The 10 biggest moments in Slam Dunk history
Slam Dunk Festival is the U.K.’s answer to the Warped Tour. What essentially began as a glorified gig in an English city has morphed into a traveling three-day bonanza.
Seven bands played the first-ever Slam Dunk Festival, including headliners Fall Out Boy who were still wet behind the ears and riding high on their smash hit, “Sugar, We’re Goin Down.”
Read more: 17 Warped Tour facts you probably don’t know
This weekend, the mighty Good Charlotte and Jimmy Eat World co-headline as the festival travels to Leeds, Hatfield (near London) and Birmingham.
Here are some of the biggest moments from Slam Dunk Festival over the years.
2017 – Don Broco’s “Pretty” masks
Following the release of the video for their single “Pretty”—which Don Broco pranked their fans with a genuine wedding ceremony for bassist Tom Doyle—a mask of frontman Rob Damiani was the must-have accessory for all fans at Slam Dunk last year.
2017 – Enter Shikari play Take To The Skies
Electronic rockers Enter Shikari played their stellar debut Take To The Skies front to back in its entirety at all three sites to celebrate its 10th birthday.
2016 – 10th Anniversary
2016 saw a massive celebration of the festival’s 10th birthday. Double digits baby! Panic! At The Disco made their debut headline appearance, and it was the first year the festival switched from Wolverhampton to Birmingham, which meant a venue with an onsite airport and train station.
2015 – Architects with Tom Searle
Thank you Slam Dunk for a great weekend and thank you so much to all the friends I saw, who were so supportive and kind to me.
— Thomas Searle (@TomArchitects) May 26, 2015
When Architects played in 2015, most of the punters didn’t know that lead guitarist Tom Searle had been fighting cancer for two years and would sadly pass away the following year. That year, Architects played exceptional sets, and Searle sweetly posted this tweet the day after the festival wrapped up.
2014 – The All-American Rejects
The All-American Rejects brought their star-spangled brand of fun to Britain when they headlined the Jägermeister stage outdoors.
2013 – Adding a third day
After seven successful years dominating two festival sites in Leeds and Hatfield, the promoters took the plunge and extended to Wolverhampton. The home of heavy metal was now ready to house pop punk, too!
2010 – New Found Glory
New Found Glory stole the entire festival in 2010. They were the band on everyone’s lips after delivering a stunning performance featuring all the hits from their back catalog as well as including two covers (Sixpence None The Richer’s “Kiss Me” and Goo Goo Dolls’ “Iris”). The feeling must have been mutual, because the pop-punk kings returned six years later.
2010 – Adding a second day
The amount of Londoners being drawn to Slam Dunk was increasing at a rapid pace. So, after four years, the festival was established enough to put on a second day, in Hatfield, a university town not too far from north London.
2007 – Paramore
Paramore were k-i-l-l-i-n-g it in 2007, and their success was growing at a rapid speed. With brand new eyes almost ready for release, the Southern charmers were billed as the penultimate band before Reel Big Fish. They have yet to return since, though.
2006 – The first-ever Slam Dunk Festival, like, ever!
Need we say more?!
