Vol. 94
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2000trees Festival
Upcote Farm, Cheltenham
9th – 12th July 2025
Cover 📸 Joe Singh
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2000trees 2025 – the big review!
Isn’t it funny that particular years at festivals get remembered for certain things? There are years at festivals that are infamous for the weather, events revered for landmark performances, weekends fondly remembered for a special attraction, and of course those other oddities that make something memorable.
2000trees is now a staple of the festival calendar. The pilgrimage to Upcote Farm in Cheltenham has become a must for passionate fans and when something becomes routine, even a positive one like attending this great festival – our brains need something to help differentiate between each occasion.
Well, 2025 is going to be long engrained in the memories of attendees for a number of reasons which we will get into during this review. 2025 at 2000trees for now though can simply be summed up with three words – heat, Kneecap and wasps!
Yes, in amongst the endless jokes from bands about counting the trees were quips of 2000 degrees and 2000 wasps. The intense and unrelenting heat has a massive effect on the weekend; it makes everything difficult and means many will have had to tailor their expectations of what they wanted to see across the weekend.
It would be easy to write an essay on the inferno that we all survived, but all we will say is that the wonderful 2000trees community deserve all the credit in the world for banding together to ensure that the festival was still a resounding success.
We came to see some bands though, so let’s get this thing started!
WEDNESDAY
The Wednesday at 2000trees is seriously special. A relatively small selection of early birds get to make the most of the beautiful Forest stage. This stunning setting always has a unique atmosphere, but the opening night party always hits differently.
The first band on, just two hours after the gates open, are returning heroes Haggard Cat! The band have no problems in getting the crowd moving and the love they receive just goes to demonstrate the connection that this group of passionate fans build with those acts that impress at 2000trees.
Another fantastic example of this comes next as Blank Atlas hit the tiny Word stage near to the forest. Usually reserved for podcasts, comedians and kids activities, on Wednesday the Word stage alternates with the Forest Stage to give fans a relentless live music experience like only trees can. Having wowed crowds with an early morning set last year, Blank Atlas return to deliver another great slot this year.
2000trees are a rarity among bigger festivals in that appearances over consecutive years aren’t just accepted, they are expected! Wednesday is known for bringing favourites back and next is a group made of members of various trees favourites – Vower. They keep the evening building nicely, as do Buds. in the Word tent next.
It’s clear that unpeople are heading for big things and they play the first of two sets this weekend next. They take the route of not repeating any songs across their two performances and this set takes the party theme to a new level with new songs punctuated by fun covers of ‘Fight for Your Right (To Party)’, ‘Hash Pipe’ and ‘Sugar’!
Other Half, Blood Command and Meryl Streek all keep the night flowing perfectly before Panic Shack provide an early highlight and Grove Street ramp up the intensity of the crowd.
We are then treated to a special throwback set from Kid Kapichi which is poignant with this being the last festival for the original line-up. The Meffs are their incendiary selves as they headline the Word tent and Forest stage headliners Hot Milk bring their fantastic new album, ‘Corporation P.O.P.’ to life with a fun set.
As the blazing sun finally disappears, the best bit of trees can commence – the after-hours activities. The silent disco at trees is legendary and a recent addition is a live band in the forest but played through the silent disco system. Listening to 2000trees royalty The Xcerts through our headset is a very different experience and the band make the most of the setting by delivering a crowd pleasing setlist.
THURSDAY
A warm night sleep then finds us awaking to an even hotter Thursday and the first day proper of the festival. As we’ve touched on, if you are that way inclined then you can watch non-stop live music all day and we happen to be that way inclined. So, deep breath…
Hangovers be damned, first up in the NEU tent at 10:30am (yes it’s early but it’s far too hot to be in your own tent) are Terminals who like Blank Atlas before do a great job of engaging the morning zombies.
Meryl Streek follows his fantastic Word tent set with a bigger opening set on the main stage and Youth Killed It kill it with a great set over at the Axiom stage. It helps in this heat that four of the stages are tented, but Karen Dio attracts a relatively decent crowd for her bop of a set back at the main stage.
PAVÉ, HIMALAYAS and CHROMA all keep the pace going with more really fun performances. It’s already becoming clear that the standard of acts booked for trees again this year is high, and despite the hazardous conditions, each band is determined to grab their opportunity with both bands.
Indeed, across the weekend there aren’t many disappointing performances at all and that is a credit to the artists but also a testament to the regard this festival is held in. Bands want to do it justice but also know that a big performance here can elevate their career more than an early set at a bigger festival. At 2000trees they are playing to a smaller crowd of engaged fans and not a group of often disinterested attendees looking to kill time.
