Hurricane And Six-A-Side

Being World Cup year may give an extra edge to the annual six-a-side soccer tournament FKP Scorpio organises at four of its German rock festivals.

The Goths that visit M’Era Luna and the dance music lovers that go to Chiemsee Reggae have yet to enter any teams, but there’s stiff competition between the sides from Hurricane, Southside, Highfield and Area 4.

Ten teams from each festival take part and the winners from each competition go to the finals at Area 4 in Lüdinghausen. They also get free tickets to the following year’s festival.

The soccer tournament is part of the Scorpio festivals’ efforts to raise money for a German charity that – like the UK’s Water Aid – funds the drilling of wells in drought-stricken countries.

The first group games are at the twinned Hurricane Festival in Scheeßel and Southside Festival at Neuhausen ob Eck June 18-20.
Scorpio chief Folkert Koopmans reported that ticket sales for the two passed the 100,000 mark a month ago. He’s very hopeful of both events selling out, which would mean a combined sale of 120,000.

The acts on the Hurricane and Southside bills include The Strokes, Beatsteaks, Billy Talent, Jack Johnson, Mando Diao, The Prodigy, Massive Attack and Stone Temple Pilots.