< PreviousFriday, August 2nd 12:30 - 13:30 Sonata Arctica 15:00 - 16:00 Beast In Black 17:30 - 18:45 Feuerschwanz 20:30 - 22:15 Blind Guardian 00:15 - 01:45 Avantasia 13:45 - 14:45 The Amity Affliction 16:15 - 17:15 Spiritbox 19:00 - 20:15 Gene Simmons 22:30 - 00:00 Korn 12:00 - 13:00 Betontod 13:45 - 14:45 Blues Pills 15:30 - 16:30 Ankor 17:15 - 18:15 Zebrahead 19:00 - 20:00 Whitechapel 20:45 - 21:45 Pain 22:45 - 00:00 Knorkator 00:45 - 02:00 Watain Exclusive Lawless Darkness Show 12:00 - 12:45 Massive Wagons 14:00 - 14:45 Alcatrazz 16:00 - 16:45 Xandria 18:00 - 18:45 SOiL Special „Scars“-Show 20:00 - 21:00 Primal Fear 22:30 - 23:30 Unleash The Archers 01:00 - 02:00 Unto Others 11:00 - 11:45 Cherie Currie The Voice of the Runaways 13:00 - 13:45 Future Palace 15:00 - 15:45 Textures 17:00 - 17:45 John Coffey 19:00 - 19:45 Baroness 21:15 - 22:15 Mikkey Dee With Friends 23:45 - 00:45 The 69 Eyes 12:00 - 12:45 Blaas of Glory 13:30 - 14:15 Skiltron 15:00 - 16:00 Koenix 16:45 - 17:45 Liv Kristine 18:30 - 19:30 Nachtblut 20:15 - 21:15 Einherjer 30th Anniversary Show 22:15 - 23:15 Vreid 30 Years of Sognametal 14:00 - 14:45 Chuan-Tzu 15:30 - 16:15 Embryonic Autopsy 17:00 - 17:45 Shredhead 18:30 - 19:15 April Art 20:00 - 20:45 Dear Mother 21:30 - 22:15 Ignea 23:00 - 00:00 Robse 11:00 - 12:00 Metal Yoga 12:30 - 14:00 Wacken Slam Battle 14:30 - 15:30 Nico Rose Panel: Metal und Depressionen 16:00 - 17:00 Andreas Marschall Wie ich den Kampf gegen den Kater unterstützte 18:00 - 19:00 Mit Ohne Strom 19:30 - 20:30 Mambo Kurt 21:00 - 21:30 Alien Rockin Explosion 21:31 - 23:00 Maschine’s Late Night Show powered by LGH Wacken 18:00 - 18:30 Mikkey Dee With Friends 20:00 - 21:00 Hardbone 21:01 - 03:00 Ballroom DJ Team saturday, August 3rd 11:30 - 12:30 Tankard Special Frühshoppen Show 14:00 - 15:00 Oomph! 16:30 - 17:30 Sebastian Bach Special „Skid Row“ Album Show + more 19:15 - 20:30 Behemoth 33 Years, Outliving Christ - Deep Cuts - german exclusive 22:30 - 22:59 Promoters Farewell & Thanks 23:00 - 00:15 Architects 12:45 - 13:45 Raven 50th Anniversary Show 15:15 - 16:15 DragonForce 17:45 - 19:00 Testament 20:45 - 22:30 Amon Amarth 00:30 - 02:00 Hämatom vs. Finch 12:00 - 13:00 Fiddler’s Green 13:45 - 14:45 Emil Bulls 15:30 - 16:30 Red Fang 17:15 - 18:15 Bury Tomorrow 19:00 - 20:00 Motionless in White 20:45 - 21:45 Cradle of Filth 22:45 - 00:00 Mayhem Exclusive 40th Anniversary Show 12:00 - 12:45 As Everything Unfolds 14:00 - 14:45 Exumer 16:00 - 16:45 The Black Dahlia Murder 18:00 - 18:45 Brutus 20:00 - 21:00 Uli Jon Roth 22:30 - 23:30 The Baboon Show 01:00 - 02:00 Tragedy 11:00 - 11:45 Black Sabbitch 13:00 - 13:45 Wolf 15:00 - 15:45 Hirax 17:00 - 17:45 Bokassa 19:00 - 19:45 Vio-Lence 2024 Germany exclusive festival appearance 21:15 - 22:15 Flotsam and Jetsam Special Old School Set 23:45 - 00:45 Insomnium 12:00 - 12:45 Wacken Firefighters 13:30 - 14:15 Vanaheim 15:00 - 16:00 Paddy and The Rats 16:45 - 17:45 Heidevolk 18:30 - 19:30 Svartsot 20:15 - 21:15 Thyrfing 22:15 - 23:15 Primordial 14:00 - 14:45 Asrock 15:30 - 16:15 Prey for Nothing 17:00 - 17:45 Necrotted 18:30 - 19:15 Beasto Blanco 20:00 - 20:45 Asagraum 21:30 - 22:15 Mister Misery 23:00 - 00:00 Persefone 11:00 - 12:00 Metal Yoga 12:30 - 14:30 Wacken Slam Battle 15:00 - 16:00 Nergal Keynote Interview 16:30 - 17:30 Pensen Paletti 18:00 - 19:00 Mambo Kurt 19:30 - 20:30 Kay Ray 21:00 - 21:30 Alien Rockin Explosion 21:31 - 23:00 Maschine’s Late Night Show powered by LGH Wacken 15:00 - 16:00 Beyond The Black Unplugged and Q&A 17:00 - 18:00 Konny & Manu Reimann Sabbelstunde 19:00 - 20:00 Joey Belladonna feat. the Clarks 21:00 - 22:00 Victims of Madness 22:01 - 03:00 Ballroom DJ Team Johan Hegg, Amon Amarthhaving fun and drinking beer at the same time. Do you have any special stories from the last decade? Maschine: Something a little embarrassing: When we sailed into