It’s bank holiday weekend in May and that means only one thing, festival season kicks off for so many in the UK and as always, Slam Dunk is the place to be. The festival celebrated 20 glorious years with personally what I would say was the best one yet - from the perfect weather, to the bands and the people, the vibes were immaculate from start to finish. For the first time I went along to both north and south to make the most of such a stacked line-up.

SOUTH

Firstly, a big shoutout for the site at south is needed - as someone who’s been dedicated to north for years, it was nice to be on site with no hills, the older you get the more you appreciate the little things. The weather was probably the best I’ve seen at a Slam Dunk and I was all for it minus the minor sunburn (disclaimer I am Scottish, it was happening with or without cream)

To the festival and kicking things off were one of the bands featured in my ones to watch pre event and boy did they deliver. Leeds based hardcore rising stars Pest Control make their Slam Dunk debut and to a majorly big crowd and rightly so. Their set was jam packed with the very best they have to offer. Big hitters like Time Bomb & Don’t Test The Pest got the crowd moving, in particular the moshers in the middle who didn’t stop for the duration of the set despite it being 11:30am. The energy never dropped from the crowd or the band themselves as lead singer Leah Massey covered every possibly inch of the stage to keep the energy going - that being for a fan favourite PMC, a song for all the two-steppers. When I seen these guys were opening the day I knew the festival was being kicked off the right way and I was right.

Next up was a visit to Scott’s Key Club Stage to catch a band that I’ve come to love since I seen them for the first time only last year - hailing from Richmond, Virginia, Broadside have became a much loved band in the UK. Ahead of their first ever headline tour in the UK as part of the Slam Dunk side shows, they take to the stage in a very busy tent ready to bring their well known infectious pop punk party vibe. Despite the shorter set, they left the fans wanting more as they crammed in their very best including the stunning fan favourites Dazed & Confused and I Think They Know. It was also a chance to get some new material on the live circuit from their recent album Nowhere, At Last that only dropped last month. We also had the added bonus of a guest appearance from The Home Team’s Brian Butcher for Cruel, a song he featured on in 2023.

Notable mentions throughout the day need to come to the names who took over the hardcore/heavy stage. For most bands on the bill, it was one big friends fest - Bands like Static Dress and the incredible Angel Du$t made their presence felt with mammoth sets, and with the heat we encountered, maintaining consistent crowd action isn’t easy. There is one band on this stage that deserve unlimited credit for the effort that they put into what they do - Manchester’s Guilt Trip are building a bigger and bigger fan base not only in the UK but across Europe and more recently America. With their new album Armour of Angels just around the corner, these shows were the perfect chance to showcase exactly what’s to come. Their live show features record breaking crowd surfers and circle pits and everything else in-between. Classics like Thin Ice and Guilt Trip are constants in the set that are certain to set the place alight, meanwhile new sounds of No Love Lost and Burn are set to be new crowd pleasers. This set itself in the baking Hatfield sun will go down as one of the most wild in Slam Dunk history, and we haven’t even looked at who’s to come on this stage or even discuss what North will bring but Guilt Trip bring the action no matter where they go showing exactly why they’re one of the most exciting bands in the UKHC scene.

The next two bands come back to back on the Monster Energy Stage and are two of Australia’s most loved female fronted bands - first up was Sydney’s Stand Atlantic, a band who are no strangers to the Slam Dunk stage and probably no strangers to this heat either. Releasing their crushing new single Velcro a few days before the festival built them up nicely to what was a sensational set and of course giving that single its live debut. Along side the debut, we got a great mix of old and new from the classic Lavender Bones to the newer Warzone & Nose Bleed. Sticking with the Sydney icons, we seen the long awaited return of Tonight Alive to the live circuit. Having to wait to see them since 2018, it was special to be in the crowd to catch their comeback. A set that brought a lot of surprises including the guest appearances of Harmony Cavelle of South Arcade to perform Lonely Girl later followed by Disappear featuring Bonnie Fraser from Stand Atlantic.

Closing off the day with two mammoth names starting off with the kings of Sheffield Malevolence who brought some serious energy as the sun sets over the festival. Opening strong with Trenches, the bar was set high from the get go with the crowd in the middle getting the place moving. With these shows being their only UK appearances of the year it was a now or never sort of feel to let loose and Hatfield done just that - fully going off for the likes of Karma and the huge Self Supremacy, a song that brought one mighty circle pit. During Keep Your Distance the band were joined on stage with Knocked Loose singer Brain Garris for that famous breakdown, something that I and many others have never had the chance to see live and what a feeling it was. Following that Guilt Trips Jay Valentine came on to crush vocals on Serpent’s Chokehold then closing off the set with a wave of crowd surfers to If It’s All The Same To You.

