Metalmoments on Wacken:

About the place:

I’d have to say that if you consider yourself as being of the metal persuasion, and you have not visited or at least heard of Wacken, you might want to rethink your situation for a moment.
Wacken is, and have been for quite some time, the leading metal festival in all Europe, possibly the most well visited metal festival in the world.
Starting out back in 1990, the festival has grown considerably and is now host to 75000 metalheads yearly and some of the greatest acts in metal. However, you should know that Wacken is not your mainstream metal, this is the really hard stuff combined with some more power and true metal influenced acts. This is everything that was banned in Sunday school and your mom doesn’t want you to hear! Hence the characteristic twin mainstage is called Black Stage and True Stage, making room for diversity for the discerning metal enthusiast.
There are three more stages for those who want to get a bit more intimate with their favourite bands; the Party Stage which is a midsize open air stage, the W.E.T. Stage which is the only tent stage available complete with bars usually to large crowds; and finally not to forget the Beergarten Stage which is exactly what it sounds like – a smaller stage outside the festival area placed next to the Wacken Beergarten. Here you are usually treated to such fabulous and unforgettable acts as The Wacken Firebrigade, Mambo Kurt and the Wacken karaoke house band Rokken.

The small township of Wacken is located in walking distance of the festival grounds, and filled with all what your heart might desire. There are (as far as I’ve seen) two supermarkets, a bank (as this is usually very well-visited you might want to make careful plans for checking out cash. On the other hand, they also have some money machines at the festival site). There is also a Viking store which sells armour, weaponry, drinking horns and holds a variety of meads.
And of course, let’s not forget about the Wacken bath; an outdoor swimming pool (split in two, one for playing and one for, let’s face it, playing…) complete with trampolines and a grass lawn for relaxation.

Almost all citizens of this hospitable town has also put their driveways and backyards to the disposal of us metalheads with bars and food stands.
And should you get tired of carrying your stuff from the local grocer back to the festival area, the Wacken children are more than willing to help out, having created quite the lucrative delivery service where they have wagons to pull your goods for you.

About travelling:

There are several ways by which you can get to the festival.
If you are into going straight from your home to the festival without a care in the world, there are several countries which have special bus tours for Wacken Open Air, which carry you painlessly from door to door. Check with Wacken’s site or your local metal store for more info about busses from your specific country.

If you’re more independent, Wacken is located close to Hamburg to which you can take practically any form of transportation available today, and there are both shuttle busses and several trains going from Hamburg to where you want to go.

If you are into deciding your own time schedule completely, there is no reason for you not to go by car either. It is no real problem to find your way, and as you get closer special signs for the festival are put up.
Earlier, there has been a big problem with cars waiting in line for up to several hours without moving, but last year (2008) they handled it real nice, and the wait was not even worth mentioning.

About prices:

Prices are what you could expect from a festival we would say. Wacken isn’t the cheapest festival you could go to, but on the other hand it could easily be a lot more expensive as well.
The ticket prices are very reasonable considering the experience you get from this festival, and food and drink prices may vary from stand to stand but are to live with. The great thing here is the many choices you have; almost all sorts of food are served, so no matter what you are into you will most likely be able to find it somewhere around the festival area.
Food and drink prices from the locals are also very reasonable, so there is no reason to hold back there either.

Wacken on Wacken:

W:O:A ‒ The History

When Holger Hübner and Thomas Jensen first had the idea of organizing an Open Air festival for fans of hard and heavy music in their home area Wacken 23 years ago, they couldn’t guess that this idea was going to become the world’s biggest and most important Heavy Metal Festival.
The first Wacken Open Air visited 800 fans, mostly from the area, six years later 10.000 fans from all over northern Germany came to celebrate at the festival.
As one of the first did Wacken Open Air acknowledged at the end of the 1990s the growing importance of the internet and how to use it effectively. Heavy Metal fans all over the world could be reached with this new medium.
Bit by bit became the Wacken Open Air a meeting point for the international Heavy Metal scene.

Together with the festival the village Wacken became an example for tolerance and acceptance of hard and heavy music. The countrified County with 1.800 inhabitants welcomes ten thousands of Heavy Metal fans with unique hospitality year after year. Every year the festival is an outstanding event for the village Wacken and the adjoined counties. 2003 firstly 30.000 visitors came to W:O:A.
In the meantime the festival advanced to the most important date of the year not only to fans from all over the world but also to the artists of the genre, who made Wacken a fixed date in their schedules.

Internationally known artists are coming to northern Germany every year. Whether it’s Motörhead, Saxon, Slayer or the British Heavy Metal legend Iron Maiden, who played 2008; no artist want to stand back when it comes to inspire 70.000 diehard festival visitors in a distinctively peaceful atmosphere.
The movie “Full Metal Village” by the Korean Sung Hyung Cho, which is honored by the Max Ophüls price, shows impressively the atmosphere, village, fans and artist that are making Wacken a unique experience every year.

Furthermore did the organizers work not only on the improvement of the infrastructure constantly; especially the advancement and support of newcomer bands are a matter of importance for them.
2005 the Metal Battle- a newcomer competition for Heavy Metal bands- was found. After being a national competition in the first year; 32 countries take part in the Metal Battle nowadays. Firstly in 2008 an Israeli band won the Metal Battle final, which is played at Wacken Open Air. The band gets a long-term support besides, of course, a label contract. In 2013 firstly Nuclear Blas takes part on Metal Battle. This most important independent Lable often was the beginning of an international career for young musicians. Finally the idea to create a foundation, the Wacken Foundation, was made up of this newcomer engagement. This foundation support young musicians .One of the curators is among others the German singer Doro Pesch.

2009 did the Wacken Open Air celebrate its’ 20th anniversary. Anyway, the organizers do not rest on their laurels of their success story. They invested in the infrastructure of the field over and over again to guarantee the fans and musicians each year an unforgettable Heavy Metal experience at the Wacken Open Air.
2010 was the W:O:A able to announce an ahead of time sold out for the fifth time in a role. Three Metal icons at one time - Iron Maiden, Mörtley Crüe and Alice Cooper - made once again festival history at W:O:A.
2011 was be made an unbelievable festival experience by names like Blind Guardian, Avantasia, Apocalyptica and last but not least Ozzy Osbourne.

In 2012 the Scorpions ‒ one of the most famous bands all over the world- are going to play their last Festivalshow of their career.
Also great Bands like Amon Amarth, In Flames, Ministry, Saxon and Machine Head announced their participation in W:O:A 2012.
It is an special honor to the festival, that Udo Dirkschneider will celebrate his 60th birthday with an inimitably U.D.O Show.