Being at Slam Dunk is like a family get
together. Albeit a highly dysfunctional, extremely
sweaty and alcohol fuelled family get together.
Slam Dunk North is the annual festival that takes
place at Leeds University and celebrates the best
that the pop-punk world has to offer. Everyone
from Paramore to Fall Out Boy has played at this
independent festival since its incarnation in
2006.
The first band to kick off Alternative Vision’s
day is FAILSAFE (4/5). Having recently been holed
up in the studio working on their third album
it’s nice to see them where they seem most
comfortable. The crowd before the Macbeth Stage
swells nicely and they receive a triumphant reaction
from onlookers. Their next release is certainly
something to get excited about.
Next up is SAM LITTLE (5/5). Making a welcome
return to the Punktastic Acoustic Stage, Sam relishes
the opportunity after returning from a brief hiatus.
Songs such as ‘She’s Just Not That
Into You’ and ‘Fallin’’
sound sublime and he even has time to throw in
Fleeing From Finales favourite ‘Mighty Ducks
Vs. Thundercats’. You can’t help but
smile when watching Sam Little, and with the news
that his old band are back I imagine we’ll
be seeing a lot more of him in coming months.
 DON BROCO (5/5) is the perfect band for this
kind of event. You can always depend on them to
inspire rowdiness. Playing to an overly packed,
undersized Kerrang! Introduces Stage, Don Broco
instantaneously get the party started. Encouraging
walls of death and shoulder dancing may not be
the safest ideas frontman Rob Damiani has ever
had, but does he care? No. Everyone looks like
they’re having the time of their lives,
none more so than the band themselves. Don Broco
are definitely cruising along the crest of the
wave right now, let’s hope it doesn’t
stop any time soon.
The room gets even busier for next band LOWER
THAN ATLANTIS (4/5). Although Don Broco prove
a difficult act to follow, LTA take it within
their stride and offer their moody, angsty punk-rock
which is gratefully lapped up by the hundreds
before them. Their latest release World Record
may have seen a slight departure from previous
material, but it is live where this band comes
into their own. They are loud, abrasive and they
don’t give a shit. Songs such as ‘Deadliest
Catch’ and ‘Beech Like The Tree’
are perfect examples of how exciting this band
is.
 The good thing about Slam Dunk is that you only
have to turn a corner to find a good band. This
particular corner leads us to FRANCESQA (3/5).
Having been hand picked by Tom DeLonge to play
the festival last year, Francesqa have had a blinding
interlude between then and now – exemplified
by the huge crowd that has turned out to see them
today. Having seen the band several times in the
past month or two, I now feel that I want a bit
more from them. Although We Lived is full of fantastic
songs, you can have too much of a good thing.
Still, Francesqa are on fire today and they round
up a very impressive set, rather predictably,
with ‘Ghosts’.
THE STARTING LINE (5/5) is the band that everybody
has been talking about, and they do not disappoint.
Perhaps it’s because they haven’t
played on British soil for five years, or that
a majority of the people at Slam Dunk grew up
listening to Say It Like You Mean It – but
as you can imagine, the biggest sing-along of
the day happens during ‘The Best Of Me’.
It’s been nine years since it was released
as a single, so nearly a decade’s worth
of nostalgia is expelled in four minutes. Truly
fantastic.
 Whoever had the idea to timetable CARTEL (5/5)
straight after The Starting Line was an absolute
genius. Another band that hasn’t graced
UK shores in far too long, the Georgia quartet
seem just as happy to see us as we are to see
them. Pulling the biggest crowd to the Macbeth
Stage of the day so far, Will Pugh et al. storm
through a festival tailored set. ‘Say Anything
(Else)’, ‘Lose It’ and ‘Honestly’
make you realise just how much you love Cartel.
Hopefully they won’t leave it quite as long
as three years before we next see them over here.
Rushing over to the Honour Over Glory stage,
AV manages to catch Californian noise merchants
DANCE GAVIN DANCE (5/5) in full swing. Love him
or hate him, Jonny Craig is back and has a point
to prove. You cannot deny that this man has an
incredible voice, to say he is DGD would do the
rest of the band an injustice, but they certainly
sound complete with Craig back in the frame. Tonight
they sound amazing, the intricacies of the songs
are perfectly balanced by big guitars and ending
on ‘And I Told Them I Invented Times New
Roman’ is the icing on the cake. Point proven.
 We have just enough time to see a bit of MAYDAY
PARADE (4/5) before heading back to the Honour
Over Glory stage to see Deaf Havana, but they
are pretty much what you would expect. Ever professional
and a well-oiled machine, Mayday Parade thrash
out their greatest hits in yet another festival
tailored set. ‘Jamie All Over’ and
‘When I Get Home, You’re So Dead’
satisfy the masses and it’s time for us
to depart.
DEAF HAVANA (3/5) have had quite a turbulent
year, having parted ways their lead singer just
before last year’s Slam Dunk, they are back
again, but on a much bigger stage, with much bigger
expectations. And do they meet them? Well, kind
of. James Veck-Gilodi seems more confident in
the role of frontman than ever before, but it
feels like there’s something missing. With
a new record set for release later this year I’m
reserving judgement, maybe then it will all make
sense.
REEL BIG FISH (4/5) are a band that you would
never tire watching. For all of their onstage
antics, they are brilliant musicians. After all
the years of playing live, the thousands of miles
travelled and the unfathomable units of alcohol,
they still seem to have a really good time. ‘Sell
Out’ and ‘Take On Me’ get the
reaction they deserve, and on cue thousands of
drunk people skank and dance like idiots.
 Just when you thought that the day couldn’t
get any better, SET YOUR GOALS (5/5) show up.
Perfectly rounding off a day of fine music, ropey
pints and expensive burgers, co-front men Matt
Wilson and Jordan Brown bound around like men
possessed. Songs from records Mutiny! and This
Will Be The Death Of Us are showcased tonight,
and with a new album scheduled for June, SYG are
on the cusp of something very exciting. Essentially,
Set Your Goals are the ultimate party band, and
a fitting end to the party that has been Slam
Dunk North 2011.
Review By Ben Connell
Photos by Rick Caughey |
