DistantNews
Support us
Wacken Open Air Kicks Off with Firefighters' Band Performance
🇩🇪 Germany /Culture & Society

Wacken Open Air Kicks Off with Firefighters' Band Performance

From Die Zeit · () German

Translated from German, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News From a news agency New plan
  • The Wacken Open Air heavy metal festival officially began with a performance by the Wacken Firefighters' band.
  • The band opened the festival with cover hits, playing to an enthusiastic crowd.
  • This year's festival expects 85,000 attendees and features major acts like Def Leppard and Judas Priest, with favorable weather predicted.

The Wacken Open Air (W:O:A) festival, a mecca for heavy metal enthusiasts, has officially kicked off in Wacken, Germany. Traditionally, the local fire department's band, the Wacken Firefighters, marks the unofficial start of the event with a performance.

Fans roared "Wacken, Wacken" as musical director Stefan Bumann led the band, which responded with "Feuerwehr" (Fire Department). Bumann expressed his joy at being back, and the band entertained the crowd with covers, including Robbie Williams' "Let Me Entertain You." Many metal fans responded with the iconic "devil horns" hand gesture.

The main festival grounds are set to open later in the afternoon. This year's 35th anniversary festival boasts a lineup featuring prominent bands such as Def Leppard, Judas Priest, Sabaton, and Powerwolf. The event is completely sold out, expecting approximately 85,000 visitors from around the globe.

In contrast to last year's unpredictable weather, the opening day is forecast to be sunny with temperatures reaching up to 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit). The heat is expected to continue into Thursday, with highs of 30 to 31 degrees Celsius.

DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Die Zeit in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog