Wacken Open Air 2024

The Butcher Babies started playing at 1:30 pm on the 3rd main stage, the only open one at the moment. A few weeks prior, the band announced that Carla, one of the singers, would no longer be performing with them, so we had only Heidi. It’s uncommon to see a woman performing in a metalcore band, but Heidi absolutely belongs in this genre, 50’000%. As usual, the band started strong, delivering a ton of decibels that promised a great edition of the festival. During the song “Splitting Teeth,” Heidi came down from the stage to sing in the middle of the circle pit before returning to the stage for the last two songs (“Last December” and “Magnolia Blvd”).

The festival-goers were all waiting for the rest of the Holy Ground to open at 3:30 pm. After refueling and watching the concerts on the smaller stages, they were ready to run and secure a front-row spot in front of the twin stages, Faster and Harder. Wacken welcomed Tina Guo and her musicians on the Louder stage. We had already seen her a few times at Wacken, performing alone with bands like Sabaton and Beyond The Black as a cellist. Alea and Luzi from Saltatio Mortis joined the stage to play the song “Dragonborn” from Skyrim with the band. In the middle of the set, another guest, Jennifer Haben, came on stage to sing “Warrior” with Tina’s musicians, much to the fans’ delight. The band played many songs from video games like Mario, Zelda, and more. Back on the Faster stage, Flogging Molly’s folk music created a fantastic atmosphere. I was eating a pizza while watching fans dance in the middle of the ground for most of the set. I went on to photograph the last band of the day: Blind Channel. It was my first time in the photo pit of the Headbangers stage. Last year, I focused on the three main stages of Wacken; the 2023 review is still available on Plekvetica at the following link: Wacken 2023 Review. I was surprised to see Blind Channel on a smaller stage. They had performed on the Faster stage, one of the main stages in 2022. From the first song on, the fans were already very active, singing along with the band. The stage decoration had changed a bit since last year, with a long screen and a large spiked ball as part of the set. As it got late, the metalheads started returning to the camping area to rest and be ready for the second day.

Day 2

Awakened by the early morning chill, people started their day with breakfast at the camping area. A long series of bands played throughout the day. In the late afternoon, the Louder stage was taken over by the band Mr. Big for a 1-hour and 15-minute set. For those unfamiliar with the band, they are from America, delivering hard rock with catchy melodies and choruses. Billy Sheehan has been voted the best rock bassist five times. I think these two sentences illustrate the band’s quality and make it clear that it is worth listening to their set.

I went to the Wacken village, where the Wackinger stage is located, to grab some food and to listen to Blackbriar. Their performance was excellent. Regarding Food; Being from Switzerland, I had to try the raclette at the Swiss stand, and I was not disappointed. 

For heavy metal fans, it was a day not to be missed, with KK’s Priest followed by Accept on the main stages. Nearly three hours of heavy metal in a row, what more could you ask for? Of course, KK’s Priest played many Judas Priest covers such as “The Ripper,” “Hell Patrol,” and “Sinner.” During Alligatoah’s concert, we received a notification on our phones that entry to the Louder stage was blocked due to overcrowding. Overcrowding the stage with rap? It shows that metalheads listen to more than just metal.

We ended the evening with the headliner of the second day, the Scorpions, who played a 1-hour and 45-minute set. They started as usual this year with an introduction to the song “Coming Home” followed by “Gas in the Tank.” Doro came on stage to sing “Big City Nights” with the Band. Naturally, they played their most popular hits, such as “Still Loving You” and “Rock You Like a Hurricane,” which were the last songs. At midnight, right after the Scorpions’ performance, we were treated to an illuminated drone show in the sky. The weather was gorgeous, even almost too hot. Fortunately, there were enough beer stands to stay hydrated and a great variety of food to replenish energy after spending several hours in the mosh pits.

Day 3

The third day started with light rain that stopped just before noon. Lucky us.

Power metal fans were thrilled with the day’s lineup, featuring Sonata Arctica, Beast in Black, Blind Guardian, and Avantasia for those who stayed until the evening on the main stages. Beast in Black kicked off with the energetic song “Blade Runner,” a classic way to start. Throughout the set, the security was busy with a good amount of crowd surfers. Yannis’ unique voice makes this band stand out. Unfortunately, the set lasted only an hour. The crowd was fully engaged the entire time. The infield was nearly full at this time. Just before the end of Beast in Black’s set, I headed to the Headbangers stage to watch and photograph Xandria for the first time with their new lineup, which changed in 2022. This lineup fits perfectly with the band’s original style. We got to hear “Nightfall,” one of the band’s signature songs, complete with sparkles and pyrotechnics.

