Axel Rudi Pell confirmed they would be attending when they had to pull out this year. They explained that it was a case of being double-booked, and to make up for it would be the first band to confirm for 2009. So they'll probly headline a night, like with Lordi this year after pulling out last year.
Reading through these I am surprised that EdGuy haven't had a mention. Avantasia were fa ntastic last year, almost upstaging Maiden as the band of the festival IMHO. EdGuy also have a new Album out - so you would have thought Wacken was a strong possibility for them. KISS are touring Europe again (KISS at Wacken would be awesome!!)
I enjoyed Avantasia but their sound was beyond terrible. You couldn't hear Jorn singing for the whole The Scarecrow song and his mic was low every other time he sang.
i saw kiss at download this year they wernt bad but the show they put on was better than the music eg the fireworks and the tickertape + the flames
Saw KISS at Download and at Stockholm and they were awesome both times - as a speciacle and musically. I have now seen KISS four times and they are my top four gigs by a loong way. Rock and Roll All Nite at Download was fantastic. Sound at the start of Avantasia was poor - but I didn't think it was poor once it got sorted. Edguy, Rammstein, KISS that'll do me. AC/DC would be tops too.
I honestly hope there isnt any big bands like AC/DC or Metallica , As much as I like those bands I rather the headliner be Blind Guardian. I saw a lot of people leaving Saturday morning last year, I was assuming they were just there to see Maiden and stayed for one more day. I wonder if the speculation of a big huge headliner prompted a lot of people to buy tickets. I haven't bought mine yet because of money , planning on getting them the middle of January, which is really cutting it close. If it sells out before I will have to go the ebay route or from people that bought tickets with the belief that there will be one or two of these huge huge bands playing and become disappointed.
Seriously, I doubt the majority of people, myself included, who've already purchased tickets are hoping for the big-name headliner. Quite the opposite, I would think. The people who usually go anyway are probably buying their tix this far in advance IN CASE some big name gets announced and they want to make sure they've tickets. I think it's better this way. If Metallica get announced, there won't be enough tickets left for the casual fan, thank fuck. Yeah, the place seemed a lot emptier after Maiden played but I'd rather people like that DID leave rather than hang around and moan that they can't understand what the singer's saying or some other shite.
No way AC/DC will play. Too big. I'd still say Metallica's a good bet. They're even very much in the neighborhood tour-wise around that date. I'm actually starting to think Slayer might be a viable possibility this time around. Loks like they'll be touring in the summer. Heaven And Hell would be great.