01.08.2012 Santiano

Wacken Open Air XXIII

Wacken (Germany)

(Pentax K-5 with Sigma AF 70-200mm 2.8 EX DC APO HSM II)

Actually I did not plan to watch the Flensburg shanty choir but as nearly all of my group did want to go there I also stayed there on my way from Bullhead tent back to the camping ground. First it did not seem like the band being able to play as in the beginning the technics crapped out. With a delay of 15 minutes Santiano finally began and quickly really gathered pace.
I take my hat off to them! A lot of sailors signed up for them in front of the stage! I did not expect that. The area in front of the Wackinger Stage was more than bulging. No one fit onto it and when the first sounds were played the crew started moving. It was danced and sang along loudly. It seemed that there was nearly no one that was not able to sing their lyrics (OK, except the songs out of the commercials I had not heared anything of them). And so one shanty after the other was intonated by the five headed top management on stage and thankfully taken by the audience in front of the stage. Especially during "Es gibt nur Wasser" the people really did not want to stop singing.
But not only the classical shanty instruments like violin, acoustic guitar and accordion were used. Singer and guitarist Andreas Fahnert showed that he knew to play the didgeridoo. When the set was finished it was frenetic asked by the crowd for an encore which should be given to them. What was very funny: The band played longer than they were expected to do. And although no band was playing after them somewhen during the encores without hesitation the juice of their microphones was removed so that the band was even not able to say goodbye to the audience. I have not yet wittnessed that on Wacken Open Air up to now! Santiano said at the beginning of their concert that they were somehow sceptical: Shantys on Wacken, a metal festival, it that could work? Myself and many others can now say: Yes it perfectly works! For me it was one of the highlights of the festival. A better and hilarious atmosphere I did not experience at any other concert and also the other gigs of Santiano (they played each day) of which I always saw at least 1-2 songs whilst passing by could not fully take up with this first one.