After Feuerschwanz had some interviews, they took the stage at 5:30 pm. They started with the song “SGFRD Dragonslayer,” featuring pyrotechnics. We saw Myu waving a flag before leaving and returning for the third song dressed as a barbarian with an axe and shield. Before the end of the set, we saw Alea from Saltatio Mortis join the stage to sing “Warriors of the World United.” Fans of Saltatio Mortis’ singer were amazed to see him guesting with several bands throughout the week at Wacken. We saw him later at an acoustic concert in the VIP area called Wacken United as well.

Blind Guardian set the main stage of Wacken Open Air 2024 ablaze with a memorable performance. From the first notes of “Imaginations From the Other Side,” Hansi Kürsch and his bandmates captivated the audience with flawless execution and boundless energy. The setlist, combining classics like “Nightfall” with new compositions from “The God Machine” album. The emotion peaked during “The Bard’s Song (In the Forest),” where the crowd sang in unison. The guitar solos by André Olbrich and Marcus Siepen, along with the solid rhythm section of Frederik Ehmke and Johan van Stratum, demonstrated impressive technical mastery. An epic evening that confirmed their success in power metal.

Day 4

After capturing some festival moments, it was time to head to the photo pit for the festival’s last day. Dragonforce took the Harder stage at 3:15 pm for a one-hour concert. Two large dragons stood on the stage’s edges, with two arcade game machines in front of the stage. The Dragonforce stage design is immediately recognizable. Throughout several songs, pyrotechnic effects were present, warming us up in addition to the scorching heat. As always, the show was spectacular, especially seeing Herman Li and Sam Totman’s guitar mastery, which was simply breathtaking.

In the late afternoon, a thunderstorm hit the festival for about two hours, creating some mud in the infield. For those who were there in 2023, it brought back memories. Fortunately, the storm stopped just before Testament played, a little before 6 pm. 

For death metal fans, it was not time for dinner, because Behemoth took the stage to deliver an intense performance, immersing the audience in a dark and mystical atmosphere. The charismatic and imposing leader, Nergal, captivated the audience with his powerful voice and ritualistic gestures. The band played their songs with relentless precision, combining heavy riffs and pounding percussion. The visual effects and pyrotechnics added a spectacular dimension to the show, enhancing the infernal atmosphere.

Amon Amarth set the Wacken Open Air stage on fire with an epic and warrior-like performance, transporting the audience to the heart of legendary Viking battles. Frontman Johan Hegg, with his powerful voice and charisma, led the charge, urging fans to sing and row on the ground during the song “Put Your Back Into the Oar.” The band delivered melodic death metal anthems with unwavering energy, while the striking visuals of longships and battles took us on a journey.

Before the last artist “Architects” took the stage, Thomas Jensen, one of the Wacken founders, gave a brief speech and announced the bands for Wacken 2025 on the giant screens. For those who couldn’t see the names on the screens live, it was possible to read the band names in the sky with drones. Some big names, like Machine Head, Saltatio Mortis, Papa Roach, Gojira, and Within Temptation will be there next year. A total of 37 bands were announced, which is not even one-fifth of the complete Wacken lineup. We look forward to seeing who else will be there next year.

But back to music. Architects delivered an explosive performance, captivating the audience with their unique blend of metalcore and poignant melodies. Singer Sam Carter impressed with his powerful voice and commitment, seamlessly switching from gut-wrenching screams to melodic singing. The aggressive riffs and impactful breakdowns maintained intense energy throughout the set.

Many thanks to the Wacken management, medical staff, police, volunteers, and everyone who contributed to making the event run smoothly for the festival-goers.

After a festival with fewer persons in 2023 due to weather conditions, this year Wacken welcomed its 85,000 festival-goers. The 2024 lineup was top-notch, and the days passed by too quickly in the mosh pits. All good things must come to an end. If you want to relive the Wacken adventure in 2025, there are still a few tickets available at https://www.metaltix.com/wacken-open-air-2025-tickets-5637.html

See you next year!