With the announcement of their debut album, ‘A Funeral For Youth’, due to be released in September, Miss Vincent break down their inspirations for ‘Gravity’.

The Shirelles – ‘Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?’

Old songs are going to be a bit of a theme, because Gravity is drenched in vintage influences. I love The Shirelles – that whole ‘girl group’ movement (a very out of date term, I know) brought out so many great songs with the most beautiful melodies, and harmonies that bring the songs to life. Shirley Alston has the most effortless, distinctive voice, and I get so much inspiration from listening to her. I read recently that this song was the first no.1 by a black female group, which makes it feel all the more significant.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4955hA_hcB4

Bruce Springsteen – ‘No Surrender’

I’ve always liked Springsteen, but these past few years I just can’t get enough of his entire back catalogue. This song is such a great driving stomper of a rock song, which immediately comes to mind as an influence for Gravity. “No retreat baby, no surrender” is a killer hook to have in the chorus, and I love the way that each half of the chorus has different harmonies. I love straight up rock songs that don’t mess around and have an instantly memorable chorus, and this ticks all the boxes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MD3DdskaPhs

Sister Rosetta Tharpe – ‘This Train’

This one is less about a direct influence on the sound, and more about how it led me to approach writing certain parts. Sister Rosetta is one of the founding fathers of rock’n’roll, and her voice is one of the most soulful, natural sounds in the world. I honestly feel like I could listen to her sing the phone book and still love it. After all, a lot of her music is pretty religious, and I’m not religious at all – but even so it’s hard not to be reeled in by her voice. The way that she changes melodies halfway through a line, and occasionally adds an almost spoken word element to it is incredible. Whenever I’m struggling with vocal parts, I put some Sister Rosetta on, because she’ll get me right back on track.

Green Day – ’21st Century Breakdown’

This is a really underrated Green Day album in my opinion, and I love this track as an album opener. They’re the masters of the rock opera, which we all knew from American Idiot, but when this album came out I actively disliked for some reason. Then, when I went to see them on that tour (2009 I think?), something clicked and it all made sense. I’ve always wanted to write a song with very distinct sections that are totally different, but fit well together. ‘Gravity’ has a lot of that, and I can definitely hear the Green Day influence. We never want to be a pastiche of anything, but at the same time, sometimes influences shine through a bit clearer, which is definitely the case with this song.

Against Me! – ‘Bitter Divisions’

This is a song off the deluxe version of White Crosses, which is one of my favourite albums ever. Until recently I’d only ever heard the original album, so listening to the extra songs on the deluxe version was mind-blowing, I couldn’t believe it had taken me so long to hear them. This song really stuck out to me as a bit different from the rest of the album, but it still made total sense – and it had one of my favourite choruses that they’ve ever written. Lyrically it was a little brash but somehow still constructive, and I found it weirdly positive. It’s definitely informed my approach to writing lyrics.

Connie Francis – ‘Who’s Sorry Now’

I first heard ‘Lipstick on your Collar’ and that really got me into her music. Then when I heard this, it felt like a beautiful ballad, but with a rock’n’roll undertone. It’s short and sharp, and both her vocals, the harmonies and the backing vocals all come together so cohesively. I really channeled this song in the bridge of ‘Gravity’. When we were recording the album, I was going to hard on the vibrato because I wanted to sound like her, and the guys had to get me to rein it in. She’s definitely got some of the best vibrato I’ve ever heard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9QEAtcz3o8

My Chemical Romance – ‘The Only Hope For Me Is You’ 

This is a weird one, because I don’t really like this album that much, but this song in particular has always stood out to me. It’s a huge stomping rock song and has one of the biggest choruses they’ve ever written, and if there’s one thing I love above all else, it’s big choruses. It also stuck out to me that it’s actually quite a plodding song, which I’ve always struggled to write. I generally gravitate towards fast songs, but with ‘Gravity’ I really wanted to rein that in and find a way of writing a massive chorus that was a bit slower. I remember seeing this live at Reading in 2011 (I think?), and it just sounded massive. That always stuck in my mind.

