< PreviousThe Landgasthof, located in the centre of Wacken, is a meeting point for metalheads not just during the festival but also throughout the rest of the year. After W:O:A, club concerts regularly draw music fans to the place where it all began. In just a few days, the Landgasthof – or LGH – will boast even more impressive attractions. Credits: WOA, LGH A giant mural depicting the big stars of rock and heavy metal is being painted on the wall of the country innby Andrea Leim oro Pesch, Scorpions, Motörhead and Gene Simmons – the greatest of our delightfully loud music world have appeared on the wall of Wacken’s legendary Landgasthof. Up until a few days ago, it featured only a por- trait of Motörhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister, now his im- age has been joined by former companions and friends. But the work of art on the walls of Wack- en’s birthplace is more than that – the huge mural heralds anoth- er attraction in town, which is due to be launched during the festival: The “Wacken Walk of Legends” will be established at the LGH! “We’ve been toying with the idea to immortalise the big stars of rock and heavy metal in Wacken for some time”, says fes- tival co-founder Thomas Jensen. For three years now, the LGH has been an integral part and has acted as the ninth stage as well as the only year-round concert ven- ue of Wacken Open Air. There is probably no place better suited for a tribute to rock and metal’s greatest in the style of the ‘Hol- lywood Walk of Fame’. In 2023, Lemmy was hon- oured here in a unique way, with a statue of him now standing on a brand new ped- estal in front of the venue (more on page 12). This week, more icons are joining him as the new “Wacken Walk of Legends” honours the ever- lasting impact of those who have shaped the genre we all love so much. “A ceremony at the Landgast- hof is planned for Thursday, and all festival visitors with W:O:A wristbands are welcome”, says manager Ulrike Jensen. Stars such as Doro Pesch, Scorpions and Anthrax frontman Joey Bel- ladonna are expected to perform at 6pm. The concrete slabs for the musicians’ handprints and signa- tures will already be waiting for them in the pub’s beautiful out- door area. Fittingly, just one day later, former Motörhead and cur- rent Scorpions drummer Mikkey Dee will play a special club show at the Landgasthof with what he calls his Motörhead cover band Mikkey Dee With Friends. The slabs on which the stars will leave their literal marks are 45×45 centimetres in size and made of concrete. After the legends have left their handprints on them, the mate- rial has to cure for several days. It is then sanded down and oiled so that it appears natural rather than polished. A few weeks after the festival, the slabs will then be embedded in the ground right next to the entrance of the LGH, much like on the “Hollywood Walk of Fame”. “And that’s just the beginning”, promises Ulrike Jensen. In the years to come, oth- er major names from rock and metal will take their place at the venue where Wacken Open Air was founded. “A few years ago, in a fit of madness, we decided to take over the LGH”, recalls Thom- as Jensen. “I’ve known the pub since I was a child, we lived next door and I’ve even served beer from behind the bar. The Land- gasthof belongs to Wacken and is the heart of the village. We feel an obligation to continue this project.” With the inauguration of the “Walk of Legends”, the venue will now boast even more features to attract fans to the region, whether that’s during the festival or throughout the year. Who needs Hollywood if you have Holstein? Monday, July 29th 16:00 - 17:00 Xenos AD 18:00 - 19:00 The Mercury Riots 20:00 - 21:00 Ivory Tower 22:00 - 23:00 Victory 23:30 - 03:00 Ballroom DJ Team Tuesday, Juli 30th 16:00 - 17:00 Source of Rage 20th Anniversary of Metal Battle 18:00 - 19:00 Archaic 20th Anniversary of Metal Battle 20:00 - 21:00 Jet Jaguar 20th Anniversary of Metal Battle 22:00 - 23:00 Varang Nord 20th Anniversary of Metal Battle 23:01 - 03:00 Metal Karaoke Massacre powered by LGH Wacken Credits: WOA, LGH Joey Belladonna of Anthrax announced his visit. The Scorpions and Doro Pesch will be there, too Victory will play at the LGH-Stage on Monadyby Andrea Leim wo tiers, set at a height of around one me- tre, made