The continued rise of unpeople began at 2000trees and it’s marvellous to see them really thriving. As such their appearance today on the main stage feels like a crowning moment for them and the reaction to the likes of ‘The Garden’ just convince you further that this bands trajectory will see them headline this festival within five years.
Dream Nails and SNAYX are next on our watchlist before we head into the Axiom to enjoy the return of another typical trees band – Puppy. Having been away for a while, the trio get a huge reception and the likes of ‘World Stands Still’ and ‘Entombed’ remind you how special the band are.
The Hunna make the most of their first trees appearance on the main stage and you can’t help to enjoy the infectious Hyphen in the NEU tent. BIG SPECIAL sound big and special on the main stage and Kid Kapichi smash out a second set of the weekend at the Axiom stage as we head into the first evening of the full festival.
This year features five acts billed as headliners and the first of those is up next on the main stage. PVRIS are out celebrating the anniversary of their incredible debut ‘White Noise’ and songs from that album feature prominently in what is a truly fantastic performance. Lynn Gunn is an absolute star and the singalongs that the band conjure in the most intense sunshine are refreshing as hell.
2000trees continues to grow year on year and that is demonstrated by Twin Atlantic returning to headline the Axiom having previously twice headlined the main stage. Clearly bands want to play trees and the festival have a great relationship with their regulars. The crowd loves every moment of another standard set from the fan favourites.
Kneecap were a controversial booking for the festival (if that even is possible), even prior to the media frenzy that has accompanied them in recent months. Although they’ve played before, musically they were an outside choice as a headliner.
When first announced some speculated online how many (or few to be precise) would watch them. Well now they are the most infamous band at the festival and the field is packed! Easily one of the biggest crowds the festival has seen, there is a real party atmosphere amongst attendees.
The set itself feels more like a celebration of cause as much as a rousing endorsement of their musical output. It however will go down as one of those ‘I was there’ moments for 2000trees.
It’s then time to hit the full multi-stage, multi-channel silent disco again and take in another live disco set, this time from the ever-charming Dream State.
FRIDAY
Friday feels hotter still and you can certainly see the crowds really beginning to flag. Each band however still get their own personal group of fun starters and somehow the 2000trees atmosphere never wanes despite the challenging environment we are in.
Failstate and Mallavora get the early slots today and again are both able to make the most of them. EVER, Eville and Oversize follow for us and we again find ourselves locked into a cycle of mightily impressive bands one after the other.
The good times vibes are essential to 2000trees and Press Club, Youth Fountain and BLACKGOLD keep them coming as we make our way through our third day in heaven (but with the climate of hell).
We then make our way to the forest and another special feature of 2000trees. You can often catch bigger artists doing intimate things in the woods and this year we have the privilege of trees icon Frank Turner playing his album, ‘Love, Ire & Song’ acoustically in full.
Trash Boat, VENUS GRRRLS, FIDLAR and Benefits get things a lot noisier again next and all four are again in top form. As are Coheed and Cambria who attract a huge crowd to the co-headline performance. Always a bit of a marmite band, the crowd at trees welcomes them with open arms and the band get to see for themselves why this event is so special.
We’ve had a few returns and reformations at 2000trees this year, but it’s the appearance of Frank Turner led Million Dead that has garnered the most excitement. They don’t disappoint and their five-piece version sounds absolutely huge headlining the Axiom today.
The last band on the main stage today are Taking Back Sunday and whilst a fun time is had, poor sound mix, an uninspired setlist and a lack of real energy mean that they are perhaps the first band to not truly hit the spot this weekend.
Thankfully that feeling doesn’t last long because next we head into the campsites, which at 2000trees are another unique feature. Whilst the partiers will rave in the silent disco, others will find themselves at the tiny busking stages. We head to Camp Turner to catch a special unplugged performance from Cyan Kicks which is simply stunning. The beautiful set being the best way to finish the penultimate day of this special festival.
SATURDAY
With the sun still showing zero sign of giving in, the final day of 2000trees is here and Saturday begins with a really fun run of Honey Buzz, Gen and the Degenerates, Love Rarely and The Molotovs. These acts ensure that despite surreal levels of lethargy kicking in the crowd is still given a rousing slap across the face!
Perhaps though a bucket of water over the head would work better today and Bad Sign, Catbite and Daytime TV are on hand to deliver that with more enjoyable performances. Love Is Noise sadly experiences catastrophic technical problems next however and cuts his set short.
