Tag Archives: Wu-Tang Clan

ROCK THE BELLS 2013: 10 things we’ll remember about the fest

Two members of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony perform with a hologram image of Eazy-E, center, at the Rock the Bells Festival in Devore on Saturday, September 7, 2013. (David Bauman/Staff Photographer)

Rock the Bells may have wrapped its first weekend in San Bernardino last night, but there are three more cities on the tour (San Francisco, New York and Washington, D.C.). Here are the things we’ll remember about the fest.

1. On Friday night, the night BEFORE the fest started, photographer Stan Lim and I got to watch the final preparations for Rock the Bells, including a rehearsal with Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, DJ Yella and Eazy-E’s hologram. Check out the Rock the Bells behind the scenes photo gallery, too.

2. When the Eazy-E hologram actually appeared on stage Sunday night it was a little bit magical. It was even cooler when N.W.A.’s “Straight Outta Compton” started. See photos from day one of Rock the Bells.

3. After technical difficulties stymied Wu-Tang Clan’s set, Method Man first started to roll with the punches and then had a fit on stage. Later, he addressed Rock the Bells at Coachella. Oops.

embers of Wu-Tang Clan perform with a hologram image of ODB during the Rock the Bells Festival in Devore on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013. (David Bauman/Staff Photographer)

4. ODB’s hologram was more dynamic than that of Eazy-E, leaping, flailing and dancing on stage. His son, Young Dirty…, who modeled for the hologram, joined his father’s persona to perform “Shimmy Shimmy Ya.”

5. Kid Cudi had an amazing supervillain moon cave stage set and crazy rules that reminded me of those of “Fight Club.”

6. Hit-Boy LOVES the Inland Empire. So does Audio Push.

7. Ladies love J. Cole.

Deltron 3030 performs during the Rock the Bells Festival in Devore on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013. (David Bauman/Staff Photographer)

8. Deltron 3030’s set was out of this world. Not only did we get new music from the forthcoming “Event 2,” but there was an orchestra and a set-ending sing-a-long of Gorillaz’ “Clint Eastwood.”

9. Portable toilets at a place where there are real toilets (but the brick and mortar ones were closed off) was a strange riddle I never solved at the fest.

10. Even though Black Hippy was billed for Saturday night, it was really a collection of solo performances, with Kendrick Lamar’s being the highlight.

What were your favorite moments? Share them in the comments below.

P.S. We saw MURS hanging out in the crowd. Did you?

Hip Hop fans enjoy the performance of Wu-Tang Clan during the Rock the Bells Festival in Devore on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013. (David Bauman/Staff Photographer)

ROCK THE BELLS: Technical difficulties make for strange Wu-Tang set

Wu-Tang Clan headlines at at Rock the Bells at San Manuel Amphitheater in Devore on Sept. 8, 2103. (David Bauman/Staff Photographer)

Wu-Tang Clan headlines at at Rock the Bells at San Manuel Amphitheater in Devore on Sept. 8, 2013. (David Bauman/Staff Photographer)

One of the most hyped sets of the weekend at Rock the Bells’ kickoff date at San Manuel Amphitheater in Devore hit a sour note Sunday night due to technical difficulties.

Headlining act Wu-Tang Clan was joined by a virtual version of late member ODB. The group’s last performance with ODB was at the original Rock the Bells at the National Orange Show Events Center in 2004. He died a few months later.

On Sunday night, Wu-Tang was the closing act on the main stage for the festival, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary.

The band came on stage a little bit late , but as soon as they appeared, the hands of thousands of fans went in the air and the palms made a “W” shape.

The group had the crowd going with his such as “Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthing ta … Wit” and “C.R.E.A.M.” and about a half dozen other songs before technical difficulties cut the backing track.

At first, Wu-Tang member Method Man tried to improvise, freestyling.

Method Man performs onstage with Wu-Tang Clan at Rock the Bells at San Manuel Amphitheater in Devore on Sept. 8, 2013. (David Bauman/Staff Photographer)

Then, when the backing track was still down, he became more agitated.

“This … don’t happen at rock ‘n’ roll concerts,” he said.

His ire rose and he growled, called out fest founder Chang Weisberg from the stage and threatened to leave if things weren’t fixed soon, ODB hologram or not.

Fellow Wu-Tang Clan member The RZA tried to put the situation in perspective, citing the group’s own computer going down, explaining that there was a lot of technical equipment involved for the virtual performance.

When the music came back, it sped up and Method Man got angry again and suddenly it was time for the hologram. Like Saturday night for Eazy-E, a stage lowered from the ceiling. The RZA tried to get everyone to summon ODB by chanting his name like in the lyrics to the song “Method Man.”

“If you say it loud enough I think he might appear,” The RZA said.

And then, he did. Dressed in an orange shirt and jeans, the wildest member of Wu-Tang appeared and started performing “Shame on a …”

Wu-Tang Clan performs with a virtual ODB Sunday, Sept. 8 after technical difficulties at Rock the Bells. (Vanessa Franko/Staff Photo)

Unlike Eazy-E’s virtual performance, which was understated, ODB, moved around, leapt, danced from side to side and flailed his arms.

