Scorpions to Headline Germany Calling Festival
Following the news that Aerosmith will top the bill at the Calling festival in London this summer, a rival event – Germany Calling – has been announced by Hamburg-based promoter Fritz Gelächter.
Germany Calling will be headlined by veteran Hanover rockers Scorpions, who will be joined by a host of other Deutsch acts.
In a controversial move, Gelächter has decided to stage Germany Calling on the same day – Saturday, June 28 – as Aerosmith’s Calling festival appearance. What’s more, Germany Calling will be held in Battersea Park, mere miles away from the Calling festival’s Clapham Common venue.
“Scorpions are coming to turn the spotlights on the people of London,” said the promoter. “To stage Germany Calling at the same time as the Calling festival is no problem. Our event offers a genuine alternative to the Calling festival’s somewhat mainstream line-up of bands. As well as a celebration of German rock’n’roll we plan to showcase the myriad delights of German culture.”
Besides Scorpions, other acts confirmed for Germany Calling include Accept, Helloween, Kreator, Destruction and Die Toten Hosen. Additionally, Monrose – the German all-girl pop group – will re-form to play set made up songs recorded by their (almost) namesake band, legendary US rockers Montrose.
The festival will be MC’d by Henning Wehn, Germany’s self-styled “comedy ambassador” to Britain.
German beer will be available exclusively on site while catering vans will offer the best of German cuisine including Bratwurst (sausages), Pellkartoffeln (boiled or steamed potatoes), Bratkartoffeln (fried potatoes), Königsberger Klopse (meatballs) and Sauerkraut, “our delicious fermented shredded cabbage,” explained Gelächter.
Addressing the issue that Germany Calling was the name of a propaganda radio programme, broadcast by German radio to audiences in the United Kingdom and the United States during World War II, Gelächter said: “It shows we can make fun of ourselves and I’m sure you Brits will appreciate the humour too.”
The Calling festival – the renamed and relocated Hard Rock Calling – also happens on Sunday, June 29. However, Gelächter says he has no current plans to extend Germany Calling over two days. “Ein Tag ist genug,” he quipped.
Ticket details for Germany Calling are currently being finalised and an announcement will be made shortly.