The sun may be out and festival season may well be upon us, but there are still plenty of great gigs happening in venues across the country. Tonight, a group of clued in music fans file into the Waterfront Studio in Norwich for one such gig!
Grassroots venues such as this are a proving ground for young bands and tonight fans will get to witness three such groups looking to insert their names into the hearts and minds of attendees.
AMOURETTE
First up on the compact stage is the local opener Amourette who bring a refreshingly reckless abandon with them. The four-piece have a youthful exuberance which brings their punky rockers to life and gets the venue ready for what’s to come.
Soon enough it’s time for our next act to hit the stage; or at least some of them! Rad Pitt have journeyed from Essex to make an enormous racket of hypnotic math rock marvel.
Spreading themselves off the stage and onto the dancefloor, the band conjure something of a joyous chaos to the delight and/or bemusement of those in the venue. Their set is tremendously entertaining and just pure riotous fun. Where else would you want to be on a Wednesday night?
SNAKE EYES
Finally, we arrive at our headliners snake eyes who have been making a name for themselves with their support and festival slots in recent times. A steady stream of infectious singles has momentum on their side and this headline tour is a big step for the duo.
They kickstart their set with the brilliant ‘lean’, and recent Full Pelt Single of the Week ‘jar full of wasps’, and already they have the crowd in the mood for a good night. The duo proceeds to deliver just that with a selection of rocky riffs and poppy hooks.
Having previously performed live as a three-piece, its noteworthy that the duo don’t miss a beat and are still highly captivating throughout their time on stage.
Fellow newer tracks ‘hdtv’ and ‘hug me’ are highlights in what is a superb performance before popular tracks ‘scuttlebug’ and ‘skeletons’ receive a highly appreciative response from the audience.
You can’t help but leave the venue excited about what the future holds for snake eyes, who have proven themselves tonight as one of the hottest young bands on the scene.
When looking at the evening as a whole, you can’t fault any of the bands, the venue is a great and life is good. Live music brings incredible joy to many music lovers, and you really should head to your local venue. And if any of these bands are playing? You’d better be there!
The longest gap between releases in their prolific career, throat surgery for singer Michael Poulsen and the departure of Rob Caggiano after a decade with the band. It’s safe to say that new album ‘Gods of Angels Trust’ invites intrigue for Volbeat.
How will they sound, what will they deliver and is the magic still there? Three pre-release singles whet the appetite suitably that the fundamental elements of the band were still present and correct. Not least their ability to conjure ridiculous songs titles – ‘In the Barn of the Goat Giving Birth to Satan’s Spawn in a Dying World of Doom’ anybody?!
The album as a whole unsurprisingly follows very succinctly the path furrowed by these singles. Indeed, no moulds have been broken or even redesigned really on this latest record.
Nine albums in and it is becoming somewhat predictable what the formula will be for Volbeat albums, some delicious riffs, plenty of catchy choruses, a heavy aesthetic and some fun Johnny Cash vibes.
What this album does well though is capture each aspect of their signature sound and deliver it with professional ease. Given the pressures created by the issues highlighted at the start of this article, it’s probably a smart move by the band to re-solidify themselves with their fanbase.
It would’ve been nice however to have seen some more substantial evolution given the passage of time and events of the past few years. Oh well, this is Volbeat doing Volbeat and doing it proficiently.
As they toured the UK in 2023, Pulp debuted a new track, ‘The Hymn of the North’ and set in motion the foundations of a new record. Joining together to record that new album in late 2024, the iconic band teamed with prolific producer James Ford and delivered eleven tracks in quickfire time.
Those tracks combine now as their eighth studio album, ‘More’. This album though is their first in twenty-four long years! It’s a different world now and in particular the music industry itself has moved on greatly… for better or worse.
Can a band that never fully fit into any pigeonholes during their own time, create something able to do their legacy justice all this time later?
Helpfully, the band have bucked the trend of releasing eighty percent of the album in advance! Only lead single and opening track ‘Spike Island’, and the rousing ‘Got to Have Love’ have given an indication of what to expect and that is really how it should be.
Listening to ‘More’ for the first time is therefore something of a sensory overload and you’ll need a good few listens to pick up on all of the nuances, bells and whistles. Overarchingly though this is Pulp being the eccentric oddities that they’ve always been and for old school fans of the band that results in a magical collection of unique sounds.
Frontman Jarvis Cocker exudes charisma throughout and whether serenading us with his trademark vocals or leading us through the stories of this album with his soothing spoken words, it’s reassuring to know that such a special talent can still captivate with the best of them.
