Festival News: Let’s just say that Slam Dunk 2024 won’t disappoint…
With Slam Dunk 2023 selling out for the first time in the festival’s history, all eyes were on Hatfield and Leeds for how they’d handle the follow-up. Let’s just say that Slam Dunk 2024 won’t disappoint…
Slam Dunk 2024. Or, rather, ‘Slam Dunk 2024: Nostalgia Overload’, as the new unofficial title should be. Coming surprisingly late in the year — last year’s first announcement came at the end of August, the close of Summer — this first announcement, although disappointing in not being Halloween-themed, is chock full of 27 newly announced bands, both new and old, which are set to play at Hatfield and Leeds next year.
Prior to the drop though, Slam Dunk posted a little throwback reel of all of their past festival posters, from 2006 (Fall Out Boy headlined, if you’re wondering!) to 2019. ‘What could it mean?’, everyone asked, perplexed. Well — although nothing was said, it turned out to be a pretty big hint for what was to come: blasts from the past! Announced once more by the nostalgic little 8-bit graphic that marked Enter Shikari’s appearance this year, the song was a little more immediately distinct: that of You Me At Six’s ‘Underdog’. That’s right, your Slam Dunk 2024 headliners are none other than rock legends You Me At Six, who, with eight studio albums to their name, have no shortage of material to air to the hungry crowds; and who also headlined both 2015 and 2009, as per the afore mentioned posters. With them comes The All American Rejects — who haven’t played the UK since headlining themselves at Slam Dunk 2014 — as another headliner; Boys Like Girls (who haven’t played the UK since 2010), whose newest album ‘SUNDAY AT FOXWOODS’ came out just last week; and the iconic We The Kings, who themselves haven’t played the UK since Slam Dunk 2017. It’ll be interesting to see how much their respective sets mirror their last appearances!
But that’s not all for repeat appearances — elsewhere, we have I Prevail, who last played in 2017, presumably headlining the heavy stage; Palaye Royale, who played back in 2018; The Wonder Years, who have had a string of appearances over the years, and who are about to be over in the UK in support of the anniversary of ‘The Greatest Generation’; and a whole host of others, from The Interrupters and the somehow-twenty-five-years-old Goldfinger to Welsh emo legends Funeral For A Friend or colourful rockers Set It Off.
But there’s a whole host of new bands too. There’s the acerbic, accusatory, and amazing Bob Vylan; the melancholy Mancunians Pale Waves; the mighty mish-mash of legends LS Dunes; the phase-defining Asking Alexandria. Hatfield and Leeds will also be graced by the experimental, almost melodic hardcore heroes of La Dispute; explosive emo outfit One Step Closer; alternative wunderkind RØRY; Leeds’ own up-and-comers Artio; and of course, a good host of the punk side: the vibrant, enduring and vitriolic Pennywise, not to be confused with Stephen King’s ghoulish villain; the anthemic and community-fostering pogo-punks of The Bouncing Souls; The Selecter, fronted of course by the ‘Queen of Ska’ Pauline Black; the eclectic and effervescent The Skints; and the world-conquering, rabid ska punks Mad Caddies.
And, finally, Slam Dunk wouldn’t feel like itself without the odd special appearance; in this case, Head Automatica, performing in honour of the 20th anniversary of debut album ‘Decadence’, as one of their first shows back having reunited just recently for Furnace Fest in Alabama.
Words by James O’Sullivan
