Germany's mega rock music festival is back on home turf with a bumper line-up including Rammstein, System of a Down and Die Toten Hosen. After the Manchester attack, security has also been tightened.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/T. Frey
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Some 80,000 music fans will attend Rock am Ring this coming weekend at the Nürburgring racetrack in the Eifel Mountains in western Germany. Held at the location between 1985 and 2014, the storied rock music festival spent the last two years at the Mending Air Base.
But due to the need for major investment at the new site - not helped by a washed out event last year - organizers have decided to return to the scene where the likes of David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Bob Dylan, Joe Cocker, Bon Jovi and Guns N'Roses have rocked the masses for three decades.
David Bowie performs at Rock am Ring, 1987Image: picture-alliance/dpa/F. Vetter
German hard rockers Rammstein headline the three-day event, and will perform on the opening night on Friday, June 2.
More than 80 bands will be appearing on the three stages at Nürburgring.
Also on the bill are Die Toten Hosen, System Of A Down, the Beatsteaks, Five Finger Death Punch, Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, Suicide Silence, and Slaves.
In response to the Manchester terrorist attack, Rock am Ring has joined the Wacken Open Air metal music festival, held in northern Germany, in banning all backpacks and water bottles - water will be handed out for free at the event.
Though the move has attracted criticism from festival goers on the internet, festival organizer Marek Lieberberg, following close consultation with authorities, has decided to upgrade security following devastating attacks at music concerts in both Paris and Manchester.
"There is no absolute security in a free society," Lieberberg told "RP Online" of new security rules including mandatory body searches. "But we are doing everything in our power to protect visitors as much as possible."
Rock am Ring runs from June 2 through June 4.
10 tips for summer festivals in Europe
Getting together and having fun — during the summer, thousands travel to music festivals across Europe. There is something for all tastes, from heavy metal, rock, pop and jazz, to classical music.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/T. Frey
Rock am Ring and Wacken Open Air, Germany
There are many festivals in Germany. The biggest open-air music festival is Rock am Ring. Over 90,000 fans will gather for three days (June 1-3) on the Nürburgring racing track to watch a long list of music acts. Meanwhile, heavy metal fans eagerly await the first weekend in August, when the small village of Wacken hosts the world's biggest heavy-metal party - the Wacken Open Air festival.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/R.Goldmann
Roskilde Festival, Denmark
Europe's caring festival: Roskilde is organized by volunteers with all profits given to charities. The festival organizers make a point of booking young artists who are just becoming popular (pictured: First Aid Kit, 2015) as well as mega-stars like the Rolling Stones or Sir Paul McCartney.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/P.Troest
Montreux Jazz Festival, Switzerland
Lake Geneva provides the backdrop for the world's most famous jazz festival. It will be held this year for the 52nd time, from June 29 until July 14. On the program are Nick Cave, Jamiroquai, Massive Attack or the Queens of the Stone Age. One of this year's star guests in Montreux is actor Johnny Depp with the Hollywood Vampires (rocker Alice Cooper, Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry).
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Lopez
North Sea Jazz Festival, Netherlands
The world's biggest indoor jazz festival (July 13-15) has cult status. The 75,000 tickets were sold out months ago. For three days as many as five consecutive acts will perform on the 14 stages in Rotterdam's Ahoy concert hall. Announcements this year include Earth,Wind & Fire, Pat Metheny, Gregory Porter, CeeLo Green and others. One would like to be there.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/P.Bergen
Opera festival in Verona, Italy
The former amphitheater, the Arena di Verona, is world-famous for its open-air opera performances against spectacular ancient backdrops. Guiseppe Verdi's opera "Aida" made this location world famous. Since August 10 1913, the composer's 100th birthday, this opera has been regularly performed here. The festival begins on June 22 and continues until September 1.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/F.Meneghetti
The Proms, Great Britain
These summer concerts take place in London from July until September. It is the world's biggest classical music festival. The last concert, the "Night of the Proms" which is held in the Royal Albert Hall is a cult event. Tickets are much sought after and quickly sell out. "Proms in the Park" is held simultaneously in Hyde Park, so that fans without tickets can watch the concert on large screens.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M.Crossick
Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, Germany
From June 30 until August 26 the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein transforms into a large classical music concert stage. Concerts take place in gardens and parks, on estates and at palaces. Traditionally, the first concert is held at Gut Stockseehof. Founded in 1986, the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival has developed into one of the world's biggest classical music festivals.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M.Scholz
Fête de la Musique, global
Outdoors and free - that is the motto of the Fête de la Musique, which always takes place at the start of summer on June 21st. Free concerts are performed across 500 cities by professional and amateur musicians. From Paris, this festival idea went global. It originated in 1982 when the then French minister for culture, Jack Lang, began the initiative so that everyone could enjoy access to music.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/J.Carstensen
Moers Festival, Germany
Every year at Whitsun jazz fans will flock to the small German town of Moers in the industrial Ruhr area. The festival, which has been taking place for more than 40 years, is known for its openness to new musical trends. This has made it a leading festival for improvised music. Avant-garde icons like John Zorn (pictured) have been faithful to Moers for years.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/B.Thissen
Glastonbury Festival, Great Britain, unfortunately takes a break in 2018
It was once a farm near the town of Glastonbury. That changed in 1970 when around 1,500 people came together and paid one pound entrance fee to watch the likes of Marc Bolan and Al Steward perform. In 2019 it is to take place again on the last weekend in June. It is one of the largest open-air music festivals in the world.
