Wacken Open Air
Wacken Open Air | |
---|---|
Genre | Metal |
Dates | July, August |
Location(s) | Wacken, Germany |
Years active | 1990–present |
Founders | Thomas Jensen and Holger Hübner[1] |
Website | www.wacken.com |
Wacken Open Air (W:O:A) is one of the leading summer open air heavy metal music festivals. It takes place annually in the small town of Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany. With 80,000 festival visitors, and including personnel a total of roughly 82,500 attendees in 2010[2], it attracts all kinds of metal music fans, such as fans of black metal, death metal, power metal, thrash metal, gothic metal, folk metal, and even metalcore and hard rock from around the world.
The festival was first held in 1990 as a small event for local German bands. By 1998 the event had become the major festival on the European metal calendar and has included over 70 bands from all over Europe, North America and Australia. W:O:A is usually held at the beginning of August and lasts three days, during which the festival-goers camp on several large camping grounds surrounding the actual festival area. The 70 or more bands perform across four separate stages over the course of the event.
Since 2002, the Wacken Firefighters, the local volunteer fire department band, opens the festival.
The 2009 edition set a sales record; it sold out on 30 December 2008. All 70,000 tickets were sold over 200 days before the opening of the festival.
Wacken Open Air
1990
Wacken Open Air 1990, the first incarnation of the festival, was held on Friday, 24 August and Saturday, 25 August.
Lineup | |
Friday | Saturday |
---|---|
Skyline |
5th Avenue |
1991
Wacken Open Air 1991 was held on Friday, 23 August and Saturday, 24 August.
Lineup | |
Bon Scott |
Ruby Red |
1992
Wacken Open Air 1992 was held on Friday, 21 August and Saturday, 22 August.
Lineup | |
5th Avenue |
Jolly Hangman |
1993
Wacken Open Air 1993 was held from Friday, 20 August to Sunday, 22 August, and was headlined by Doro and Fates Warning.
Main Stage | ||
Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
---|---|---|
Piracee |
Heavenward |
Abi Wallenstein |
Party Stage | |
Friday | Saturday |
---|---|
Fast Lover |
Torment |
1994
Wacken Open Air 1994 was held on Friday, 19 August and Saturday, 20 August, and was headlined by Paul Di'Anno's Killers.
Main Stage | ||
Friday | Saturday | |
---|---|---|
Suiciety |
Saintcatee |
Party Stage | |
Friday | Saturday |
---|---|
Moray |
Roan |
1995
Wacken Open Air 1995 was held on Friday, 19 May and Saturday, 20 May, and was headlined by D:A:D and Tiamat.
Lineup | ||
5th Avenue |
Ghosts of Dawn |
Prime |
1996
Wacken Open Air 1996 was held on Friday, 9 August and Saturday, 10 August, and was headlined by Böhse Onkelz.
Double Main Stage | |||
Friday | Saturday | ||
---|---|---|---|
Grind Machine |
Gorefest |
Gorn |
Atrocity |
1997
Wacken Open Air 1997 was held on Friday, 8 August and Saturday, 9 August, and was headlined by Motörhead.
Double Main Stage | |||
Friday | Saturday | ||
---|---|---|---|
Aion |
Sodom |
Scanner |
Birth Control |
W.E.T. Stage | |
Friday | Saturday |
---|---|
Don Bosco |
Entrust |
1998
Wacken Open Air 1998 was held on Friday, 7 August and Saturday, 8 August. The festival was headlined by Savatage, J.B.O., Blind Guardian, and Doro.
Double Main Stage | |||
Friday | Saturday | ||
---|---|---|---|
Metal Worx |
Blitzkrieg |
Sweet Noise |
Voivod (canceled) |
W.E.T./Black Stages | |||
Friday | Saturday | ||
---|---|---|---|
Third Teeth |
Krabathor |
Murder One |
Heavenwood |
1999
Wacken Open Air 1999 was held from Thursday, 5 August to Saturday, 7 August.
Double Main Stage | ||
Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
---|---|---|
Edguy |
Dr. Death |
History Stage | Party Stage | |
Friday | Saturday | |
---|---|---|
In Aeternum |
Powergod |
The Crown |
W.E.T. Stage | ||
Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
---|---|---|
Tankwart |
Paragon |
Mindfeed |
2000
Wacken Open Air 2000 was held from Thursday, 3 August to Saturday, 5 August.
