Festival Preview: Slam Dunk festival ones to watch
The sun is shining and the stress of fighting your way through large numbers of stage clashes has begun – festival season is back. It really is the most wonderful time of the year, sitting in a field with your friends watching the very best live music has to offer while also getting your 10,000 steps in running from stage to stage.
Slam Dunk Festival is the first major UK festival to get the ball rolling for the season and every year they produce the big names and big bills – this year will see one of their biggest and best lineups grace both Hatfield and Temple Newsam in Leeds over bank holiday weekend. I’ll be looking at some of the big names to watch over the weekend – weather you’re North or South, I’ve got you covered.
Kicking us off and also kicking off the festival will be Brighton’s Lake Malice. The duo are a fast-growing force in the alternative scene with their in your face Japanese influenced metal sound bringing trauma and real life experiences into their music. A live experience that has everything and more and something that is not to be missed. Catch them kicking up a storm on the Kerrang! Stage.
Sticking with female fronted bands, this years bill had a wide range of the very best bad ass females in the alternative scene - South Arcade have exploded in the last year that’s seen them hit the road with big names such as As Everything Unfolds and Bilmuri as well as a huge tour in the States. Sold out headline tours and millions of streams on every release, they’ve cemented their mark and quickly becoming one of the most exciting new bands. Dream State will kick off a busy summer just as they release explosive new single ‘Bittersweet Scars of My Past’ giving a sneak preview of the next chapter for the band. They have a live performance that will leave you desperate for more, crushing vocals and an intense energy, its a set you won’t want to miss.
The festival has a brand new look this year with major upgrades on both site maps including the new look VIP area that will see a larger space for those who like that little piece of luxury in-between the moshing - wish private bars, a photobooth & high quality food, this area has you covered. As well as a wide range of food to choose from, you can also shop clothes and records with the return of Crash Records and the Kerrang store for all you clothing needs as well as some sick official Slam Dunk merch from the usual onsite spots. The signing tent will also return this year with some big names popping in to meet fans including Delilah Bon, Defects, Split Chain and this years mammoth headliners, A Day to Remember.
If you want some high energy mid day then look no further than Kent based Graphic Nature who will be kicking up a storm in The Key Club stage. Their incredible blend of nu-metal, metalcore and electronic brings a whole new experience to what they do live - the high energy on the stage will always spread to the pits and is sure to be a sweaty encounter.
Looking a bit further up the bill and to a main stage performance that’s long overdue - after a huge headline set in the Rock Scene tent in 2022, pop punk kings Neck Deep will see themselves be second from top on this years main stage west with what’s certain to be a huge set infused with their usual pop punk charm. Slam Dunk is like a home from home for the Wrexham band and playing their biggest slot yet, it’s pointing towards the top slot.
I could really sit and discuss every single band on this bill one by one simply down to how huge the whole thing is - from big to small, Slam Dunk has it all. Of course we need to shoutout the icons in New Found Glory who are set to bring a huge party to both sites. Notable mentions need to be given to the kings and queen of party in Manchester’s Hot Milk, chaos causers Wargasm and a band who are fresh off a tour with last years headliners, Mouth Culture. The main stage south will be closed off with set that even if its all sun, will be raining confetti with Electric Callboy who return to the festival for the first time since 2022 - with a headline slot, you can be sure this band will pull out all the stops with fire, explosives and of course tekkno.
Slam Dunk kicks off the summer in the best way possible and with a line-up this good, it’s on the way to being one of the best yet. For revellers who just can’t get enough, this years closing party will be hosted by scene royalty Millionaires bringing out some of the best MySpace bangers followed by afterparties in Camden and Leeds city centre where there will be multi-venue options for all tastes.
