Heavy Metal Music Festivals in Washington
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Are you a fan of head-banging and getting whipped by flying hair? If you answered yes, then you need to check out these heavy metal music festivals in Washington!
Introduction
Washington is a state located in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The state’s capital is Olympia and its largest city is Seattle. Washington is known for its varied landscape, which includes the Cascade Range, the Olympic Mountains, and rainforests in the western part of the state, as well as the arid Eastern Washington desert and semi-arid regions in the central and eastern parts of the state.
Heavy metal music festivals are typically multi-day events that feature a variety of heavy metal genres such as death metal, black metal, doom metal, thrash metal, and power metal. These festivals often include other attractions such as camping, vendors selling merchandise, and beer gardens.
Some notable heavy metal music festivals that have been held in Washington state include Ozzfest (2005), Gigantour (2005), Download Festival (2009), and Mayhem Festival (2010).
What is Heavy Metal Music?
Heavy metal (often referred to simply as metal) is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the United Kingdom and the United States. With roots in blues rock and psychedelic rock, the bands that created heavy metal developed a thick, massive sound, characterized by highly amplified distortion, extended guitar solos, emphatic beats, and overall loudness. The genre’s lyrics and performance styles are sometimes associated with aggression and machismo.
In 1970, four British rock bands—Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, and Yes—achieved commercial success that made them global superstars. These bands were at the forefront of a new musical movement, now known as heavy metal. They popularized a sound that was heavier and louder than anything that had come before it.
While heavy metal was developing in the 1970s, a parallel scene was taking shape on the other side of the Atlantic. In the United States, bands such as Kiss, Aerosmith, and Van Halen were creating their own brand of metal. This American style would become known as hard rock.
Over the next few decades, heavy metal would evolve into many different subgenres. But at its core, metal is still all about loud guitars, powerful vocals, and a driving beat. If you’re ready to headbang your way into this unique form of musical expression, read on for our guide to heavy metal music festivals in Washington state!
History of Heavy Metal Music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the United Kingdom and the United States. With roots in blues rock and psychedelic rock, the bands that created heavy metal developed a thick, massive sound, characterized by highly amplified distortion, extended guitar solos, emphatic beats, and overall loudness. The genre’s lyrics and performance styles are sometimes associated with aggression and machismo.
In 1970, four early heavy metal bands were founded: Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, and Iron Butterfly. These bands had a wide-ranging and influential sound, particularly Black Sabbath and Deep Purple, who are credited with laying the foundations of heavy metal. Sabbath’s doom-laden riffs and dark atmosphere helped define the genre; Purple brought forth elements of psychedelic rock to create their own hard-rocking formula. Led Zeppelin’s use of octave guitar tunings on songs like “Whole Lotta Love” further established the genre’s signature sound. During the 1970s, Judas Priest helped spur the genre’s evolution by discarding much of its blues influence; Motörhead introduced a punk rock sensibility to the mix. Bands in Britain began to get heavier as they incorporated more distorted guitar sounds; meanwhile hard rock was becoming popular in America.
Heavy Metal Music Festivals in Washington
There are a few metal festivals in Washington that are worth mentioning. The first one is the Domination Festival. It takes place in Seattle and it’s a two-day event. There are usually around 30 bands that play at this festival. The next metal festival is the Northwest Terror Fest. This one takes place in Portland and it features a lot of local bands. Lastly, we have the Upstream Music Fest. This festival takes place in Tacoma and it’s a three-day event. There are usually around 50 bands that play at this festival.
Upcoming Festivals
Looking for a metal music festival in Washington? Check out our list of upcoming festivals!
-Mayhem Fest (May 3-5, Seattle)
-Grassroots Festival (July 19-21, Spokane)
-Bumbershoot (September 1-3, Seattle)
Past Festivals
There have been many heavy metal music festivals in Washington over the years, but some of the most notable ones have been:
-Wacken Open Air: This festival is held in the town of Wacken in Germany and is one of the largest and most well-known heavy metal festivals in the world. It has been running since 1990 and typically features a lineup of around 100 bands, with a mix of established acts and up-and-comers.
-Download Festival: This festival started in the UK in 2003, and moved to Donington Park in 2006. It is now one of the biggest heavy metal festivals in Europe, with a lineup that features some of the biggest names in metal.
-Hellfest: This French festival has been running since 2006 and is held in the city of Clisson. It has a similar format to Wacken Open Air, with a mix of established bands and up-and-comers, but it also features a wider range of genres such as punk and hardcore.
-Graspop Metal Meeting: This Belgian festival started in 1996 and is held in the town of Dessel. It has a similar format to Wacken Open Air and Download Festival, with a mix of established bands and up-and-comers, but it also features a wider range of genres such as punk, hardcore, and alternative metal.
Conclusion
If you are a fan of heavy metal music, then you will not want to miss out on these festivals in Washington. From small local festivals to large international events, there is something for everyone. So get your tickets early and headbang your way to some of the best metal music festivals in the state.