of smooth, grey concrete: The statue of Motörhead frontman Lem- my Kilmister, which had found its way to Wacken in 2023, has been placed on a brand new pedestal in time for this year’s festival. And it makes perfect sense: “We wanted to create a place where fans could sit down with Lem- my, have some whisky and coke with him or place flow- ers”, explains Richie Löffler from Hamburg, who designed the pedestal concept with his MDCN Agency. The fact that Löffler skate- boards professionally explains the small ramp on the right- hand side of the base, “a so- called quarter pipe”, he says. “However, we recommend only skaters who really know how to handle their board use it, because the ramp is quite tricky.” But what’s Lemmy’s connection to skateboard- ing? “It’s the other way round: Many skaters are big heavy metal and Motörhead fans, and the band’s music has been part of skate culture for years”, Richie Löffler clarifies. The statue guides fans towards the entrance of the Landgasthof, where original memorabilia of the legendary frontman is showcased. In a large display case in the former coachman’s quarters, visitors can see Mr.Kilmister’s boots, cowboy hat and jacket as well as his Rickenbacker bass and strap. Everything is protected in an elegant glass cabinet built spe- cifically for this purpose. As part of the global “Lem- my lives” project, a very spe- cial memento of the legendary rock’n’roller was embedded in the base of the statue in a small version of the original urn. Be- cause in Wacken, Lemmy lives on forever. On Wacken’s main road, right in front of the Landgasthof, you’ll find the Motörhead frontman’s statue with a new pedestal made of solid concrete The glass cabinet displaying memorabilia in the former coachman’s quarters The statue sits on a large pedestal, which fans are welcome to sit on Credits: Löffler, Landgasthof ,Credits: Löffler, Landgasthof My throat. My voice. My isla. WHEN IT SCRATCHES WHILE GROWLING. Severe sore throat and voice problems? Feel the difference at once by sucking a lozenge! · pleasant soft throat lozenge with Iceland moss and hyaluronic acid · moisturizes irritated mucous membrane of the throat gently and for a long time · protects, soothes irritation and promotes natural regenerationFor about as long as Wacken Open Air exists, Anneke von Giersbergen has been making music. Initially as a singer in a choir, then in a speed metal band, before becoming part of The Gathering. At the moment, she is touring Europe, playing her “Heavy Strings” show backed by – you guessed it – strings. In Wacken, Anneke will take to Wacken’s most unusual stage: the village’s church. by Andrea Leim he Heilig Kreuz church in the heart of Wacken is only incorporated into the festival sched- ule on a few se- lect occasions. Built in 1863, the building offers a unique setting for concerts with its spe- cial acoustics and at- mosphere. Naturally, singer and guitarist Anneke van Giersbergen is especially thrilled about her per- formance at this year’s W:O:A. Anneke, you have played a few churches before. What do you like most about that? Anneke van Giersbergen: Well, first of all, these are generally places with a lot of history. Most churches were built hundreds of years ago and so much has happened since then. Also, the audience usually feels the same way I do when they enter a place of worship: You become calmer and respectful. It’s always very special to perform in a church. In this sense, I felt twice as happy when I found out that I would be playing Wacken and where. What can you tell us about the show? Anneke: It will just be me with my acoustic guitar and I have prepared a few songs from my “Heavy Strings” show – without the string quartet, of course. I’m also playing some metal and rock classics, including my own songs and some by The Gathering. It’s a wide-ranging setlist that will definitely appeal to the W:O:A audience. When I perform solo, I like to tell stories and anecdotes in between songs. I mingle with people, invite the audience to ask me questions and enter my world a little. Do you like it when the audience sings along at acoustic shows? Accompanied only by her guitar, Anneke van Giersbergen will be playing in the Heilig Kreuz church on Wednesday Credits: Anneke van GiersbergenAnneke: Yes, I think it’s very