European Metal Festivals: Beginner's Guide
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- Опубліковано 5 бер 2023
- Having been to many of the biggest heavy metal festivals in Europe I thought I'd share my advice on what its really like to attend these incredible events and some tips for first timers.
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Metalheads! Post your favorite festivals and festival tips in the comments! Are you going to a festival soon?
Vagos Metal Fest and very-nice but not "Metal" (still love it) Vilar de Mouros!🤘❤🤟
Party San open air in Germany. 9-10k people who are just there for the music without any of the gimmicks, no party tourists like in wacken ruining the experience etc.
My tips are: be prepared for every weather, i was at a festival in may where we hit -16°C at night. Be prepared for extreme cold every time no matter the time of the year. And always make sure to have plenty of water in your system, drink a lot of water, just do it. Be prepared for pickpockets especially at bigger festivals, have your money secured. Secure your tent and camping equipment. I experienced tornadoes twice (though the really tame German version) and while other peoples tents were flying away, mine was secured at the ground with no chance to take off. Take your time to secure it even when it takes 20 minutes more after the festival to disassemble it, it's worth it. Be prepared for rain, have plenty of dry clothes including underwear, have your water sensitive stuff packed away safely and store your clothes dry.
Comfort: bring a camping chair and make sure to sleep in some comfort, it is a huge game changer to be refreshed for the new day of seeing bands nonstop for 12 hours. While an air mattress is nice, it has some disadvantages. You need an airpump and if it is damaged then you're in trouble. Especially annoying when it slowly loses air so you wake up in the middle of the night realizing your mattress is empty. Bring a camp bed instead, you can save the air pump and you'll just need blankets (which you need anyway). Plus point: you can shove your bags underneath the camp bed and save space which is an issue in a tent.
Being a fair skinned redhead the sun is the biggest enemy, especially when you're drinking. Always seek shadow, cool yourself down when it is hot and protect your head from direct sun as good as you can. That also includes your campground, bring something that creates shadow. I personally have a tent with a "porch" where you can sit being covered by a roof (also nice for rain).
Two issues that are always annoying but especially at a festival is headache and diarrhea, take medication against both with you.
Something especially for our US guests: sex. You will see nudity, you'll hear people getting laid. You're in Europe and in a relaxed atmosphere, don't make a deal out of it. And don't forget protection if you partake in such actions yourself.
And one tip that some people might laugh at but is relevant for me: don't overdo your partying. If you paid a lot of money to see bands you are excited about then there is nothing worse than missing them because you are too hung over. Also there are better places for having a hangover with nausea and all that stuff than at a festival in the middle of summer in the furnace that your tent becomes during daytime in the sun.
@@drstihl2007your last point is valid! In Wacken 1999 I missed all my favorite acts because of that, and I travelled from far away 🤣
I love Dong Open Air Festival 🤘❤️ lovely smaller Festival, 3k people, 3 days, wonderful familiar atmosphere, on top of a 70 m high hill with stunning view, in western germany (not far away from the border to the Netherlands). They usually have some known headliners, but the other Bands are international newcommers or just unknown. Whole metal genre variety. Ps: The festival name is innocent, just named after the nearby region.
Been to Wacken 3 times and this year will be my 4th time.
Here's a pro tip from someone that lives in Europe and has been going to festivals since 2009 or so. When camping.... BRING TOILET PAPER! Trust me, it makes a difference.
this man knows his shit! :)
yup this is true, once a friend of mine went to the toilets in the morning and came back without his socks. When we asked about it he just said, they ran out of toilet paper.
@@RTVLD LITERALLY! 😅
No shit?
@@bradleyrembolt that works too!
As European metalhead with 10 years of festival experience I 100% agree with this video. One thing I would ad is not overlooking small festivals. Less walking, unique vibes, can easily get close to the stage and more memorable. Big festivals sound good on paper but in reality you only need a few good bands.
plus potential signing sessions AND the possibility to see bigger bands nontheless
100% agree, I live in germany and have no intend at all to go to Wacken, Hellfest or Graspop. I love the smaller ones. The best festival in germany imho is the Party.San festival, if you are into Death and Black metal. No mainstream stuff like you see on the big metal festivals there.
Yessss. The main issue i had with large festivals is that sometimes you would have overlapping stages making you miss out on bands, or just a breakneck lineup with 0 breaks inbetween to just relax and chill out a bit between bands.
I'm about to watch this. Avoided festivals, only been to a local (very small) one cos I've always felt very uncomfortable just thinking about it. I decided to go to one smaller one (considerably bigger than the previously mentioned) and I hope I won't regret my decision/spending the money for the ticket/being more scared than I am now after watching this video. 🤣
As of now, I don't understand the lure of very big festivals. And while bands needs fans, so the bigger crowd the better for them, for me as the fan, the less crowd the better. 😄
@@molekyyli @Eksynyt Molekyyli Not sure if I get your concern, still I will say this; I had and still have social phobia, I hated being in school classes, being "locked" with 20 other people in a room I do not want to be with. Being uncomfortable all the time, had issues concentrating and had regular panic attacks. Concerts and festivals were and are a huge help for me. In general most of the people at a concert or festival are there for the reason why I am there, to listen to awesome music and to live that lifestyle. Especially those at Metal gigs are the most polite and nice people I have been with in a publblic area ever!
