Slam Dunk Stage
As with the de facto main stage at every Slam Dunk, there are certain expectations that tend to be met. The focus is typically is on the poppier, more accessible side of the pop-punk and post-hardcore oeuvre, with a healthy helping of nostalgia to send it all down smoothly. Maybe it’s a bit more upfront this year than previously; you’ve got 2000s scene staples placed high up (bafflingly so, in some cases), next to returners and seminal album celebrations, and You Me At Six at the very top to mark their final ever UK festival appearance. First headlining a very early incarnation of Slam Dunk in 2009—an eye-watering 15 years ago—sees this as something of a full-circle moment, as the next stop on what appears to be a farewell run laser-crafted to go out on all highs. And it is fitting, for one of the UK’s biggest alt-rock exports of the modern age, and a band who’ve become so intrinsically knit into the fabric of homegrown rock music. They seldom surprise with these festival sets anymore, but the bar of quality and experience is unshakably high regardless.
It also might the least in-your-face nostalgia hit to come from this stage, compared to how vociferously blunt some of these thwacks are. Sure, Boys Like Girls are experiencing a sorta-resurgence at the minute, but, like…third from the top? The All-American Rejects who haven’t released anything since 2020 sub-headlining? We The Kings on the main stage at all?! Now, to be fair, all three of these acts have been extremely important in cultivating the DNA of what Slam Dunk is, and the sound and era of pop-rock that they come from has a high enough floor in a live setting to make a certain amount of sense. But there also comes a point where you can’t even hide specific motivations (i.e. utter, absolute nostalgia), and look to juice that for all it’s worth. That’s more an observation than a condemnation, though; it’s still bewildering to give all three this kind of billing, but you can’t deny that they’ll all draw a crowd, and likely be at least somewhat good for what they have to bring.
On a slightly similar token is the return of Mallory Knox, the latest proponents in the micro-trend of defunct 2010s Britrock bands resurfacing. Now, it’s hard to call this particularly momentous when, revisiting those albums, you can practically smell the shortcomings of that scene emanating from them, but again, you shouldn’t devalue a returning, popular act with a platform of this size. This being the ‘classic’, Mikey Chapman-helmed lineup should more than likely grease the wheels further, and turn this into—for some, anyway—a pretty big deal. You could also say the same of the two album celebrations on the Slam Dunk Stage—State Champs giving The Finer Things a full outing, and Head Automatica marking 20 years of their debut (and, for some reason, only album on streaming services) Decadence. The former is a no-brainer—it’s one of the best pop-punk albums of the 21st Century that State Champs have yet to even approach topping. As for the latter, it’s feels like a real rarity of an act getting trotted out, which would be worth it alone even if the album in question weren’t a killer, kinetic little dance-punk gem.
And in terms of breakdown, that’s the bulk of this stage, in fact. Very heavy on the ‘you-know-it-and-you-love-it’, though maybe that does have some worth. Admittedly, those who fall outside the purview can feel a bit of an afterthought—you’ve got As December Falls and The Dangerous Summer bringing up the rear, almost as a pair of obligatory alt-rock picks to not disturb the main event elsewhere—but to an extent, you expect that from Slam Dunk’s very top. As reductive as it is to call this an entirely pop-punk-centric affair, you can’t really deny this is the stuff it was founded on, and paying homage to that while it remains popular only makes sense. So while it’d be nice to see the next crop of scene superstars get their flowers in the open air, for the purest exemplification of the Slam Dunk brand, it’s difficult to fault too much.
GoPro Stage
Slam Dunk’s heavier contingent makes its home here, though with a bit more wiggle room than in past years. Hardcore and deathcore are nowhere to be seen, their places filled by an abundance of metalcore, post-hardcore and…other things? Yeah, to call this strictly ‘the heavy stage’ doesn’t as right as it once did, though the cross-section of Slam Dunk’s range still finds itself represented. As much as I Prevail headlining feels like something of a damp squib (especially compared to those Parkway Drive rumours that had been floating around), they are a big deal in metalcore. Same goes for Asking Alexandria and their frequently underwhelming (to be kind) output in the genre. At least The Ghost Inside, while currently in a bit of a backlash zone for their particular metalcore pivot on their last album, are really great at this sort of thing, thriving in the live environment that finds their own metallic hardcore picking up some far greater steam.
