(L-R: prunes wrapped in bacon, chicken bits with "Asia dip" which is some kind of chilli oil, squid rings with garlic mayonnaise, potato wedges with sour cream)
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A review of the trip can be found in three parts: 1 - 2 - 3
| MONDAY 01.08.2011 - BRAUHAUS JOHANN ALBRECHT, BIELEFELD | |
| The Brauhaus, and its beer garden |
| The decoration inside - brewing coppers, of course! |
| Skål! (with the Kupfer, almost like an English brown ale...) |
| The Kupfer is nearly finished... I'll move onto the Messing (that's the light one) |
| That's novel: Brauhaus-Tapas! (L-R: prunes wrapped in bacon, chicken bits with "Asia dip" which is some kind of chilli oil, squid rings with garlic mayonnaise, potato wedges with sour cream) |
| Skål! (Kit doesn't like beer... unfortunately for her! But the dinner's good...) |
| This Brauhaus has a proper Lager. Big breweries take note! |
| They've even put out glasses of maly for us to taste. Aren't they generous? |
| Just time for a Weizen before we go... |
| ...and this, apparently, is Bielefeld's mascot. |
| TUESDAY 02.08.2011 - THE TEUTOBERG FOREST | |
 | ...and that is what we came to see! Hermannsdenkmal, the memorial to Arminius... |
 | ...a closer look. Hermann in modern German, Arminius in Latin, Erminaz in Proto-Germanic, apparently. |
 | The courtyard in front of the monument |
 | The plaque for Ernst von Bandel, the architect |
 | Stylised statues of the defeated Romans at the foot of the monument |
 | The Teutoberg forest, seen from the top of the monument... |
 | ...panning round to the courtyard again... |
 | ...and to more dense forest |
 | The path leads the way back... |
 | ...past another bust for Ernst von Bandel |
 | The Teutoberg forest's other main attraction: Externsteine |
 | It's a long way to the top, but these people are neither rocking nor rolling |
 | Christian pollution at its very worst |
 | A view from the top of the stones |
 | Who's looking through the window... |
 | Many people have left their mark here... |
 | ...I wonder if that was genuinely carved in 1851? |
 | The Summer Solstice hole (the sun shines directly through it on that day) - note the Runic graffiti to the top right of the hole |
 | More runes |
 | I'm too tall to stand up in there... |
 | ...Kit isn't! |
 | Throwing your euros through the window will only make you poorer! |
 | Another view from the top |
 | Kit is not Morbid in places like these |
 | No trolls under this bridge |
 | The last stone - there's no way up this one |
| TUESDAY 02.08.2011 - THE ARRIVAL AT WACKEN | |
 | The Finns, who we parked next to... but we ended up camping about half an hour's walk away from them. We were Camp Danglish, not Camp Finnglish! |
 | The evening sky gives us a spectacular (and free) light show! |
 | A metal salute for the sky! |
 | The world's largest Norwegian flag? Maytbe not, but certainly Wacken's largest |
 | The final minutes of the sunset |
 | "JB" decides on a nautical career... |
 | Soon after taking this picture, the portable karaoke-DJ with his Hello Kitty guitar started playing Skálmöld. Marvellous! |
 | The Danes, doing what Danes do... |
 | ...Allan's joined in, as ever... |
 | ...but it's all too much for Nikolaj! |
| WEDNESDAY 03.08.2011 | |
 | You know we aim to please, bring you to your knees... it's a bomber! It's a bomber! |
 | Just another ordinary day in Wacken village as the hordes arrive... |
 | Are you advertising, or are you selling? |
 | PRE-DINNER MAYONNAISE! THAT IS GOOD FOR YOU! |
 | Marvin The Martian makes his first appearance at Wacken! |
 | Raise your hammers, with many Stars Of David on them, it's time for... |
 | Hammercult (1) - the Metal Battle entry from Israel |
 | Hammercult (2) |
 | Hammercult (3) |
 | ...in an attempt to get all the beer mugs as quickly as possible, yes, I am drinking too much at once. Those are all mine! |
 | Mortal Strike (1) - the Metal Battle entry from Austria |
 | Mortal Strike (2) |
 | Mortal Strike (3) |
