Events, Reviews, Temple Newsam

Live Review & Photoset: Slam Dunk Festival North 2026

I wasn’t at last years Slam Dunk Festival, but according to the security guard I was chatting to, it got so wet and muddy that some people gave up wearing their saturated shoes. What a contrast it is this year, with the heatwave setting the day up for a glorious summer party out at Temple Newsam Park.

I was expecting it to be a smaller relative of Download Festival and I wasn’t disappointed. But more than that, Slam Dunk had its own personality.

Review and Photos by Stuart Duthie

Slam Dunk is an inclusive festival and I always feel that these types of events result in. There’s usually a pleasant crowd and you feel that everyone is there to relax, have fun and accept people for who they are. To the uninitiated, it would seem at odds to a type of music that can seem like quite an aggressive art form.

I wanted to see as much as possible (that’s me all round), so I hit the festival hard, managing to photograph around 24 bands – 20 of which I saw play at least their first 3 songs.  This is one of the benefits of a more compact day-festival, due to the sheer number of acts you can sample. But it’s also a credit to the organisers that they can switch over so quickly from band to band and keep things pretty much on schedule throughout the day.

A vibrant scene at a festival featuring a red double-decker bus food vendor adorned with Union Jack flags, people enjoying the event on a grassy field, and a sunset in the background.
Three festival-goers walking towards a colorful tent, surrounded by a crowd enjoying the event on a sunny day.
Crowd at a music festival with a large stage showcasing performers under a sunset sky.
A performer on stage with arms outstretched, surrounded by flames and dramatic lighting, while a band plays in the background.
A guitarist performing on stage under bright lights, wearing a black shirt with 'PILIPINAS' printed on it, with a focused expression.
A male singer in a black 'Louisville' jersey passionately performing on stage with a microphone, while a male guitarist in a sleeveless black outfit plays an electric guitar nearby. The background features stage lights creating an atmospheric glow.
A musician performing on stage, wearing a camouflage bucket hat and a black shirt, passionately playing a green electric guitar.
A male performer passionately singing into a microphone on stage, dressed in a Nike tank top and a black cap, with a vibrant, illuminated backdrop of stage lights.
A musician passionately playing an electric guitar on stage, wearing a camouflage bucket hat and a black t-shirt. The artist has colorful tattoos on his arms and legs, and the background features amplifiers and stage lights.
Guitarist performing energetically on stage with long hair flying and amplifiers in the background.
A crowd at a concert with a woman in the foreground wearing dramatic makeup featuring the word 'Dunk' on her face, passionately singing along.
A large crowd enjoying a live performance at a music festival on a sunny day, with a stage featuring colorful lights and a large banner reading 'Slam Dunk Festival'.
A musician in a colorful hat plays a bass guitar on stage, wearing overalls and sunglasses, with a vibrant background and band equipment visible.
A singer performing on stage, wearing a black tank top and shorts, sitting on a speaker. The background features a large screen displaying his image, with an audience in the foreground.
A performer in a red top holds a bottle of champagne while singing to an enthusiastic crowd at a concert, surrounded by fans enjoying the show.

The site started filling up from the off, so even the first bands were well attended, particularly the ones that had a bit of buzz about them. Dead Pony (who were on at 12:15) more than filled the Key Club tent and put on a fantastic performance.

By the time the afternoon arrived, the sun was shining fully on the Monster and main stages and I was wondering whether the couple in banana outfits in the mosh pit were regretting their attire by this point. By this point, exposed skin was starting to turn very pink in the way it often does when the sun comes out in the UK.

As the afternoon drew on, I had seen many great bands. Dying Wish, Hands Like Houses, Cartel, The Home Team and Boston Manor (although their set was sadly paused due to a medical emergency). Some I knew, some were new to me – which the lovely thing about a festival.

Yet to release an album, President came on at 6:15 to a more than up for it crowd. Part way through the set ‘The President’ himself could be seen draining the sweat from his mask at the back of the stage to cries of “you can take it off Charlie, we know it’s you.” President is one of these masked bands, close to Sleep Token both stylistically and musically.  Although officially anonymous, there are plenty of clues which suggest it’s Charlie from Busted fronting the band.

