Main Stage West
For its 20th anniversary, there seems to be a lot of weight put behind Slam Dunk in 2026. Not that there isn’t always; its reputation as British summertime’s haven for pop-punk, metalcore, emo and all things scene-encompassing is widespread. This time, though, there’s definitely an energy put towards capturing the halcyon days of that sound, especially on its biggest stage. Slam Dunk debuted in 2006, but it probably wouldn’t have been too dissimilar to this half a decade earlier.
Such is the result of Good Charlotte headlining, a safe, reliable choice sonically, but whose infrequent stops to the UK these days make them a worthwhile get all the same. More importantly, they’re the sort of pop-punk band built from weapons-grade nostalgia that feels right for such a big birthday. Just-post-millennium hits are the name of the game, ultimately, and it’s impossible to deny that Good Charlotte have plenty of those to spare.
Of course, you could also splinter off that sentiment into a number of different ways, where the nostalgia is just as concentrated and within the scene sphere, but moving in different fashion. Taking Back Sunday are celebrating their own Big 2-0 for Louder Now, a defining album of the emo era that’s getting a full front-to-back airing at Slam Dunk. Naturally, this is a pretty big deal, especially with the cache of goodwill that the band have held solidly into the present day. (Let’s just hope their hit-or-miss live reputation falls more on the ‘hit’ side, eh?) Joining them in the field of angsty boys that can turn a grown man into a screaming wreck, Dashboard Confessional are arguably the band when it comes to the wider public perception of ‘emo’. That’s not a bad thing, mind; come late afternoon when you’re belting out Screaming Infidelities, you’ll realise that even emo’s most flanderised perception doesn’t preclude some total jams.
It also wouldn’t be Slam Dunk without a bit of ska, in slimmer capacity this year but here nonetheless. Among the rotating quartet of festival regulars, Reel Big Fish and Less Than Jake have ceded this year, and Goldfinger and Zebrahead find themselves, yet again, amongst their genre’s primary flag-bearers. Much more intriguingly, however, are the first-ever UK shows of Sublime. It’s kind of wild to even reason with that, as a band who’ve been so influential, controversial and pop-culturally present in varying capacities. But with Jakob Nowell now at the helm in the place of his late father Bradley and a new album on the horizon, this looks to be a full-blown revival. Doubtlessly, this could be something genuinely special.
For the final crop of acts who don’t fit cleanly into any of those categories, there’s less of the same nostalgia factor, and more that they’re just really good at being in this current space. Okay, maybe A are pulling a crowd based on hits from over two decades ago, but a bit of sun and singing along can be all it takes to reawaken the pop-rock juggernaut that they’re evidently trying to be again. The final two—opening up the Main Stage West, though don’t expect to see them this far down for long—are some of the best examples of solid rock bands on the up that we’ve got. unpeople can do no wrong, it seems, as they keep delivering the catchiest, crunchiest alt-rock around, and Slam Dunk faves Beauty School are still flying high among excellent, straightforward, rupture-a-lung-while-screaming-along emo.
Main Stage East
Arguably the most impressive selection of acts across the entire Slam Dunk site can be found on the Main Stage East. For one, there’s double the chance to hit; it’s another ‘left stage / right stage’ deal here, minimising downtime and maximising how much can be packed in. This is also your primary stop for the heavy stuff this year, and no expense has been spared, clearly. A double-header of Knocked Loose and Malevolence find themselves headlining, representative of the best and brightest bludgeoners from both sides of the Atlantic.
Neither are going at it alone, either; this is a who’s who of some of the most exciting and well-loved heavies in the game. Call it bias, but our homegrown talent does seem to edge it out, though a bill this ridiculously stacked makes it a hard choice overall. Nevertheless, Bury Tomorrow remain the regal riff-smiths of British metalcore, while Static Dress’ continued iterations on 2000s screamo make it seem like the most exciting thing in the world. For something more blunt, Guilt Trip are about as effective as you’re liable to get and Pest Control’s death-metal-infused hardcore is still on the rise, but isn’t the far behind. Heriot, too, have only gone from strength to strength recently as one of the UK’s most electrifying (yet perennially underrated) metal bands. Oh, and PRESIDENT are on here as well, because they can’t all be winners.
As for the overseas quotient, Knocked Loose are a tough one to beat at present, but there’s little slouching to be found either. Currents feel as though they’re right on the cusp of something big within metalcore, while Saosin’s Slam Dunk debut finds one of modern post-hardcore’s formative names embarking on a resurgence that’s exciting in its own right. There’s also punk from Angel Du$t and old-style metalcore from Dying Wish, two bands who really do feel at the top of their game right now. And to top it all off is two of Canada’s finest hardcore exports in Cancer Bats and Comeback Kid, the former gearing up for what’ll inevitably be another skull-crusher of a new album, and the latter just being great, like they have been forever.