Now for the final act of the day, Good Charlotte. We just had to close off what was a pretty heavy day with some nostalgic pop punk and kicking off the set surprisingly with a song that’s famously later on with The River before unleashing a seriously strong start with Last Night, Girls & Boys and Riot Girl, the vibes were majorly high already and that start just amplified that. They are a band that know how to bring a show and that they did for this, a huge headline production with plenty of fire and songs we’ve all grew up on. As expected the classics of The Anthem and Lifestyles Of The Rich & Famous went down with the loudest receptions but for me the less noticed songs like The Motivation Proclamation and even Predictable are bangers that are always stunning to hear live. These headline shows were the perfect warmup for what’s to come in the bands headline arena tour in November.

NORTH.

It’s day two, the heat is still intense but the vibes are sky high to get back to Leeds. Back in the city it all started, all be it being in a different location from its first year, it’s a special feeling being on Leeds soil celebrating such a milestone for this festival.

Kicking off the day a bit later than planned was the always incredible Zebrahead, a band who are no strangers to the Slam Dunk line-up and a band who always bring a party atmosphere with their iconic pop punk. Of course they get the ball rolling with bangers When Both Sides Suck, We’re All Winners and We’re Not Alright, two songs that are certain to spurn the crowd into action. We also had the added treat of Goldfinger joining the band on stage for Smoke Signals From My Couch - its a collaboration we all needed lets be serious.

Next up Scott’s Key Club Stage was the scene for Trash Boat to celebrate 10 years of their debut album Nothing I Write Can Change What You’ve Been Through - despite the late start, they were able to get some of their set done playing what I would say are my personal favourites from the record with the likes of How Selfish I Seem, Catharsis and the usual set closer Strangers. The band will be playing the record in full plus extras with a special headline show in London’s Koko in October.

The short set unlucky streak would sadly carry on to our next set with Boston Manor having to cut their set after a few songs due to injury in the crowd - something that we never want to see and send out best wishes to the effected. With this happening it then gifted some free time to explore the festival site popping into Crash Records to explore an incredible selection of vinyl on sale before the annual visit to American Sock Co for the usual purchase of funky Slam Dunk Socks. Across the other side of the arena the bands merch tent was rammed full of goodies from so many of the bands on the bill and you best believe my bank took a hammering.

Back to the music and of course I had to get along to see some Scottish royalty with Vukovi playing their highest slot at the festival and boy did they produce. Anyone that knows this band know exactly what they are in for when they step into the live world of Vukovi - the high energy both on and off the stage in unmatched and its a performance that everyone needs to see. Over a year into their latest chapter with album four My God Has Got A Gun, the duo are hitting new heights every time they step on stage. Despite the minor technical issue mid way through the set, it didn’t prevent a flawless show and a solid mix of old and new getting the crowd going from GUNGHO and MISTY ECSTACY to the lasting classic La Di Da, a crowd pleasure that always raises the volume - big shoutouts to the back to back bangers SLO and LASSO, two songs that slap hard on their own let alone one after the other.

Before heading back to the hardcore stage to round off the day, it was a quick visit over to the Monster Energy Stage to see the always fun filled pop punk legends State Champs - these guys like many others on this bill have worked their way up the line-up ladder and rightfully sit as one of the stage headliners. Their live shows are always packed full of high energy and sing-a-long bangers that just fill you with happiness, it’s always an experience singing your heart out to big hitters like Elevated, Outta My Head and the big’un Secrets before rounding off the set with the usual mammoth sing song with Everybody But You. This band could open the festival or close it and you’re certain to see a packed out crowd.

What better way to round off such a perfect weekend than to see the perfect closing band on the hardcore stage - you know exactly what you’re getting with a Knocked Loose set and regardless of the setting, things will always go off, I just want to give props to the people who have went hard all day at this stage and still have liquid left in the tank for this set. The scene was set with the sun going down and the glow of the yellow cross on stage as the band kick into Blinding Faith sending the crowd into one major pit, I mean it when I say no one who was within close proximity of the front was safe from the chaos. This is a band I’ll never tire of seeing, getting to see them now headline stages in the last year or so has been welcomed and constantly proves why they belong at the top - lots of fire, wild riffs and melting breakdowns will always go down a treat. It was amazing to finally hear their latest single Hive Mind live thrown in with my personal favourites like Belleville, Mistakes Like Fractures & God Knows. Slam Dunk always has its surprise guest appearances during sets and this was not different with the band joined on stage for Billy No Mates by Oli Appleyard from Static Dress, prior to that Leeds very own Leah Massey from Pest Control took full control of Poppy’s vocal parts of Suffocate. Things were brought to an almighty close with probably the festivals biggest wall of death for Everything Is Quiet Now.

So there we have it, Slam Dunk has celebrated 20 incredible years, but we all know a 21st first is even bigger.

See you in 2027. Happy Birthday Slam Dunk.

Slam Dunk Festival: The Big Review

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Slam Dunk Festival: The Big Review

No Play Announces Headliner & Drop More Names To This Year’s Bill

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