The Day is nigh for Xu's sold-out Beijing gig

Xu Wei may be one of Chinese mainland's biggest music stars but he didn't look the part as he stepped on to the stage to announce his concert tour, The Day, which kicks off at Beijing Workers Gymnasium tomorrow. Sitting around in black T-shirt, jacket and jeans, Xu answered questions in leisurely fashion and only warmed up when he picked up his guitar and started singing some of his hits, like Journey and Blue Lotus. The chilly, cramped room suddenly felt more like an arena.

As it happens, Xu, 41, doesn't need to talk too much - tickets were sold out about a month ago. Back in 2005 when he held his second solo concert, Forever Youth, his guitar skills and classic songs delighted 30,000 fans, who sang along on a glorious summer evening.

Xu is totally relaxed about how it will go at the same venue this time.