It was great to see a good showing from Yorkshire too. Malevolence hail from Sheffield, but described Leeds as their second home, listing the venues there (many that have sadly since closed) that they have played. Static Dress (who I saw), Pest Control and Beauty School are all local to Leeds. And of course Slam Dunk itself is based in Leeds (irrespective of the fact they have a southern twin festival). Malevolence, clearly enjoying being there, challenged the audience to make the biggest circle pit that Slam Dunk had ever seen… and declared it the successful record holder.

A tattooed male singer passionately performing on stage, wearing a black tank top and gloves, with a dynamic pose and an intense expression.
A lively crowd at a music festival, with people cheering and raising their hands in excitement under a clear blue sky.
A musician playing a red electric guitar on stage, with a focused expression, wearing a black outfit.
A tattooed male musician performing on stage, kneeling and pointing with his right hand, wearing a sleeveless black shirt and gloves, with a focused expression.
A large crowd of concertgoers watches a live performance on a festival stage, with many people raising their hands in excitement, under a clear blue sky.
A crowd of enthusiastic concertgoers cheering and clapping at a music festival, with various individuals showcasing different styles and expressions of excitement.
A male singer with long hair and sunglasses holding a microphone on stage, accompanied by a guitarist with a pink guitar. A large backdrop displays the text 'BIG ROCK' behind them.
A male vocalist with long hair and sunglasses passionately singing into a microphone, wearing a brown suit. Beside him, a bald male bassist in a striped shirt plays an electric bass guitar, both performing on stage.
A musician playing electric guitar on stage, wearing sunglasses and a polo shirt, with bandmates performing in the background.
A male singer with long hair passionately performing on stage while holding a microphone, alongside a guitarist wearing a cap and playing an electric guitar.
A crowd of festival-goers joyfully supporting a person crowd-surfing at an outdoor music event, with a colorful circus tent in the background.
A guitarist performing on stage, playing a white electric guitar, wearing a graphic t-shirt and denim shorts, with a focused expression, while a drummer is partially visible in the background.
A performer on stage raising one hand while holding a microphone, wearing a casual white t-shirt and a cap, with stage lights and equipment visible in the background.
A male vocalist is passionately performing on stage with a microphone, while another male musician plays guitar in the background. The scene is illuminated with colorful lights and smoke.
A band performing live on stage, with one musician playing a bass guitar and another man in a casual outfit. The stage is lit with colorful lights, and amplifiers are visible in the background.
A vocalist performs passionately on stage, engaging with an enthusiastic crowd at a music festival, while security personnel ensure safety.
A bassist performing energetically on stage, wearing an orange camouflage shirt and a black cap, with a drummer in the background playing the drums.
A musician playing a bass guitar on stage, smiling and wearing a black jacket over a white shirt, with a drummer visible in the background.
A rock band performing on stage with dramatic lighting. The lead singer is in the foreground with long hair, while the guitarist and drummer are visible in the background, all focused on their performance.
A musician performing energetically on stage while playing an electric guitar. The artist is shirtless, showcasing tattoos, with one leg raised high. The band setup includes a drum kit and amplifiers in a vibrant concert atmosphere with red stage lights.

Taking Back Sunday and Sublime, both on the main stage, were the perfect accompaniment to the lengthening evening shadows. For Taking Back Sunday it was a dual anniversary celebration – also 20 years since Louder Now, which spawned their big breakthrough single MakeDamnSure. They treated us to a full album run through, to the crowd’s delight.

Sublime couldn’t have wished for better conditions when they played. The warm golden evening sun and the ska drenched tunes mixed to create the perfect evening cocktail! As the hot sun dipped below the horizon, it was time to bring out the pyrotechnics. Actually that’s not true – Bury Tomorrow just couldn’t wait to get started, and they were on before Sublime!