Monster Energy Stage
Another twofer here, as both the Left and Right of the Monster Energy Stage find themselves overloaded with pretty great pop-punk and emo, especially if you’re of a certain vintage. That is to say, your knees might do a little creak by the time Motion City Soundtrack come around, but you’re young at heart, and that’s what matters most!
Apply that same logic to most of what’s here, honestly. The Menzingers fit that mould better than anyone, and given how jam-packed their catalogue is of gruff, introspective alt-punk bangers, they tend to simply be better than anyone, too. But if you like your 2000s pop-punk, you really are spoiled for choice here. Set Your Goals; Bayside; Cartel; A Loss For Words (even if they are more from the 2010s, but whatever); there’s some really great stuff for genre anoraks to dig into. Even in the adjunct emo spaces, Hawthorne Heights are hardly fine dining for this sort of thing, but there’ll absolutely be entertainment value. Madina Lake are in a similar boat, though the combination of scarcer appearances and genuine earworms that have persisted for the last two decades hits with a lot more force. This is a band who’ve not had a full album since 2011, and they might just be one of the most anticipated acts of the entire festival.
It’s not just the (relative) oldies, though; there are some (also relative) fresh faces to bulk things out and argue elevate it. Pun not intended when it comes to State Champs’ headline slot, but they’re still one of the shining lights of pop-punk’s live circuit, even this far outside of their peak. Having them close things out might be the biggest no-brainer that Slam Dunk could pull, and that’s meant as an absolute compliment. Though not too much before them is one of this year’s banner happenings—the long-awaited return of Tonight Alive. Eight years after so much as a peep from them, they’re back, bringing with them a pop-punk and alt-rock palette that shone for its buoyancy and brilliance back in the 2010s. Whether there’s more to come from this remains to be seen, but this might be the closest thing to an unmissable set you’ll run into at Slam Dunk this year.
Finally, there’s a couple more names packing less magnitude in presence, but not in output. Boston Manor have been a solid choice forever and now is no exception, with a darker, grislier form of emo that stands among whatever it’s placed. Stand Atlantic, too, have become a much sharper proposition over the years, morphing into a sharp, deadly accurate pop-rock prospect. Finally, Youth Fountain might have the lowest profile, but for unfailingly decent pop-punk and emo that always hits its mark, Tyler Zanon’s work shouldn’t go ignored.
Scott’s Key Club Stage
This might be the most innovative change that Slam Dunk has implemented…probably ever, actually. You may notice while perusing the times of the Scott’s Key Club Stage (now named in honour of Scott Hickinson, the manager of Leeds’ Key Club who passed away earlier this year) that there isn’t much changeover. That’s because of a new rotating stage where one band sets up while another plays, effectively eliminating the need for excessive dead space in between acts. Will it work? Who knows?; it sounds like the pipiest of pipe-dreams on paper. If it does, though…that could be the future right there.
In any case, there’s a lot being housed on this stage, so you’d better pray to every higher power there is that it does work. As is often the case with these smaller stages, there’s plenty of variety, too, a lot of it being really good. Closing things off are Deaf Havana who are celebrating 15 years of Fools & Worthless Liars, still one of their best albums and the lynchpin for the great, emotive alt-rock band they’d become throughout the 2010s. There’s a lot of good alt-rock here, honestly, still in varying flavours. The unifying theme is the dense, super-modern version of the style that’s really popular nowadays, shown off by some solid representatives. Vukovi and Trash Boat are proven festival hits, as a buzzing, technicolour slam and grizzly emo gnash respectively. Meanwhile, Dead Pony aren’t far behind in terms of festival-friendly alt-bangers, and Call Me Amour’s sleek dark-rock can similarly hold its own.
The rest is a smattering of everything Slam Dunk does so well, predominantly in the shape of well-loved risers. You get the odd throwback, of course—see pop-punk’s old-guard delegate Allister and and a sly additional ska-punk rep in The Suicide Machines—but it’s an overwhelming majority on the cutting edge. Broadside’s silky pop-punk is beloved, as is The Home Team’s irrepressible, groove-heavy alt-pop. Alongside them, there’s emo from Origami Angel, pop-rock throwbacks from Driveways, and the metalcore / reggae fusion that could only belong to SiM. It’s not a lineup without its duds, mind; Hands Like Houses aren’t looking so hot at the minute, and the fact that Punk Rock Factory’s joke is still running on the barest of fumes is inexcusable. Still, not worth fixating on that amid so much great stuff, right?
Slam Dunk Festival takes place on 23rd May at Hatfield Park and 24th May at Leeds Temple Newsam. Go to slamdunkfestival.comfor more information.
Words by Luke Nuttall
