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Slam Dunk, Lady Gaga And Adele: Bank Holiday Weekend Reflections

• 31st May 2011

Saturday 28th/Sunday 29th May saw Slam Dunk Festival hit Leeds and Hatfield respectively, with its reputation as the pinnacle of pop-punk festivals being cemented in what was an altogether fantastically successful weekend.

Personal highlights from the festival include, in no particular order:

The Starting Line – the band's first appearance in the UK in donkeys years, and the first since their mini-hiatus. A truly packed out Jaegermeister Stage watched, whooping with unadorned rapture as they churned out hit after hit. A special performance.

Don Broco – undoubtedly the next big thing in UK rock, Don Broco absolutely ripped apart the Kerrang! Introducing Stage, and rebuilt it using their super-slick brand of discord, vocal harmony and a stage presence that can't be described and do it justice (or photographed – I tried). A huge, huge name to watch out for.

Hellogoodbye – the group that were nothing more than an internet rumour when they started have become a really very good live band – and while their new material marks a stated change in direction from their first works, they somehow managed to combine both old and new from their repertoire into what was a very polished, enjoyable live set.

Stand by for a full review from Slam Dunk Festival on glasswerk.co.uk this week.

In other news – Lady Gaga has metaphorically bitch-slapped Adele from the top of the album charts, with her new album Born This Way becoming the fastest-selling album so far this year and landing firmly straight in at the number one spot in the album chart. Gaga is fast-approaching three million UK album sales – quite the feat – and at times last week Gaga outsold Adele by seven copies to one (source: musicweek.com).

However, perhaps Adele shouldn't be too disappointed, as her albums 19 and 21 are currently berthed in third and second spot in the album chart – hardly bad going. Bruno Mars, The Prodigy's live album and Jessie J's Who You Are make up the top five.

Up on glasswerk.co.uk is a whole host of reviews, news & videos for you to gorge on; but what else did you expect?

Cheers folks,

MSD