Festival Review: Slam Dunk North - September 2021
After 18 months of lockdowns, postponements and cancellations, it was time to smack it through the basket once again with Slam Dunk!
Music lovers came together in Leeds’ Temple Newsam for a day of rock, metal, punk and alternative tunes. New and old, well-loved and forgotten, the hottest on the planet and the comebacks of the year; this is Slam Dunk North 2021.
Kicking the day off in style was Slam Dunk Records’ For You The Moon. Still rising stars in this industry, the northern outfit graced the Key Club stage in the morning and they got everyone back into that old-school pop-punk party vibe. With only a handful of singles released, including the fantastic debut ‘Lost Without It’, they already have found a fan base dedicated to their every strum, beat and lyric. It’s a reminder of how exciting new talent can be, and it gets the crowd going for a big day.
Not long after was Slam Dunk’s famous secret act set: a performance by a band who no one knows about, who could be absolutely anyone in the industry, but can guarantee it will bring love and thrills to the festival. This year’s pick was McFly, one of the biggest and most recognisable bands of the 2000s. It was a home-grown taste of nostalgia for the older attendees, and a lesson of mainstream UK music for the younger ones. After managing to pull in what was possibly the Key Club stage’s greatest audience of the day, it solidifies the fact that “guilty pleasure” pop-aligned bands are still an attraction for those who dance on the heavier side of music and there shouldn’t be any shame in that. Only good vibes.
The Rock Scene stage was the place to be at Slam Dunk this year as its own line-up was what made the festival what it is today. Acting as the main stage this year, it brings us the likes of Brighton based punks As It Is. With the help of Set It Off drummer Maxx Danziger, the guys put on a very loud and very interactive show - including frontman Patty Walters jokingly asking fans to not tell the rest of Set It Off where Danziger is, because “they still think he’s at home with the cat and the dog”.
As It Is are and always will be one of the most important bands at a festival, as their message of talking and communicating about mental illness will never go out of style.
Following them are an outfit that have had a sensational time, despite the events going on around the world. Creeper have been lucky to do small-scale headline shows and a smashing set at Download Pilot; but this was one that blew the rest of them out of the black-tinted water. Being a last-minute addition due to other acts pulling out, it shows they don’t need time or practice to still pull off a spooky yet special show. Specific shoutout to frontman Will Gould’s duet with bandmate Hannah Greenwood for ‘Midnight’, taken from their recent EP American Noir. Two talented voices working together, they were the shining stars of the stage.
It wouldn’t be Slam Dunk without a blast from the emo past, and that’s what was given by the still-going-strong Mayday Parade. A band that’s given the world some new music throughout 2020 and 2021, they made a smart move by sticking to a set of hits and singles - what fans and non-fans alike go for - and it worked. From tears during ‘Miserable At Best’ to screams and jumps during ‘Jamie All Over’, it goes to show that it’s not a phase and it never will be a phase. No matter what.
Across the grounds to the Jagermeister stage is where the more metal side of the line-up have shown up. The best act to grace this stage was Skindred, and the funniest part of this fact is it’s not even fully the music that promises this. Frontman Benji Webbe was the most humorous, relaxed, encouraging and charismatic musician on that stage all day; the growls of excitement in the songs, and laughter at his dear fans, or just the line of expletives and insults leaving his mouth when talking about the UK government’s dealing with COVID-19. Ending the set with the band’s fans’ trademark move of the Newport Helicopter, it closes a fun and memorable set with an always fun and memorable action; whether you’re watching it or swinging your own shirt above your head, it’s fun and sure is memorable.
If people went home with a new favourite band from this weekend, it was definitely Skindred!
American pop-punk trio Waterparks have been one of the most anticipated of the night among younger fans. Being one of the only international bands that made it through to the event, it was treasuring to see them hit the main stage again and bring their brand new tunes to a festival stage for the very first time. Busting out their fan favourite hits such as ‘Stupid For You’ and ‘I Miss Having Sex But At Least I Don’t Wanna Die Anymore’ with a mix of newer tracks from their 2021 record Greatest Hits, it was a good night to be a Waterparks fan. Especially where frontman Awsten Knight labelled, “the horniest city”. Surely in excitement and hype only, and not in any more explicit way.
They were still greatly missed since their 2019 appearance and here’s hoping for way more Waterparks in Slam’s future.
As the sky turned dark and the wind turned cold, it was time for the band everyone waited all day for. Fans waited, non-fans waited, as the only headliner of the night was about to hit the stage and close the show in the best possible way. Welcome to Don Broco.
Taking over the entire crowd in one hour of new hits, old hits and beloved hits, this was a loud and bright taste of the band’s upcoming 2021 tour and teasing the thrilling joy of the upcoming record. The lights were on, the guitars were screeching, and everyone was on their best game; especially frontman Rob Damiani, who didn’t miss a note with his vocals while having his own words chanted back to him with such passion and respect.
With outstanding performances of singles such as ‘Come Out To LA’, ‘You Wanna Know’ and the rarely played ‘ACTION’, they closed the show with ‘The T-Shirt Song’ dedicated to one Ollie Brown who wanted to dedicate the song to his partner. Unfortunately couldn’t be identified as Damiani asks for a hand up from Brown, then says there couldn’t be “50 Ollie Browns” in the crowd as many people did the requested action; wherever Ollie Brown and his girlfriend are, I’m sure they’re both honoured by the dedication and they’ll be back during the band’s tour to hear their song once again.
This closes a fascinating comeback for Slam Dunk, as everyone heads home and artists prepare to travel down south for the second half of their commitments. Slam was one of those festivals that did suffer during the pandemic, and came so close to never seeing the light of day again because of these troubles, and that can never happen. The world cannot let it happen. Slam Dunk is a celebration of pop-punk, alternative rock, metal, and is one of the few events that are held around the UK. Seeing every rocked out face shows why it needs to stick around: we need this, they need this, the industry needs this.
Long live Slam Dunk, and bring on 2022!
Words by Jo Cosgrove
Photography by Hayley Fearnley