Slam Dunk Festival is back for another year!
Getting bigger and bigger with every passing edition, the UK’s finest alternative all-dayer has put together another smashing line-up for 2023. Set to descend upon Hatfield Park and Temple Newsam Park, respectively, the crème de la crème of rock culture will be on full display across six jam-packed stages. From the most crushing metalcore to the most buoyant of pop-punk, there’s something for everyone. Enter Shikari, We Came As Romans, Boston Manor, Less Than Jake, The Maine. The list goes on and on.
But aside from the obvious must-sees, who are the acts you should be checking out that you may not have properly considered? Well, don’t fret. We’ve selected an artist from each of the six stages that Slam Dunk has to offer to show you who you should make room in your schedule for…
Kids In Glass Houses – The Amazon Music Presents Rock Scene Stage
Everybody loves a comeback, especially Slam Dunk. Always the place for bands to make their big return, this year’s line-up boasts more than one. But when a comeback is from one of the most influential bands in modern UK rock, it’s a little more special. We are, of course, talking about Kids In Glass Houses, Cardiff’s finest, who will be back on stage for the first time since 2014.
Releasing four albums in their time, each adapting modern rock and pop music in unique and infectious ways, this particular set will be a 15-year celebration for their debut Smart Casual. So hold tight for the likes of “Easy Tiger”, “Saturday”, and “Give Me What I Want”, all readymade for sun-stained festival sets.
Is this just a one-off moment? Who knows, but you don’t want to risk missing out if it is, do you?
Flogging Molly – The Dickies Stage
Every band that is going to be doing their thing on the Dickies Stage is worthy of your best dance moves. But there’s something about Flogging Molly that sets them apart from the bunch. It may be the love of Irish folk music that pulses through their veins. It may be the fact that they have written some of the finest drinking music that punk rock has ever produced. Or maybe it’s because they know how and when to bring the party.
Last year the band released their 7th full-length Anthem, so expect some brand-new ragers. But you’re sure to hear the classics as well. “Drunken Lullabies”, “Devil’s Dance Floor”, and “The Likes Of You Again”, will all be there, ready and waiting for you to pull your finest jig to.
So as the sun starts to go down, grab a fresh pint, wrap your arms around your best mate’s shoulders, and rejoice in how brilliant life can be. It’s what it’s all about.
Fireworks – The Kerrang! Tent
Fireworks are the definition of your favorite band’s favorite band. Starting out as an emotionally rousing pop-punk band but then turning into something completely different, unique and special, their return to the UK is long overdue.
Following an indefinite hiatus in 2015, they reappeared in 2019 with the release of the astonishing standalone track “Demitasse”. It wouldn’t be until the beginning of 2023 that we would see them again, with the expansive and extraordinary Higher Power Lonely dropping on New Year’s Day.
So brace yourself for a mix of classic shirt-tuggers and modern-day songwriting masterstrokes in equal measure.
Trophy Eyes – The Kerrang! Tent
There are people who have had their lives significantly affected by Trophy Eyes, and there are those who simply haven’t listened to Trophy Eyes yet. And no matter which side of that fence you currently sit on, the band’s return to Slam Dunk is set to be a treat.
Purveyors of the most earnest, honest and heart-wrenching brand of hardcore-tinged pop-punk, not sugar-coating any part of their struggles, they are the essence of catharsis. With their new album Suicide and Sunshine scheduled to drop next month, there’s plenty of new stuff to be excited about. But then there are the likes of the triumphant “Figure Eight”, the sun-stained “Friday Forever”, and the powerful “Home Is”, sure to make an appearance as well.
So pack your handkerchief, as it’s going to be an emotional one.
Malevolence – The Knotfest Stage
Few bands have had a rise like Malevolence over the last few years. One of UKHC’s best-kept secrets for over a decade, it was 2020 and the release of their glorious EP The Other Side that saw thousands suddenly twig onto the brutal brilliance of these Sheffield savages.
Combining the razor-sharp edge of beatdown hardcore with the all-out chaotic worship of heavy metal, there’s something here for every head-banger and spin-kicker to get down to. And with it being the first anniversary of their recent album Malicious Intent, expect plenty of celebratory drops. Oh, and they are headlining The Knotfest Stage, so expect surprises aplenty too.
So iron out the creases in your mosh shorts, get some squats in and lose all inhibitions for 45 minutes. It will do you a world of good.
Maggie Lindemann – The Key Club Stage
Don’t underestimate Maggie Lindemann. You may think you know what she is all about, but you have absolutely no idea. Possessing the ability to write pitch-perfect pop-punk as much as unrelenting nu-metal head-crushers, she is a talent unlike any other, perfectly suited to the Slam Dunk variety.
Last year saw the release of her debut album SUCKERPUNCH, which delivered in name and nature, offering up vulnerability and viciousness by the bucketload. And with her appearance on the Key Club Stage, you can be sure she will be making sure everybody leaves knowing her name. Oh, and if you’re planning on watching LØLØ, you may even get an extra big of Maggie there as well.