What I want to say is; Do it, go to gigs and festivals. The things you will regret are those things you didnt do. Doesnt have to be Wacken, but go somewhere ;)
Additional note: Many larger festivals (at least in Germany) don't allow glass containers on the campground, so make sure to bring tins instead of bottles.
and put any spirits in plastic soda bottles
My local American festival has that same policy.
Same at Motocultor (Brittany, France). Having to leave the glass bottles in the car and hopping to the nearest supermarket to stock up on metal cans was a bore, but no glass shards anywhere was worth it!
I would say this applies to almost every festival. Glass is just pretty dangerous in general.
As a 10-year-old I went to Wacken with my grandparents for the first time in 2013.An experience that shaped me.
That’s sooo cool, you were a lucky kid!
Did you happen to see Nightwish that year? That was one of their legendary performances.
@@ACGmusic0117 I would like to answer your question like this - From 2013 until today I have seen Nightwish live in pretty much every European country and in Mexico. In June the concerts in Stockholm and Vaasa will follow. Also, I'll see Floor in Den Haag and Hamburg with her solo tour in a view weeks. Does that answer your question? Kind regards, Kelsea - NWA Germany 😉
@@Kelsea-2002 good answer!
@@ACGmusic0117 😘
Wet wipes and dry shampoo. Seriously, this shit is dope and works almost as good as a shower in the festival camping situation.
Also, it is worth adding that one of the coolest festivals in Europe has always been Przystanek Woodstock / Polandrock Festival, which is completely free for everybody and super affordable to stay there without bringing any food or beer on the camping ground. Though, it's not just a metal metal festival.
Yes, yes! Woodstock in Poland is great festival, as regular there (since 2014) I truly love that place, two things that may be important:
1. This is very large festival, for most metal bands it is physically the biggest crowd they will ever play (words from few interviews). Camp ground is well organized, but it's worth noting- cause not everyone loves that big festivals
2. Woodstock(new name Polandrock) is festival with various genres of music from pop through metal to folk or electro. Community is based more on similar values (helping others, not being creep, the bar isn't high, just be nice human and care for "our piece of land"- part from our oath)
From time to time I take hikers from the street in my car with me and one time (somewhere pre corona), I took some guy from poland with me and I had some metal running and we came to talk and he told me about this festival :D
Yes i love Przystanek Woodstock/Polandrock my first time there was in 2019 when i was still 17 with my older brother and it was awsome been there every year i could excluding 2020/21 because of corona. the poeple there are awsome and the organisation is pretty good and best thing ther is no "tickets were sold out in 20 min " bullshit because there are no tickets and you can just go there and bring a tent with you and BOOM you are part of the festival crowd (yea you dont have "tommorowland" level stages but who needs them when the music sounds the same with or without it in the end ). also all the sponsor stages(the festival is funded by sponsors thats why its free) and workshops are awsome aswell and the best thing ist that you also can find raves and "private" partys all around the camping ground that are basically small stages for them selves and gett always bigger crowds the later you are into the festival
The thing that surprised me most about this video is that the US doesn't have metal festivals like Wacken/Graspop/Hellfest..? Man me and my friends go to Graspop each year and I have friends who will compare and decide each year which festival to visit in their attempt to visit every metal festival in Europe. We are truly lucky to be here.
I was surprised when I attended to Maryland Deathfest and it wasn’t as big as I thought. It was a good festival, but just as big as these European festivals.
best tip if you travel alone: place your tent nearby a bigger group if possible. Normally they will have no problem taking you in for the festival
depending on the group this means: shadow (pavillions etc.) and even maybe power or a fridge on the campsite
(my festival group, all a bit older now ^^ mostly travels with bigger solar array, 2 fridges (one for food, the bigger one for beer) and some other small "nice to have" things)
We've got to the point of having a whatsapp group checklist that runs for days and days before the festival just to make sure we've got everything. One guy brought a 5-man blow up pool and another guy brought a 40 meter piece of flexible piping so we could fill it from one of the standing water points 😂 Drunk in that cold pool at 4am, one of the best times of my life haha
I went to a local small 3 day festival some 10 years ago, the only reason I remember it is because I did go alone and was indeed adopted by a nearby large group who saw me setting up my tent alone. Good times.
@@kumquatmagoo There is always the risk of the pool being filled with pee after a couple of days.
@@entwurfung That might be the done thing at Wacken, but not at UK festivals! 😂😂 Seriously though, I will get to Wacken one year. I owe it to myself.
Pro tip: Make your bed before you leave. Not just straighten it, but fresh washed sheets and the like.
I work on festivals and have a good tent and other camping equipment, so I sleep fine. Still, there's no better way to end a festival weekend/week. Come home and finally get to enjoy your own shower, get some food from your favorite take out place and end the day in your own clean and fresh bed.
One tip I would give is be prepared to miss one of your favourite bands. The schedules are so packed that there's always gonna be a time when you want to see a band, but actually you should be eating, really need some sleep or just enjoy the vibes of some new friends you made. Trying to hang on to a perfectly set out schedule will just wear you out and really there's so much more fun to be had.
Very good tip!
This is a very important tip. Don't be too caught up in "I must see all the bands I like!" and be sad about missjng some - consider how many great shows you DO see during a few days. Plus, as mentioned in the video, making friens from all over the metal globe and all the other experiences you can find all around the festivals apart from bands playing.
