A fan is lifted by others during the Modern Sky Music Festival in Beijing on Tuesday, Sept 30, 2008. The annual Modern Sky Music Festival drew thousands of domestic and foreign fans following a week-long holiday, which marks the country's National Day. [sina.com]

Despite absence of big name foreign acts , the second Modern Sky Music Festival was a hit still.

Crowds flocked to Beijing's Haidian Park on Tuesday, the first day of the festival. So much so, there was a serpentine kilometer-long queue outside the gate. Some waited as long as two hours to enter the park.

Rock bands such as Super VC, Queen Sea Big Shark, and AK47 rocked the house. The bands come under Modern Sky, China's largest indie music label.

Veteran rocker Zhang Chu closed the day with his classic singles, "Sister", "Ants Ants", and "Lonely People Are Shameful".

The festival will last till October 2.

(CRI October 1, 2008)