W:O:A 2007 - Commentary

Dear Metalheadz!

The 18th W:O:A is now history and again this year 3 positive factors about our cult festival will stay in our minds:

- the best audience worldwide

- brilliant bands with great performances

- the sun is from Northern Germany!

We´d like to thank you for your support because without YOU we would not be what we are:

One of the biggest Heavy Metal Festival worldwide!

Of course there were problems this year because of the disastrous weather conditions during the setting-up period, at the parking lots and camping grounds as well as during the arrival time, which we will try to change next year. But altogether we all celebrated a brilliant Metal party.

Furthermore we´d like to calm your fears – W:O:A will not get any bigger...we´re at the limit!

We will improve the logistics (ex: entrance and exit to the Party Stage, accessibility to the festival area, etc.)

Furthermore there´ll still be the possibility to camp at your cars.(that´s part of the W:O:A feeling) although we have to reserve the right – in case of unforeseen circumstances like this year - to make changes.

If you had any stress or problems because of the ncecessary last minute changes caused by the weather conditions we´d like to apologize. We hope that you understand, because without these measures, W:O:A 2007 could not have taken place.

Watch out for 2008: Wacken Open Air, Faster-Harder-Louder!

See you in Wacken - rain or shine!

Now enjoy reading and see you next time!

Yours,

W:O:A Team

W:O:A 2007 - Thanks for your support!

The 18th W:O:A is over and we have celebrated the most peaceful Metal Party worldwide. 60.000 festival visitors from all over the world made W:O:A “Sold Out” before the festival started.

With all helpers, artists, guests, press people, residents, etc. there was a total of 72.000 participants .

We´d like to say „Thank You“ to all the Metalheads who made this festival what it is today: The biggest and most important Heavy Metal Party of the year.

Also we´d like to say „Thank You“ to the media for their support. 3.200 journalists and photographers from 41 nations reflect the unifying force of Heavy Metal. Thank you for your support and the good cooperation over the last 18 years.

To make W:O:A 2007 a safe and secure festival many hands were needed.

The disastrous weather conditions during the set-up phase requiered countless additional measures. To make the festival area accessible, the ground had to be laid dry. 5000 sq.mtr. fleece was laid out. 1500 tons of wooden chips were spread on top of the fleece and the whole area was covered with 600 bales of straw. For the secure stand of our visitors on the festival area the basement has also been millinged and indued with heavy weight basement plates which are also used for tanks. To dry the camping grounds a helicopter flew over the camping grounds only in a height of 60 centimetres and blew the excess water away so that the areas were dry.

The precipitation of 350 litres per sqm again brought us some superlatives. The biggest motor tractor in europe, a 500 horse power tractor as well as 4 dredgers have been in continuous work. 21 artics with the material for the main stages had to be hauled through the sodded area. 350 tons of steel have been used for the assembling of the stages. 48 trucks with sound and lightmaterial have been delivered and 1 truck of pyrotechnics have been fired during the shows.

For the coordination of the assembly process 20 jeeps have been in continuous work. 80 power sets produced the power requirement of a small town.

It took 350 people who worked all around the clock to enable the impossible. Out of a mud cavern a festival area raised!

Under catchiest conditions 25 kilometres fence have been set and draped with 8000 tarpaulins. 450 water-flushed toilets in 5 shower camps and 1000 mobil toilets have been set up – more than at any other event in this dimension.

We´d like to say „Thank You“ to all of those who with their tireless assignment helped in the realisation of an outstanding festival. Also the cooperation with the local administrations, the police and fire brigade went very well without any complications. And of course we are very happy that there haven´t been serious incidents regarding the reports of the police and the the fire brigade. Wacken is, was and will be the most peaceful festival with fans from all over the world.

We´d also like to say a very big “Thank You” to all the fans and guests for their understanding with the weather conditional problems at the arrival.

Last but not least we´d like to say „Thank You“ to all the visitors of Wacken and the surrounding communities who kindly put us and all the metalheads up. And of course for their patience regarding the noise that they had to put up with during the difficult arrival.

The festival is the headliner and the bands play their “Best of Program...”

We´re looking forward to next year when it´s for the 19th time:

Faster - Harder - Louder

>> see you in Wacken 2008 - rain or shine <<

Thank you all Metalheads for your support

Yours,

W:O:A Team