The China Arts and Entertainment Group first suggested that Rock Records hold its concert at the Beijing Workers Stadium, but its ambitious boss Johnny Duann chose the Bird's Nest instead.

After the Beijing Olympic Games in August 2008, many thought it would replace the Workers Stadium as the capital's largest performance venue. But, except for Zhang Yimou's opera Turandot, only two concerts have been held there. One was Jackie Chan and His Friends on May 1, 2009; and the other featured soprano Song Zuying, tenor Placido Domingo, pianist Lang Lang and pop icon Jay Chou on June 30, 2009.

Not everybody is up to the challenge posed by the venue. It is really hard to command a 65,000-strong audience.

What's more, the Bird's Nest's acoustic system spells disaster for a concert.

"Without enough loudspeakers or accurate installation, people sitting on the first level of the auditorium will find it very noisy while those on the third level, would not be able to hear the singing clearly," says Zhang Yiming, event and press director of China Arts and Entertainment Group.

Zhang tells China Daily that they came close to canceling the Rock Records concert at least five times because of concerns over the acoustics.

But Duann was determined to stick to his plans. The technical team has now placed some 700 Meyer Sound loudspeakers, besides putting the entire acoustics system used for the Beijing Olympics to use.

"We've done other big pop concerts but this is the largest and most challenging one. Technically, we have never used so many loudspeakers. It took several months to test the acoustics before the Olympic Games.

This time around there is no time to waste and we will try our best to ensure that everyone in the audience in every corner hears the same music," says Zhang, adding that the technical team comprises those who worked on the Super Band tour as well as the Olympics Opening Ceremony.

The other difficulty is to get all the stars together.

"Though everybody wishes to take part, each has a busy schedule. Even a class reunion cannot have every member in it, let alone a gathering of all these big busy stars," Zhang says.

But as a big fan of Rock Records himself and having presented the Super Band national tour in 2009, Zhang is confident of the upcoming concert.

"Like the Super Band tour, the artists themselves will guarantee its success. Almost all Chinese aged between 20 and 60 have grown up with their (Rock Records) songs. It is not just a pop concert but a trip down memory lane that people would not want to miss," Zhang says, revealing that he has already received many booking requests from the United States, Canada and Australia.