It’s a bird. Is it a plane? Nope. It’s the World Famous 737 Plane Stage, an actual sound stage built from the airframe of a once serviceable Boeing 737 airliner. You don’t see something like this every day, and probably won’t anywhere else. Before the music even started, people were already gathered around it, pointing, taking photos, and trying to figure out how a concert on an airplane was going to work.
As the sun began to set, the crowd slowly assembled across the grounds of the newly renovated San Bernardino International Airport. What normally feels like an industrial space shifted into something more relaxed. The aroma of Pink’s Hot Dogs mixed with the sounds of a beer garden, kids running around, and groups settling in while everyone waited to see what would happen once the lights came up on the plane.
SBD International Airport remains an active shipping hub, with FedEx and UPS flying regular routes and Amazon operating large fulfillment facilities nearby. The property’s history stretches back to Norton Air Force Base, giving the location a long connection to aviation. Watching a live concert take shape there added a different kind of energy to a place usually defined by departures and cargo schedules.
The airport is also beginning to expand its passenger presence. Breeze Airways recently opened routes from San Bernardino to San Francisco and Provo, Utah, welcome news for Inland Empire travelers. Working the crowd throughout the evening were Beer Mug and the KROQ Street Team, serving as emcees and giving away a pair of tickets to see Panic! At The Disco in San Francisco, including airfare provided by Breeze Airways. The promotion tied the night together, connecting a local venue with a larger music scene beyond the region.
Opening the evening was Sur, also known as Zack Arnett, whose music does not sit neatly inside one genre. The set moved between electronic textures, alternative influences, and pop structure without feeling forced. Arnett is known for collaborating with a wide range of artists and has credits across film, television, video games, and commercial work. Live, the sound felt layered and gradual, pulling more of the crowd toward the stage as the performance settled in.
By the time the light faded, the airplane no longer felt like a novelty. It simply felt like part of the show, and the crowd seemed comfortable with the idea that this unusual venue actually worked.
The airport itself carries a long aviation history. What began as San Bernardino’s municipal airfield in the early 1940s was quickly taken over by the Army Air Corps during World War II, eventually becoming Norton Air Force Base, a major logistics and transport hub through the Cold War era. After the base closed in the mid-1990s, the property was redeveloped for civilian use and reintroduced as today’s San Bernardino International Airport, where cargo operations, aviation businesses, and emerging passenger service now share the former military runway.
Photo Gallery