cool. People sometimes think that they have to be quiet during acoustic sets, but the opposite is true. I invite them to join in and sing with me. When and how do you listen to music when you’re alone? Anneke: I like this question because everyone consumes music in very different ways. So it’s something very personal. I really like listening to music when I’m alone, for example when I’m travelling to gigs. There’s a great stereo system in my car and I love playlists. Whenever I’m in the mood for something heavier, I play songs by bands like Gojira or Opeth, my favourite bands. When I have to be somewhere on time or when I’m cleaning, I play heavy metal. (laughs) And sometimes, when I’m relaxing in the evening, I listen to stuff from my past, 80s pop and rock songs or songs from the 70s. They calm me down. What was the last album that really inspired you? Anneke: A few! My son currently likes an artist called Still Woozy who writes his lyrics in a way that I find interesting. They are very personal. I also find his way of recording and producing very intriguing. And the latest Gojira album is great! I really love their sound and their lyrics. Their music is heavy and so melancholic at the same time. What fascinated you about rock and metal as a young person? Anneke: Towards the end of the 80s, when thrash was getting bigger in the Netherlands with bands like Metallica, I experienced this kind of music for the first time and felt like I was coming home. The bands seemed to know exactly what I felt like and although the music was heavy, it was calming at the same time. They wrote lyrics that we teenagers could relate to. Before I discovered metal, my idols were Madonna, Prince, Michael Jackson, the greats... But when Michael Jackson released “Dirty Diana”, for example, with a really hard guitar solo, I totally embraced it. When I heard Metallica, Anthrax, Death Angel and all those bands for the first time, I started to realise that it was actually possible to play music like that. It matched my feelings exactly and I’ve been hooked ever since. Every form of metal is so interesting and constantly evolving. Have you visited festivals and camped there yourself in the past?? Anneke: Yes, when I was younger, with my girlfriends. We would always camp out in tents. Once, still with The Gathering, we played at a big festival in the Netherlands. We performed on the main stage, but we slept in tents, stayed for the entire festival and mingled with the audience all day. That was so much fun. But for some time now I’ve honestly really appreciated a proper toilet, solid walls and a comfortable bed. (laughs) Will you be able to catch shows by other artists in Wacken? Anneke: I’m definitely going to try. There are so many great bands playing. The Dutch singer likes to include her audience in her solo showsWith their battle against rapper Finch on the Harder stage, Hämatom will close this year’s W:O:A on Saturday night. Guitarist Ost announces a tough duel, which will also be new guitarist Rose’s first show on the Holy Ground. by Susanne Müller Rose, you’re a new member of the band. How did that come about? Rose: Süd, our drummer, messaged me on Instagram and asked if I would like to play with a band like Hämatom. Of course, I said yes and auditioned during the first meeting. Was Hämatom one of your personal favourites before? Rose: Not really, but of course I knew the name. I’m mainly into metalcore, but sometimes I also like pop or rap. Ost, after the sudden passing of your bassist West last August, you didn’t want to replace him. How do you make this work during live shows and on the upcoming album “Für Dich”, which you recorded in memory of West? Ost: After a lengthy phase of just grieving, we thought about how we should continue. We didn’t want anyone in the audience to compare any new bassist to West. Besides, we didn’t want to replace him and it wouldn’t have made any sense to try. West will remain a part of this band forever. That’s why during live shows, we play recordings of his takes. We also deliberately chose a female guitarist because we wanted maximum contrast and because she allows us great musical flexibility on stage. The fact that we chose Rose paid off right from the start because it’s a lot of fun to play music with her and she’s also