[1] It included both independent and signed bands as well as many vendors for music and related merchandise.

The festival was traditionally held in October in the bunker of the Autonomes Zentrum (AZ) deep underground Aachen, Germany.

The venue posed some problems with heat, humidity and air circulation, as well as condensation dripping on to the gear of the performers, but the atmosphere of the bunker proved quite fitting to the genres of music played throughout the festival.

An April Fools' Day posting on the Side-Line website claimed that the 2008 edition, the 10th one, would also be the final one.

In 2011 Wolfram Bange, Henning Hinck, Sebastian Vogel and Lena Neugebauer filmed a documentary about the festival.