That sentiment is what sums up this collection in totality. We didn’t know we needed a new Pulp album in 2025 and ‘More’ won’t be for everyone, but it sure feels great to get lost in a wonderland of quirkiness again.
The growth of Baltimore hardcore punks Turnstile was slow and steady until it wasn’t. In 2021, their third album, ‘Glow On’ was met with universal acclaim and propelled them to new heights. Three Grammy nominations, larger shows and greater attention soon elevated the band to something bigger than the scene that they’d helped to foster.
With this heightened attention though comes expectations and the fact that it has taken the band four years to return with the successor to ‘Glow On’ had started to raise eyebrows. The departure of founding member and lead guitarist Brady Ebert only added to the speculative ponderings of what the band would do next.
But in April the band confirmed Meg Mills as their newest member and announced details of their fourth studio album, ‘NEVER ENOUGH’. The title-track and opening song on the record, ‘NEVER ENOUGH’ also gave a glimpse of what to expect on the long awaited follow up.
Now the album is here in all of its forty-five glorious minutes, the answer is basically the same. This feels very much like a compendium of continuation and that of course is bound to draw both pleasure and an element of doubt. Given the four-year gap, you’d perhaps expect a new evolution, but the band are instead doubling down on the successes of ‘Glow On’.
That though is fine because that was such a great record and by default ‘NEVER ENOUGH’ is also a very good album. Atmospheric, true to their beginnings, but also showcasing their grander ambience which sets them apart.
‘LOOK OUT FOR ME’, at pushing seven minutes long, is a standout track and shows the ambition that the band clearly still possesses. The ‘SEEIN’ STARS’ / ‘BIRDS’ one-two keeps momentum going as the album progresses through its fourteen tracks and towards the climax ‘MAGIC MAN’.
The release of this album will certainly answer many of the questions that fans began to have over the direction of the band, but it will likely also lead to a few further questions over what comes next. In the meantime, just hit play and have fun with another fantastic album from one of the bands of the moment.
The musical exploits of Ed Tullett are traceable through many projects and guises, but whilst the others are largely collaborative, Lowswimmer is his own personal sonic palette. Now as he re-evaluates what is important to him, he sets free an album of atmospheric soundscapes capable of capturing hearts and minds.
‘Godspeed, Fantasy’ is his most introspective and engaging work yet and solidifies Lowswimmer as a vehicle for Tullett’s unshackled melodies which will captivate your soul.
A large swathe of the songs on this record came out as pre-release single and in fairness you could almost choose any track to be a single on what is a great record. The album itself though is greater than the sum of its parts and each listen through allows you to discover new layers to this multi-dimensional smorgasbord of musical treats.
The record flows elegantly through its eleven tracks and culminates with the hypnotising ‘Sojourn’. ‘Sleeper (Hit)’, ‘IRL’, ‘Godspeed’ and ‘Open Season’ all deserve mentions, but as we’ve hinted we could’ve just listed the entire tracklist.
Given the mesmeric traits of ‘Godspeed, ‘Fantasy’ you may wish to enjoy this record whilst chilling out in nature. There is an essence of life that seeps out of the songs and into your consciousness.
This may not be the first Lowswimmer record, but you do feel that this is the beginning of a wonderful journey for Tullett.
You could argue that Garbage are enjoying something of a fabled career renaissance. The group have always been somewhat sporadic with their releases but new (eighth) studio album, ‘Let All That We Imagine Be the Light’ is their second since the world locked down.
Predecessor ‘No Gods No Masters’ was a frank indictment of the modern world and came at a time when the world was suffering. The band set about this time making a different record and leaving the socio-political analysis behind, alas that couldn’t possibly happen with the planet still facing such worrying times.
There is therefore still an undertone of challenging injustices still present on this album but as highlighted by the album title itself, the overarching theme is one of hope. The band are acknowledging the darkness but striving for the light.
WATCH the video for ‘There’s no future in optimism’
Sonically the record follows this path too and whilst still undeniably Garbage’s signature sound there is an evolutionary experimentation throughout which ensures that this is a standalone record for the now as opposed to a direct sequel for ‘No Gods No Masters’.
‘Let All That We Imagine Be the Light’ comprises ten eclectic tracks each harnessing different elements of the bands varied influences. From statement opener ‘There’s No Future In Optimism’ to epic conclusion ‘The Day That I Met God’ and all in between; this is an absorbing collection which will only further emphasise that Garbage are enjoying a real purple patch of artistry.
With their shows drawing plaudits and their recent albums gaining such admiration, hopefully we will continue to get more Garbage in our lives over the next few years because just the eight albums over their thirty-plus year career is somewhat slim pickings.
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.
— Slam Dunk Festival (@SlamDunkMusic) May 24, 2025
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!
