Rock the Bells
Rock the Bells
Friday 2nd February, 2007
Dir: Denis Hennelly and Casey Suchan (USA 2005) With: The Wu-Tang Clan, Redman, Dilated Peoples, MC Supernatural, DJ NuMark, Sage Francis, Chang Weisberg
The Rock the Bells festival in San Bernardino, 2004. Intrepid promoter Chang Weisberg has assembled a stellar lineup of hip hop luminaries and underground talent. The packed, sweaty crowd is there for one reason – a rare headline appearance by the mighty Wu-Tang Clan. Unfortunately, Wu-Tang co-founder Ol’ Dirty Bastard is in his hotel room and has no intention of coming out. This hilarious fly-on-the-wall doc shows how Weisberg and his team deal with a string of seemingly insoluble problems from the ODB situation to acts running over, from useless security to furious punters, culminating in the promoter’s family smuggling the door money out under some towels. There’s some great music too. Essential viewing for hip hop fans and festival-organisers alike.