His son, Young Dirty …, who was the model for the hologram, joined him on stage to perform “Shimmy Shimmy Ya.”

After that, ODB was gone and a three-dimensional Wu-Tang Clan logo floated and spun in his place while the group started “Duel of the Iron Mic.”

After ODB disappeared, some fans started to head toward the exits. The events from before the hologram stole the thunder from what could have been a truly memorable performance for the right reasons.

As far as onstage tantrums go, Method Man only ranks number three on the list of those I’ve personally witnessed. Sly Stone’s epic meltdown at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival back in 2010 is still number one, followed by Shelby Lynne’s profanity-laced tirade at the Stagecoach Country Music Festival back in 2008.

ROCK THE BELLS: Fest founder shares 10 most memorable moments

Lauryn Hill performs on the Rock the Bells stage during the Rock the Bells hip hop festival at the San Manuel Amphitheater in Devore on Saturday, August 20, 2011. (File Photo)

Rock the Bells is kicking off its 10th incarnation with two days of hip-hop and more at San Manuel Amphitheater in Devore on Sept. 7 and 8.

Last week I had the chance to talk with Chang Weisberg, the man behind RTB and promoter Guerilla Union, about his most memorable moments over the last 10 editions.

I’ll have more stories about Rock the Bells as we get into next week, but I thought this was a fun way to ease into Labor Day Weekend.

By the way, you can still pick up tickets to the festival. Single-day general admission passes are $99 each, before fees. Single-day VIP passes are $199 each, before fees. Weekend passes are $165 for general admission and $399 for VIP, before fees for both.

View the timeline below and scroll through to see Weisberg’s Top 10 Most Memorable Rock the Bells Moments.

Here are the moments, in chronological order:

1. ODB’s final performance, July 12, 2004
ODB performed with Wu-Tang Clan at the first Rock the Bells in 2004 at the National Orange Show in San Bernardino. It turned out to be his final performance. ODB will give a “virtual performance” on Sunday, Sept. 8.

2. A Tribe Called Quest performs, Nov. 13, 2004
For Weisberg, seeing A Tribe Called Quest at the second edition of Rock the Bells in Anaheim was a dream come true. However, it was bittersweet for Weisberg because it was also the day ODB died.

Nas performs at Rock the Bells at San Manuel Amphitheater in Devore on Saturday, August 20, 2011. (File Photo)

3. Nas makes his Rock the Bells debut, July 30, 2005
Nas makes his Rock the Bells debut at the National Orange show in San Bernardino. Nas and KRS-One, who had been beefing, appeared together at the show.

“They both decided to come on stage and squash everything. That was a true highlight for myself,” Weisberg said.

4.Lauryn Hill’s surprise appearance, Aug. 5, 2006
Lauryn Hill makes a surprise appearance at Rock the Bells at the National Orange Show in San Bernardino in a tribute to ODB. Rage Against the Machine singer Zack De La Rocha was in the audience.

“The fact that he respected Lauryn Hill so much probably is what helped us lock in Rage Against the Machine that following year,” Weisberg said.

Rage Against The Machine performs at the Rock the Bells festival at the Hyundai Pavilion at Glen Helen in Devore. Devore, California. August 11, 2007. (File Photo)

5. Rage Against the Machine, 2007
One of Weisberg’s top highlights over the years?

“Rage Against the Machine, Rage Against the Machine, Rage Against the Machine,” he said.

The edgy band, which reunited for the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival that year, plays Rock the Bells in New York. The band also plays the San Bernardino and San Francisco dates.

6. Pharcyde reunion, 2008
Weisberg is instrumental in getting influential hip-hop collective the Pharcyde to reunite. The Phracyde plays both the U.S. dates in the summer and the international tour in the fall.

7. Nas surprises audience with Jay-Z appearance, Aug. 2, 2008 (WARNING: Explicit language)

Weisberg said being in New York for the first time with Rock the Bells, a West Coast-based festival, was amazing.

It was the festival’s second year in New York when Nas brought Jay-Z out as a surprise guest.

8. MF Doom mishap, Aug. 9, 2008
Not all of the most memorable moments are happy ones. The masked MF Doom had an impostor perform on stage in his place in San Bernardino a week after the real MF Doom performed in New York.

The impostor was booed off stage and Weisberg had to chase him down because he had taken the microphones.

9. Wu-Tang Clan vs. Slaughterhouse, 2009
Members of Wu-Tang Clan and Slaughterhouse had a major falling out that was all too real.

“That was crazy for me. I’m glad we squashed those beefs,” Weisberg said. “That … was so real and so thick you could eat it and taste it,” he said.

Snoop Dogg performs at the 2012 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (File Photo).

10. Snoop Dogg performs “Doggystyle,” Aug. 21, 2010
Snoop Dogg performs his seminal album “Doggystyle” at the National Orange Show in San Bernardino.

“It inspired the whole ‘albums in its entirety thing’,” Weisberg said.