The Wacken Open Air (WOA) is one of the largest and most renowned heavy metal festivals in the world. Since its inception in 1990, the festival has annually attracted thousands of metal fans from around the globe to Wacken, a small village in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. This year, 82,000 visitors were expected. Tickets for the festival are regularly sold out within a very short time, often just a few hours after sales begin.
The festival offers a mix of world-famous headliners and emerging newcomers on multiple stages. In addition to musical performances, there are numerous other activities and offerings. "Wacken" is more than just a festival; with its unique atmosphere, top-notch bands, and diverse activities, it is a highlight on the festival calendar every year and a must for every metal lover.
BLACKSTAR Amplification and SCHECTER Guitars have been long-standing collaborators at the festival and showcased various activities that enriched the festival experience in a special way.
As a long-time partner of the renowned "Wacken Foundation," which supports numerous social projects, BLACKSTAR was present with its own stand. Here, visitors had the opportunity to be photographed in front of a large speaker wall and take on the role of a rock star. The resulting photo could be taken immediately or shared with the world via social media. This action was very well received, and the BLACKSTAR stand was busy at all times of the day – a successful promotional measure! Additionally, with our brand HAGSTROM, we supported the activities of the Wacken Foundation by providing a valuable prize in the form of a HAGSTROM guitar.
For many years, SCHECTER Guitars has been intensively involved in the "Wacken Metal Battle," an international competition for emerging bands held in nearly 90 countries. This year, BLACKSTAR also joined in supporting the event. The top 30 bands in the world compete at Wacken Open Air for top honors. This year, the three winning bands were awarded attractive prizes from BLACKSTAR and SCHECTER. Additionally, all participating bands received a FLY Mini Amp as a gift – a great recognition of their talent and commitment. BLACKSTAR also actively supported the competition with a highly visible stage backline for the emerging stars.
Starting this year, BLACKSTAR is also showing its commitment to the "Wacken Music Camp," which takes place twice annually and has steadily increasing registration numbers. In this camp, young musicians and those who aspire to be musicians are nurtured and guided in band workshops. Guitarists have the opportunity to play on high-quality BLACKSTAR equipment during the five-day workshop program.
The diverse activities of our brands at this year’s event resulted in a sustainable promotional effect and positive feedback. We are particularly pleased that our manufacturing partners appreciate and recognize the significance of the festival and our initiatives: BLACKSTAR was even represented by the personal presence and on-site engagement of Product Manager and Artist Relations Manager James Evans.