 | Mortal Strike (4) |
 | The fans, with the world's brightest green thrash logo |
 | Mortal Strike (5) - time to raise the Flag Of Hate, and yes, they do sound a bit like Kreator... |
 | Mortal Strike (6) - mirrorshades all round |
 | Blechblos'n on the Beer Garden Stage were a different proposition to the thrash in the Wet Tent... |
 | What exactly did the Metal-Bibel idiots think was going to happen to their propaganda at the hands of 70,000 metalheads? |
 | Eccentric Pendulum (1) - the Metal Battle entry from India |
 | Eccentric Pendulum (2) |
 | Eccentric Pendulum (3) |
 | Eccentric Pendulum (4) |
 | One of the latest new features - the light-up logo over the Wacken Wall, which wasn't quite working properly... |
 | Helga! There's an in-joke from a few years back... |
 | ...and this is how the toilet and shower blocks were marked this year. Duschen ist KEIN heavy metal! |
| THURSDAY 04.08.2011 | |
 | Thrash metal for dyslexics. It's a good job this wasn't taped to a Cetrion 3C </very, very obscure reference> |
 | You're at the wrong festival! |
 | The Rockungswagen, an emergency service for those starved of metal. Shouldn't it be somewhere else? |
 | Tanker (1) - from Bosnia, the Metal Battle's representatives of the ex-Yugoslav republics |
 | Tanker (2) |
 | Tanker (3) |
 | Tanker (4) |
 | ...sounded good, right up until "Arschfick"... |
 | Golem's mascot invades the Wet Tent |
 | Achren (1) - from Scotland, but representing the UK in the Metal Battle |
 | Achren (2) |
 | Achren (3) |
 | Achren (4) |
 | Achren (5) |
 | The wooden sculpture outside the Bullhead City tent |
 | The rather imposing backstage entrance |
 | They may be serving mead, they may be serving purple fluid that will make you blind, they may be serving extremely addictive illegal drugs... |
 | Now, this is what I call a mid-afternoon snack. Barbarenspieß! |
 | See? It's even got its own stall! |
 | Bucovina (1) - "we are one of the best bands in Romania!" And they're in the Metal Battle as well. |
 | Bucovina (2) |
 | Bucovina (3) |
 | Bucovina (4) |
 | Bucovina (5) |
 | Bucovina (6) - how did they become one of the best bands in Romania? A wizard did it! |
 | Helloween - this is about as close as I got to them... |
 | Aeon Throne (1) - representing Norway in the Metal Battle |
 | Aeon Throne (2) |
 | Aeon Throne (3) |
 | Aeon Throne (4) |
 | Aeon Throne (5) |
 | Aeon Throne (6) |
 | Battle Beast (1) - if you hadn't worked that one out already! |
 | Battle Beast (2) - from Finland, winners of last year's Metal Battle and back for another shot |
 | Battle Beast (3) |
 | Battle Beast (4) |
 | Germans, doing what Germans do... |
 | Nikolaj and Jette blingin' it up on da West-siiiiiiiiiide, yo! |
| FRIDAY 05.08.2011 | |
 | Ensiferum (1) - a wake-up call and a half |
 | Enaiferum (2) |
 | Ensiferum (3) - "You! Stop laughing at my skirt!" |
 | A crowd-surfing gorilla, which may or may not be Kimi Räikkönen calling himself "James Hunt"... |
 | Ensiferum (4) |
 | Ensiferum (5) |
 | Ensiferum (6) |
 | Skálmöld (1) - Iceland's finest finally reach Wacken! |
 | Skálmöld (2) |
 | Skálmöld (3) - deliriously happy Icelanders |
 | Skálmöld (4) |
 | Skálmöld (5) |
 | Skálmöld (6) - still deliriously happy |
 | Skálmöld (7) |
 | Skálmöld (8) |
 | Skálmöld (9) - guest vocals on Hefnd by the bloke in the mirrorshades |
 | Skálmöld (10) |
 | Morbid Angel (1) - with disastrous new album prominently advertised |
 | Morbid Angel (2) |
 | Sodom (1) |
 | Sodom (2) |
 | Sodom (3) |
 | Sodom (4) |
 | Khold (1) |
 | Khold (2) |
 | Khold (3) |
 | Khold (4) |
 | So that's how you spell it! |
 | I would say Tin Can Man got away lightly... |
 | Contribute to the Wacken Foundation, get your name on the Wacken Wall with such luminaries as... Mambo Kurt! I'm sure he's in there somewhere... |
 | The sight of the True Metal Stage while Heaven Shall Burn were being a nuisance over the other side. I wonder who we might be about to see... |
 | ...Judas Priest! It's the Metal God himself! |
