Wacken Post-C19 speculation thread

[agresionpower]

I can't imagine how it could work this year. How far down the rabbit hole will W:O:A go before pulling the trigger on canceling?

I do not know the business end of festivals at all, but do worry they won't survive the financial cost if they hold out until April or May when planning and payments are well underway.

This all depends on the guaranties the government will give them.
I know that WOA is of great importance to the local economy of "kreis steinburg" which is the administrative area that Wacken is part of.
So they might get financial backing from them. But I guess in the end they'll ahve to pull the plug for this years event.

 

[Nergal1444]

So far in Germany big events have been forbidden for the next few weeks (I have forgotten the date, it keeps beeing pushed back). Wacken will propably not cancel before a decision concerning festivals has been reached by the government - as a cancellation by themselves would have other repercussions and result in more cost/loss of insurance/no or less help from the state. Thus they will propably go ahead with careful planing until the government has decided about the summer. And that will take quite a few weeks, as vaccinations have just started and nobody yet knows what the situation will be in the summer. All we can do is wait.

 

[Quark]

To give you an idea.
Graspop gets its decision in March.
Hellfest sent an open letter to the Secretary of Culture in France. They'll meet each other next Friday (29-1). And, Ben Barbaud (Mr Hellfest) will, at the latest, decide in March as well. Depending on the outcome of the said meeting.

I found sources for this, but only in Dutch (Gras) or French (Hell). Don't know if you're interested in them.

 

[Quark]

So far in Germany big events have been forbidden for the next few weeks (I have forgotten the date, it keeps beeing pushed back). Wacken will propably not cancel before a decision concerning festivals has been reached by the government - as a cancellation by themselves would have other repercussions and result in more cost/loss of insurance/no or less help from the state. Thus they will propably go ahead with careful planing until the government has decided about the summer. And that will take quite a few weeks, as vaccinations have just started and nobody yet knows what the situation will be in the summer. All we can do is wait.

And that's just the point!
WE can wait.
The organisations CANNOT wait for too long! It takes ages to build a good festival. If you know what to expect, it's easier than to be guided by the blindness of not knowing what to expect!
In other words, the sooner they know, the better for the festival itself.

 

[smf4ever]

And.. Hellfest.. officially cancelled for 2021

 

[Hemmer]

I just saw this too. We all know there is a strong possibility that 2021 won't happen but it still hits the gut. Now we wait.....and wait.....and wait...

 

[Quark]

I just saw this too. We all know there is a strong possibility that 2021 won't happen but it still hits the gut. Now we wait.....and wait.....and wait...

And I'll make it worse: Hellfest just cancelled its 2021 edition yesterday. That's one of the first big festivals to have taken a decision.

 

[Nergal1444]

Hellfest is in June. Wacken in August. A lot can happen in 2 months. I am sceptical about Wacken, but lets wait.

 

[agresionpower]

Hellfest is in June. Wacken in August. A lot can happen in 2 months. I am sceptical about Wacken, but lets wait.

it could but it's not very likely. let's wait and see for now.

 

[Quark]

Well, I'll continue on HF, as I have the most info about that.

Festivals (open air!) can take place in France, for maximun 5,000 people, ALL seated, within social distance from each other.
So... Hellfest could've continued, if they were to organise it on that way. But... as there are approx. 70,000 tickets sold, 65,000 people would have been dissapointed! To start; all non metropolitan French residents! (problem with travel restrictions solved)
If I look at Belgium now, I cannot go abroard anywhere, until at least April 1! Not even to Baarle-Nassau (which is jumelated with Baarle-Hertog in Belgium), to cast my vote! (March 17)
So... with this in mind, IF the travel bans aren't lifted in, say, 2 months, Wacken will have to make the same choice! And I think Wacken will face the same restricions in organising a festival as does Hellfest now. (and I reckon Graspop will have to do too!)

Those restictions as mentioned above, are easier for smaller festivals. Like a Hörnerfest for instance. (2,000 people max, normal circonstances)

But again, it can change within 2 months.

 

[smf4ever]

And Download... calls it for 2021 as well..



<sigh>

I am prepared for the inevitable. I am happy (due to my job), that I just got my 1st vaccine. But we need everyday / all people for this shizzy to be done with.

 

[agresionpower]

looks like everything up to july is pretty much cancelled by now. but i guess in a few weeks all festival that are scheduled for july will be cancelled, and probably a few weeks after that the rest of the summer festivals will be cancelled.
I'm not expecting anything to go ahead as normal this summer

 

[Hemmer]

Have they even started advertising Metal Battles? If not, and IF this summer goes through, will there be no Metal Battle bands this year?

 

[agresionpower]

Have they even started advertising Metal Battles? If not, and IF this summer goes through, will there be no Metal Battle bands this year?

I haven't seen anything thus far.

 

[Quark]

The Prime Minister of Schleswig-Holstein (the Bundesland that Wacken is in) wants it to continue! It was in an article I read last weekend (in German).

I wonder
a: how?
b: if at all is possible?

One of the things was, a ban on alcohol infields. But if that's going to happen?
Otherwise, for MB bands I don't see this happening yet, as there are still travel bans active here. UK, South Africa and the WHOLE of South America are not allowed to enter the EU/Schengen! And that'll remain for a while.

First, let's get vaccinated. But with the current tempo here, that can take 100 years.