Hamburg Harbour during its birthday celebration with the first Full Metal Cruise, we wanted to be louder than everyone else. The crew installed the massive sound system on the side facing the harbour and I emceed for the entire crowd to hear. It was so incredibly loud that all the onshore stages stopped playing and people from 30 kilometres away called and complained. For more than ten years now, late- night show host Andreas “Maschine” Pooch has been an integral part of the Wacken, Full Metal Cruise and Full Metal Holiday schedules. He certainly lives up to his name: Every day, at 9:31pm sharp, he takes to the Welcome To The Jungle stage with “great guests and awesome bands”, as he says himself. Maschine: I was quite under-challenged with announcing things and doing the occasional interview. During the second Full Metal Cruise, I asked if I could squeeze into the schedule with a late-night show. I got myself a flipchart, DJ Otti from Ballroom Hamburg provided the music and Tim Eckhorst was the sketch artist. At first, I was just making stuff up, but the show developed and has now been part of the festival programme for five years. You’re a musician yourself… Maschine: Yes, I do vocals for “Das Beben” and I’m on drums with the “Acoustic Guerillas”. We play acoustic rock cover songs – and for the first time, we’re playing W:O:A this year! What’s the challenge with a job like yours? Maschine: When you‘re standing in front of 10,000 people, the challenge is not to lose it. I have to entertain people, take them along for the ride and also control them a little. The artists really want to be there because it’s not just about presenting something, but about chatting, by Susanne Müller Machine, how did you originally acquire your nickname? Maschine: I was given that name by friends because I never stop going. I don’t need much sleep, I can drink like a maniac and I’ll always be going strong. And how did you end up at W:O:A? Maschine: My friend Nick Hüper used to be responsible for public relations at Wacken Open Air. When Bullhead City was created and they were looking for a presenter, he campaigned for me. I then had a conversation with Holger Hübner, which went like this: Me: “Hi, I’m Maschine.” Holger: “Hello, I’m Holger. Are you up for this?” Me: “Yeah, I think I am.” Holger: “Good, then I’ll see you in Wacken.” That was my job interview more than ten years ago, and the rest is history. Why Late-Night? How did that come to be? Fotos: Privat Monday, July 29th 17:00 - 18:00 Mambo Kurt 19:00 - 20:00 The Ukeboys 21:00 - 21:30 Alien Rockin Explosion 21:31 - 23:00 Maschine’s Late Night Show Tuesday, July 30th 11:00 - 12:00 Metal Yoga 13:00 - 14:00 Mambo Kurt Reading „Heimorgel to Heaven“ 15:00 - 16:00 Acoustic Steel 17:00 - 18:00 Grillmaster Flash 19:00 - 20:00 Joey Belladonna Keynote Interview 21:00 - 21:30 Alien Rockin Explosion 21:31 - 23:00 Maschine’s Late Night ShowAtze Schröder and his perm are ready for Wacken The proletariat’s permed prince is heading to the biggest metal festival in the world: Atze Schröder takes Wacken 2024! In this interview, Germany’s legendary master of cocky comedy talks all things AC / DC, Metallica drums and W:O:A.by Timon Menge Atze, your alter ego is a big fan of AC/ DC. Does that apply to the real you as well? Atze: It’s not like I listen to three AC/DC albums a night, but I have seen the odd show or two. Especially when there were still other AC/DC members besides Angus. (laughs) I always thought the indoor gigs were particularly good, for example in Dortmund’s Westfalenhalle. It’s really amazing when the whole audience is buzzing even during the fifteen minutes when it’s just Angus onstage. It’s as if you’re standing inside a Marshall tower, only slightly tipsy. Brilliant. You used to be a musician yourself, more specifically a drummer. Your first band was called