 | Judas Priest (2) |
 | Judas Priest (3) |
 | Judas Priest (4) - with added fire |
 | Judas Priest (5) - with Glenn looking like he's just done a stint in Status Quo, and the new boy |
 | Judas Priest (6) |
 | Judas Priest (7) - yes, they really did play something off Rocka Rolla! |
 | Judas Priest (8) - ...no, Rob, take it off! |
 | Judas Priest (9) - "and here's one from the time we all discovered hairspray! Not that I'd need that any more..." |
 | Judas Priest (10) |
 | Judas Priest (11) - with more added fire |
 | Judas Priest (12) - one careful owner, 33 years old but only ten miles on the clock... |
 | Judas Priest (13) - Living After Midnight! |
 | Kyuss Lives! (1) - following the metal legends, we have the stoner legends. Immense! |
 | Kyuss Lives! (2) |
 | Kyuss Lives! (3) |
 | Kyuss Lives! (4) - it was once commented in Metal Hammer (many years ago) that John Garcia's future was so bright, he had to wear shades. He's realised they're not much help this time of night... |
 | Kyuss Lives! (5) - Scott Reeder, filling in for Nick Oliveri; they're spoiled for choice on the bass! |
 | Kyuss Lives! (6) |
 | The pyrotechnics show near the Moviefield - it could be heard all over the campsite! |
 | Airbourne (1) - first they support Iron Maiden, now they're on the same bill as Judas Priest. They can't believe their luck... |
 | Airbourne (2) |
 | Airbourne (3) |
 | Airbourne (4) |
| SATURDAY 06.08.2011 | |
 | A valley thick with oaks? |
 | Moonsorrow (1) - Finland's finest, opening the day triumphantly! |
 | Moonsorrow (2) - Mitja agrees with me |
 | Moonsorrow (3) - the other side of the stage, albeit without the Fat Man... |
 | Moonsorrow (4) - think about it, two years before, I'd been on my way to Iceland, and now this... yes, the sixth of August is a great day! |
 | Moonsorrow (5) |
 | Moonsorrow (6) |
 | Moonsorrow (7) |
 | Moonsorrow (8) |
 | Moonsorrow (9) - a fist in the face of the competition! |
 | The continuing attempts to rid the campsite of christian propaganda turns to using a tin of peanuts as a brazier... |
 | Insude Bullhead City - it's a bit gloomy in here, isn't it? Must be the black roof... |
 | ...what's Biff's Budgie doing in here? Saxon aren't playing this year... |
 | Onslaught (1) - a long way away... |
 | Onslaught (2) - "Gah. What are we doing in here instead of on a proper stage?" |
 | Onslaught (3) - "...right, I'll march down here like a wrestler!" |
 | Onslaught (4) - "Here I am!" |
 | Onslaught (5) - with an Arch-Vile on the drums? |
 | LANGPØLSE! With pre-dinner mayonnaise! That is very good for you! |
 | Mayhem (1) - Attila's gone punk? |
 | Mayhem (2) - and who might these two be? |
 | Mayhem (3) |
 | Mayhem (4) - watch where you're waving that thing, Attila |
 | Mayhem (5) |
 | Mayhem (6) |
 | Skeletonwitch (1) |
 | Skeletonwitch (2) - they mean business |
 | Skeletonwitch (3) |
 | Skeletonwitch (4) |
 | Skeletonwitch (5) - and the award for the Most Metal Pose at this year's Wacken! |
 | Vreid (1) |
 | Vreid (2) |
 | Vreid (3) |
 | Camp Danglish - plus the Official Sign, minus one gazebo |
 | What goes on at other campsites... when Lynyrd Skynyrd is playing |
 | "The Tree Of Chairs" |
 | Hail Of Bullets (1) |
 | Hail Of Bullets (2) |
 | Hail Of Bullets (3) |
 | Hail Of Bullets (4) |
 | Hail Of Bullets (5) |
 | Motörhead (1) - from quite a long way back... |
 | Crowd surfing in an inflatable boat? That's novel... |
 | Motörhead (2) |
 | Motörhead (3) |
 | Motörhead (4) - the Bomber is back! |
 | Motörhead (5) - the Bomber, at close range |
| SUNDAY 07.08.2011 - HEMFÄRD | |
 | The dissolution of Camp Danglish for another year... |
 | ...although there's still a lot to take down |
 | Hail To The Hammer...? |
 | FALUKORV! |
 | Destroy the sofa! |
 | ...and we may see the Finns next year! |
 | ...no, really, that's how far the Intergalactic Battlecruiser's computer told us we could go on that tank, despite being trapped in The Annual Wacken To South Of Hamburg Traffic Jam™ at the time! |
