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Rock Am Ring & Rock Im Park In Germany Celebrate First Edition In Four Years Without Disruption
Germany’s flagship twin festivals Rock Am Ring and Rock Im Park went down successfully this past weekend, June 1-3. It marked the first time in four years without major incidents.
– Rock Am Ring 2018
71,400 people flocked to Germany
In 2015 and 2016, the only two years Rock Am Ring didn’t take place at its long-standing Nürburgring racing track site, tempests hit the festival hard. In 2017, after the event had returned to Nürburgring, a terrorist threat caused a temporary suspension.
Nothing of the kind happened this year, and both events, which were headlined by Foo Fighters, Gorillaz, Muse and Thirty Seconds To Mars, went smoothly.
The bad experiences of recent years meant that fewer people bought tickets – 71,400 for Rock Am Ring and 70,000 for Rock Im Park, compared to some 90,000 and 80,000, respectively, in 2017.
This did not harm the atmosphere on site, according to Andre Lieberberg, president of Live Nation Germany, Austria and Switzerland. He told Pollstar, “For the 2018 editions of Ring & Park, audience and media response has been amazing. It was the first festivals in four years without any disruptions by inclement weather and/or alleged threats leading to cancellation of part of the events.
“A total of over 140,000 fans over the weekend and pure joy on all ends.”
– Rock Im Park 2018
The Zeppelin Stage
It remains to be seen whether last weekend, which, for the most part, offered nothing but sunshine, rekindled the love for Ring and Park in those absent. Should they require more convincing, next year’s headliner might do the job.
German icons Die Ärzte have been confirmed to play their first gigs in six years, and only Germany shows in 2019, at Rock Am Ring/Rock Im Park next year, when the festivals take place June 7-9.
Said Lieberberg: “Die Ärzte are one of the three most iconic German rock acts ever, together with Die Toten Hosen and Rammstein.”
He explained that the band, which last played the twin festivals in 2007, has been on a hiatus from live since 2013, and their last album release was in 2011. “So we are bringing them back exclusively for Germany after six years, which is a very big deal for the fans and media alike. On-sale started today with very strong reactions.”