Maybe it’s worth addressing the outliers next, because there’s a fair prevalence of them. You could argue The Blackout fall into that, with a full run-through of The Best In Town that arguably would’ve fared better on the main stage, given the nature of both the set and the return laps they’re currently running. Still, they’re on fine enough form to where you can’t deny them anywhere, as an inclusion in the 2010s UK post-hardcore canon that remains a real fun experience. So while there’s some grace that can be offered there, Set It Off are a notably odder duck. With them, though, there’s showmanship in their pop-rock that can bypass some obvious sonic discrepancies. The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, on the other hand, have no such luck, as a truly mystifying inclusion that implies the masses are still keen to hear Face Down in the big year of 2024. No accounting for taste, eh…?
At least there’s some genuinely good stuff to tie it all together, no less from Funeral For A Friend and the added inclusion of Holding Absence’s Lucas Woodland on vocals. For a band whose existence is in a bit of a flux anyway, it’ll be a test to see how / if they can move on without Matthew Davies-Kreye, but this is the kind of adaptability that frequently makes for a great moment of a festival set. Plus, there’s the added bonus of a suite of genuine post-hardcore classics that one of the top-end vocalists of the moment feels perfectly suited for. And while Holding Absence themselves might be missing out on this year’s festivities, their spiritual successors Caskets are currently enjoying a bit of an uptick, with this being the latest stop in a fairly fruitful summer for them. Finally, As Everything Unfolds are tasked with opening up, though with a reputation among post-hardcore’s most proficient and powerful soarers all but sealed, there’s no issue to be found there.
Kerrang! Stage
Much of this year’s poppier acts and genre fast-and-loosers are found on the Kerrang! Stage which, for what it’s offering, boasts a fairly good, comprehensive lineup. Obviously this stuff isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but in a festival setting, it matters more what from a particular scene or sound has been chosen as its representation. So while Waterparks’ hit-or-miss tendencies have been documented to the moon and back, as one of pop-rock’s more interesting and zeitgeist-capturing names in recent times, they do deserve to be headlining. It’s true of the pop-rock front as a whole, here (minus Palaye Royale and their too-high slot, mind). Against The Current have really proven themselves lately as capable of kicking it with the giants of the field, and a live spunk has always aided them immeasurably. Meanwhile, Pale Waves’ migration to pop-punk from indie-pop is a recent one, but it’s resulted in not just their best material to date, but also them carrying themselves in their absolute strongest form. As for Honey Revenge and Artio, here’s a pair of pop-rock risers that still have to prove themselves, though the company they’re keeping on this stage alone suggests a reception as warm as the weather with be (fingers crossed).
There’s also the matter of the more sonically agnostic acts, typically soloists but at a stage where it’s free reign to do and be whatever you want. This is emphatically not home turf for Bob Vylan, but they’ve been dominating everywhere else, so why not? An injection of proper punk attitude might do well for an environment that tends to go without, and the string of successes their hip-hop fusion has seen in every stratum of the alternative landscape shouldn’t be ignored. If anything, you might want to keep an eye on just how well Bob Vylan do here specifically; they’re another one with no shortage of momentum going into festival season, but Slam Dunk could be the litmus test for how penetrating their work really is. Beyond that, RØRY and Taylor Acorn are a lot less radical in style, though it’s not like big alt-pop confessionals and the latest in the line of female pop-punk soloists ready to blow up aren’t tried-and-true winners here, is it?
