Concert News

Slam Dunk Festival Reveals Moose Blood, As It Is, The Dangerous Summer, Woes, King Prawn, Guttermouth and more

• 5th Apr 2018

Continuing its reputation as the best festival for pop-punk fans and rock revellers alike, Slam Dunk Festival 2018 is thrilled to unveil even more names to the already astounding May Bank Holiday weekend bill. Moose Blood, As It Is, The Dangerous Summer, Woes, King Prawn, Guttermouth, Templeton Pek, Astroid Boys, Brutality Will Prevail, The Devil Wears Prada and Loathe are all set to join co-headliners Jimmy Eat World and Good Charlotte for an unparalleled display of all things alternative!

Mixing a classic British indie sound with trademark American emo, Moose Blood won over thousands upon thousands of fans with their debut full-length ‘I’ll Keep You In Mind From Time To Time’, produced by Beau Burchell (The Bronx/Senses Fail), firmly establishing the Canterbury quartet as one of the UK’s most beloved bands. Armed with undeniably captivating melodies and poignant lyricism, singles such as ‘Swim Down’, ‘It’s Too Much’ and ‘Honey’ are sure to draw in sentimental singalongs at Slam Dunk Festival 2018.

Taking the pop-punk world by storm since their inception, As It Is are consistently reaching new heights. Beginning life on internet message boards posted by vocalist and Minnesota native Patty Walters looking to start a pop-punk band, the Brighton band have proved their unique sound as well as their evident chemistry with the release of masterful albums ‘Never Happy, Ever After’ and ‘okay.’. These prominent records have led As It Is to soaring success, sharing the stage with the likes of Sum-41 and Neck Deep and rightly garnering cult adoration around the globe, and their appearance at Slam Dunk Festival will be no different.

Marking their first festival appearance since their reunion, beloved emo rock band The Dangerous Summer will be returning to Slam Dunk Festival in May. Forming in Maryland, USA in 2006, the then-fledgling quartet caught the attention of Hopeless Records which would become the label home of their debut studio album ‘Reach For The Sun’ and sophomore follow up ‘War Paint’. After breaking hearts by announcing their disbandment in 2014, The Dangerous Summer have since revealed their reunion and subsequent return to the stage as well as plans to release new music – which will no doubt be teased at Slam Dunk Festival in May.

Delivering a fresh twist on UK pop-punk as it we know it, Edinburgh natives and Rude Records scholars Woes will take to the Slam Dunk Festival stages to delight audiences with their individualistic coarse group vocals and bouncing choruses as found on fan-favourites such as ‘Winter Sun’ and ‘Worst Friend’.

DJ of Woes says
“I’ve been going to Slam Dunk for years with my mates and to get the opportunity to play this year is an absolute dream come true. It’s probably the best festival in our scene in the world and it’s been a goal of ours to get asked to play, so we really want to put on a show and prove that this is the kind of level that we belong at… and get asked back next year!”

Stalwarts of the ska punk scene, London’s very own King Prawn are set to deliver an energetic display of their trademark Wildstyle sound that took them to soaring heights in early 2000s. Also set to recapture raw punk-rock raucousness at Slam Dunk Festival, are legendary Californian mob Guttermouth.

Nikolai Jones of King Prawn says
“Break out your bathing costume and come surf the second wave of Wildstyle. King Prawn the original beast from the yeast are back to dip their hideously deformed toes in the mighty Slam Dunk Festival. The water may be saltier and full of plastic but the tide is higher than your Nan on Percodan”.

Hailing from Birmingham, Templeton Pek have earned their punk credentials sharing shages with The Offspring, Rise Against, Bad Religion, Sum 41, NOFX, Alkaline Trio, Lagwagon, Millencolin – to name a few, and are poised to deliver a masterclass in all things punk.

Neal Mitchell from Templeton Pek says
“We’re massively stoked to join an already awesome line up of stellar bands at Slam Dunk this year. We’re particularly excited about playing all three locations and joining lots of friends on stage.”

Making their debut at Slam Dunk Festival in 2016, Welsh grime-punk mob Astroid Boys will return to the festival, armed with chaotic anthems from their debut studio album ‘Broke’.

Astroid Boys says;
“Slam Dunk is one of the festivals that we always tried to hit because it’s just a good time. This is our second time playing and the first time around was next level. The bar has been set and we’re coming back to blitz the mark. We know they’ve moved the festival this year but as long as they still sell jager bombs we’re fine.”

Self-proclaimed South Wales Kings, Brutality Will Prevail are arguably one of the most fundamental bands of UK hardcore. Set to cause a major scene at this year’s Slam Dunk Festival with their decade-spanning discography, loaded with riffs, the Welsh mob have earned their place as scene stalwarts.

Brutality Will Prevail says
“We’ve played most of the major fests in the UK and Europe, and Slam Dunk has always been on that list we wanna get to. We are beyond stoked to finally get the chance to be a part of it and look forward to showing the crowd a slower, heavier side of hardcore and punk than they’ve seen prior”

Since their formation in 2005, The Devil Wears Prada have consistently proved themselves as the world’s most vehement metalcore act. Delivering not one, but several iconic studio albums – all packed with fiercely passionate anthems that go against the grain, and serving staggering live shows around the globe, the Ohio-natives appearance at Slam Dunk Festival will be a standout of weekend when they bring beloved tracks ‘Dez Moines’ and ‘Worldwide’ to the Impericon stage.

Mike Hranica of The Devil Wears Prada says
“UK! Slam Dunk! We’ll be back your way giggin’ soon.”

Mixing tearing metalcore, blistering post-punk and vicious djent, Liverpool’s very own Loathe are also among the latest additions to Slam Dunk Festival, set to appear on the Impericon stage. Following the release of their debut studio album ‘The Cold Sun’ and split EP with Sharptone Records label mates Holding Absence, the ferocious quintet are certainly ones to watch over the bank holiday weekend.

Loathe says
“We are extremely excited and humbled to have been given the opportunity to perform at this year’s Slam Dunk Festival, and to be on such a stacked stage too. We can’t wait.”

In the biggest line-up to date, Slam Dunk Festival 2018 is set to play host to an unparalleled exhibition of pop-punk movers and shakers as it welcomes blistering performances from co-headliners Good Charlotte and Jimmy Eat World, reunion exclusives from Thursday (UK exclusive) and The Audition (Worldwide exclusive) as well as highly anticipated sets from the likes of Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, PVRIS, Taking Back Sunday, Creeper, Every Time I Die, Sleeping With Sirens and many more. Whether you’re at Leeds City Centre on May 26th, Hatfield Park on May 27th or Birmingham’s NEC, Slam Dunk Festival 2018 will be the ultimate alternative party of the summer.