Once again Summer is approaching, weeks of delightful weather and…of course it’s forecast rain for Hatfield and Leeds this coming weekend. Still, the annual gathering of elder emo’s is due to take place across the country on bank holiday weekend as we celebrate pop-punk, metalcore and a healthy dose of underground British acts. We’ve been bringing you our recommendations across our socials over the past few weeks and thought we’d collate that into a handy guide of the up-and-coming acts that you should check out this weekend.
Kid Bookie – Key Club Stage – Hatfield @ 11.55, Leeds @ 13.35 – by Lizzie Sargent
If you haven’t seen Kid Bookie before, now is your chance. There is no doubt Kid Bookie’s high energy with a mix of heavy guitars, pop choruses and hip-hop bars has something for everyone. A wink and a nod to his grime past, but a style that feels authentic, Kid Bookie will no doubt be showcasing his latest album Songs For The Living // Songs For The Dead. The verses raw emotion and angst is interspersed perfectly with the melodic choruses which deserve to be belted out at full volume; Kid bookie is not one to be missed.
Delilah Bon – Key Club Stage – Hatfield @ 18.35, Leeds @ 16.55 by Bex Green
Delilah Bon is one of the most exciting alternative artists in the UK right now. From Barnsley, Bon is very vocal and activism-driven, advocating for women’s rights, themes that are reflected in her work. ‘Dead Men Don’t Rape’ brings any crowd together, chanting lyrics that unite generations. If you like activism with some pink punk, this is where you need to be!
Mouth Culture – Key Club Stage – Hatfield @ 16.05, Leeds @ 14.25 by Bex Green
Hailing from Leicester, Mouth Culture is a band you may have stumbled across during the social media campaign for their EP Mishaps of my Mid-Twenties. In the last few months, they seem to have taken off, helped by crushing their spot opening the Final Nights Of Six Tour. If you like tunes you can belt out, this is the set for you. Especially ‘Don’t Pull Up’ – if you learn any song before Slam Dunk let it be that one.
Lake Malice – Key Club Stage – 11.40 by Bex Green
Lake Malice are a hyperpop-metal fusion band from Brighton that are heavily influenced by Japanese Anime in their style. A unique band which their newest song, ‘SCATTERBRAIN’, is to. Catchy and easy to learn, even those unfamiliar with their work can join in with it: ‘Spin, wash and repeat. Mind, soul, body’. Their electric stage presence saw them to sell out their first ever headline show before embarking on their UK headline tour in March. Definitely a band you don’t want to miss this weekend!
Graphic Nature – Key Club Stage – Hatfield @ 17.45, Leeds @ 18.35 by Mike Malyon
Trends may come and go, but Graphic Nature breathe new life and extremity into their bone crushing style of Nu Metalcore. Packed with glitched out deck scratches and bone splintering riffs, this monstrously heavy display of nihilism and hyper aggression is bound to shake the foundations. With nods towards the like of Slipknot and Loathe in tracks like “Human” and “Something I’m Not” (from their 2024 release Who Are You When No One Is Watching?), Graphic Nature are for sure ones to check out if you like your guitars tuned low and your sub drops even lower.