Wacken is unbelievable safe! The community is great and open minded! There is no reason not to try
Been to over 300 festivals and gigs in the past 23 years...
Most of them were dance oriented primarily however...you might think that's a whole different ball park but to be honest. Most multiple day festivals in whatever genre have loads and loads in common.
I easily transitioned from Dutch rock, to pop, to hiphop, to trance, to techno, to d&b, to hardstyle and have visited all these genres through the years...and have partied all throughout Europe. Its very much a similar experience in meeting your fellows who just wanna have fun for days and days.
The one big thing i always noticed...just immerse yourself...do things you wouldn't do at home, but just have fun, don't judge other for things you're not used to.
I remember working on a 80.000+ festival some years ago and having a bungalow for my team (friends), we met some Americans after day one and smuggled them to our bungalow after the shows closed.
It's a small thing, but we made their weekend...they had the time of their lives and they came back year after year and visited us every time.
Just be good to others, not in a naive way because you'll be disappointed at times...but just keep very aware of the basic rule that 99,99% is there to have a good time...just be good, take care of each other.
Oh and for you murricaaans...depending a small bit on what country you're in, but DON'T EVER lie or be scared towards rescue workers, police, or medical folks....they're there to help you or your mate...or the dude in the corner of a field. They're focused on helping people feel better, not getting people arrested for drug use or whatsoever.
As said, visited over 300 festivals...my last to memories of people fighting was in 2004 between idiot hooligans and in 2006-2007 with some drunk dicks that antagonized the wrong dudes.
Just have fun, get wasted, trust/meet/love/befriend strangers and enjoy your multiple day trip into wonderland.
👏👍👍🤘🤘
D&B (and Metal) for life!!!
D&B and Metal festivals are super alike. Same vibe, same understanding, same energy, same love. I met so many other metalheads at d&b events I was really surprised at first. Now me and my friends seek out the guys with Malevolence, Meshuggah and Burzum t-shirts to befriend lol
For 7 years in a row i went to Brutal Assault and MY GOD that was the best time of my life. Even a 2 day trip to get there and another 2 to get back is just awesome. The worst thing is, when you get back from festival, you just feel something missing. Usually it takes about 3 days to get used that im not in festival, cant open a bootle of beer in 7 in the morning (trust me, by then sun is killing you in tent), you are not checking the daily schedule of bands and dont hear locals shouting "KURWA" :D My advice - use showers. Trust me for the first year i used just river and then in 3rd year i went to shower and after shower you just feel likea new persone. 2nd - check the weather ahead. You dont want to bring too much stuff with you but if the weather will be cold/rainy, bring extra coat or sweater. I also bring boots and some flipflops. 3rd - make friends. In 4th year i met some local Checz metalheads and now in the summer they come to Latvia and stay with me. And when i go to Prague I stay at their place. Awesome people. And all stated with HEY WANT SOME BEER? :D
Some of my best friends are those guys that I see once a year at particular festivals. We pick right up where we left off, and as the years go by our collection of stories is getting better and better. We've had new people join, some people leave to have kids (then come back with their kid years later!), and even a couple of people who died in the interim.
I get that same feeling for a few days when I get back home from the festival, but I know that I'll see them again in a year, if not before. Nothing quite like getting wasted in a field with a bunch of strangers that all have something in common. Metalheads are the loveliest people on the planet.
It's usually hellfire
Just a small correction, in Czechia it's Kurva, the w is the polish version. :)
The "thing missing" is alcohol. It's physicals withdrawal symptoms.
I'll share one "life hack" for BA, there is a city pool around 20 min walk from festival area, you can use their showers and relax in cool water :) (and they have food and beer inside)
A cheap way to get into festivals (at least in Denmark) is to volunteer to help (either to setup the festivalgrounds, work the bars, cleaning, running the bathes, stagehand and whatever during the festivals, or join the teardown crews after the festival), working during the festivals will offcourse cut into the concerts and parties but you will get the ticket and you will (most likely) make new friends with the people you work with. (Sometimes you can even ask at the door to the festivals if they need volunters and they will comp. your ticket (offcourse if you stay away from you shifts, you will get blacklisted and kicked out if the see you)
I absolutely love festivals. Also, handful of recommendations on festivals in Poland:
1.Woodstock/Polandrock- it is way more diverse in terms of music, but it is free and community is wonderful, always cry from happiness when I'm there
2. Mystic Festival - festiwal in old shipyard in Gdańsk (one of bigger cities with airport and plenty of additional attractions)
3. Summer Dying Loud - just on border of Łódz (big city in central Poland)- small festival with campsite, more death-black metal, but for that price (270zl- around 55euros) for 3 day festival.. Absolute banger
4. Castle Party- more gothic/synth festival taking place on the castle - worth going just to look how beautiful outfits are :D
5. OFF Festival in Katowice -more rock-alternative vibe, with campsite but with big city accommodations
I'm European and curious, glad you like our little festivals
If you want to enjoy a Metal Festival near a city centre, try Tuska in Helsinki. Recommended for anyone who loathes camping or doesn't have a car.
Always wanted to check out that one
@@wyattsmetal Recommend it. Really relaxed festival and you can just go swimming in the sea next to it, if it's hot.
@@wyattsmetal Definitely recommended. Getting tickets for this year's Tuska is still possible, and the lineup is--at least in my opinion--pretty awesome this year.