Ramones – ‘Danny Says’

It’s no secret that I’m a complete Ramones obsessive. I’ve been to the museum in Berlin a whole bunch, and I even met Arturo Vega by chance in NYC years ago before he passed away. They’re the greatest band of all time in my opinion. This song is on ‘End of the Century’, which is often seen as a misstep in their career, mostly I think because they worked with Phil Spector. But there are some really high points on this album and this song is one of them – I love the way it builds and Joey’s vocal performance is one of my favourites. There’s an undeniable romance in so many of their songs, and they channel all of the ’50s doo wop and bubblegum bands that I love. They were a catalyst for me falling in love with that era of music, and everything I’ve ever written, or ever will write, will be influenced by them in some way.

Danny and the Juniors – ‘Sometimes’

This one was a toss up between this song and ‘A Thousand Miles Away’, because they’re two of Danny and the Juniors’ best ballads in my opinion. The harmonies in this one are just the best, though. Back in the golden days of rock’n’roll, if you wanted to make a song bigger and fuller, adding harmonies was one of your only options, because recording was still so rudimentary. Harmonies are such a bit part of the Miss Vincent sound, so when I hear good harmonies it really makes a song stand out for me. There’s a beautiful, melancholy romance to this song, and lyrically I think it had an impact on ‘Gravity’ – especially in the bridge.

The Gaslight Anthem – ‘1,000 Years’

I’m in a minority of Gaslight fans because I unashamedly love this album to death. It’s raw, understated and incredibly vulnerable. When I first heard this song, it got to the line, “I heard about a woman once, who did everything ever asked of her. She died last week and her last words were ‘it wasn’t worth it’” and all of the hairs on my body stood up. The chorus is so uplifting, yet somehow so melancholy. Brian Fallon’s way with words is inimitable, but it’s certainly had an impact on me.

Miss Vincent’s debut album, ‘A Funeral For Youth’, is out September 17th via Silent Cult and available for pre-order here.

With the rise of streaming, the 2010s have seen the subtle merging of genres, making what might be the most interesting decade for alternative music yet. With that in mind – and with a lot of difficulty narrowing down the potential candidates – the Punktastic team have taken a look back over the past decade and picked our favourite albums of the era.

Check it out. The most unmissable albums of the decade according to Punktastic.

Don’t forget to read our Bands Of The Decade and Bands Of The Next Decade articles.

Oathbreaker – ‘Rheia’ (2016)

Oathbreaker’s 2016 opus ‘Rheia’ would turn out to be the last thing they released before an as-yet unfinished hiatus, but good lord did they leave us on a high point. The Belgian quartet, headed up by the captivating and enigmatic Caro Tanghe, served up a bewildering and gut-wrenching slab of post-black metal delivered with all the fury and indignation associated with the hardcore and punk scenes in which they cut their teeth. The one-two punch of ’10:56′ into ‘Second Son of R’ is one of the most impactful openers in alternative music history, soaring from sombre serenity into unbridled panic with very little warning, and the rest of the album that follows is stellar right up to the last gasp. The band recently teased a comeback with a single released through Adult Swim, so hopefully it won’t be long before we see a proper follow up to this breathtaking album. LIAM KNOWLES [LK]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: Second Son of R, Needles In Your Skin, Immortals

Rolo Tomassi – ‘Time Will Die And Love Will Bury It’ (2018)

To say that Rolo Tomassi have undergone a transformation over the years is somewhat of an understatement. From their beginnings as mathcore synth-heavy makers of noise, they’ve slowly but surely refined their craft into what it is today, creating moody and flowing sonic soundscapes that have the power to both summon demons and slay them. Their 2018 record ‘Time Will Die And Love Will Bury It’ is a masterpiece, not just setting a career high bar for their own discography but hugely raising it for all of their peers, too. It’s one of those albums that begs to be listened to from beginning to end in order to fully appreciate the sheer beauty of the ebb and flow of the album. From the black metal-tinged onslaught of ‘Rituals’ to the soaring epic walls of tone in ‘A Flood Of Light’, the record masterfully drifts in and out of the aggression and the serenity like child’s play, taking you on an intense and often magical journey through musical genius. This isn’t just one of the best records of 2018 – it’s one of the best of the entire decade. Simply extraordinary. DAVE STEWART [DS]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: The Hollow Hour, Rituals, A Flood Of Light