Split Chain, Employed To Serve, Anxious and Soapbox are all on hand afterwards however to reinvigorate us as we head into the final straight of the weekend. Cyan Kicks then plug themselves in and deliver another real highlight of the festival in the forest. Magical!
The set of the weekend however belongs to the incredible VUKOVI who absolutely own the main stage and elicit frenzied scenes that belie the overpowering temperatures.
Making no reference to the footwear needed by vocalist Janine due to the lava like feel of the stage floor, the charm and charisma that she possesses should see VUKOVI able to headline this event in the future. Each track sounds massive today and if the weekend had ended here, it would’ve been very fitting.
It doesn’t end here however, and we still have time to squeeze in performances from La Dispute, letlive., SPRINTS and final main stage headliner Alexisonfire. Underground favourites, returning icons, new heroes and a band made to headline trees – just a perfect reflection of what this festival is all about.
Throughout this review we’ve used the word special an awful lot to describe 2000trees and that’s because no other word does it justice. The event feels like less of a typical festival and more of a family gathering. As it continues to grow however, the event will face some dilemmas because if it grows too big it will lose the very thing that makes it so special.
Thus far, despite the growth the organisers have managed to do that. They can’t do anything about the weather or the damn wasps, but they may have some online criticism coming their way this year for car park exiting and VIP overcrowding.
That said though, the things that they got right this weekend far outweighed any issues. Every festival has issues, it’s how they are dealt with that demonstrates the passion of the organisers and you can be sure that 2000trees will ensure that concerns are listened to. Credit must also be given to the organisers for sticking by their guns and allowing artistic integrity to remain intact.
Despite the wasps, the controversy, the extreme heat and any minor gripes 2000trees 2025 is another resounding success. The bands, the atmosphere, the food, the drink, the party, the side quests, just everything about this festival is special and we can’t wait for 2026!
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Vol. 90
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Download Festival
Donington Park
13-15 June 2025
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DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL 2025 – the big review
After a washout of a year last year, those making the annual pilgrimage to Donington Park this year were checking the weather forecasts regularly. Would it be scorching? Would there be storms? Rain? Snow? The forecasters had us prepared for anything this weekend.
As always though as we enter the hallowed grounds of Download Festival, we are prepared to rock! For over twenty years now this monster event has welcomed the best of the alternative scene for a weekend of revelry and kickass music and 2025 on paper looks no different.
The arena itself though does look a little different. The now standard layout remains the same, but everyone is quick to notice and appreciate the upgrades in toilets and a few other little touches such as a screen outside the Avalanche Stage and the new fancy video totems on the main stage.
FRIDAY
The weather on Friday is hot, hot, hot… so it’s nice to start our weekend off in a tent! Karen Dio is a bundle of energy as she opens proceedings on the Avalanche Stage. The early crowd enjoy every moment of her short but sweet set and Download Festival 2025 is a go!
The line-up across the Avalanche Stage this week is great and features some of the best young bands on the scene. One of the most exciting is next as unpeople bring the riffs and the audience bring the party as we get into full swing today.
After a quick sojourn over to the main stage where CKY bring back memories of Tony Hawk games and teenage tomfoolery. The current line-up continues to defy the odds and as the sun beats down, they get the vocal cords of another crowded year warmed up.
There’s plenty of singing to be done next as we return to the Avalanche tent for Scottish breakouts Dead Pony. The likes of ‘MK Nothing’, ‘RAINBOWS’ and ‘MANA’ have the crowd repeating every word and the band can leave the stage knowing that they’ve smashed their opportunity.
Speaking of smashing opportunities and it’s back to the main stage for Boston Manor. Wow. The boys from Blackpool read the assignment and they understood every word. With a busy crowd, the sun shining and the beers flowing, Boston Manor deliver the biggest set of the entire weekend.
Every one of the nine tracks is delivered with passion and energy and the audience give the band everything that they have. This is just goosebump inducingly good. This set is one of those moments that you have to stand back and take in. It’s one of those moments in which a band solidifies their future and ensures that when they return, they will be playing even higher up the bill!
The run now on the main stage will become the stuff of legend and Rise Against are next up. A band who can be a little hit or miss, especially with their festival sets are fully on top of their game today. Blasting out the likes of ‘Prayer of the Refugee’, ‘Satellite’ and closer ‘Savior’, they all sound huge today and Friday is setting a tough measure to follow.