Kartoffelsalat, the German word for potato salad, correct? Atze: (laughs) Yes, but they only existed for half a show! In a break between the two sets, we switched to jazz rock. After that, I was in a hard rock band called Requiem. There probably are a few bands with that name today. Which band would you get behind the drums for today? Atze: I would say Metallica. I’m not a dedicated metal fan, but I’ve always enjoyed playing metal. I used to be in different metal bands. Besides, that might be an improvement for Metallica. (laughs) Have you been to Wacken before? Atze: No, not yet. But I have a good excuse: My girl is from the area, which means I basically have Wacken at home. (laughs) Last year I was at someone’s 25th wedding anniversary, about ten kilometres from the festival grounds. When the groom arrived at the ceremony, he had come straight from the front row. Will you be performing your programme “Der Erlöser” (“The Saviour”) at W:O:A, which you will also be touring with this autumn? Atze: Exactly! I’ll be performing an abridged version in Wacken and the two-hour set during my tour as there’s simply more time. You’re actually from the Ruhr area, used to live in Münster, but have now resided in Hamburg for a long time, which is very close to the festival. What do you like about the Northerners? Atze: Well, to be frank: everything! In particular, I like the laid-back attitude. “Yes is yes” and “no is no”. The air here is also great. At the festival, there is a considerable focus on mental health. There are counsellors and the Metality Foundation, which aims for greater visibility for the subject of depression. You’re very open about the fact that you yourself have experienced panic attacks due to being completely overworked. What alarm signals do you look out for in yourself today? Atze: Nowadays, I have a really good inner voice that I can listen to. And I do listen to it. I keep a lot less busy these days. Back then, I made a concerted effort to get to a point where I felt unwell. I’m glad that my body didn’t hold me responsible for everything I did to it. Today I’m trying to make up for it and it seems to be working. In your podcasts with Till Hoheneder and Dr. Leon Windscheid, you talk about yourself in a very personal way. Is that easier for you to do using a pseudonym? From the outside, it seems as though the ‘real Atze’ is now very public and that the only thing separating you from your persona is your stage outfit and stage name. Atze: Yes, that’s true. But this way, I get to go onstage like a rockstar. In metal, you too put on the proper clothes and sometimes you fluff up your hair. (laughs) On the subject of podcasts: you can’t do that for long if you only stay in character. It just wouldn’t be possible. Atze, have a safe trip to Wacken! Atze: Thanks, I can’t wait! I love festivals and I’m not just saying that because I’m supposed to. Performing at a festival is the best feeling for me. The worst is being in front of the camera. (laughs) ’ His current show is called “Der Erlöser”. Will Atze try to “save” the Holy Ground? Credits: Boris Breuer, We Own You GmbHThe Growling Creatures and their first live show, a football tournament on the Holy Ground and Müller’s Metal Market with more than 300 products: We’ve got the biggest scoops of the festival grounds! @ acken and Krom- bacher’s joint spe- cies protection project, the Growling Creatures, is back for a third time this year – and will be on the main stage! On 1 August (Thursday), the beastly band will be loudly raising awareness for species pro- tection at around 11:55pm on the Faster Stage, right after the Scorpions’ perfor- mance. Krombacher promis- es a unique show with plenty of visual impact, a spectacular light production and a per- formance by the Creatures on stage and in the sky. “Bi- son, cuckoo and hare – never before