Balingen, Germany
15th - 16th July 2011
Bang your Head Festival 2011
Let’s bang our heads again! First held in 1996, the BANG YOUR HEAD!!! has grown to become one of the most prominent metal festivals in central Germany, drawing an audience of thousands from all over the world.
It all started with a one-day indoor event in the Stefan-Hartmann-Halle in Tübingen. Three years later, the 1999 edition of the BANG YOUR HEAD!!! was the first one of many to follow to be held as a two-day open air festival. 18,000 people joined the shows of an overall of 17 bands including renowned acts like W.A.S.P., DIO, MOTÖRHEAD or rock veterans DEEP PURPLE.
Over the years, the crowd kept growing and growing - right until the BANG YOUR HEAD!!! was sold out for the first time in 2005, celebrating its 10th anniversary with a killer band line-up including many old friends and fans' faves. 20,000 visitors showed up each day and - despite a massive thunderstorm devastating both the camping and the festival ground - joined an awesome festival experience headlined by the mighty TWISTED SISTER.
Until today, legends like WHITESNAKE, FOREIGNER, HEAVEN & HELL feat. Dio, Iommi, Butler & Appice (aka BLACK SABBATH, of course), JUDAS PRIEST, JOURNEY or NAZARETH came to Balingen and now the festival proudly presents its 16th issue with a epic Line-Up!
These are the confirmed acts in alphabetical order so far - more to follow soon:
ACCEPT / AMORPHIS / ASPHYX / ASTRAL DOORS / CRASHDIET / CRIMSON GLORY / CRIPPER / CRYSTAL VIPER / D-A-D / DEATH ANGEL / DESASTER / HELLOWEEN / IMMORTAL / LEGION OF THE DAMNED / LORDI / METAL INQUISITOR / OVERKILL / PORTRAIT / PRETTY MAIDS / PSYCHOTIC WALTZ / SLAYER / SONATA ARCTICA / STORMWARRIOR / TYGERS OF PAN TANG
Here are some details about some of the confirmed acts:
SLAYER
Finally, we can announce our Saturday's headlining act - and it is none less than the legendary, unique, sacrosanct and glorious thrash-gods of SLAYER. It's been almost a decade since the band's first and so far last appearance at Balingen, and now Tom Araya, Kerry King, Jeff Hanneman and Dave Lombardo will return for another of their devastating and intense shows featuring their all-time-classics from genre defining masterpieces like 'Hell Awaits', 'Reign In Blood' or 'South Of Heaven' - or, of course, their latest impressive effort 'World Painted Blood'.
ACCEPT
Along with the SCORPIONS, ACCEPT are, without a doubt, the most important German Heavy Metal act so far. Releases like 'Breaker', 'Restless And Wild', 'Balls To The Walls' or 'Metal Heart' had a huge impact on the Metal scene world wide and have been part of many a young musician's socialisation. To keep the story short: Heavy Metal would not be the same without ACCEPT and their pounding rhythm section, their poignant guitar work and those catchy. Don't miss this legend of Heavy Metal headlining this year's edition of BANG YOUR HEAD!!! 2011!
HELLOWEEN
There's no need for an introduction: only few other German bands ever have had such an impact on the worldwide Metal scene as HELLOWEEN. 
Early classics like 'Walls Of Jericho' or the legendary 'Keeper Of The Seven Keys' works have redefined "Metal Made In Germany" and, following the ground breaking efforts of SCORPIONS and ACCEPT, made it a world wide trademark. Unfortunately, struggling with their former record company and several essential line-up changes put the band's impressive career and its creative potential on hiatus for quite a while. It took a whole decade until guitarist Michael Weikath and bass player Markus Großkopf, backed up by former PINK CREAM 69 vocalist Andi Deris, would fetch up with their glorious past and start to return to old strengths with several strong releases. Joined by Sascha Gerstner in 2002 and extraordinary drum talent Dani Löble (former RAWHEAD REXX) in 2005, today's line is back in the ranks of the most popular European Metal bands around - and therefore co-headlining this year's BANG YOUR HEAD!!! fest!
IMMORTAL
Darkness descends at Balingen: IMMORTAL will march towards Swabia! The three-piece along with its songwriting member Demonaz ranks among the most renowned extreme Metal bands around and in the ring for about two decades now. Starting as a Death Metal act, the Norwegians soon evolved into one of the most important and influential protagonists of the early Black Metal scene - without clinging to the usual satanic imagery of that particular scene. As the years passed, IMMORTAL started to spice up their sound with traditional elements and created the now classic 'At The Heart Of Winter'. Ever since, the band succeeds to attract Metal fans of all kind enjoying the brutal, yet never primitive style of the Scandinavians - especially live...
CRASHDIET
Hairspray Metal is definitely back! The 80ies might be gone, yet they ain't dead for sure: the number of apparent heirs in the vein of acts like MÖTLEY CRÜE, SKID ROW or RATT is rising - and so is the audience that's out for this kind of stuff again. One of the most popular acts reviving the glorious past are CRASHDIET. Since the release of its very first EP in 2003, the Swedish outfit has made a lot of friends among the ever growing fan crowd of yesterday's and today's Sleaze and Glam. Fortunately, the tragic death of singer Dave Lepard back in 2006 did not mark the end of the band, and along with successor Simon Crux, CRASHDIET are still on their way to the top - and will make a stop at BYH!!! 2011 to play up for you!
Warm up show
Traditionally, the festival kicks off with a full dose of metal on Thursday evening at the warm up show. Since 2009, this event is set to take place at the newly built Messehalle named volksbank*messe located right at the festival ground. This year's warm up show is running under the theme "A Night Of Metal Made In Germany". Confirmed acts are: AXEL RUDI PELL / BRAINSTORM / KISSIN' DYNAMITE / ETERNAL REIGN
Camping
During their trip to Balingen, most of our visitors stay at our camping ground. Therefore, we set up a special area called the METALCAMP back in 2008. Besides a huge 100,000 m² site, the METALCAMP offers you anything you'll need: A supermarket, an event tent with catering service and after-show parties, showers, toilets and a shuttle bus transfer to the festival site. On approaching Balingen, just follow the road signs to get there. The nearest Airport is Stuttgart. You can also come by train and bus to Balingen!
Tickets
1 festival ticket for 2 days entry at the BANG YOUR HEAD!!! at 16th & 17th of July, 2011 costs 72 Euro. Camping is not included and costs 15 Euro extra. Also car parking is extra and is about 10 Euro per car. The Warm-Up Show is about 30 Euro. You can of course buy all-inclusive Tickets!
Tickets for the warm-up show as well as for the festival may be purchased at doors or at the Bang Your Head Online Shop: http://www.bang-your-head.de/shop/catalog/index.php
Further information about the festival, conditions and terms: http://www.bang-your-head.de/english/home.php
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