As you know, traditionally on Saturday of the first weekend in August the first bands for the following year are announced – and even if Wacken Open Air 2020 had to be cancelled, organisers don’t want to break with this tradition.

The first wave of the band is colourful in the truest, best and most metal sense of the word – starting with the legendary JUDAS PRIEST and their “50 Heavy Metal Years” show, the folk punk crew DROPKICK MURPHYS and the reunited AS I LAY DYING.

In addition, the black metal pioneers Venom and vocal sensation TARJA will be part of the show. You probably have noticed it: All of these five bands were already scheduled for Wacken Open Air 2020.

But of course there are also new ones! HÄMATOM will play their only festival show exclusively at our festival in 2021 and LORDI will bring their horror castle to the festival. Occult and dark stuff will be coming from MOONSPELL and DEATH SS, while ROSE TATTOO will represent bluesy hard rock.

Five new bands, five bands originally planned for 2020 – the kick-off is done and organisers are already scheduling the next announcement dates.

See you in Wacken Metalheads – Rain or Shine!