East side meets west side when Nine Inch Nails, Public Enemy, Marky Ramone, New York Dolls, Brett Anderson from Suede and more arrive in the capital to perform at the Beijing Pop Festival alongside the best bands China has to offer. It's been a brilliant year for music and the fact that Flavor Flav and his big ass clock will soon be heating up an already sweltering city, tells us it's going to be one fine outdoor concert. And for those in Shanghai, don't sit around feeling left out, win tickets to the festival here and come up to join in the action as we rock the capital one last time before the summer sun sets.

"Shooting at Cirque du Soleil's ‘Quidam’ site for the Shanghai performers City Feature [Shanghai Entertainment Guide, pg. E12] was an incredible experience,” says Shanghai editor Alonso Dominguez. The idea was to present a visual contrast between locally-based artists and the international performance powerhouse that is Cirque du Soleil. According to Dominguez, “The results were amazing.” On one hand, we have the local performers, who tell a tale of self-made success and struggle to make their way through the industry. And on the other, a major international production, which is one of the most established name brands in the performing arts industry. “Needless to say, working on this feature was great fun,” says Dominguez. "Hanging out backstage at the Cirque site is definitely high up there in coolest things I've ever gotten to do.”

Jenn Wong is stressed out. She isn’t even in the country at the moment, but all she can think about is Beijing and China and ni hao and “How in the hell am I going to meet my deadline?!!!” Forget all that though, because Wong is a pro, and in between her travels she is making the time to find Internet terminals and coffee shops with wireless to pound out the final words for the Beijing Pop Festival feature (pg. 10). "If you’re reading this right now," says Wong, "it means I haven't been sacked and the story is done. Success!!"

"I was catching up on my sleep at 3 in the afternoon when my mobile phone rang,” says Yang Yidong, a freelance photographer. “It’s a new assignment at SOHO Shangdu with artist Luohao,” said the Beijing Guide editor. Who is Luoyi? Where is SOHO Shangdu? How can I show the coexistence of art and a shopping mall (Beijing Entertainment Guide, pg. E13)? “After doing some research, I went to the mall for inspiration. No ideas came to me though; the mall’s commercial overload was sapping my creative brain waves!” But when Yang finally met up with artist Luohao, their combined creative force overpowered the commercialized space around them and beautiful photos were produced. Yang, at last, slept well.