The Dillinger Escape Plan – ‘Dissociation’ (2016)

The influence that The Dillinger Escape Plan has had on extreme music is entirely undeniable. They established themselves as rule breakers and equipment breakers from a very early stage, stunning audiences and panicking venue owners all over the world with their unmistakable brand of chaotic, raw and mind-bending noise. They started out as a band doing things differently and became legends over time, every album release further cementing their legacy. ‘Dissociation’ was their final record, marking 20 years of the bands existence and putting a heavy and definitive bookmark at the end of their phenomenal career. From the white knuckle rollercoaster of ‘Limerent Death’ and the shrilled stabs of ‘Honeysuckle’ to the subtle and serene title track, and the bipolar mind bender ‘Surrogate’, it rounds off their career in the best way possible. It not only shows how much they grew as musicians over the course of their career, but it also effortlessly showcases that they’re still very much in touch with their roots and haven’t lost a shred of the unpredictability that brought them to everyone’s attention in the first place. A frenzied, intense and poignant final note for one of the most unique bands of this generation. [DS]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: Limerent Death, Symptom Of Terminal Illness, Honeysuckle

The Heavy – ‘The Glorious Dead’ (2012)

Combining hard-rock and soul, on paper, sounds awful and it would be, had the quartet from Somerset not spent the past five years perfecting it. Despite not being a metal album, The Heavy deliver just that with their third album – a weighty fusion of genres that is as unpredictable as it is enjoyable. Samples from old grindhouse horror in ‘Can’t Play Dead’, wailing backup vocals mixed with teeth-chattering percussion in ‘Same Ol’’, and the kind of riffs that reverberate in your chest on ‘What Makes a Good Man’ make for the kind of album that feels all over the place, but whose core ideas connect ten energetic tracks into something truly pulse-pounding. It’s bluesy, it’s pompous, but somehow also wonderfully self-reflective and introspective when it wants to be. It’s a style no band has been able to replicate, and it remains The Heavy’s magnum opus seven years on, an unmissable sound of the decade. FIACHRA JOHNSTON [FJ]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: What Makes A Good Man?, Same Ol’, Curse Me Good

Idles – ‘Joy As An Act Of Resistance’ (2018)

This doesn’t need explaining. It’s not often a punk album gets nominated for a Mercury Award but that’s exactly what happened with Idles sophomore album ‘Joy As An Act Of Resistance’. Politically charged from the outset, it contains all the cynicism from their debut ‘Brutalism’ and even more societal observations. What it adds in spade is singsong choruses. The likes of ‘Danny Nedelko’ and ‘Samaritans’ offer stunningly visceral social observations but contain choruses you can picture arena sized crowds screaming, while ‘Never Fight A Man With A Perm’ has the perfect combination of wit and venom, not to mention some feet stomping rhythms. It wasn’t really considered for our Album Of The Year in 2018 but it should have been. And it should have won. ANDY JOICE [AJ]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: Never Fight A Man With A Perm, I’m Scum, Danny Nedelko

Gojira – ‘Magma’ (2016)

Nobody, not even the most determined of metalheads, could make a case for technical progressive metal being the most accessible of genres. Although popular in its own way, it has always felt like something that will remain more of a niche sound – that is, until Gojira came along. The band have been masters of their craft since their beginnings nearly 20 years ago, but 2016’s ‘Magma’ is their true piece de resistance. Brimming with gut churning heaviness and an introspective darkness, there is tremendous pain reflected in many places – driven by brothers Mario and Joe DuPlantier losing their mother – building in phenomenally powerful layers, topped by Joe DuPlantier’s haunting vocal performance. It offers a more ‘radio-friendly’ version of their progressive metal, if radio-friendly could ever be the right word for such a crushing sound; with beautifully constructed riffs and melodies, it’s only right that this was the album to elevate this magnificent band to festival headliners. Quite frankly, we don’t deserve metal this good – but boy are we glad we’ve got it. GEM ROGERS [GR]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: Silvera, Stranded

