REVIEW: SlamDunk Festival 2021

Scott

After three postponed dates, multiple line-up changes, setbacks and hurdles, Slam Dunk Festival finally returned to the grounds of Temple Newsam and Hatfield park for its much anticipated 2021 festival last weekend. Originally postponed from May 2020 due to the COVID pandemic, SlamDunk found itself postponed a further two times before finally settling on the September 2021 dates.

Festivals are always good fun, but when it’s been a year and a half of challenges for everyone and consequently a lot of anticipation built up, there was most definitely an extra ‘good vibe’ this weekend and it felt special for everyone attending.

The team at Slam Dunk Festival put on a spectacular and memorable weekend this year and we loved every single minute of it. Check out what we got up to and read about our favourite highlights of the day in pictures.

For You The Moon

The day started off with a bang on the Key Club Stage from Leeds based group For You The Moon. Newly signed to SlamDunk Records, we heard they were the ones to look out for on the day and boy, was that recommendation right! They delivered a heartfelt energetic set to a packed crowd. Die-hard fans were seen clinging onto the barrier whilst singing their hearts out to every song.

The Bottom Line

With a classic old school pop-punk vibe and strong influences from Sum41, Simple Plan and All Time Low, The Bottom Line were another British pop-punk band we knew we couldn’t miss. The energy from the band was infectious, they certainly know how to captivate an audience.

McFly - Photo by Scott Turner — McFly Secret Special Set on the Key Club Stage

Surprise special guests McFly!

Special guest spots on festival line-ups always create a nice air of mystery and we loved the atmosphere in the crowd before the big reveal. Nobody saw this one coming: The reception McFly received was an incredible one with fans and festival-goers literally delirious with joy at the sight of the pop band. They were soon jumping up and down to the well known McFly classics such as “One for the Radio”, “Obviously” and “Colours in Her Hair”.
After their Temple Newsam appearance McFly praised the energetic northern audience on their energy in a social media post, asking ‘How many crowd surfers can we get tomorrow?!’

Roam

The Eastbourne-based pop-punk rockers put on an unforgettable show on the Rock Scene stage this year. The set was full of everything you would expect from Roam including the bands usual high energy, punchy guitar riffs and drums. Roam bring heaps of energy with a very influential American pop-punk New-Found-Glory era vibe about them.

Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls

One of the late yet very exciting additions to this year’s line-up was Frank Turner and The Sleeping Souls. Known for getting crowds in the festival mood, Frank Turner delivered a set full of his usual punk passion. Playing songs including “The Next Storm”, “I Still Believe” and “Four Simple Words” the crowd were very engaged and could be heard belting all his classics. Boasting one of the bigger crowds of the day, it was truly a special experience.