Set the (probable) scene: Kay and Dave’s lounge room. Sometime in 2007. Probably a weekend, definitely late at night. Present: Dave, Kay, Al, Gem, possibly also Ben and Deb. Large volumes of alcohol have been consumed. The most excellent documentary "Metal: a Headbanger’s Journey" is in the DVD player.

Dave comes up with a suggestion: we should all go to Wacken Open Air, the largest metal festival in Europe. The idea is met with rowdy cheers, fuck-yeahs and most probably toasts (my exact memories of the occasion are understandably fuzzy).

Fast forward to New Year’s Eve, to a very similar kind of scene. Dave remembers his brilliant idea, so we hop onto the WOA web site and buy tickets. Now there’s no turning back: Dave, Kay and Al are going to Wacken.

And this is where we’re going to talk about it.