Heavy Metal takes over the Reeperbahn: Wacken Open Air Showcase & MoreCore Music Awards!

Moin Metalheads! 

Who says Hamburg's infamous district is only made for soft Indie and Hipster Pop? On September 16th and 17th, 2026, Reeperbahn Festival is injecting a serious dose of heaviness into Europe’s biggest club festival – and as an official presenting partner, we’re right at the frontlines to give the Reeperbahn the proper coating of dust, sweat, and roaring guitars it deserves!

The madness kicks off on Wednesday, September 16, with a true heavyweight of the modern scene: Over at Uebel & Gefährlich, our friends from MoreCore are hosting the inaugural MoreCore Music Awards. With 72 nominees battling across nine categories, top-tier riffage needs to be rewarded – which is why Wacken Open Air is proudly presenting the "Best German Band" award. To make sure your favorites take home the trophy, hit the online voting link right here- your vote accounts for a whopping 70 percent of the final result!

The absolute climax follows on Thursday, September 17, when we take over Bahnhof Pauli right on Spielbudenplatz for our official Wacken Open Air Showcase! Doors open at 18:00 for a relaxed reception before the amps glow red-hot from 19:00 all the way until 01:00. Four top-tier acts will share the intimate stage:

Budapest's own Melodic Prog metalheads Seers Of Light well and truly earned their spot after taking 5th place at this year’s Wacken Metal Battle, bringing massive riffs and their frontwoman's powerhouse vocals to the Kiez.

Coming in hot from just down the road – a stone's throw from the Holy Ground – Grell from Neumünster are rolling in to unleash their untamed blend of Crossover, Rapcore, and Punk.

If wall-of-sound modern Metalcore is your jam, get ready for Berlin’s Seven Blood, who are set for full Kiez escalation following their legendary wreckage on the Wacken Cruise and at Summer Breeze.

Rounding off this unholy night are Gothic Rockers WISBORG, whose latest album Phantomschmerz proves just how high-energy and dark 90s vibes can sound when wrapped in a modern shell.

Mark the dates on your calendar, join us at Bahnhof Pauli, and horns up – see you on the Reeperbahn!

Get your tickets here.