Double Main Stage | ||
Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
---|---|---|
Vader |
Dark Age |
Party Stage | |
Friday | Saturday |
---|---|
Dark at Dawn |
SHARD |
W.E.T. Stage | |
Friday | Saturday |
---|---|
Deranged |
Mob Rules |
2001
Wacken Open Air 2001 was held from Thursday, 2 August to Saturday, 4 August.
Double Main Stage | ||
Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
---|---|---|
Deceased |
Warhammer |
Party Stage | |
Friday | Saturday |
---|---|
Nostradameus |
Trail of Tears |
W.E.T. Stage | |
Friday | Saturday |
---|---|
Bionix |
Kju |
2002
Wacken Open Air 2002 was held from Thursday, 1 August to Saturday, 3 August.
Double Main Stage | ||
Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
---|---|---|
Messiah Kiss |
Stormwarrior |
Stormwitch |
Party Stage | |
Friday | Saturday |
---|---|
Avalanch |
Rottweiler |
W.E.T. Stage | |
Friday | Saturday |
---|---|
Antagonist |
Victims of Madness |
2003
Wacken Open Air 2003 was held from Thursday, 31 July to Saturday, 2 August.
Double Main Stage | ||
Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
---|---|---|
Circle II Circle |
Dew-Scented |
Sinister |
Party Stage | |
Friday | Saturday |
---|---|
The Quill |
Raunchy |
W.E.T. Stage | |
Friday | Saturday |
---|---|
Obscenity |
Human Fortress |
2004
Wacken Open Air 2004 was held from Thursday, 5 August to Saturday, 7 August.
This edition of the festival marked the introduction of the Metal Battle, a battle of the bands-style tournament in which the finalists from their respective countries perform on the W.E.T. Stage, with the winner receiving endorsements, a worldwide label deal, and a slot on the W.E.T. Stage at the following year's festival. Eleven finalists competed in 2004, with Reckless Tide from Germany emerging as the winner.
Double Main Stage | ||
Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
---|---|---|
Orphanage |
Bal-Sagoth |
Party Stage | |
Friday | Saturday |
---|---|
Mnemic |
Mystic Prophecy |
W.E.T. Stage | |
Friday | Saturday |
---|---|
Methedras |
Dr. Rock |
2005
Wacken Open Air 2005 was held from Wednesday, 3 August to Saturday, 6 August.
Double Main Stage | ||
Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
---|---|---|
Naglfar |
Zyklon |
Party Stage | |
Friday | Saturday |
---|---|
Mercenary |
Mob Rules |
W.E.T. Stage | ||
Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
---|---|---|
Doomfoxx |
Victims of Madness |
Stigma |
Jim Beam Stage | ||
Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
---|---|---|
Doomfoxx |
Doomfoxx |
2006
Wacken Open Air 2006 was held from Wednesday, 2 August to Saturday, 5 August.
Double Main Stage | ||
Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
---|---|---|
Faster Inferno |
Mystic Circle |
Aborted |
Party Stage | |
Friday | Saturday |
---|---|
End of Green |
Metal Church |
W.E.T. Stage | |||
Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
---|---|---|---|
Gutlock |
Monster Joe |
Morbus Gravis |
2007
Wacken Open Air 2007 was held from Wednesday, 1 August to Saturday, 4 August.
Double Main Stage | ||
Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
---|---|---|
Blitzkrieg |
Suidakra |
Sonic Syndicate |
Party Stage | ||
Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
---|---|---|
The Sorrow |
The Black Dahlia Murder |
Disillusion |
W.E.T. Stage | |||
Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
---|---|---|---|
Krossbreed |
Red Ink |
Sheephead |
2008
Wacken Open Air 2008 was held from Wednesday, 30 July to Saturday, 2 August. The festival was headlined by Iron Maiden, Children of Bodom, Avantasia, and Nightwish.
Party Stage | ||
Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
---|---|---|
Primordial |
Machine Men |
W.E.T. Stage | |||
Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
---|---|---|---|
Metakilla |
Concept Insomnia |
The Fading |
Ripsaw |
2009
Wacken Open Air 2009 was held from Wednesday, 29 July to Saturday, 1 August, and marked the festival's 20th year.
Running Wild's set on Thursday was their last before they split up. The performance was recorded for a pending CD/DVD release.