A quick trip for Trophy Eyes on the Avalanche Stage shows that the tent is still in full swing before it’s time for Jimmy Eat World to make their return to Download. Bringing in the likes of ‘My Best Theory’ and ‘Get It Faster’ helps their set to flow and of course ‘The Middle’ presents one of the biggest moments of the festival.
The nostalgic feel continues next with the ever-delightful Weezer bringing hits such as ‘Hash Pipe’, ‘Beverly Hills’ and ‘Buddy Holly’ to the main stage crowd. A Download appearance is a long overdue thing for the band and their first time didn’t disappoint.
Download Festival debuts is the Friday night theme and we can’t help but check out McFly in the Avalanche tent next. The crowd is expectedly large, if considerably smaller than Busted last year. McFly mix some snippets of rock classics amongst their own hit songs and those gathered have a whale of a time.
The biggest and longest overdue Download Festival debut however is reserved for our Friday night headliners Green Day. There is a real sense of occasion as the band hit the stage, and you feel that this is a true moment in time for the festival.
When a band can begin a performance with a run of ‘American Idiot’, ‘Holiday’, ‘Know Your Enemy’ and ‘Boulevard of Broken Dreams’ and make a two-hour set go by in a flash then you know that they are special.
It’s not often rain is welcomed at Donington but perhaps the moment of the festival is the shower that begins with precision just as Billie Joe sings the line “…Here comes the rain again…” during ‘Wake Me Up When September Ends’!
Green Day’s ability to make a packed field feel like a small venue is a gift and tonight they simply make headlining a major festival look easy. As the fireworks and ‘Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)’ close out a fantastic day, we can’t wait to do it all again tomorrow!
SATURDAY
Friday felt big and by comparison Saturday feels a little more subdued. We have a much talked about headline set to come and there are still some exciting acts spread across the stages however.
After a mysterious gap on the Opus stage results in nothing, we start our day as Static Dress continue their ascent up the line-up by opening the main stage. They do their best to wake up a clearly hungover early crowd and can leave knowing they didn’t fluff their lines.
BEX is fully prepared to win over a docile pre-midday audience in the Avalanche stage and brings her infectious energy and a couple of “Big BEX” colleagues to get the crowd engaged. Her short set is a resounding success, and the future looks very bright for an act Full Pelt have highlighted since the beginning.
Two more such exciting young acts, VENUS GRRRLS and Split Chain sandwich some hardcore icons on the main stage. Hatebreed cause chaos with their brutal set, but it’s both the two younger acts that really show themselves as ready to step up next.
Another set that will stand the test of time and prove to be a defining career milestone is that of Poppy on the main stage. The sort of act that old school Download Festival attendees would’ve bottled relentlessly, Poppy is incredible this afternoon. Even the most hardened sceptics in the audience appear to be won over by a superb set.
AWOLNATION are our next stop off over on the Opus stage and they lean heavily on their breakthrough record, ‘Megalithic Symphony’ much to the delight of the crowd. ‘Sail’ naturally provides another one of those big moments.
Teen Mortgage are good fun in the Dogtooth tent before we catch the beginning of Smash Into Pieces on the Avalanche stage. They say dress for the job that you want and not the one you have – well Smash Into Pieces bring a show ready for the main stage and the crowd love it today.
For a number of years fans have clamoured for Don Broco to be given a logo spot on the main stage. Those fans knew that the band could own such a slot and to nobody’s surprise that’s exactly what the band do. In a similar vein to Boston Manor yesterday, the band know what they need to do today, and they simply smash it.
Shinedown next are given a big opportunity to step up to sub-headline the main stage. We remember first seeing them low down the bill in 2009 and since then they’ve worked their way up the line-up. With a performance and show like they deliver today, you wouldn’t put it past them one day topping the whole thing!
A unique experience is on offer next as festival favourite Frank Carter is back. Not with his Rattlesnakes however, nor one of his other past bands but instead with the legendary Sex Pistols! Present day John Lydon may not endorse this collaboration but a rammed full Opus stage at Download Festival most certainly does.
Speaking of unique experience, a different sort of experience is next as Sleep Token act as a beacon for all young acts that says that headlining is not unattainable. The rise or even explosion of Sleep Token is a refreshing phenomenon and the volume of their t-shirts on parade this weekend show that they deserve this shot.
They are however something of a marmite band and those that love them, really love them and if you don’t “get it” then you actively seek to tear them down. Their set this weekend will only split the crowd even more.