a great person. She plays the guitar really well, fits in brilliantly with the band and puts up with three chaotic guys like us. The bass tracks for the new album are partly digitally programmed or recorded by Rose and me. It wasn’t easy to manage this balancing act between mourning and the desire to memorialise Peter (West’s civilian name – editor’s note), and still usher in a new chapter in our story. Rose, when Hämatom was founded, you were a mere six years old. Do you notice the age difference at all? Rose: No, that’s not an issue.Ost: I’m honestly amazed that this isn’t an issue. Rose and we are just on the same page. And because we only hang out with musicians, we’ve naturally remained very young, as you can see from our faces. (laughs) We also wear masks on stage, which – looking back – was a very smart decision 20 years ago. (laughs) How did your first gig with Hämatom go, Rose? Were you worried about the fan’s reaction? Rose: Yes, definitely. I was very nervous, but it went really well. The people all smiled at me and cheered me on. Is this your first appearance at W:O:A? Rose: Yes, it’s my first time playing a huge festival like Wacken Open Air. It’s always been my dream, so I’m really looking forward to it and of course I’m nervous all over again. But I think it’s going to be really cool. Your show will commence at 0:30am. Have you ever been on stage that late anywhere, Ost? Ost: Good question, maybe. At W:O:A 2019, we played the slot before that. The challenge this year will be to stay sober until the show. I’ve crammed countless tasks like presenting jobs into my day. That’s pure self-preservation! (laughs) You’ve often played battles, whether with Versengold or Saltatio Mortis. What do you like about it? Ost: It’s simply a fun scenario because two different genres come together. It’s something new, something extreme that people talk about, and of course, there’s also a lot of backlash. Even with Finch, there are the usual hardliners who say that someone like that doesn’t belong on stage at Wacken. We had similar reactions when we played with Trailerpark. 50 percent of the people asked “What’s a hip-hop band doing at W:O:A?”, the other 50 percent cheered like hell. I think that’s the appeal. And I swear: With Finch, it will work. What do you say to the fans who complain about your decision? Hämatom, that’s (f.l.t.r.) drummer Frank “Süd” Jooss, guitarist Annika “Rose” Jaschke, singer Torsten “Nord” Scharf, guitarist Jacek “Ost” Zyla. Always with them at heart, late bass player Peter “West” HaagOst: Nothing. Thank God you get more relaxed with age or with the legacy you’ve built and you think to yourself: “My God, it’s not my fault that you’re so stubborn or that your limited imagination can’t fathom that music is just music, regardless of genre.” It’s either good or it’s bad. That’s how we see it. I don’t let it get to me. In challenging Finch, you indeed haven’t exactly picked a typical W:O:A guest. Why him? Ost: There was a huge number of suggestions. But the metal scene was out of the question for us straight away because where’s the excitement if we go up against a band that also has two guitarists, a screaming singer and a double bass-playing drummer on stage? That’s boring. It’s much more fun when two genres meet. There are a few hip-hop artists who are very popular with the younger Wacken crowd. The ferocity doesn’t necessarily come from the music but from the lyrics. I know a lot of people who listen to both styles, and we really enjoy Finch ourselves. At our aftershow parties, I get to pick the music and we only play artists like Finch, K.I.Z. and Trailerpark. Have you met Finch yet? Ost: Yes, just recently. He’s a very nice guy who will definitely be fun to work with. There are certain points of connection between him and us because the guy who produced our new album is also the musical director of Finch’s shows. What can we expect from the battle? Ost: I don’t want to spoil too much, but it will be very exciting to see whether Finch makes it to the show at all. He’s playing in Berlin on the same day and the helicopter that’s taking him to Wacken has to make a stopover to refuel. I can definitely reveal that we’ll be splitting the stage. Finch has been told that he’ll only get 50 percent of the space – and that’s