I would recommend Tuska in Helsinki for first timers and those who want to take it easy. The festival is almost in the center of Helsinki and super safe in many ways (there's never any incidents that require police). It's smaller than other European metal festivals, but very cozy and welcoming, even to those who only speak English.
Just came from my third Tuska festival and despite the downpour on saturday we still had an awesome time with barely any issues! I'd say that the rain even helped us have more fun watching Memoriam while they joked about the situation, not to mention having an aesthetic drizzle while Lorna played Pain Remains.
The festival goers have always been very friendly (bar drunk assholes who are few and far between) and the pit etiquette is pretty good. The three outdoor stages in addition to the Kvlt stage didn't make scheduling with a group of four all too hard either. The fact that you can leave to the mall helping organize the event at anytime for normal priced food is also a huge life-saver.
this is ironic, i booked tickets for bloodstock this year and its my first full weekend festival im fucking hyped i cannot wait
Great video! A few extra tips from my years of European festivals - if you are concerned about wet weather, pack your clothes into thick plastic bags within your camping bag so your underwear and socks are always dry when you get back to the tent. Also for those flying in from other countries, a number of the camping shops that set up at festivals have services where you can collect a tent onsite when you arrive so you don't have to worry about getting one before you arrive e.g. Fat Frank's which is usually at the UK festivals. Some will even set your tent up for you before you arrive! Also, if you are interested in attending but none of your friends want to/can go, there is often a 'Camp Loner' specifically for people on their own and they are a great way to meet a group of people!
I started getting into metal just a few months ago and will be attending my first metal festival this spring! Ascension fest in Reykjavik. I’m fortunate to have a family member who lives walking distance from the festival so we will be experiencing it on easy mode. Id love to attend one of the bigger ones on mainland Europe someday!
I’ll come back and update after I get back from the fest and let you all know how it went!
I'm a local. It's a great black metal festival, run by some very ambitious people. Hot tip you have to take advantage of. Make sure you visit some of the geothermal public pools in the big Reykjavik area. Well, they're all geothermal with selection of hot tubs, jacuzzis and saunas/steamrooms and they're not expensive at all, compared to the fancy "lagoons" or spas we have scattered over the country as well.
Have fun \m/
Shit, I'm so jealous of you. Ascension Festival always has a good lineup, and then it's in Iceland, such a beautiful country. I hope I can go there one day. I wish you a lot of fun!
Great video, dude. I've made the pilgrimage from Canada to Wacken 6 times and last year I brought my son with me. I've made lifelong friends there and we get together each time I am at The Holy Ground.
As a Sweden Rock Festival veteran myself, the best way I've found in terms of travel is a cheap RV. You drive your own home, no need for tents, and you have a lockable place to keep your stuff. I'm lucky enough to have a cousin who owns a summer home right behind the camping ground at SRF, but not everyone has that luxury.
Here's an important difference American and European festivals
American Festivals: a big party with live music
European Festivals: fight for survival with live music
You definitely want to prepare for it. For training I recommend :
-watching the entirety of man vs wild
-getting alcohol poisoning a couple times to prepare your liver
As a person coming back home, yearly fom 2014, with lung infections from hot-cold-wet weather, it actually is fight for survival, and I never thought about this way and now I can't stop laughing 😂
"Fight for survival with live music" Indeed, but you're not alone in that fight. 😅 If you have some trouble, there'll be a dozen guys and gals to offer immediate assistance. Once, I was knocked out cold in the moshpit (got hit in the head by accident), and the next thing I remember was sitting a hundred meters away from the stage, and seeing a handful of folks with a worried expression on their faces.
I've also been to plenty of European metal fests (from Australia).
10 x Wacken, 5 x Brutal Assault, 4 x Summer Breeze, 1 x Metal Days, 1 x Rockfest Barcelona, 1 x Bloodstock, 1 x Dynamo Open Air, 1 x Party San, with two more festivals this year (Headbangers and Brutal Assault).
My biggest bit of advice for anyone travelling from afar is to do more than one festival. The month of August is absolutely stacked and if you're going to Wacken, it's so easy to tie in Brutal Assault or Summer Breeze (or both). My first Wacken (2011) I hadn't planned another festival and I regretted it, knowing that there were three the following weekend alone!
gotta ask as a fellow commonwealther (resident of the great white north) what did you do when it came to camping gear? did you just get stuff when you landed in country or did you end up bringing something over with you?
@@zekeooo2 never brought gear with me... most of the time at Wacken and Summer Breeze I rented a pre-pitched tent through Zeltheld, and for the others I just pre-searched a place to by a tent! Argos, Decathlon, etc!
Metal festivals are a world of their own; basically reject civilization, embrace fun for half a week.
Tent, army boots, lots of beer, canned ravioli - and your own f'n toilet paper. Never rely on the mobile toilets on the camping ground to have TP; they can be everything between slightly dirty with freshly stocked TP to "why does a poo-hedgehog live on top of the seat?!!" with all the TP used to build a nest for the "hedgehog".
But the camping ground insanity alone is worth the trip.