The Hotelier – ‘Home, Like Noplace Is There’ (2014)

Unrelenting in its voice of despair, tragedy, reminiscence, pain and its desperate attempts to heal, ‘Home, Like Noplace Is There’ is framed by the frantic, yet poetic, lyricism of Christian Holden, begging you to sit up and listen. The anguish of their cries throughout the record, from the “So if I call / Should I beg? / Because I’m desperate here” in ‘An Introduction To The Album’ to the “I felt weaker when I bent, beaten to the end / Folding on myself, too damaged to mend” in ‘Discomfort Revisited’, are almost too uncomfortably raw to intrude upon, yet leave listeners unable to look away from what is about to unfold.

From the one-two punch of scrappy punk in ’The Scope Of All This Rebuilding’ to the almost-ethereal ‘Housebroken’, ‘Home..’ is masterfully paced from start to finish, always knowing when to pause when it seems like everything is about to implode. Whilst conveying various mental health crises masked in upsettingly close to the bone metaphors, the Hotelier also succeed in making a record that broaches topics such as gender dysphoria, the systemic failures of the state, and police brutality. ‘Home…’ also nods to long-term fans of the band with subtle references to their earlier material in ‘An Introduction’ (“we are all alone” / “Grab a hold, I know I said to not”) and in particular in ‘Discomfort Revisited’, borrowing the first verse and melodies of ‘Southern Discomfort’. The Hotelier’s growth as artists and the evolution of their songwriting on ‘Home…’ is never more apparent than on these two songs. The infinite looping of the traumas of life are alluded to in the album’s final moments as a guitar reprises the beginning notes of ‘An Introduction…’; the album beginning exactly as it started. ‘Home…’ offers listeners no salvation, but serves as a reminder that you too can weather the extreme storms life can sometimes bring and make it through to tell your story. ROMY GREGORY [RG]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: An Introduction To The Album, Your Deep Rest, Dendron

Arcane Roots – ‘Left Fire’ (2012)

Realistically, any one of Arcane Roots’ three albums could easily have made this list. Picking one is like choosing your favourite puppy from the litter of labradors next door, but this time, it falls to the trio’s 2012 debut ‘Left Fire’. Clocking in at just 33 minutes, it was nevertheless a fearsome display of their capabilities; the intense technicality, the irresistible frenetic energy, the harmonies that swell like the ocean on a stormy day… It’s the perfect album to lose yourself in completely and utterly, and despite its musical complexity never feels inaccessible or overdone. Such was the genius of Arcane Roots, who sadly called it a day in 2018 – but not, at least, before leaving us with this slice of perfection to enjoy forever. [GR]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: You Are, Habibty – Extended, Rouen

Twin Atlantic – ‘Free’ (2011)

It’s so rare to find an album where every single track hits home in some way. This might not be the case for everyone when they listen to ‘Free’, in fact, for many it’s probably not – the harsh Scottish accent I understand might be too much for some – but for me, since the very first time I listened through, I knew this record would be with me for a long time. Now it’s the end of the decade and ‘Wonder Sleeps Here’, ‘Yes, I Was Drunk’ and ‘Serious Underground Dance Vibes’ are still three of my top favourite songs… pretty much ever.

With this record there are memories of dark winter nights, first loves, and a feeling of belonging. ‘Free’ has a song for falling both in and out of love, offering a warm hug through the latter. It has a song for when you’re angry and need to shout it from the rooftops. It has a song for when you’ve never felt happily and a song for when you finally learn to love yourself. As the album title suggests, it takes you on a journey following which you will undoubtedly come out the other side feeling a sense of liberation.

