While seminal hip-hop festival Rock the Bells sits snuggly at the center of the chatter-amassing Rage Against the Machine reunion, buzz accumulates regarding another clanging endeavor: Rock the Bells, a documentary cataloging the festival’s promoter Chang Weisberg and his mission to book the Wu-Tang Clan.
Following Wang during the production of the festival’s 2004 installment in San Bernardino, CA, Rock the Bells documents the many hurdles involved — artists requests, broken equipment, besieged security, and wild crowds — and finally, the much-awaited performance from the Wu-Tang Clan alongside now-deceased member Ol’ Dirty Bastard. Sets from Redman, Dilated Peoples, MC Supernatural, Sage Francis, Eyedea + Abilities, Chali 2na, and DJ Nu-Mark are also featured.
Fans can catch the film when it premiers this spring and summer in select U.S. cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco or when Warner Home Video drops the DVD in July. The Rock the Bells tour will hit cities nationwide this summer, toting Nas, Wu-Tang Clan, and Public Enemy, among others, as well as reunited rock heavyweights Rage Against the Machine on a handful of dates.
Rock the Bells screenings:
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4/11, New York, NY (Pioneer Theatre)
4/17, San Antonio, TX (Alamo Westlake)
5/2, Los Angeles, CA (Arclight Cinemas)
5/4, Los Angeles, CA (Downtown Laemmle Grande)
5/18, Seattle, WA (Grand Illusion Theater)
5/19, Seattle, WA (Grand Illusion Theater)
5/25, Seattle, WA (Grand Illusion Theater)
5/26, Seattle, WA (Grand Illusion Theater)
6/8, San Francisco, CA (Red Vic Movie House)
6/22, Milwaukee, WI (Times Cinema)
6/23, Milwaukee, WI (Times Cinema)
>> Listen to the Wu-Tang Clan on Napster
On the Web:
rockthebellsmovie.com
Talk: Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Big Baby Jesus, or Dirt McGirt: Which name did you prefer?
