Last Sunday, we headed down to Temple Newsam once again to catch Slam Dunk Festival North 2024. Last year, we remarked on the many issues the site seemed to have. However, we were pleased to find that most of the issues had been rectified this time around. It was much easier getting into the site, it was less crowded and everything as a whole seemed better organised.
Our only real issue was on the morning of the event, all the car parks were cancelled due to the weather, which meant thousands of people had to try and find parking in Leeds itself. This could have been avoided as the weather had been predictable for weeks. We managed to find a free space thirty minutes walk away, but many others were unlucky and had to pay extortionate amounts to park. Everything else was great, but this is something that needs looking at for next year. Now, onto the music…
Review by Jane Howkins & Amy Horne
Photos by John Hayhurst
Despite the mud and rain, everyone seemed to have a rollicking day out at Slam Dunk Festival North. The first act we saw was Mad Caddies, who always put on a fantastic live show. They drew a big crowd for the early set time (next time they really ought to be on later), with Monkeys being a particular favourite. Everyone started dancing to the bigger numbers and I highly recommend seeing Mad Caddies in the future if you get the chance!
We wanted to see Bob Vylan, but unfortunately his Leeds set was cancelled. Rumours have abounded that the band apparently started a fight the day before at the southern site, but the gossip has not been confirmed. Instead, we went to watch The Blackout, who performed their seminal album The Best In Town. Despite their older years, The Blackout were on top form and it was clear that vocalist Sean Smith was having the time of his life. The band’s music sounds a little dated now, but they drew a massive crowd – we even saw Sean hanging out in the VIP area afterwards, mingling with the fans.
Pale Waves are a bit of an odd band out at this festival. Most of the bands at Slam Dunk perform a form of pop-punk or post-hardcore music, whereas Pale Waves are more of a pop-rock band. However, they filled the tent they were performing in and many people seemed to know the words to their songs, which was amazing to see. A big singalong to fan favourite She’s My Religion ended things nicely, with the audience chiming in with great applause.
Pennywise are Slam Dunk Festival stalwarts – the 90s legends have been going for decades now, and they show no signs of stopping yet! They’re a little heavier than some of the other acts performing at the festival, as they’re straight up punk rather than pop-punk, but their music went down an absolute treat. Political messages were the name of the day here, before closing their set nicely with singalong tune Bro Hymn.
Goldfinger are another beloved Slam Dunk Festival band, with frontman John Feldmann having a major impact on the pop-punk industry throughout the last couple of decades. Whilst their music has admittedly gotten poppier over the years, this was a set full of ska-punk hits, including Superman and Here In Your Bedroom. A load of red balloons were handed out before the set for single 99 Red Balloons, being one one of the high points of the day.
Lastly, we headed across to see pop-punk/alt-rock legends You Me At Six. Sadly, Slam Dunk Festival North was the band’s final ever festival show, so naturally it made sense for the band to headline the entire festival. They put on a magical set full of songs from across their back catalogue – I was surprised by how many I knew! Despite some slight issues with the sound on the main stage, they put on a fiery set, ensuring You Me At Six are one band that will be missed by many.
All in all, Slam Dunk Festival North was a great improvement (for the most part) on last year. Bring on 2025!
