As expected, the Rock the Bells festival — which built its reputation in 2003 by featuring the last live appearance of the complete Wu-Tang Clan (RIP Ol’ Dirty Bastard) — has expanded from a two-day blowout to a summerlong holiday.
This year’s bill includes the mighty Clan (who will hopefully finish their 8 Diagrams comeback before heading on the road), Nas, Talib Kweli, Pharoahe Monch, David Banner, Immortal Technique and Jedi Mind Tricks. Freestyle phenom Supernatural and beatboxer legend Rahzal host.
As an added bonus, Rage Against the Machine, Cypress Hill and UGK will appear on select dates. Rage and Cypress Hill are slated for Rock the Bells shows in New York, San Bernardino and San Francisco. Every concert date will include numerous special guest performers.
Meanwhile, the previously announced Paid Dues Festival is gearing up for its own national jaunt. Felt (Atmosphere and Murs), Living Legends, Sage Francis, Brother Ali, Cage, Mr. Lif, G&E (the Grouch and Eligh), Hangar 18 and Luckyiam.psc. Just like Rock the Bells, Paid Dues will be brought to you by Guerilla Union, in association with rapper/executive Murs 3:16.
For those who want to attend Paid Dues and Rock the Bells, the two processionals will unite for one massive showdown on June 28-29 in New York and August 11 in San Bernardino. Book your airplane tickets now.
“After announcing our historic shows with Rage Against The Machine & Wu-Tang Clan headlining earlier this year, we are overwhelmed with the enthusiasm of fans who want ROCK THE BELLS brought to their cities. There is no other hip hop music festival more vital to the artists, community, and fans it serves than ROCK THE BELLS,” says Guerilla Union head Chang Weisberg in a press release. “We want to build an annual event in all of these cities to serve their musical communities and prove that quality hip-hop is NOT dead. Actually, over 130,000 people have already disproved the notion and bought their tickets.”
Here are the dates for Rock the Bells:
- 7/26: Tweeter Center, Mansfield, MA
- 7/28: Randall’s Island, New York, NY
- 7/29: Randall’s Island, New York, NY
- 8/02: Hi-Fi Buys Amphitheatre, Atlanta, GA
- 8/03: Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, Charlotte, NC
- 8/04: Bayfront Park Amphitheatre, Miami, FL
- 8/07: Smirnoff Music Center, Dallas, TX
- 8/08: Reliant Park, Houston, TX
- 8/11: Hyundai Pavilion at Glen Helen, San Bernardino, CA
- 8/12: Coors Amphitheatre, San Diego, CA
- 8/18: McCovey Cove, San Francisco, CA
- 8/21: TBD, Salt Lake City, UT
- 8/22: Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Denver, CO
- 8/25: TBD, Minneapolis, MN
- 8/26: Charter One Pavilion, Chicago, IL
- 8/29: DTE Energy Music Theatre, Detroit, MI
- 8/30: TBD, Toronto, Ontario
7/28-7/29: w/Erykah Badu, Rakim, Mos Def, MF Doom, Boot Camp Clik, Public Enemy, DJ Hi-Tek, Mike Relm, C-Minus, Rocky Rock
8/11: w/the Roots, Mos Def, EPMD, MF Doom, the Coup, Public Enemy, DJ Hi-Tek, Mike Relm, Icy Ice, C-Minus, Rocky Rock, Mark Luv
8/18: w/the Roots, Mos Def, EPMD, MF Doom, Hieroglyphics, Blackalicious, Murs, Sage Francis, the Coup, Public Enemy, DJ Hi-Tek, Mike Relm, C-Minus, Rocky Rock
And here are the Paid Dues gigs:
- 7/25: Congress Theater, Chicago, IL
- 7/27: Pier Six Pavillion, Baltimore, MA
- 7/28: Randall’s Island, New York, NY
- 7/29: Randall’s Island, New York, NY
- 7/31: First Ave, Minneapolis, MN
- 8/01: First Ave, Minneapolis, MN
- 8/04: Secret House Vineyard, Eugene, OR
- 8/05: The Concourse at SF Design Center, San Francisco, CA
- 8/07: Red Rock Pavilion, Denver, CO
- 8/09: Paolo Soleri Amphitheater, Santa Fe, NM
- 8/10: Mesa Amphitheater, Phoenix, AZ
- 8/11: Hyundai Pavillion at Glen Helen, San Bernardino, CA
- 8/12: Chula Vista Amphitheater, Chula Vista, CA
www.rockthebells.net
www.myspace.com/rockthebells
www.paidduesfestival.com
www.myspace.com/paidduesfestival
