Slam Dunk Festival 2016

This year marks the tenth anniversary of Slam Dunk Festival and some old friends of the punk and alternative scene came out to help celebrate the occasion. With such veterans as The King Blues, New Found Glory, Yellowcard, Panic! at the Disco and [spunge] mixing with the fresh talents of Creeper, Issues and Moose Blood, this year’s line-up boasted a wide range of diversity and with such a wide-reaching appeal, it’s no wonder that the festival’s three dates sold out.

Australian four-piece With Confidence opened the Fresh Blood Stage with an assured and confident set of upbeat pop-punk songs, taken mainly from the band’s upcoming album Better Weather. Lead single “Keeper” gets the crowd warmed up with its infectious chorus and the full-spirited audience participation gives enough assurance that we’ll be seeing more from this band in the future. They’d do well to study the rise of Roam, who took their refined brand of pop-punk to the larger surroundings of the Key Club Stage this year, having occupied a smaller stage and crowd last year. Roam played the best of their most recent release Headrush and the live environment gives the songs more life and character than the slightly stagnated studio recordings. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable set filled with the band’s characteristic level of energy and leaves me wanting to give Headrush another try.

Another of the day’s Australian acts, Northlane threatened to crack the road that lay beneath the Atlas Stage with one of the heaviest sets of the day. Most recent album Node divided fans with its melodic, ambient direction compared to the band’s hardcore roots, but to prove they haven’t gone soft, the band threw their heaviest material at the crowd. Vocalist Marcus Bridge more than holds his own with brutal screams that are every bit as impressive as the technical instrumentation behind him. The Atlas Stage also played host to Issues, who tested their latest nu-metal/post-hardcore/R&B infused anthems on the crowd. New record Headspace is refined and accomplished and the crowd react well to the funk-infused bass lines, heavy guitar riffs and Tyler Carter’s ever impressive, note-perfect delivery.

Grumble Bee provided an opportunity for a break from the heavy acts of the day with a series of acoustic songs, although the superb delivery was no less intense than any of the full band performances. Jack Bennett, the multi-instrumentalist behind Grumble Bee, showcased stripped-down songs from his Disconnect EP and as an expressive and emotive performer, the environment suited him perfectly. The atmosphere couldn’t have been any different for Everytime I Die, who closed the Impericon Stage with the kind of ferocious, energetic and brutal performance that they’ve become renowned for. Every festival needs a closing act like Everytime I Die as theirs is the type of performance that you don’t forget in a hurry.

Unfortunately some acts had to be struck off the itinerary through the day as queues to enter the indoor venues became unmanageable. Crowd management is a vital part of festival safety and that should never be compromised, but it’s still disappointing to miss bands due to capacities being reached. It’s worth noting for future years that it may not always be possible to see every band you’re planning to, particularly if you’re heading to the indoor stages. This year, more so than others, the area inside the Leeds city centre site felt cramped and claustrophobic, particularly outside the Key Club Stage, where the exiting crowds had no choice but to merge with the spectators of the Atlas Stage, creating a mass of people unable to move, or unaware of how to avoid the problem.

The swelling crowds are testament to the success and reputation of the festival over the past ten years and despite the pockets of cramped conditions, this year was another success. With such a varied and impressive line-up there was plenty to enjoy and the packed line-up certainly delivered on their side of the deal.

Photo credit: Paris de la Moitié