Her decision to give the first day of the festival a miss was a calculated one, based on the fact that many of her favorite performers would appear on day two, including the folk singer-songwriter Zhao Lei, who would be on stage at 2:20 pm.

Any Beijinger will tell you that getting out of the city by road, particularly if you have an appointment, can be a nerve-jangling affair at the best of times, and this day was no different. Throughout the journey, Su nervously put the finishing touches to her makeup - again and again - as she and her companions crawled along with other motorists and stewed on the possibility of being late for their date.

Finally, after nearly five hours on the road, they arrived, counting down the minutes to show time, and then having to line up with several hundred people waiting to have their tickets checked.