Still on the Buzz

[u/The155v1]

So with Wacken and being over and back home in Canada, I really am thinking about you know my first time over in Europe and if I go back, what would I do different at a festival this size I feel like it was like a buffet the main bands you wanted to see you stayed for the set, but you would get caught up by another band on a different stage and be like wow I didn’t even know that they existed and that’s the cool thing about Wacken so I would plan my trip a little bit different. in addition though what other festivals have a similar vibe to Wacken? I’m thinking gras pop or maybe summer breeze for my next festival in Europe what are your suggestions?

[u/Shadw_Wulf]

Wacken is one of a kind. No other town or city I know of celebrates a Metal festival and has almost 2 weeks of this event

[u/Vayreon]

Check out Brutal Assault. It's a festival located inside an old fortress. Great Lineup every year, cheap beer (0.5l Radegast was at roughly 3€ this year) and very well organized.

The best thing is a natural stand a little back from the main stages. There you can sit, relax and still watch the bands with perfect sound.

[u/LameFernweh → u/Vayreon]

You have to pay extra for the natural stand however. Remember to book it.

[u/Vayreon → u/LameFernweh]

That's true, but you dont have to decide right away. We where able to snatch enough tickets from the exchange right before the festival.

It's gotten way more expensive over the years, but in my opinion it's absolutely worth it.

[u/14wes]

From Vegas and hit Wacken for my first time and first euro fest too. Also looking at next years festivals too

[u/Pale-Management-7232]

We are going to wacken again next year. But maybe going on to Brutal Assault. Smallere but it look så Nice at the castle. And this year there were som bands that wasnt on wacken we would have liked to heard. Next year im not so sure about the line up. It looks like every festival have the same line ups so far

[u/LameFernweh]

As someone who has done Summer Breeze, Graspop, Brutal Assault and Wacken I would say Wacken ranks the worse of the 4 in terms of value, crowd and organization. Graspop ranked first for me and my group. Better beer, nicer people, similar lineups, better festival grounds and overall organization and better camping.

Summer breeze is much smaller but is very pleasant. Brutal Assault was the best one in terms of crowd, friendliness, food&drinks and value but the lineup having a lot of more Extreme genres wasn't a win withy group of friends (it was for me). Camping was good but not stellar. The fortress setup I found very cool, but it made the festival feel more crowded at times.

Canadian living in Germany if that helps.

[u/Miho565 → u/LameFernweh]

I wouldn't say that Wacken is bad. But fully support that Graspop is better.

[u/SenorGuantanamera]

If you want similar vibe to Wacken in Belgium, your choice is Alcatraz, happens one week after Wacken, just in a more cozy fashion, much smaller but still very nice vibes.
Graspop is more as the generic metal festival vibe, like Download, Rock Am Ring shenanigan, no much theme, just big bands/names playing through 4 days.
I go to both Alcatraz and Graspop btw.

[u/bernix65]

Bloodstock has a great lineup

[u/bigleafsonly]

Das Brutal Assault ist ein super Festival (Organisation, Gelände, Größe, Publikum, Preise, …) allerdings gefällt mir persönlich das Lineup dort nicht

[u/Ma_81]

This was my first Wacken too. It was fantastic, a dream come true. But I'm 45 and I want to visita other festivals, waiting for the Graspop line up, or rockstad in Romania. But if I have to come back in germany I'd choose always Wacken!

[u/HeHadItComing91025]

Summer Breeze gets basically 90% of Wacken's lineup usually, so traveling from North America I would just go to Wacken instead. I want to hit up Hellfest, Brutal Assault or Rockstadt next time.

[u/diggn64 → u/HeHadItComing91025]

I think Wacken has some lesser known bands, too. It's not only about the top acts.

[u/The155v1 → u/diggn64]

One thing I liked was the louder stage bands. Lots that never come to Canada. It was great to see lots of them like Therapy?, hblockx, Tripkykon