CANNED RAVIOLI!!
bloodstock is my go to festival, smaller and more intimate and in general feels a lot more chill and connected and less intimidating with a smaller size so would recommend it if your unsure on the crazy crowds. plus home to bin jousting and other campsite shenanigans and still gets the big bands but a comfortable amount of people and a 10-15min walk from campsite to stage which is very rare for big festivals. There is also a very strong community and they do a meetup on the first day for anyone to come along and meet people and have some drinks which is great if your are traveling on your own.
Dude the bin jousting is hilarious they take it so seriously 🤣🤣🤣
Living in Bavaria I always attend Summer Breeze, which offers a green camp ground (less trash) and rest periods starting at 1am. So you have a chance to sleep without having to pass out. My second yearly go to festival is Metalfest in Pilsen. It is quite small and located in the city. The big advantage is, you can stay in a hotel and go there by tram or taxi. If you stay in one of the better hotels, you even have a chance to meet some of the bands. Happend to me with Edguy (who were kind enough to sign some of our stuff) and some others. Metalfest is also very familiy friendly. My daughter went there with me, starting at the age of six. My Czech is really bad, so I just bought her a ticket in advance, instead of arguing with the staff to get her in free or at a reduced pice., which is totally okay. She goes in, she sees the bands, she goes to the toilet so she pays the fee. Keep your festivals alive.
At most festivals people are also very respectful when disabled people or kids are around. I remember being first row with my daughter on my shoulders while Milking the Goat Machine (she loves them because of the masks and keeps headbanging all the time) was playing. Being surrounded by a big moshpit of drunk Czechs, we never got hit and she was given high fives all the time. When she got thirsty some of the guys asked why we were leaving mid show and I told them I had to get water for her. One of them told me to stay, left and came back with water, fries and a coke and gave it to her for free. It was one of the best days in her life.
I was in the hellfest 2022 festival, and it was the best time of my life !
As a veteran of metal fests (Bloodstock, Summer Breeze, Wacken, Brutal Assault) this is a good little guide for newbies!
After waiting for several years to raise the money and get enough vacation time, I was planning to go to Europe (I'm from Mexico), a friend of mine living there suggested we should go to Graspop. I was so excited I bought the plane and the festival tickets... it was November of 2019... a few weeks before a raw bat soup came to the spotlight... and we all know what happened next...
I think the best way to describe the campgrounds at most european festivals to an american (or at least to an NFL fan), is this, the campgrounds is basically a 5-7 days tailgate party at Bills stadium with tha Bills mafia cranked up to 11. I have known people who never get to any of the concerts because the party at the campgrounds is just to good to leave.
When i went to a festival, the party wasnt that extreme. I didnt really participate, mostly because i was exhausted due to a heatwave. Without the heatwave it probably would have gotten more wild. But i definitely did have fun partying at the camping.
@@tijmen5355 I really depends on the size: bigger festivals tend to have more extreme partying. But much depends on the wetter, and whom you meet.
Dude I love your videos. I'm sure we would all love a breakdown of each festival you've been to. Like one video for each festival type thing. Pleaseeeee 🙏
i've been dreaming of going to one of these festivals for over 20 years, some day i will and it will be the best experience of my life, thanks for the video!
i was sceptic seeing title and thumbnail, but as a guy from europe, who has been to round about 20 of these festivals myself, i can confidently confirm every single statement you made. great one!
Dear Wyatt's Metal,
thank you for the video.
I would call myself a festivalveteran too (10+years of experience) and was curious about your advices. Some are really good and important especially the breaks for food and drinks (non alcoholic as well). The video gave me flashbacks of the last Wacken and I enjoyed them a lot. Last year I went there without friends and just encountered a camp and they adopted me and we will go this year again together. I can confirm indeed that metalheads in festivals (my experience is only Germany so far) are the niecest people I met, are always in a good mood and open to new people. I am happy to see that you come even from the US and enjoyed it as well.
Have fun in the next season and thank you for the advices!
for those who prefer smaller festivals you should try Durbuy Rock (Belgium). It's 2 days and they always have a great lineups.
They have 2 stages (1 indoor and 1 outdoor) playing in alternance so you miss nothing.
The only problem is that you don't have any infrastructure in the camping.
Been going to Sweden Rock Festival every year since 2014 and it's the best place on Earth. Definitely smaller than Wacken with "only" 35k people, but it's four days of cheerful, rowdy, drunken people and hardly any sleep. You're destroyed afterwards but it's so worth it because you've never been happier. They pull in the big legends (this year we have Maiden and Motley among others) as well as more modern stuff and even an entire category for brand new bands or local acts just starting out.
That first post-festival shower and the feeling of sleeping in an actual bed the night after are both the best feelings in the world.
In 2022 I've visited the first festival in my life, I'm over 40 now.
I had a great experience there at RockHarz festival in the middle of Germany and I'd love to visit another festival within the next years.
The whole thing was a bit like a dream for me. Especially to see the bands I loved for decades live on stage. ⚒
Summerbreeze open Air is not as big as Wacken but the community experience is just as great
I definetly agree with you
Agreed. Been there and at Wacken 5 times so far. I do like both and they definitely have their own vibe. Summer Breeze, as many other smaller festivals (though, I wouldnt necessarily call SB "small"), has the big advantage of shorter distances between things and the tickets are cheaper. Also the choice of beer in the infield is much better than at Wacken
A very entertaining video even for versed metalheads. When you talked about the struggles of traveling, I considered myself especially lucky: I live about 90 mins drive from one of the three biggest metal festivals in Germany, which I have attended on and off since 2009.
