By Joan Pabón and Stefanie Natzius
Amidst the relentless rain that covered the holy ground, attendees of Wacken Open Air 2023 embodied viking resilience, donning horned helmets and fur cloaks as they navigated the drenched grounds. The mud turned the festival into a viking saga of endurance and camaraderie.
Here’s a day-by-day breakdown of our highlights that made Wacken Open Air 2023 an unparalleled celebration of music and community.
Tuesday, August 1st: The arrival
Several days of rain put the whole festival in jeopardy. Due to the risk related to the excessive mud, German authorities intervened and by the afternoon no more cars were allowed in the festival grounds. This was very unfortunate for many of the attendees who had to find a way to reach the holy grounds by foot or just accept the defeat and go back from whence they came. Tractors helped people who were able to arrive in the festival grounds and whose cars were stuck in the mud, so it was clear that the efforts to reach the stages would be much higher this year.
The organizers deserve immense credit for their swift and effective response to the weather conditions. Additional drainage solutions were implemented, and paths were reinforced to improve safety and accessibility. Regular updates and clear communication helped attendees stay informed and adjust their plans accordingly. Portable toilets and food stalls were strategically relocated to ensure convenience and hygiene standards were maintained.
On that day it was still not clear if the festival would be cancelled, but everyone stayed positive and hopeful that the sun would shine again so we could enjoy the Festival!
Wednesday, August 2nd: A thunderous opening (literally)
Grey skies and thunder welcomed us all to the first day of the event, but rain was slowly decreasing so hope rose again!
Since the main theme of this year’s edition was Vikings, we made sure to visit the Wackinger stage and the medieval village, which offered a unique experience with traditional crafts, food, and music, providing a nice contrast to the live bands.
Nervosa (Louder stage)
The Brazilian powerhouse demonstrated that in spite of their line-up changes, they still have the energy to put an immense show of high-quality Thrash Metal with a South American touch.
Skindred (Faster stage)
These British fellows really know how to throw a party. Even if they’re not your cup of tea you should check them out, because the connection they achieve with the audience is remarkable.
Pentagram (Headbangers stage)
A legend that keeps delivering in spite of their advanced age. Pentagram brought the people together and the whole area in front of the stage was full with people, no matter how abundant mud and water on the ground were.
Battle Beast (Louder stage)
Powerful and dramatic, that’s how we can describe this Finnish band. They seem to turn better and better every year. However, we’d like to hear more of their older songs since they have the raw energy that hooked us on their music.
Doro (Faster stage)
The veteran frontwoman is one of the main assets of Wacken and she always delivers in the most bombastic way. All their hits and some surprises could be heard, and it was clear why she’s called the queen of Heavy Metal.
A very special moment arose when some drone lights showed up in the sky and the face of Lemmy Kilmister appeared, seemingly watching over all Metalheads!
And the first festival day was over! Rain had stopped and we were looking forward to our tent!
Thursday, August 3rd: Legends and rising stars
On this day, the main stages were filled with a mix of old and new bands, showcasing the diversity and richness of the global scene. Mud was still thick, but that didn’t discourage anyone, and mud diving was a thing throughout the whole festival.
Cemican (Louder stage)
Like shamans gathering their followers, these Mexicans hit the stage with their full attire bringing back dead languages of the Aztecs and delivering a world-class show.
Uriah Heep (Harder stage)
Old but gold. This band still pay like if they were in the 70s and their fine Rock N’ Roll with Prog tones are highly appreciated.
Vixen (Faster stage)
Only few female bands have endured the test of time, and Vixen is one of those that rises proud and glorious. Pristine sound and great chemistry on stage make this a delightful show to watch.
Rage (Wacken United area)
This year there was a new type of ticket called Wacken United, which allowed those who bought it to enter the press area and enjoy additional activities and shows. One of them was the concert of Rage. Really cosy and nice, with a great sound despite the small stage. They played their greatest hits and people were left wanting more, so we hope they join the main stages in 2024!
Concerning Wacken United, unfortunately some of the security guards were not well informed about this type of ticket and some people could not go through some of the entrances to the press tent, although they had the “VIP” ticket. This issue was raised to Thomas Jensen and they said they would look into it.
