Another Ad For Wacken

As German festival chief Thomas Jensen looks to export the Wacken Open Air brand around the world, he could have hardly hoped for a better advert than this year’s bash July 30 to Aug. 1.

Apart from breaking festival records by selling out all 70,000 tickets in advance, with the last ones going on New Year’s Eve, the filthy weather that has dogged the event in recent years managed to steer around it this time.

“We had a storm warning on the opening afternoon but there wasn’t any real rain. The rest of the weekend was fine,” Jensen told Pollstar.

Five days of heavy rain 2007 the festival about euro 500,000 to clear mud and prep the site.

“The economic situation may be making it difficult for people at the moment,” Jensen said, responding to questions on the progress he’s made finding potential Wacken partners around the world.

The festival was first held in 1990 as a small event for local German bands. By 1998 it had become the major festival on the European metal calendar.

“We’re not in any hurry to do a deal, and the most important thing is to make sure we find partners that understand the true Wacken spirit,” he said.

Apart from doing sellout business in record time – seven months before the event – he also felt this year’s event had plenty of that Wacken spirit, fueled by three days of outstanding performances.

When 10,000 tickets for Wacken 2010 went on sale Aug. 3, all were snapped up by the middle of the afternoon.

The acts helping Wacken keep doing the business included Motörhead, Amon Amarth, Bullet For My Valentine, Coheed & Cambria and Dragonforce.