The weather was nice for a few days. There’s a sense that the sadness of winter is finally shifting. Slammy D is on the horizon. Festival season is officially upon us once more.
Following what is affectionately going to be referred to as a ‘challenging year’ for the organisers and, let’s face it, an absolute mess for fans in 2023, this feels like a festival of huge importance. Pull it off with barely a hitch and faith should be all but restored. A repeat of 2023 though could be catastrophic. At first glance, the lack of a heavy hitter atop the lineup seems like a cause for concern. Don Broco, Sum 41, Alexisonfire, Enter Shikari. The top line recently has looked super healthy but final You Me At Six festival shows just doesn’t really have the pull that a £120 a ticket festival deserves. Still though, there is a wealth of talent on the lineup and in truth there is enough to fill two days on site. We’re going to pull a couple of bands from each stage that will likely be our highlights of the weekend.
The Key Club Stage
Guilt Trip
Currently on tour with Landmvrks, Manchester based Guilt Trip are making some serious headway in the hardcore scene. In their fifth year as a band, the four-piece is becoming renowned for live shows that represent everything alternative music stands for. Passion pours out of everything they put out, whether that be tracks like 2023’s Sweet Dreams, or performances that will stay long in the memory. As with Malevolence over the last couple of years, this is like to be the set people talk about after the festival.
L.S Dunes
As far as supergroups go, it’s likely better to not really be known as one at all. Bands like Velvet Revolver are beloved because of the music the band made, not the members that made it up and that is what makes L.S Dunes so exciting. Yes Frank Iero is in there alongside legends from Soasin, Thursday and Coheed And Cambria, but this is a project that is unique and stands on its own. Tracks like ‘Grey Veins’ are an absolute dream combination of energy and melody.
Monster Energy Stage
The Bouncing Souls
It’s Slam Dunk, there has to be some catchy, anthemic punk and one of the main sources of that is The Bouncing Souls. A band in their thirty-fifth year of existence, they basically are the scene at this point. 40-minutes, early evening, several beers down…what more could you really ask for? Give this everything you’ve got and then go refuel.
The Interrupters
Back after a couple of years and headlining a stage, it feels like The Interrupters are just biding their time as they make their way up the lineup to one day headline. Their cover of ‘Bad Guy’ is one of the rare times that the original is matched across genres and songs like ‘She Got Arrested’ and ‘She’s Kerosene’ were just made to be played to massive crowds. A party to end either or both of your days at the festival.
Kerrang! Stage
Bob Vylan
There are few acts in the UK that are as exciting to be around as Bob Vylan at the moment. Whether it be a lovely bit of meditation to kick off their sets, brutally honest lyrics shining a light on a way of life that most people at major UK festivals aren’t used to or genre-fusing music that makes every show feel like a unique experience. Bob Vylan shows will always be a talking point. You may as well be there to catch it first hand.
Honey Revenge
Early in the day on the Kerrang! Stage, American pop-rockers Honey Revenge are a band that feel like the perfect sunshine band. Jangly guitars and vocals that wouldn’t go amiss in those chart things, there’s a great time to be had here and why not dance get yourself into the mood with a good dance.
GoPro Stage
As Everything Unfolds
Bubbling beneath the surface, just about ready to explode across the scene are As Everything Unfolds. Their utterly modern sound, bringing melodic metal together with crisp clean vocals builds an atmosphere that suits the Slam Dunk environment perfectly. Dance, sing and scream along to these.
The Ghost Inside
Metalcore icons in the making, The Ghost Inside just keep going from strength to strength. April 2024’s new album, Searching For Solace, has added yet more strings to their bow and tracks like ‘Death Grip’ will enhance a set list that was already anthem after anthem. Not all heavy bands make it at Slam Dunk, there’s no doubt that The Ghost Inside are going to be welcome with windmill arms.
Slam Dunk Stage
As December Falls
Massive rock tracks with more than a tinge of pop see As December Falls as one of the must sees, especially for those there early. There’s a power in their music that is often missing where pop meets rock. This is going to blow the cobwebs off those who haven’t ventured to live music since last summer, that’s for sure.
Head Automatica
The band to see at Slam Dunk 2024. Head Automatica just don’t play over here that often and if that isn’t reason enough to catch them then a celebration of the legendary Decadence as part of its 20th anniversary cranks the excitement up many, many notches. Come rain or shine, when ‘Brooklyn Is Burning’, ‘Beating Heart Baby’ and ‘The Razor’ kick off there’s going to be scenes.
So there it is. A whistle-stop tour through some incredible bands at a festival that is going to be pulling out all the stops. May bank holiday is the weekend of Slam Dunk and we cannot wait. See you in the queues pit.
Here’s a playlist courtesy of Setlist Guy that you can find all of the above and everything else on. Happy hunting: