Every year this amazing festival graces itself at Hatfield and Leeds, this year it's even making a stop at Wolverhampton but Hatfield is the obvious choice. The sun was shining and the cider was flowing, time to get Slam Dunk off to an awesome time with Gnarwolves.
With their skate park esque sound it's clear to see why they have quite a large fan base already, their infectious two minute pop punk songs are just enough to really get the blood pumping for the day. With History is Bunk and a cover of Green Day's Basket Case this band are well on their way to the top.
Over to the main stage now and I'm sure that Paramore were playing Radio One's Big Weekend. Oh, they are. This is pretty much their understudy. It's Australia's Tonight Alive who have the same sound as Tenessee's finest and even act like them on stage. They play their hits Starlight, Listening and Breaking and Entering before leaving the stage, not really having wowed anyone.
Over to the Macbeth Footwear stage to check out The Story So Far, the energy coming from these guys is just electric and the whole crowd is on their side with crowd surfers as soon as the first song starts. The main reaction is when their biggest hit Quicksand is played at the end but they prove that they are not to be underestimated despite how young they are.
Meanwhile UK superstars Mallory Knox are tearing up the main stage putting shame to everyone else who has been on there today. Clearly all this touring is making them better each and every day and with songs like Death Rattle and Hello at their disposal, is it any wonder?
This next band falling short I blame on We Are The Ocean, they were set to play main stage but then they decided to drop that and play Radio One's Big Weekend...not cool guys. As a result Your Demise headlined the Monster Energy stage and Pierce The Veil were moved to the main stage...are we all caught up? Pierce The Veil were clearly set for a headline set, the light show was stunning, confetti was fired and despite all of this something fell short. Pierce The Veil are not an outdoor band. Vic the lead singer's voice can't travel far and this was shown, even with awesome songs from their album Collide With the Sky like Bulls in the Bronx and Hell Above something was still a miss. Even the introduction of Kelin Quinn (Sleeping With Sirens) wasn't enough to save this set.
The Monster Energy stage blew up next when The Word Alive took to the stage and gave the crowd epic drops, beatdowns and excellent vocal work. Kicking off with their single 2012 the crowd were hanging on every single chord that was given to them and in the end the show they put on was stunning!
Sadly up on the main stage next were Orlando I don't know what genre Sleeping with Sirens who have the most disappointing show of the day, the lead singer Kellin Quinn has the most frustratingly high pitched voice that clearly attracts the attention of every single 12-14 year old girl in the direct vicinity. If I'm James Dean You're Audrey Hepburn probably got the biggest reaction but the set as a whole was just awful.
Thank god for the acoustic tent, I could put the bad memories of Sleeping with Sirens behind me and be soothed by the incredible vocal talents of Eastenders...sorry Ace Enders.
Yes the lead singer of Early November was jamming out in the Keep A Breast tent and was clearly loving every moment of it, he paused briefly before saying sorry for not coming to the UK for six years but promises to play fan favourites that night. Such gems in his set included Sunday Drive and Hair.
Now to the main stage for a band that has been off the radar for far too long in my opinion the mighty Kids in Glass Houses. They look like they've never been off the stage, every single member looks ecstatic to be there and the crowd are loving every minute of it and why wouldn't they? The amazing voice of Aled Phillips travels along the crowd like a sonic boom and when the classics like Sunshine and Matters At All are busted out they clearly show why their this high up on the main stage. Welcome back Kids, we missed you!
Back over to the Keep a Breast tent to see Gavin Butler (The Blackout) performing his acoustic solo stuff and doing a damn good job. "Sorry for playing badly, i'm fairly new at this" Butler says humbley. His biggest response would be when he plays Save Yourselves (The Warning) by The Blackout but it's just an awesome sight to behold and shows how talented this guy really is.
I'm sure that if a lot of bands vocalists were losing their voices they'd cancel a show to get better, not James from Deaf Havana, no he goes on with an almost non existent voice and does the best damn show he can! Matt, James' brother,(who recently joined the band) however is starting to look like a lovechild of Brian May, Slash and Cousin It from the Addam's Family. Opening with Robbie Williams' Let Me Entertain You you know it's going to be an awesome show! Smashing out the hits of Leeches and Mostly, I'm a Bore James' voice shows no sign of improvement which is a shame but with the whole band behind him they still manage to put on a great show.
Meanwhile Early November have got a tiny crowd (maybe six years is too much boys) but are still managing to play as if it's the last show they'll ever play! The fans are there and that is all they need and with awesome songs such as Every Nights Another Story and I want to Hear You Sad it's no wonder they were such a hit!
All Time Low are one of those pop punk bands who pretend that they've never grown up. 'Before we started, that tree wasn't there, we made life! I want a circle pit round that tree' lead singer Alex says two songs into their awesome set! The rest of the show is sprinkled with All Time Low Classics like Damned If I Do Ya, Damned If I Don't Weightless. The odd comments about 'boobies' can never go a miss either. This band are just fun plain and simple.
Opposite All Time Low are conflicting headliners Four Year Strong, two awesome acts who deserved the same time as each other. Four Year Strong however were creating absolute havoc compared to their opposition. Their catchy pop punk songs with ridiculous metal breakdowns were just what this crowd wanted. People were jumping off staircases and crowd surfing onto the people below. They play all their awesome songs Stuck in the Middle Enemy of the World What the Hell is a Gigawatt the list goes on and on.
Finishing just before their encore on Heroes Get Remembered, Legends Never Die they exit the stage and are on again pretty much straight away and joke that 'this must be the time of the night where everyone gets tired and wants to go home'. They play It Must Really Suck to be Four Year Strong Right Now and Wasting Time to finish their incredible show!
And to finish Slam Dunk off in style All Time Low end their set on the main stage with Jasey Rai and Dear Maria Count Me In and bring the whole festival to a close in an epic way!
Slam Dunk is sadly over for another year but never forgotten! Highlights include Early November, All Time Low, Four Year Strong and Story So Far. Lowlights are Sleeping with Sirens, Pierce the Veil and realising that people have forgotten how to wear hats.