friday, June 27, 2008. [Photo: sina.com.cn]

Over two thousand audiences crowded into Beijing Exhibition Center Theater for a Chinese folk ballad concert Friday evening despite rain.

Website sina.com.cn reported that famous "campus singers" Lao Lang, new folk ballad poet Wan Xiaoli and folk rock talent Ma Tiao led the concert.

The show is part of a three-day festival held by the indie label The Thirteenth Month. The next two days will feature rock songs and music of northwestern China.