Chang Weisberg, founder of Rock the Bells and head of Guerilla Union, speaks with his crew members the evening before the concert on Friday, Sept. 6, 2013 in Devore. (Stan Lim/Staff Photographer)
I’ve been fortunate enough to cover a number of special events and festivals in my tenure at The Press-Enterprise, but I had the opportunity to do something really special on Friday night–I spent the evening being a fly on the wall, or in this case, on the field, for the final preparations in advance of Rock the Bells’s San Bernardino kickoff.
I want to extend a very special thank you to Guerilla Union for allowing us to tell an infrequently-seen part of the story. This is the first of a handful of blogs about being behind the scenes at Rock the Bells.
At 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 6, the seating bowl and lawn are empty at San Manuel Amphitheater. A Ferris wheel stands lit on the far reaches of the expansive lawn, but it sits motionless, awaiting the tens of thousands of hip-hop heads headed to Devore for the kickoff of the 2013 run of Rock the Bells.
With less than 18 hours to go before the gates open to the masses and Rock the Bells officially starts its 10th anniversary celebration, festival founder Chang Weisberg addressed his team for a final meeting before the show.
“The site looks incredible,” he told the four dozen or so staffers gathered under a permanent pavilion backstage.
RELATED: See photos from Rock the Bells
The music festival, put on by Weisberg’s Pomona-based promotion company Guerilla Union, is back at San Manuel Amphitheater for the first time since 2011 and is hosting more than 50 performers, including Kid Cudi, J. Cole and A$AP Mob, in addition to very special performances by Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and Wu-Tang Clan that will revive late hip-hop legends Eazy-E and ODB, respectively.
Weisberg calls on various members of the Guerilla Union staff during the Friday night run-through, and they provide information on the logistics of the weekend, like where to pick up golf carts, checking out radios and when breakfast is served for staff.
He makes it a point to note his appreciation for the staff as well.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” Weisberg said.
He reminded the staff of the heat and the long days ahead and reminded them to stay hydrated. He urged them to drink a couple of bottles of water on Friday night.
“I want everyone to be safe,” he said.
As the meeting wound down, Weisberg reflected on how someone compared him to a bride with Rock the Bells cast as the wedding day.
“At the end of the day, the bride is the fans,” he said.
After the meeting ends, the staffers return to tasks such as working on credentials, awaiting a contest winner and getting the stages set for the performances that are yet to come.