seen at Wacken Open Air“, says Sarah Klappert, Senior PR Manager at Krom- bacher. ick-off! At W:O:A 2024, the football matches are back on not one, but two pitches near the Camping Pla- za. Eight teams will compete against each oth- er on 31 July (Wednesday) and first complete preliminaries. This will be followed by knock- out matches. Each match will last for two five-minute rounds; there will be no half-time breaks, but teams will switch sides. Kick- off is at 11 am and the tourna- ment is expected to end at 4 pm. So anyone missing the action of the European Championship can look forward to matches between teams from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Norway, Chile and Mexico at the festival. üller rocks Wacken! The drugstore chain will enhance the Farmers Market in 2024 and take up residence on the Holy Ground. In store: more than 300 items such as sunscreen and toothpaste, as well as camping chairs and barbe- cues. Even Wacken fragranc- es and items from the toy and stationery ranges will be available. The Müller Metal Truck Store will also have its own stage for W:O:A artists. Credit: W:O:A Credit: W:O:Aby Timon Menge uring the festival, the Holy Ground is packed like a small town. More than 85,000 people live tent to tent for days on end and enjoy a break from everyday life. That‘s why Wacken Open Air offers not only the best music, delicious food, plenty of drinks and lots of fun but also help. If they’re injured or suffer from heat stroke, fans can seek treatment from the German Red Cross, for example. But if it goes deeper than that and they need emotional support, the counselling team of the Nordkirche is ready to help. Whether it‘s mental stress, a full-blown crisis or simply the need to get something off your chest, the 25 volunteers are on hand to ensure that everyone has an unforgettable and safe festival. Counsellor Anna Schaefer has answered the most impor- tant questions about her team. Who can or should contact you and what topics can people approach you about? Anna Schaefer : People can come to us with any type of issue that has to do with their everyday life or a current trigger. Even if they are just looking to share something that they might not be able to share with other people, but that bothers them at the moment. Persons who already know that they have a mental health problem and notice it manifesting during the festival can also seek our support. What about fans who feel discriminated against or harassed? Anna Schaefer : We’re here for them, too! We always provide a place of refuge and our help. How do you help, exactly? Anna Schaefer : We look at what exactly those seeking help need from us and then select the right individual from our team. And we support fans during the festival by providing a safe space and identifying solutions that are hidden within them. That way, they can still have a good time. However, some problems cannot be solved directly on the Holy Ground and need tending to after the festival, for example in therapy. Where and when can fans find you? Anna Schaefer : From Wednesday to Saturday between 1pm and 2.30am, festival visitors can find us next to the first-aid station and near the Wacken Foundation booth. Our walking teams will also be making their rounds in light blue vests and can be approached at any time. In addition, our team can be contacted around the clock in an emergency, for example via security or medical services. The counselling service of the Nordkirche (“Northern church”) has been involved at W:O:A for 14 years and supports around 300 metalheads every summer. W:O:A founder Thomas Jensen with parts of the counselling team. L-R: National youth pastor Annika Woydack, Anna Schaefer, Thomas Jensen, Andreas W. Luedtke and Viktor Klassen Credits: Junge Nordkirche / Christian Landmann W:O:A counsellors will sport their