独メタルフェス「来場しないで」　大雨で例年以上にドロドロに

【バッケンＡＦＰ＝時事】ドイツ北部で２日に開幕予定の世界最大のヘビーメタル・フェスティバル「バッケン・オープン・エア」の主催者は１日、大雨で会場などがぬかるみ、交通渋滞も発生しているため、参加者に来場を取りやめるよう呼び掛けた。（写真はドイツ北部バッケンで開催されるヘビーメタル・フェスティバル「バッケン・オープン・エア」会場）
　バッケン・オープン・エアは毎年開催される巨大野外フェス。農地と牛の放牧地で４日間にわたって開催され、８ステージで１５０組のバンドが出演する。チケットは売り切れになっており、８万５０００人のヘビーメタルファンの来場が見込まれていた。
　会場がぬかるむのは珍しくないが、今年はアクセスに深刻な問題が発生しているため、主催者と警察は、これから訪れる人は引き返すよう要請した。主催者は大雨と悪天候が続き、キャンプ場や催事場、交通アクセスの状態が悪く、会場整備が間に合わなかったとし、通知が遅れたことを謝罪した。
　さらに今後も大雨が続き、激しい雷雨の予報もあるため、イベントを完全に中止にはしないものの、予防措置を講じつつ「１時間ごとに決断を下している」として参加者に理解を求めた。
　報道によると、会場周辺の大半のキャンプ場はほぼ満員となっており、会場間を結ぶ道も激しくぬかるみ、道路は数キロにわたって渋滞している。
　今年のヘッドライナーは、英国の「アイアン・メイデン」、米国の「メガデス」と「ドロップキック・マーフィーズ」など。
　２日には、２０１５年に亡くなった「モーターヘッド」のボーカル、レミーことイアン・キルミスターさんをしのび、遺灰の一部が会場に運び込まれる予定だった。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2023/08/02-17:12）

Driving rain, rivers of mud and traffic jams in northern Germany led organisers of Wacken Open Air, billed as the world's biggest heavy metal festival, to ask fans Tuesday to stay away.
The giant annual outdoor event known as W:O:A is set to kick off Wednesday, with 85,000 headbangers due to descend on a venue of farmland and cow pastures to hear 150 bands on eight stages over four days.
Although often a muddy affair, Wacken is facing severe accessibility problems this year, prompting both promoters and police to tell anyone who has not already arrived at the showgrounds to turn back.
The persistently difficult weather situation with rain quantities of around 40 litres (11 gallons) per square metre (yard) in the last 24 hours and the resulting condition of the campgrounds, fairgrounds and access routes means that the area could not be made ready in time, W:O:A said in a statement.
We apologise profusely to all metalheads for the delay in providing information.
Organisers of the sold-out festival said that weather forecasts indicated the downpour would continue, with electrical storms possible, leading them to take the precautionary measures without calling off the event entirely.
We are making decisions hour by hour and ask for your understanding in this extremely difficult situation, they said. You would help us most now by staying home.
It was not immediately clear how many visitors were already on site, but chaotic parking conditions were leading security staff to use tractors to move vehicles that were obstructing access.
Media reports said most of the camping areas around the fairgrounds were nearly full and the paths between them a muddy mess while roads were blocked by traffic backed up for several kilometres.
Bands including Britain's Iron Maiden, US thrash metal act Megadeth and folk punk group Dropkick Murphys are among the headliners this year.
On Wednesday, some of the ashes of Motorhead lead singer Ian Lemmy Kilmister, who died in 2015, were due to be brought to the W:O:A fairground as part of an unforgettable act in his memory.