Many Europeans don't know the struggle of having to cross an ocean for festivals 😅 which I'm jealous of!
To me, metal festival is just a cathartic experience. For few days I forget about outside world, care only about primal needs and simply have fun. Lots of great music, crazy, but also very open and helpful people and fantastic way to burn calories, both by walking a lot and under the stage. I come back dirty, exhausted, sometimes with minor injuries (my ankles hate me at this point), but i'm truly happy and for the next following days there's nothing that can bring me down. People who have never been on such event usually get intimidated by the crowd, i also though, that i might trip and gt trampled. You wouldn't believe how fast you get picked up from the ground by complete strangers, sometimes even during your fall you feel somebody already lifting you up. Awesome experience. In case of festivals like PolAndRock you dont even have to be a metal head, to try this atmosphere, and its free:)
Actually "WACKEN" is the Heavy Metal Mecka, the holy place for Metal, the biggest Metal festival in Europe, Germany, in the world! Everyone makes a pilgrimage to "WACKEN" to experience metal! 🤘🤘🤘
I'll be going to Wacken all by myself this year! I'm extremely excited!
Have fun and don't be scared to talk to people. Going alone can feel scary and you may feel exposed or maybe intimidated by other bigger groups in their camps. There's no reason to be scared. Get to know your neighbours, offer to help out with things or ask them for help if you need something or just to socialize. If you want, you'll be absorbed into their camp before you know it.
It will be awesome! I went alone last year and you can make friends before you even arrive on the shuttle busses to the campground.
See ya there, rain or shine \m/
I appreciate that you used a lot of the hellfest aftermovie. It's so damn good.
I TOTALLY agree on the footware thing. Also, wearing hiking trousers can be useful. I can add that sometimes you can find carpooling options where people heading to a festival with their cars offer to give fellow hardrockers a place. Furthermore, when you arrive at the festival grounds, try to be there early enough as security controls take too long. Happened to me last year at Hellfest, missed the Dragonforce concert because of that
Also, if you don't want the hassle of camping, check if there's alternative housing available at the site. I know Graspop in Belgium has a deal with a nearby park that has small vacation homes available for the weekend at a good price, along with shuttle busses to the festival site. Sure, it'll cost more but it is very comfortable and convenient.
Thank you for this video. It was informative.
I watched Wacken 2022 livestream and it was amazing. Even from the laptop screen I could feel the epicness.
I also watched Wacken World Wide 2020. This was my first Wacken experience even though in a digital form.
But since it was a digital form I wanted to hear only a few bands.
Veteran from Brasil since 2005.
7 Wacken, 11 Party-san, 1 With Full Force, 2 Earthshaker, 1 Battle of Metal, 5 Metaldays and 1 Summer-Breeze. This year we will Attend Party-San again (our favorite) and Rockstadt.
Great tips, and I am 100 percent with them. With a small piece of advice. CAMP! ALWAYS CAMP!! It is an important part of the festival aura.
Thanks for the video!
this video is so damn true, honestly blissful time with no worries at a fest just remember to stay hydrated and eat food... with the adrenaline and energy of everything going on its so easy to forget to drink water, especially when there is beer literally everywhere if you want it but besides that it'll most definitely be one of the best times of your life! if you're thinking of going to one you should just go, the worries that you have will seem so small when you're there in person
There are really a lot of metal festivals here in Germany. From "Frostfeuernächte" in Heidesee in February, "Camping Battleground Festival" in Bavaria (camping and festival are combined here, no problem walking from the tent to the stage with a beer can), "W.O.A." in Wacken or 2 weeks later "Summer Breeze" in Dinkelsbühl (you can choose one of the two, unless you have enough money for both, because both are among the biggest festivals here). The great thing here is that you can find a festival in every metal genre, whether folk, pagan, death, trash, black, punk, heavy, hardcore, grindcore or dark wave....Mention should also be made of the "Hellfest" in France, "Black Hole Fest" in Switzerland, "Download Festival" in the UK (not exactly cheap), "Inferno" in Norway, "Brutal Assault" in the Czech Republic, "Alcatraz" in Belgium or "Paaspop" and "Down the Rabbit Hole" in the Netherlands (we say Holland). Every metal fan should experience it once in their life!
Is there a site you recommend with a kind of agenda?
Perfect last tip!
It is so awesome that Wacken Open Air is a 6 hour drive and Graspop is a 2 hour drive from where I live. Especially the roadtrip of Wacken Open Air is like a pilgrimage to the holy grounds of metal
smaller festivals are a great shout. Many upcoming bands go to them and when they are smaller bands they also tend to get involved in the crowds after their gigs. In leeds, uk (slamdunk) me and my friends got to meet i prevail. They were just chilling in the crowds it was so surreal. Great times!
I might be going to Tons Of Rock! it's in my country, Norway. If i'm going, i'm now prepared! thank you for this video, i really need it cause i have no idea what it's like being at a metal festival!
Sum Wacken stuff:
- Its either extremely dusty or kneedeep mud, theres no in between.
- Theres a reason the infield is called the "Holy Ground", make sure to give it a kiss.
- No the Beer Pipeline is not under the campground, unless you dig in the Infield (again, HOLY GROUND) you wont have an infinite beer supply
- The locals are nice and even put up sum services and food/drink stands
- Its the alrgest festival by number of bands playing
- Its tradition to listen to the firefighters as they open the festival.
