The Wacken Open Air takes place virtually this year. The organizers offer fans some new technology.
Wacken World Wide is said to be the "greatest Wacken ever". After this announcement at the latest, the expectations of "metal heads" should be high worldwide. The streaming festival takes place from July 30th to August 1st and features all kinds of new technology. Top-class bands such as Kreator ("Gods of Violence"), Blind Guardian and In Extremo ("Kompass zur Sonne") play on an innovative digital stage – and thus become part of a world premiere in the festival scene. Already on Wednesday (July 29th), performances by the legendary Body Count feat. Ice-T, the Power Metaller Rage or shown by Metal Queen Doro.
Bands are integrated into a virtual Wacken set
The technical heart of the new event is the mixed reality stage. It is brought to life digitally using the so-called XR technology. The performing artists play live and are filmed in real time with precise camera tracking and integrated directly into a virtual Wacken set. An authentic stage feeling for artists and spectators should also be created by an LED back wall and an LED floor. The organizers promise to keep the fans in the center of the action and virtually in front of the stage.
"Wacken World Wide represents an absolute world premiere and a novelty in terms of technical implementation for the festival industry," explains Wacken boss Holger Hübner in a press release. "Not only the special technique" is exceptional, "but also the multitude of unique shows that we have never seen before and that we can look forward to." His co-boss Thomas Jensen is also certain that "the new technology combined with the concentrated load of metal will inspire fans around the world".
In addition to Kreator, In Extremo and Blind Guardian, the streaming event will also feature Sabaton, Heaven Shall Burn, Hämatom, Rage, Anthrax and Beyond The Black. Some German newcomers are also part of the line-up: Messticator, Damnation Defaced and Verderver. They appear as part of a specially curated program by the Wacken Foundation.
Live program, background stories and past appearances
Music fans worldwide can experience the three-day program live on MagentaMusik 360, in the associated app on Magenta TV or in the #DABEI program – completely free of charge. The organizers also want to comfort the audience with further surprises, exciting background stories and the best performances from 30 years over the cancellation of the real event.
The Wacken Open Air is one of the largest metal festivals in the world and attracts more than 70,000 fans to the small town in Schleswig-Holstein every year. In 2020, it will have to fail for the first time in its 30-year history due to the corona pandemic.