What it is not is the statement that Bring Me The Horizon delivered. It’s also not one of the instantly forgettable sets that have topped the bill. Musically and stylistically the band are captivating. However, those very aesthetics and the whole no audience engagement element of their mystique also make the performance quite inaccessible to those not already clued in.
It’s a shame that the performance doesn’t win universal acclaim because in some ways it needed to. The reality is though that this festival needed to evolve and bring in fresh blood and the fact that Sleep Token were given this chance and they didn’t completely fumble the ball must be seen as a win for the future.
SUNDAY
The heat and the mammoth scale of the festival looks to be taking it’s toll on the audience and the arena is relatively quiet as Sunday gets underway with the mesmerizing Harpy in the Avalanche tent.
After a downpour during Sex Pistols last night, the rain is still lingering this morning which may also mean some stick to the comfort of their tents to sleep off lasts nights fun. Orbit Culture and Archers both bring a crisp brutality to the morning air and do their best to blow away the Sunday morning cobwebs.
Before we get back into our musical entertainment, let’s shout out the food and drink offerings with the new dedicated bars and areas continuing to provide individual feels to the arena. The Guinness bar is a favourite for us and we are won over by Supermac’s who we hope will be back again next year!
Right, back to the music and we are back at the Opus stage for an always visceral Nothing More. The group only have limited time but they undoubtedly make the most of it with the likes of ‘If It Doesn’t Hurt’ showing their ability to enthral and entertain.
The afternoon phase of Sunday is then something of a mixed bag with Vower making the most of their Dogtooth slot, Jinjer doing a good but perhaps slightly underwhelming turn on the main stage, Alien Ant Farm and Jerry Cantrell both delivering alright sets that perhaps dip due to understandable lethargy from the crowd, and a superb House of Protection statement set.
As we head into the final run of bands for the weekend Spiritbox do what they need to do in their big main stage spot and Airbourne do what Airbourne do over on the Opus stage. Neither set will likely prove that memorable, but both are a good time.
The heat this weekend whilst not quite at 2023 levels is certainly a factor in Sunday feeling quite sluggish. Many fans seem exhausted and the bands on offer whilst technically sound lack the ability to grab these fans by the collar and drag them from their stupor – case in point the very good Unprocessed who play to a rather tepid gathering in the Dogtooth tent.
It takes a firm festival favourite like Bullet For My Valentine to get momentum building again and the fans are treated to another run through of their seminal album, ‘The Poison’. Frontman Matt Tuck has never made any bones about his desire to headline, and he makes another bold proclamation at the end of their set. Up until recently you’d have probably laughed this suggestion off but with the band regaining their own momentum and the festival in a new era it’s entirely possible.
Another Welsh group reclaiming their past glories is Kids In Glass Houses and we catch them closing out the fantastic Avalanche stage for the weekend with a crowd-pleasing set.
Then there was one left. Closing out the entire festival are the band that Bullet will be hoping to emulate – Korn. A prime example of a band who lost out when Monsters of Rock died. If a Donington event had existing when Korn were at their peak, then perhaps they would’ve topped the bill before now but at last in 2025 it’s happening!
It seems that every single person at the festival wants to see the band take their opportunity with both hands and that love from the audience erupts as the opening echoes of ‘Blind’ ring around the arena.
A simplistic but effective production means that the band let their songs speak for themselves and as they blast out ‘Here to Stay’, ‘Got the Life’, ‘Clown’ and ‘Did My Time’, the band and audience find themselves in a combined state of euphoria.
A splendid outing for rarity ‘Twisted Transistor’ is a highlight but by the time they bring everything home with ‘Freak on a Leash’ the band have solidified themselves as bonified headliners at a festival that they are synonymous with.
There is perhaps no better way to finish the weekend and close the chapter on another Download Festival. This year’s will last long in the memory and is up there with the best. For the diehard attendees, Download Festival is their diary marker that they plan their year around. So the question now turns to who will make their mark next year?
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Slam Dunk Festival
Hatfield Park
Saturday 24th May 2025
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SLAM DUNK SOUTH – FESTIVAL REVIEW
Next year Slam Dunk Festival will celebrate 20 years of existence. A milestone for an event which started out as a small one-dayer in Leeds. Over those years the event has grown exponentially and taken over campuses, spawned into a multi North, South (and for awhile even Midlands) event and now takes place within two large parks in their spiritual homes of Leeds and Hatfield.
It’s the Hertfordshire version that we head to this cloudy May Bank Holiday Weekend for what has become the traditional opening ceremony for another stacked festival season.