Monster Energy Stage
It’s good that Slam Dunk keeps a stage like this every year, housing the older punks that were foundational in sculpting the scenes that produce so much of its heavy-hitters to this day. What’s more, it’s the only significant event that throws a bone to ska and its importance in punk history, and does so rather consistently, too. Maybe The Interrupters headlining is a bit of an obvious choice—as the only real ska-punk band to get big in about a decade, if not more—but again, no one else is doing it. And it’s not like it doesn’t go deeper either; one of the most noteworthy acts on this year’s bill, full stop, is The Selecter, legends of 2 tone with a history stemming all the way back to the late ‘70s. Maybe you’d find acts like this floating around a side stage at Glastonbury, but an on-the-pulse rock festival giving legends its due like this really isn’t something to take for granted.
Of course, the remaining ska selection isn’t exactly made up of deep cuts—Goldfinger are one of the Slam Dunk Big Four that rock up every year in some combination (the others being Reel Big Fish, Less Than Jake and Zebrahead, FYI), and The Skints, Mad Caddies and Big D & The Kids Table also wear genre ubiquity fairly prominently. Still, points can be claimed for still being the only festival that puts ska on in this capacity. It’s a brand of rock music history that regularly gets unduly ignored or outright shorn off, and though the choices within it can get a bit repetitive, you can’t deny that seeing it on the festival calendar is impactful.
It’s the same with many of these older punk bands, too, albeit in a way that’s less marginalised overall. When you’ve Pennywise and The Bouncing Souls as your leading men, you’ve got household names in the scene with a deep bench of work to choose from. Not that that’s any sort of criticism; if anything, having them hear enriches Slam Dunk as a whole. The experience and lineup benefit enormously from them, just as a more seasoned alternative to the norm that really does stand out from everything else on offer. Throw Snuff in to tie that up, too; they’re nowhere near as big, but they still belong to a similar camp of historical significance for their genre. And that’s really why this stage is always a joy to see at Slam Dunk, even if it doesn’t throw out too many curveballs. As much as the remit of the festival might get remoulded elsewhere, the dedication to taking care of its own and the bands instrumental in where things have gone never changes. On that metric, this is as rock-solid a bill as ever.
Key Club Stage
Formerly the name of the one of the two-in-one stages designed to minimise dead air between acts (that seem to have been omitted altogether this year), the Key Club Stage is home to the emo and hardcore side of this year’s bill. Some might say the more ‘mature’ side, and that wouldn’t be totally incorrect either. After all, The Wonder Years at the top sets that mood rather resolutely, for grown-man emo willing to wrench out real weight and pathos, on top of the massive, life-affirming hooks. Mom Jeans. and One Step Closer can be bundled into the same camp, while La Dispute’s from-the-gut post-hardcore poetry and Arm’s Length’s open indie-emo twist it into their own concoctions with just as much power. Beauty School might be the real ones to watch, though, as they’ve parlayed skyscraping emo anthems into genuine, tangible traction, and even find themselves currently teasing a hardcore pivot. As one of Slam Dunk’s own that have used the platforms given for nothing but greatness, don’t expect anything different.
Speaking of hardcore, you’ve got a decent selection of sub-genres and ranges to choose from here. The key players all seem to be on their own paths—Stick To Your Guns have the melodic hardcore that’s slamming, charged and consistently forceful; H2O are the NYHC lifers without even a speckle of rust on them; and Guilt Trip are this year’s holders of Slam Dunk’s ‘Heavier Than Anyone Else’ accolade. Finally, there’s L.S. Dunes, who aren’t strictly hardcore, but wear the ethos in a way that’s basically indistinguishable. Plus, members of Circa Survive, Thursday, Coheed And Cambria and one Frank Iero of My Chemical Romance appearing on a side stage like this isn’t exactly nothing.
Slam Dunk Festival takes place on 25th May at Hatfield Park and 26th May at Leeds Temple Newsam. Go to slamdunkfestival.com for more information.
Words by Luke Nuttall
