In what is being billed as the first appearance in 10 years by all of its key members, the Wu-Tang Clan will headline the July 17 Rock the Bells festival in San Bernardino, Calif. Organizers promise that RZA, GZA, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, Inspectah Deck, Masta Killa, U God and Cappadona will all be on hand for the performance.
“At first we thought we could get some of the members of Wu-Tang together and that would be enough, but it became a mission to bring them all out for one special day,” says festival organizer Chang Weisberg. “All the members have expressed their excitement to let their alter egos mash the stage and represent the ‘Clan.'”
A number of other major hip-hop acts have also signed for Rock the Bells, including Redman, Dilated Peoples, Sage Francis, Eyedea & Abilities and Supernatural with Jurassic 5 members Chali 2na and DJ Nu-Mark. Tickets go on sale June 18 via Ticketmaster. Organizers are also planning a Rock the Bells North American tour in 2005.
The Wu-Tang Clan will play eight festival and headlining dates in Europe this summer, beginning July 1 in Zurich, but it is unknown what the group’s exact lineup will be for those shows. As exclusively revealed here in November, the RZA-spearheaded book “The Wu-Tang Manual” is scheduled for a fall release by Riverhead Books, senior editor Sean McDonald tells Billboard.com.
Source billboard.com.
