by Josephine Best | May 8th, 2024

---

Right, this is not a drill… Festival season is upon us and we’re kicking things off with Slam Dunk! The UK festival will return late May bank holiday, with Slam Dunk Festival South happening on Saturday, May 25 at Hatfield Park, and Slam Dunk Festival North on Sunday, May 26 at Temple Newsham in Leeds. With over 40 bands playing across 5 different stages, there really is something for everyone from pop-punk to mid-west emo to heavier metal. For us like many others, Slam Dunk is the sign that summer is near, come rain or shine, because let’s face it you never know with the UK, we cannot wait to get back into a field.

This year at Slam Dunk for some may be bittersweet however, with it being the last chance for some to catch the legendary You Me At Six with the weekend across Hatfield and Leeds being their final UK festival appearances. They have been allocated an 85 minute headliner slot on the main stage and it is sure to be a rollercoaster for all You Me At Six fans in attendance. This follows the bands announcement earlier this year that after an incredible 20 years dominating the industry and drawing in a wider audience to the alternative scene, that they would be splitting up. 

Josh hopes these final appearances followed by their final tour next year can be a chance for fans to “celebrate… rather than [us] slipping out the back door”.

“We had a meeting before we did the announcement and worked out our last show next year is going to be on the same day that we had our first band practice, 20 years to the day. So all these full-circle moments keep cropping up”.

Josh Franceschi tells the BBC.

Other acts on the line-up we cannot wait to see hitting up the main stage include the nostalgic The All-American Rejects, We The Kings and Boys Like Girls. We also wouldn’t miss State Champs playing their 2013 album The Finer Things in full and Mallory Knox for one of their debut reunion performances!

If you’re after something a bit heavier make sure to swing by the GoPro stage where you catch I Prevail, Funeral For a Friend, The Ghost Inside, and be sure to get there early to catch As Everything Unfolds and Caskets set the stage for the rest of the day!

Some other highlights on the line-up we can’t wait to see this year include the likes of Palaye Royale, Waterparks, Pale Waves, Bob Vylan, La Dispute and Mom Jeans. No matter your vibe its a guaranteed good day of nostalgia and discovering new bands and acts to fall in love with.

Here is your clash finder for the weekend:

We have even curated a Slam Dunk playlist of all the acts we don’t think you’ll want to miss! Be sure to check it out and get yourself in the mood, because summer is on the horizon and festival season is back!