But as the light was fading, Knocked Loose and Good Charlotte took to the main stages. While Good Charlotte fired up the crowd with the infectious Girls and Boys, Bryan Garris of Knocked Loose was making the most of the atmospherics on Main Stage East. There was something about that lighting, his posturing, the huge glowing crucifix and all that is going on in the USA that was a powerful and unsettling blend for me. I know they are not ‘Christian Nationalists’ or whatever the term is, but there was definitely something happening in that imagery that was unsettling, pointing towards what seems to be unfurling in the USA.

I would HAVE loved to have seen both bands and there had been a degree of online angst about the scheduling before the festival started. In reality, it’s a real testament to the quality of the music that Slam Dunk gave us that day. That, and the glorious weather, made for a memorable event for all the right reasons.

A large crowd at a music festival enjoying a performance on stage, with hands raised in excitement. The stage features the name 'Goldfinger' prominently displayed, surrounded by greenery and festival tents.
A male vocalist wearing a black cap and shirt passionately performs on stage, holding a microphone. In the background, a guitarist plays with the band's logo displayed on a backdrop. Multiple band members are seen in action, engaging with the audience.
A drummer performing on stage, playing a black drum kit with red accents, set against a colorful backdrop.
A lively crowd at a music festival enjoying the performance, with a colorful beach ball being tossed in the air under a clear blue sky.
A musician playing an electric guitar on stage at the Slam Dunk Festival, with a drummer visible in the background.
A live band performance with a singer energetically jumping while holding a microphone, and a guitarist playing next to him. The drummer is visible in the background, and stage lights are illuminating the scene.
A male vocalist performing energetically on stage, wearing a cropped black t-shirt and baggy black pants, holding a microphone with both hands while engaging with the audience.
A male singer with long hair and a black t-shirt performs on stage, raising one hand while a guitarist in a white shirt plays beside him. The background features a large screen.
Musician performing live on stage, playing a white bass guitar, with bandmates in the background and a colorful stage lighting setup.
A male vocalist holds a microphone while performing on stage, dressed in a black shirt with buttons. The background features colorful stage lights and a smoky atmosphere.
A female singer with tattoos performs energetically on stage, wearing sunglasses and a black outfit, while a male guitarist with a beard plays guitar behind her.
A musician performing on stage, energetically playing an electric guitar with long hair and tattoos.
A band performing on stage, featuring a singer pointing and smiling, a guitarist playing, and a drummer in the background.
A musician with a shaved head and facial tattoos passionately playing an electric guitar on stage, wearing a graphic t-shirt and beige pants.
A musician singing into a microphone while playing a yellow guitar, wearing a checkered jacket. Another band member plays guitar in the background on stage.
Musician performing on stage with a light blue electric guitar, singing into a microphone. The background features a decorative backdrop with celestial designs.
A musician performing on stage, wearing a black and white checkered jacket, holding a guitar and speaking into a microphone, with a decorative backdrop behind.
A male singer performs passionately on stage with arms outstretched, wearing a black tank top and cap, while a drummer plays in the background.
A rock band performing on stage, with three members actively playing instruments and singing. The stage is illuminated with bright lights, and the audience is engaged.
A male singer with long hair and tattoos passionately performing on stage with a microphone, alongside another musician in the background.
A large crowd enjoying a live music performance at the Slam Dunk festival, with a stage featuring a band playing and large screens displaying visuals.
A singer holding a microphone performs on stage surrounded by enthusiastic fans reaching up with outstretched hands under a clear blue sky.
Crowd of music festival attendees at a live concert, with some people raising their hands and expressing excitement.
A lead singer passionately performing on stage with a microphone, wearing a white shirt and untied tie, while a bassist plays in the background.
Two male musicians performing on stage at a music festival, one singing while holding a microphone and the other playing a bass guitar.
A female singer performing on stage with a microphone, engaging with the audience in a festival setting. Fans are seen at the front, excitedly interacting and enjoying the performance.
A female vocalist on stage performing into a microphone, while a male bassist stands beside her, both engaged in a lively performance.
A female singer crouches on stage, microphone in hand, performing energetically. She has long wavy hair and is wearing a stylish outfit, with a smoky backdrop and band members visible in the background.