Hammerfall (Faster stage)
Hearts on fire, pants on fire! An amazing performance warmed up the audience for the upcoming shows.
Kreator (Harder stage)
German Thrashers destroyed Wacken (not literally, don’t be exaggerated). Epic moshpits and hundreds of crowd surfers that made the security personnel work extra hard (kudos to them for their efforts). Mud flying all over the place and flames on stage. Awesome!
Helloween (Faster stage)
One of our favorite bands and an unlikely reunion that makes every Power Metal lover happy! The pumpkin hit the stage with a blast and delivered classic of all eras as well as some of their newer songs.
Wacken Metal Battle
The international band competition showcased the best up-and-coming metal bands from around the world, adding an element of discovery and support for new talent.
Interviews
We got the chance to interview amazing bands in this year’s edition and you will find the links to the interviews below:
Friday, August 4th: Heavyweights
Some of the heaviest and most influential bands in the metal world performed on the third day of concerts, making it a day of non-stop headbanging.
Wacken Metal Battle winner: Phantom Excaliver (Japan)
Amongst all the international newcomers that took part of the contest, the Japanese quartet were awarded the first place and will therefore play in the 2024 edition of the festival! You can learn more about them in this link.
Trivium (Faster stage)
It’s been a while since Trivium hit Wacken and the audience showed their “abstinence syndrome” by rocking to this American band and screaming their hearts out to the music.
Leaves’ Eyes (Louder stage)
If we talk about Vikings, Leaves’ Eyes are a band that takes those folk elements combined with Metal into a wonderful show. The stage was too small for the horde of warriors that appeared and everyone was chanting to their tunes!
Megadeth (Faster stage)
The Thrash gods brought their Heavy machinery to the stage and after a few rounds, an uncanny vision appeared with them: it was the one and only Marty Friedman! The legendary guitarist who has been living in Japan for a few decades joined the stage and made people scream with excitement! Would he come back to the band? We can only hope…
Iron Maiden (Harder stage)
Do we need to write anything? The word legendary is not enough to describe this band. Unfortunately, their sound was a bit too low at the beginning, so the audience was drowning the sound of the band, but this was fixed in no time. We did notice that Bruce was jumping less than usual, but we appreciate that he’s taking care of himself and doesn’t risk it jumping on stage as he used to.
They finished the night with a bang, as a huge Eddie made of light drones could be seen in the Wacken sky. And so we said goodbye to another great day of Metal!
Saturday, August 5th: Grand Finale
Despite the mud and rain we all had to endure during the first days, the energy of Metal kept us going and we were looking forward to the bands that would close the fest!
Jinjer (Faster stage)
If you don’t feel energized by the voice of Tatiana, nothing will wake you up! Proudly raising their Ukrainian flag, these guys and gal were like a punch in the face (but in a good way, if that even exists)
After Jinjer, we took the rest of the day to enjoy a bit of everything!
From the organizers, we heard the good news during the summary of the festival. Thanks to the hard work of the crew, the German authorities and every single metalhead on the holy grounds, no major incidences occurred. The roads were clear, and everything was ready for people to depart back to their homes on the next day.
A bit more of the viking spirit could be found in the medieval market!
And a bittersweet feeling could be felt in the air, as we all knew that Wacken was slowly coming to an end…
Announcement: Wacken Open Air 2024 Witches and Wizards
As usual, for the closing of the event, next year’s edition was announced and the theme was revealed: witchcraft!
This time the light drones appeared in the sky again showing different images including a magic symbol, a dragon and the Wacken logo. At the end, a huge QR code was shown in the sky for everyone to scan, taking advantage of this new drone technology.
Wacken Open Air 2023 will be remembered not just for its amazing line-up and electrifying performances, but for the sheer resilience and undying spirit of its attendees.
Through mud and rain, the festival went on, creating a shared experience that attendees will remember about for years to come. The perseverance shown by everyone involved turned a potential disaster into a triumph of hope and unity, reaffirming why Wacken Open Air holds a special place in the hearts of metal fans everywhere.
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If you want to know the latest news of Wacken Open Air you can check their official website.
Till next year, rain or shine!
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