Recession-Proof Wacken

Wacken Open Air chief Thomas Jensen is entitled to believe the world’s biggest designated metal fest is recession-proof, as this year’s Aug. 4-6 gathering sold all 75,000 tickets at the beginning of March.

To demonstrate that even further, 20,000 people bought tickets for the 2012 edition within two days of this year’s event ending.

Jensen says he feels sorry for bands trying to break through the lower end of the touring circuit because fans struggle to find the money to see them, but he believes those same fans make sure not to miss a mega event, particularly a metal one.

Wacken clearly proves his point, but there’s supporting evidence from Sweden Rock, Belgium’s Graspop Metal Meeting and Austria’s Nova Rock, which are all on the heavier side of heavy metal and are all celebrating bumper years.

The acts making all the noise in Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany, included Motörhead, Judas Priest, Ozzy Osbourne, Morbid Angel, Heaven Shall Burn, Apocalyptica, Children of Bodom, and Blind Guardian.