own merchby Andrea Leim s the creative mind behind his project Avantasia, Tobias Sammet has managed to transcend genre boundaries and create an extraordinary musical experience. We spoke to the 46-year-old musician about Avantasia’s unique connec- tions to Wacken Open Air, dream guests and plans for the coming year. Avantasia is currently travelling with the biggest live production in the band’s history. What can fans expect? Tobias Sammet wants to create the music from his imagination – with Avantasia, he can fulfil this wish For the sixth time, Avantasia will be performing on one of the W:O:A stages this year. Festival directors Holger Hübner and Thomas Jensen are closely associated with Tobias Sammet’s project, as they gave Avantasia the necessary push to take the plunge. Tobias Sammet: We have a beautiful set and a far more escapist show than we’ve had in the past. Avantasia has always been about escaping reality, and it’s about drama. Of course, the trimmings – the show – mustn‘t distract from the real thing, which is the music. With this large-scale production, however, we wanted to expand the concert into an even bigger, all-encompassing experience. Are there any special surprises in store for your performance at W:O:A? Tobias Sammet: This may sound somewhat sobering, but we don’t usually plan any special surprises for a singular show. Ideas like that often go wrong or come across like a jam session. We want our shows to function as a whole and enhance the experience. We have fantastic guests like Geoff Tate from Queensrÿche, Ronnie Atkins from Pretty Maids, Bob Catley from Magnum, Kenny Leckremo from H.E.A.T. and my three backing singers. The most important thing is for the musicians to deliver exactly what the songs need. While writing the tracks, do you already have certain voices in mind? Tobias Sammet: Sure, sometimes that happens. With “Toy Master”, I immediately thought of Alice Cooper and modified the vocal melodies to match his voice. But the songs also work if I were to record them as a demo. Are there any dream collaborators you would like to work with at some point? Tobias Sammet: The entire world knows that I would love to work with Bruce Dickinson or Rob Halford. But for me, Avantasia is about the music, not about collecting trophies. Avantasia is my creative playground. But first and foremost, I want to create my own music, regardless of who comes on as a guest. We are not an annual “Night of the Proms” event, but something a bit more quirky and underground. Avantasia is less “Lord Of The Rings” and more “Beetlejuice”. You started planning Avantasia in 1999. Do you sometimes sit back and look at how it has turned out? Tobias Sammet: I rarely do, which doesn’t mean that I don’t value it. I know that I have a reputation for being full of myself sometimes. But it’s just not my style to pat myself on the back. I’m more excited about what’s to come than what I’ve already done. What’s next? Tobias Sammet: You’d like to know that, wouldn’t you? (laughs) Yes, there will be a new album next year and also a tour after that. We’ve been working on it for a while and I think it’s going to be pretty good. Will the musicians you‘re currently touring with be featured on it? Tobias Sammet: Yes, most of them, actually. There is a special connection between Wacken and Avantasia that began in 2008… Tobias Sammet: That’s right. Our first tour in 2008 ended with our performance at Wacken Open Air. But without Holger and Thomas, I probably wouldn‘t have embarked on that tour in the first place. These brats practically forced me to do it! (laughs) I’m very grateful to them for that and I don’t think there’s a festival in the whole world that I’ve played more often than W:O:A. ’ With Avantasia, Sammet first played Wacken in 2008. His first Wacken show with Edguy was in 1998 Credits: W:O:ANext >