Kampfar were originally scheduled to perform on the Party Stage on Saturday, but were forced to cancel their appearance due to personal reasons. Their slot was filled by Onkel Tom.
Double Main Stage | ||
Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
---|---|---|
Skyline |
Vreid |
Einherjer |
Party Stage | ||
Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
---|---|---|
Napalm Death |
Suidakra |
W.E.T. Stage | |||
Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
---|---|---|---|
Victims of Madness |
X-Plod |
Leave Scars |
None |
Medieval Stage | |||
Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
---|---|---|---|
Fejd |
Reincarnatus |
Swashbuckle |
Adorned Brood |
2010
Wacken Open Air 2010 was held from Wednesday, 4 August to Saturday, 7 August. The festival was headlined by Iron Maiden, Alice Cooper, Mötley Crüe, and Slayer.
Several bands played special sets at the festival. Corvus Corax played a show entitled "Wacken Burns" to close out the main stage performances on Friday. To celebrate their 30th anniversary, Grave Digger performed their 1996 album, Tunes of War, in its entirety. Likewise, Tiamat performed their entire 1994 album, Wildhoney, in honor of both their 20th year together and the 15th birthday of the album.
Double Main Stage | ||
Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
---|---|---|
Skyline |
Dew-Scented |
Ektomorf |
Party Stage | |
Friday | Saturday |
---|---|
Suicidal Angels |
Smoke Blow |
W.E.T. Stage | |||
Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
---|---|---|---|
Victims of Madness |
Orcus O Dis† |
Brutus |
Nightmare |
† - Metal Battle 2010 finalists ‡ - Metal Battle 2010 winner |
Wackinger Stage | |||
Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
---|---|---|---|
Lord of the Lost |
The Keltics |
Red Bull Bus | Bullhead City Tent | |||
Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | |
---|---|---|---|---|
9mm |
Apocalyptica |
The Circus of Horrors |
2011
Wacken Open Air 2011 will be held from Wednesday, 4 August to Saturday, 8 August.
Bands confirmed so far | |||
Accu§er |
Excrementory Grindfuckers |
Motörhead |
Tauthr |
† - Metal Battle 2011 finalists |
Wacken Rocks
2009
Wacken Rocks South
27–29 August 2009: 9mm, Agathodaimon, Age of Evil, Alestorm, AM/FM, Axxis, Bai Bang, Chrome Molly, Cripper, Debauchery, Der W, Dezperados, Doro, Drone, Edguy, Eisbrecher, Fatal Smile, Feuerschwanz, Five and the Ted One, Flotsam & Jetsam, Freiwild, Girlschool, Grave Digger, Hämatom, Hank III & Assjack, Heaven Shall Burn, Herman Frank Band, In Extremo, Krypteria, The New Black, Parity Boot, SAHG, Secrets of the Moon, Slayer, Stainless Steel, Stratovarius, Suidakra, Tribe, U.D.O., Volbeat, Warpath
Wacken Rocks Seaside
28–30 August 2009: Age of Evil, Agathodaimon, Alestorm, Axxis, Bai Bang, Cripper, Debauchery, Der W, Dezperadoz, Dirty Deeds, Doro, Edguy, Eisbrecher, Fatal Smile, Five and the Red One, Flotsam & Jetsam, Freiwild, Girlschool, Hank III, Herman Frank Band, Heaven Shall Burn, In Extremo, J.B.O, Kneipenterroristen, Krypteria, Mob Rules, Ohrenfeindt, Parity Boot, SAHG, Secrets of the Moon, Slayer, Stratovarius, Suidakra, sexy Glitter, Torfrock, Tribe, U.D.O, Victims of Madness, Volbeat, Warpath
See also
- Full Metal Village, a 2007 documentary by Sung Hyung Cho about the village of Wacken and the influence of the festival on it.
- Metal: A Headbanger's Journey, and Global Metal, documentaries by anthropologist Sam Dunn which feature the festival.
References
- ^ Wacken-Gründer Thomas Jensen im Interview (german)
- ^ [1] announcement on official page
External links
- Official website
- Wacken 2007 photos
- Wacken 2008 photos
- Wacken 2009 photos
- Wacken 2010 photos
- Festival pictures and review of the festival
- Review of W:O:A 2008
- Review of the Dutch Wacken Metal Battle 2008
54°01′42″N 9°21′22″E / 54.02833°N 9.35611°E