Great video, thanks. I am going to Wacken this year, and it’s my first Euro festival.
Never seen a fight or any other situation where agression was involved at metal festivals. People are just so friendly to each other; it's just increddible. Btw, check out Graveland Fest, a little great little black/death-focussed festival in the Netherlands. It's just 2 hrs. by train from Schiphol international airport, and trains run from the airport itself.
Cool vid! Been going to these since the mid 90's (Dynamo, NL era). Pretty much seen em all.
Best (kept) memories: Dynamo (RIP), Graspop, Rock am Ring (not the 'metallest', but still-chaos), Download Spain ...
No one should be hesistant to fly in from outside Europe. If you're metal, you're welcome :)
Yo greetings from Germany, Love your content, got me hyped for this festivalseason pretty hard :) If your in Germany in August try Summerbreeze Open Air in Bavaria/Germany. Incredible friendly Metalfestival, pretty big but with an incredible Mix of Bands from kinda big names on the mainstages to a whole partystage filled with incredible small and local yet spectacular bands. Also a wide variety of genres, from kinda new and hyped "modern metal" bands to the good 'ol death/black/melodeath, hardcore, trash, grind, math and metalcore and whatever ur heart desires! One of the friendliest communitys i witnessed too! cya E
Graspoooopppp! \m/ this year will be my 21st edition! I was there the first edition! Went to Alcatraz a lot to, since it was still in Deinze, now it's in Kortrijk!
Great video! I can agree with pretty much everything in this video, but as a quick tip, if you're flying to a festival or just don't want to carry equipment for camping, have a look to see if the festival offers pre pitched tents, or if they sell camping equipment on the grounds. Even if you end up leaving your tent, chair etc, they normally end up donating them to homeless people or other organisations like that. I know for a fact both of those options are available at Download in England, and I think most of the other big festivals in Europe also do that!
Hell that "Flunkyball Tournament" sign was us at Metaldays a couple years ago 😍
I am heading to my dream festival this year DOWNLOAD!! Going solo from the states and I cant wait. Luckily itll be my 8th trip to europe so culture shock wont be much for me in that aspect
I went to Download in 2010 and had a great time! You'll have a blast!
Do tell us more about your extreme privilege
I go to Download and Bloodstock every year, you'll love it. 😃
And how was Download festival?
you forgot to mention that is is possible at a lot of festivals, that you can also rent a tent. even when it is fucking expensive
and tip for first timers, dont think you can do 3 festivals in a row. i dont even have to flight to get there, but i only did once wacken, mera luna and summerbreeze in a row. that is almost like suicide, for you and your walet
I did Woodstock-Brutal Assault-Summer Breeze on one year... Ironically, from the cheapest to organize to the most expensive and furthest. On SB I was so sick, but still stand for 12h a day, I was like "I didn't make overtime for 5 month straight to now resign because of some pain while breathing". My health took massive hit, after few months I was more or less healthy. I regret nothing 😅
Been going to Metaldays since 2011, def my fav festival, the nature was amazing and not too many people; 12k max. Sadly the lineup has gotten gradually weaker, the prices more than doubled in 10 years and this year it will take place near a lake, not in Tolmin but it was amazing while it lasted there!
tips: buy a tent that's dark inside so you can sleep longer and an air mattress.
Thanks! 🤘
Great Advise! Going to my 4 euro Feast this summer
I'm going to Copenhell and Wacken for the third time this summer. It's always the highlight of the year for me. I will say though, you should try and visit and support the small festivals as well. They give a very different vibe than the huge festivals.
I'm lucky having Summer Breeze festival in my hometown. It's one of the biggest metal festivals in Europe and the second biggest in Germany after Wacken.
I am a little jealous, not gonna lie. We luckily only have to drive 1,5h, but having a festival this big (and great) near by sounds amazing.
Hi! Do you really live in Dinkelsbühl?
when i went to my first festival i was honestly terrified, but after day 2 or so i started feeling so amazing, i felt free and i just couldnt keep my self from going to all of the gigs and dancing around with my friends non stop i would do anything to go to sziget 2011 again
Man this video is so great! Time to start saving money! XD
thumbs up for mentioning Alcatraz!
Thanks for the video. I've been a metalhead for nearly two decades but never really been to a multiday festival (except for one local small one, there wasn't even any camping area and I just went home to sleep) cos just the thought of going to one filled me with very uncomfortable feeling, both the camping part and big crowds (I'm not prone to panic in those, I just don't enjoy big crowds). I decided to go to one smaller (website says about 4000 visitors/day) and more or less local one (well, 300 km "local" :D) and let's see...
Great video mate!
Thank you!
Been going to graspop since 2007 we only do one day is expensive enough but have seen so many amazing bands play. all festivals are amazing. And prepare for dry weather or wet weather of anything in between. have had dust clouds and had pools of water at graspop :D
Ressurection Fest was brutal this year 🤘
I have never considered how crazy it actually is for some people to attend metal festivals from other countries, seeing how I genuinely live a half hour car raid away from Wacken. Never even crossed my mind, honestly not sure how any intercontinental travelers even manage some of the logistics outside of what you mentioned already.