Walking into Hatfield Park and again thinking about the growth of the event is unavoidable. For years A Day To Remember have been touted as the perfect headliner for the festival but always seemed out of reach. Their positioning at the top of the bill this year is itself therefore something of a milestone.
As however we consider the impact of this booking and the potential further growth of this beloved gathering, we turn our attention to another dynamic which has been so vital to building the Slam Dunk brand – championing new music.
EARLY AFTERNOON DELIGHTS
Yes, on a line-up dominated by big American acts, some of the most exciting bookings are the young homegrown acts spotlighted earlier on in the day. The first of which that we head for is Lake Malice who make the absolute most of their time on stage. Visually the band come across as stars with backing dancing adding to the big stage feel. It’s musically though that makes the crowd let go of any early morning inhibitions and get the party started.
Next, we head over to one of the two main outdoor stages where we catch the always emotive Dream State who attract a fairly sizeable crowd for the time of day. The lack of actual sunshine today does little to dent fans determination to enjoy themselves and watching the audience let loose, clearly the empowering sing-alongs of Dream State help!
Over the past handful of years Slam Dunk has suffered a few issues with poor layouts, overcrowding, sustenance options and traffic management just some of the problems that they have endured. This year thankfully everything is running pretty smoothly with no major obvious gripes.
One issue that becomes apparent is that the Key Club Stage is running late and messing with people’s schedules. This can be massively frustrating for avid music lovers but for us it enables us to catch Kid Bookie and Greywind who were initially caught up in some of those infamous Slam Dunk clashes.
Kid Bookie, despite some technical challenges, is his usual defiant and captivating self as he blasts out a number of tracks from ‘Songs for the Living // Songs for the Dead’ – one of our favourite albums of 2024. Greywind meanwhile showcase their fantastic recent singles such as ‘I.K.A.M.F.’ and ‘Acid Rain’ both of which sound huge in the tent.
A COMPETITION FOR SET OF THE DAY
Perhaps the new band that we were most excited to see today though was Winona Fighter and they certainly didn’t disappoint! Despite an abridged set due to the running time issues in the small tent, the band are phenomenal, and their blistering set says that they are very much going to be breakout stars in the coming years.
It’s soon enough time for our first dose of nostalgia today and that comes over in the bigger tent with The Ataris who have fans cramming in. A set focusing on their early material does wonders and the sing-along to ‘The Boys of Summer’ is one of the loudest of the day.
Before we spend the evening in the company of the bigger hitters however, we still have time to catch a short run of notable newer acts with Rain City Drive and Free Throw both impressive.
It’s Mouth Culture however that completely own the Key Club Stage and deliver a performance to rival Winona Fighter for the set of the day. Again, if this show is anything to go by then Mouth Culture are going to be gigantic. The likes of ‘Sharkbait’ and ‘No Shame’ get the audience engaged but it’s the finale of ‘Ratbag’ which leaves you wondering how anybody can top them today!
It’s another turn towards the nostalgic now as we head back to Main Stage East where Finch serenade a passionate audience with classics like ‘Letters To You’ and ‘What It Is To Burn’.
AN EVENING OF FESTIVAL FAVOURITES
A quick march over to Main Stage West for the first time today follows and the pop punk goodness that has been the backbone of Slam Dunk Festival is delivered with aplomb by New Found Glory and Neck Deep. These two acts typify the mix of big US acts and homegrown talent that has been the bread and butter of these stages for nearly 20 years.
Each of these two performances are exactly what they need to be and provide an enjoyable evening as the clouds grow and the temperature starts to drop. We are able to catch a short glimpse of Alkaline Trio next who have the big tent singing every word of ‘Stupid Kid’ as we return amongst the hordes leaving Electric Callboy to find a spot for our headline act.
The crowd present for A Day To Remember is likely the largest the festival has ever seen, and the band instantly have them onside as they smash out ‘The Downfall of Us All’ and ‘I’m Made of Wax, Larry, What Are You Made Of?’.
The pace never really relents despite the inclusion of a number of new tracks from their latest album, ‘Big Ole Album Vol. 1’. Despite their recent lacklustre outputs, the band can still deliver the goods live and on a day like this their whole set feels like a celebration of the scene which Slam Dunk has helped build.
As the band finish their performance and the fans make their way back home, everyone will undoubtedly look back on a great day out. The rain stayed away, the festival flowed well, and the bands all delivered. Another festival season is underway and whilst there is plenty to look forward to still, attention for Slam Dunk now will turn to delivering a monstrous 20th Anniversary edition in 2026!
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