Kulturelles Wissen, Genrespezifika und symbolische Interaktion im Kontext von Metalfestivals

This article deals with the relevance of genres within the context of metal festivals and how they effect the forms of interactions between promoters, artists and fans. The various genres in metal don’t just define musical characteristics but influence lifestyles in distinction to the overall notion of the metal scene. They implicate specific orders of knowledge and values and thus bring about their own cultural logics. There are plenty of metal festivals that focus on certain genres to set themselves apart from big festivals like the Wacken Open Air. Festivals can be considered as spaces of informal learning processes und community building, where individuals experience the culture of the metal scene and acquire sets of meaning. The different genres transition to specific scenes that give individuals the possibilities for more distinct ways of identification within the metal community. The knowledge about the genre-specific aesthetics and meanings can be used by festival organizers to create festivals and contents surrounding those events, that appeal to the different groups in the metal audience.