8:37 I remember this, this was at Hellfest. I am somewhere in that crowd around the shopping cart jousting tournament, lol
Can't wait for my first Graspop this summer! See you guys there
See you there mate.
awesome tips, i am going to woa this year
I'm going to my first metal fest this summer (Resurrection Fest actually) and I am so hyped for ti
Since I’m from Dessel I go to Graspop every year! It’s just metal heaven!
Bring earplugs, you don't wanna hear a beep all of your life (tinnitus) just for several days in front of the big speakers. GREAT VIDEO BTW!!.
Really nice Video!
Can recommend it to anyone. Best memories of my life.
Thank You, very helpfull.
I've been going to Hellfest since 2015, and I have to say it's very tiring (don't know if it's a word ^^). Last year I went to both week ends, on the day I went back home after the second one, I slept for 3 hours in the car, 3 more hours on my couch, and 8 hours the next night. But still I find it worth it, I've discovered many bands and seen more concerts I thought I ever would. On site we sleep 4 or 5 hours a night, but seeing the shows keeps us up all day long. One thing I always have is a small backpack (about 10l) it helps if you need to bring something to wear in case of bad weather, or keep the plastic cups out of the dust so you can get drinks anytime
My favorite Festival is the Rockharz in Germany .
Its one of the smaller Festivals (20.000 People) and its got only 2Stages which are side by side and the Bands playing on one and Soundchecking at the other Stage, so you never have to decide which Band of the LineUp you will miss, because you can see all of them if you want. There are real (and clean!!) Showers and Toilets available. It Starts on Wednesday and Ends Saturday Night to Sunday so you can sleep enough to get Home on Sunday safely 😅.
Omg looks like so much fun 🤘😈🤘🤘. Wish I had the money to do it.
There are also some smaller festivals I'd like to recommend:
- Bang Your Head - playing rather traditional bands, it was headlined by Saxon, Judas Priest, Slayer...
- Summerbreeze - a great mix of traditonal, modern, Gothic and Medieval Metal.
- Baden in Blut - a tiny festival with lesser known bands, a great atmosphere
Have fun!
I agree with the many tipps and tricks others added to this phenomenal video, one tip I want to add:
Bring your bathing shorts and wear them if it rains, they dry much faster than normal clothes so you won't stay wet after the rain stops!
Also since many festivals are close to rivers/lakes you can use them if you want to go for a swim.
Usually festivals have a goody bag with some essentials that you get at the entrance, but be sure to bring condoms anyway even if you don't want to use them, orhers might need some or they can even keep your phone dry in the worst case.
Toilet Paper and other bathroom stuff is always helpful.
Also consider to buy one of those armbands for the clean toilets, if you need to poop (and you will) it makes a world of a difference if you can flush and don't have to sit in stinking Toitoi
I live in the US and am in my 50s with a bad back and legs that no longer want to walk. I won't be attending any metal festivals and I wish I had in my youth. What I did do was go to NASCAR races for several years, free with credentials because I worked for the hotels the racing teams were staying at. We took one of the shuttle buses to the track and parked it in the infield. All that drunken partying you mentioned? Though not on the scale of a huge festival, we got to experience some of that at races. I really wish my body hadn't failed me. Maybe I could go to a US festival. But I'll let you all go for me and have twice the fun. Thanks for the great video.
Hahaha how cool is this, the group shown around 1:49 are my festival buddies and this was our camp. The footage is from Wacken 2022. :D
I enjoyed your video, I think I’m too old to go to one of the festivals ( in my 60’s) but I can still dream about it. Went to one in Belgium about 8 years ago where you could buy single day tickets, with my late husband and 2 others. Enjoyed it a lot though we didn’t get the whole camping experience, but since it was literally around the corner (1/2 hours drive from my sister-in-law’s home) it was an amazing opportunity.
The big festivals often have a couple of alternate campground options too. I know a couple in their 60s who got an RV and now go to Wacken every year. I don't know if I'd recommend a festival as a beginner trip when renting a European RV. Having some general experience with regular European RV camping seems smart. But those I know who outgrew the mayhem of rock festival field camps graduated to the RV camps.
Alcatraz?
RUBBER BOOTS!
im going to festivals since 2009 and i got my first rubber boot at 2014, those are a game changer!
Some other things I'd add is:
-check the rules for the camping ground and the area with the stages. At some festivals you can pretty much bring everything into the camping ground and park your car or RV there, set up a grill, have a generator, while at some (probably smaller) festivals you're very restricted.
-for a large festival like wacken I'd recommend renting a car or maybe even a trailer. It's really convenient since you can lock your valuables in there, and it doubles as a generator as well to charge your powerbanks if you need to.
-again for larger festivals, try to arrive early since if you arrive even the day before the first day that concerts start, you'll most likely be 1-2 km away from the stages and showers which can be pretty inconvenient if you want to grab something from your tent or go for a shower or fill up your water bottles.
-from my wacken experience last year I'd also recommend walkie talkies if you are with friends since the network gets really overloaded and sending SMS or mobile data will be really slow with over 70000 phones in the same area
as a seasoned fevival connoisseur from central europe, i agree with this video
"99% of the people are cool", absolutely agree.
They look bad but they are unbelievable kind!
Just back from Summer Breeze 23 in Germany, can't await to go there again!
Some festivals for instance bloodstock, offer premade bundles such as tents and sleeping bags that you can prebuy and collect on site which would be helpful for any of you considering coming over here to it