The “No Backpacks” Ban at Music Festivals Has Begun

Here’s another sad sign of the times. With all the massacres and shootings and suicide bombings involving clubs and music festivals in the last year, music festivals are starting to really tighten security regulations and procedures.

The Wacken festival, an awesome three-day metal event in Germany that’s been going on forever that attracts upwards of 85,000 people, has banned backpacks entirely for this year. Actually, all bags have been banned.

And you can understand why with all the violence Germany has seen this summer, which includes a suicide bombing earlier this summer. A guy with a backpack tried to get into a small outdoor festival wearing a backpack but was turned away at the gate. So he went to a nearby wine bar and blew himself up. The backpack was filled with nails and screws and all kinds of other shrapnel.

Meanwhile, the promoters at some Belgian festivals (including Pukkelpopp, which will host 60,000 people over three days) ahave bought 50 metal detectors for the gates. Getting in will be like “getting on a plane” at a major airport. And things are probably going to get even tighter. Prepare for it. This kind of extra security is inevitably coming this way—eventually.

And things are probably going to get even tighter. Prepare for it. This kind of extra security is inevitably coming this way—eventually.

(Via Billboard)