Wacken’s „Metal Church“ with Haudegen

A special Wacken festival memory

After the rainy arrival for the pre-opening, which takes place one day before the actual festival opening on Wednesday, you had the chance to see a very special event at the “Metal Church” in the main street of Wacken. Haudegen, a German rock band from Berlin, played for the first time in Wacken. Hundreds wanted to witness a rock concert celebrated in a church.

Unfortunately, some fans could not enter because the church was filled to the last seat. Kindly the security made sure that they would leave the doors open to at least give people the opportunity to catch a little glimpse (and sound) of it.

Meanwhile indoors started a 90-minute acoustic treat. Haudegen took seat on their stools andd offered a good selection of old stuff and new songs from their upcoming album “Lichtblick” to the community. Many saw the band for the first time, therefore the reactions were a bit restrained, but during the first songs, Haudegen won them over and the crowd cheered to all the songs. The band surely won many new fans. Even text blackouts did not matter and rather added to the cheerful atmosphere. and made it all the easier to open. With the awaited „Käse Kuchen Blues“ song they brought the atmosphere to a boiling point and Preacher Gerald Warnecke rocked along in his robe with – indeed a “Lichtblick” = ray of hope. Have we mentioned already that Haudegen played here for the first time? Certainly not for the last time …

Before this show, the “Metal Church” had offered a service of a very special kind. Vicar Gerald Warnecke and Vicar Judith Schneider had invited to a “Saints & Sinners” church service in the “Holy Spirit church” in Wacken. The event showed that heavy metal and church service fit nicely. Tattooed metallers sitting next to a nice old lady from the village singing hymns together – what a sight.

Pastor Warnecke, who used to play in the band “Running Wild”, offered a special musical treat to Metalheads. With songs by Judas Priest or Black Sabbath, the fans were quickly under a spell. Who has ever experienced a singing vicar in a church, with a guitar and Judas Priest songs ??? If you go to Wacken, you should not miss this event.

At the end of the service, no-one could sit still any longer. With the song “Final Gates” by Running Wild, Warnecke said farewell to the metalheads and wished everyone a peaceful Wacken 2015.

Photos: Guido Wegener

More snap shots of this event HERE