exactly what we mean: We’re building a wall between him and us so that there’s less contact in the beginning. We’ll show him how cool his songs can sound with electric guitars, double bass and a shouting vocalist. Maybe he’ll try to add some dance beats to our songs and put his voice on top. At least that’s how I imagine it. And then we’ll see what unfolds over the course of the show. Will we break down this wall? I don’t know. Will we play songs together at the end? I don’t know. We might. Or we might not… ’ Singer Nord is convinced that Hämatom will win the battle against rapper FinchWendsday, July 31th 16:00 - 17:00 Bülent Ceylan & Band 17:45 - 18:45 The Darkness 19:45 - 21:00 Flogging Molly 22:00 - 00:00 In Extremo 12:00 - 13:00 Crystal Viper 13:30 - 14:30 Butcher Babies 15:15 - 16:15 Girlschool 17:00 - 18:00 The Warning 19:00 - 20:00 Tina Guo 21:00 - 22:30 Suzi Quatro 11:25 - 11:45 Etterna MB Slovakia 12:15 - 12:35 Graufar MB Austria 13:05 - 13:25 Black Tooth MB Caucasian Republics & Turkyie 13:55 - 14:15 Wasted Land MB Middle East 14:45 - 15:45 Phantom Excaliver 16:15 - 16:35 Sunken State MB Sub-Saharan Africa 17:05 - 17:25 Info MB South America Northern Region 17:55 - 18:15 Junkwolvz MB Greece 18:45 - 19:05 Tessia MB Norway 19:35 - 19:55 Fleshless Entity MB Central America 21:15 - 22:00 Drone 23:15 - 00:00 Blind Channel 11:00 - 11:20 Inherited MB Netherland 11:50 - 12:10 Voidwomb MB Portugal 12:40 - 13:00 Türböwitch MB Hungary 13:30 - 13:50 Karabiner MB Ukraine 14:20 - 14:40 Cascade Effect MB USA 15:50 - 16:10 Shvriken MB Philippines 16:40 - 17:00 ÆoniK MB Luxemburg 17:30 - 17:50 Doomsday Astronaut MB Romania & Rep. Moldova 18:20 - 18:40 Carbonic Fields MB France 19:10 - 19:30 Thus MB Denmark 20:15 - 21:00 Walkways 22:15 - 23:00 Crisix 11:00 - 12:00 Metal Yoga 12:30 - 14:00 Wacken Slam Battle 14:30 - 16:00 Nico Rose „Hard, Heavy & Happy“: Die lauteste Lesung aller Zeiten – Dr. Nico Rose feat. Acoustic Steel 16:30 - 17:30 Kumpels in Kutten 18:00 - 19:00 Konny & Manu Reimann Sabbelstunde 19:01 - 20:00 Mambo Kurt 21:00 - 21:30 Alien Rockin Explosion 21:31 - 23:00 Maschine’s Late Night Show powered by LGH Wacken 15:00 - 16:00 Nutellica 17:00 - 18:00 Iron Priest 19:00 - 20:00 Motörizer 21:00 - 22:00 Ozzyfied 22:01 - 03:00 Metal Karaoke Massacre 17.00 - 18.00 Gottesdienst feat. AdormuS 19.00 - 20.00 Anneke van Giersbergen Thursday, August 1st 15:00 - 16:00 Skyline 17:30 - 18:45 Axel Rudi Pell 20:30 - 22:00 Accept 16:15 - 17:15 Rage 40th Anniversay Show 19:00 - 20:15 KK’s Priest 22:15 - 00:00 Scorpions 12:00 - 13:00 Dio Disciples 13:45 - 14:45 Sweet 15:30 - 16:30 Armored Saint 17:30 - 18:45 Mr. Big 19:45 - 21:00 Alligatoah 22:00 - 23:30 Opeth 11:25 - 11:45 Aquilla MB Poland 12:15 - 12:35 Rain MB Italy 13:05 - 13:25 20 Years Of Metal Battle – Tribute to the Promoters 13:55 - 14:15 Paramena MB Japan 14:45 - 15:05 Poseydon MB Belgium 15:35 - 15:55 Killa The Phia MB Indonesia 17:15 - 18:00 Messiah 40 Years of Thrashing Madness 19:15 - 20:15 Incantation 21:45 - 22:45 Jungle Rot 11:00 - 11:20 Corbian MB Germany 11:50 - 12:10 Five Penalties MB China 12:40 - 13:00 Beguiler MB Canada 13:30 - 13:50 Kasck MB Indian Sub-Continent 14:20 - 14:40 Uragh MB Ireland 15:10 - 15:30 Griefgod MB Lithuania 16:15 - 17:00 Skeletal Remains 18:15 - 19:00 Uada 20:30 - 21:30 Endstille 23:00 - 00:00 Trelldom 2024 Germany exclusive appearance 12:00 - 12:45 Amalgam 13:30 - 14:15 Tri State Corner 15:00 - 16:00 Asenblut 16:45 - 17:45 Die Habenichtse 18:30 - 19:30 Blackbriar 20:15 - 21:15 Kupfergold 22:15 - 23:15 Corvus Corax 14:00 - 14:45 Swartzheim 15:30 - 16:15 Misery Oath 17:00 - 17:45 Objector 18:30 - 19:15 Half Me 20:00 - 20:45 Jesus Piece 21:30 - 22:15 Gaupa 23:00 - 00:00 Planet Of Zeus 11:00 - 12:00 Metal Yoga 12:30 - 14:00 Wacken Slam Battle 14:30 - 15:30 Zwei Stricher packen aus Comic Spoken Word 16:00 - 17:00 Acoustic Guerillas 17:30 - 18:30 Bernhard Hennen and Torsten Weitze „Feuer der Finsterwacht“ feat. Jean & Alea of Saltatio Mortis 19:30 - 20:30 Atze Schröder 21:00 - 21:30 Alien Rockin Explosion 21:31 - 23:00 Maschine’s Late Night Show powered by LGH Wacken 15:00 - 16:00 Black Tish with Moth Quantum 17:00 - 18:00 Bloodfang 19:00 - 20:00 Blind Man’s Gun 21:00 - 22:00 KrashKarma 22:01 - 03:00 Metal Karaoke Massacre Rock- legend Suzi Quatro Credit: PrivatNext >