Change ahead for Rock am Ring

1985 brought the first Rock am Ring. The event has grown into one of the biggest festivals of its kind in Europe. In 1985, 75,000 visitors were there for shows lasting one day, on one stage. Now bands rock out for three days on three stages. The 87,000 fans in 2013 set a new attendance record.

At the first Rock am Ring, Joe Cocker joined acts including U2, Chris de Burgh, Gianna Nannini and Marius Müller-Westernhagen. Germany had long been waiting for a festival on this scale. Young people in the country looked toward the US, where festivals like Woodstock had written music history.

In 1988, visitor numbers collapsed, leading to a two-year break. In 1991, the festival re-launched with a new concept. The manager, Marek Lieberberg, was financially successful by bringing in big names, including Sting. The entry fee in 1985 - 49 German marks - pales in comparison to today's hefty 200 euros.

But the fans get their money's worth. This year, more than 90 bands will take the stage at Rock am Ring (in the Eifel mountains) and its parallel festival Rock im Park (in Nuremberg). At the gigantic parties: mostly young people.

A highlight in 2014: German-language hip-hop pioneers Die Fantastischen Vier. The quartet from Stuttgart celebrate their 25th anniversary with their fans at Rock am Ring before embarking on a tour in the winter.

Rock am Ring isn't just a rock festival. Rock mainstays and pop legends are in the line-up, but so are hip-hoppers and DJs. This year, German musical chameleon Jan Delay takes the stage for the second time.

Fans travel to the western German festival venue from all around Europe. The unique line-up and atmosphere give Rock am Ring an international reputation. Some come days in advance to prolong the experience and get in the mood.

A staple at the festival: Metallica, who got their start with heavy metal in the 80s and wrote one of the most enduring rock hits: "Nothing Else Matters." This is their sixth appearance at Rock am Ring.

What would Rock am Ring be without German punk legends Die Toten Hosen? Singer Campino is famous for his showmanship there, climbing up to the top of the 30-meter-high ceiling over center stage at every performance. In 2008, he even did it with his leg in a cast, and in 2012, just to bring the lighting technician a beer. Cheers!

More than 80,000 people scramble to center stage for the headliners' concerts. Much to the fans' disappointment, a stoplight system has been introduced to regulate the influx into three audience zones. Only a small number are allowed into the section right in the front of the stage. Security is now paramount.

Californian band Queens of the Stonge Age are one of the acts taking center stage this time. Singer Josh Homme founded the band in 1996 and is now the only remaining member from its original line-up.

Another musical lone wolf, Nine Inch Nails' mastermind Trent Reznor, will also perform. In 1998, he founded NIN not as a band in the traditional sense, but as a musical project for his creative concepts. "Hesitation Marks," released in late 2013, is his ninth album - by Reznor's standards, a conspicuously pleasant set of tracks.

After 2014, the party's over at the Nürburgring - the motorsports complex where Rock am Ring found a home. Organizer Marek Lieberberg announced last week that the Nürburgring's new operators are demanding a higher cut of the profits, making the festival no longer financially viable. Lieberberg intends to move the event to a former military base in Mönchengladbach.

But for those who can't bear leaving the Nürburgring, a new festival is set to crop up in place of Rock am Ring, beginning in 2015. Called Grüne Hölle (Green Hell), those behind the "new" event want to change little of its atmosphere. The name is drawn from the legendary northern loop at the Nürburgring track.

Both events are slated to be held on the first weekend of June, so it remains to be seen which event festival-goers prefer. Rock am Ring has its rich tradition to offer - and some novelty in 2015 - but plenty may not want to part with Grüne Hölle's scenic location.