Free’ is not just one of the best rock albums of this decade, but to me, at least, it’s one of the best rock albums of all time. To create something that builds memories for your fans is a powerful thing, and Twin Atlantic have proven on more than one occasion that they have the ability to do this, though never more so than with ‘Free’. YASMIN BROWN [ YB]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: Wonder Sleeps Here, Yes, I Was Drunk, Serious Underground Dance Vibes

twenty one pilots – ‘Vessel’ (2013)

“The sun will rise and we will try again”, sings frontman Tyler Joseph at the start of closing track ‘Truce’. It’s a simple yet powerful phrase that six years later still holds as much weight as it did upon the release of the band’s third album ‘Vessel’ back in 2013. This line alone encompasses everything that this record stands to achieve. It’s comforting and supportive. It acknowledges pain but equally it acknowledges our ability to push through it without belittling the stark reality of depression that many of us have faced over the course of our lives.

The reason so many of us can relate to twenty one pilots – and to ‘Vessel’ in particular – is their uninhibited approach to topics that were, upon its release, still massively stigmatised in mainstream music. To talk so openly (albeit through the use of metaphors) about self-harm and suicidal ideation was, and still is to an extent, brave. It’s something so many of us experience on a daily basis and yet we feel alone in that because so few of our idols have addressed it. That’s why when ‘Vessel’ was released, those who experienced these thoughts, feelings and urges finally felt a little more understood, and through that, many could hope to heal, too.

‘Vessel’ came before tøp hit arenas; they had little expectation in terms of who this record might reach, and yet the lives of those it did reach were made so significantly better for the songs that live within its confines. Whatever you may think of twenty one pilots now, ‘Vessel’ has been one of the most important records of this decade for the band’s fans, and that’s something no one can deny. [YB]

NOTABLE TRACKS: Holding Onto You, Guns for Hands, Truce, Screen

Boston Manor – ‘Welcome To The Neighbourhood’ (2018)

As twenty-something year olds living through the turn of another decade, there’s a lot we’ve experienced in our lives. Society has changed monumentally since we were kids, and politics are more polarising than ever. Millennials are so riled up about some things, yet so apathetic about others, and it’s hard to articulate how we feel and why we feel it.

Boston Manor have somehow perfectly tapped into this total confusion with their sophomore album, Welcome to the Neighbourhood, building on a fictional world that’s based on our stark, painful reality, and telling a story from within it. This album is a message from peer to peer, highlighting issues to the point that makes you want to do something about it. It’s angry and passionate because we are angry and passionate, and it’s impactful for the exact reason that there’s no bullshit here. It’s an album that tells it like it is, and as you make your way through each flawless track, you find yourself wanting to make a difference.

As someone in my late-twenties – someone that, along with others my age, often gets reduced to “Ugh, millennials” – this record leaves me feeling empowered enough to go out there and do something. Anything at all. Released in 2018 it’s a late arrival in the running for most important album of the decade, but there’s no doubt that it absolutely deserves a spot on this list. [YB]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: Halo, The Day I Ruined Your Life, Flowers in Your Dustbin, If I Can’t Have it No One Can

Fucked Up – ‘Glass Boys’ (2014)

‘David Comes to Life’ (2011) may have fared better commercially and ‘Dose Your Dreams’ (2018) may have been more critically acclaimed, but for Fucked Up fans missing the tightness of the band’s early singles, ‘Glass Boys’ (2014) was the band’s best album of the 2010s. Whilst the Toronto sextet said they wanted to do away with the concept album and rock opera tendencies of their second and third albums, what they delivered was an autobiographical concept record about their own anxieties over having potentially become thirty-something sellouts. The guitars lost the overly radio-friendly sheen that producer Shane Stoneback brought to them on ‘David…’ and each song featured four (count them!) drum tracks. Highlights included ‘Sun Glass’, ‘Paper the House’, and the poignant title track. ‘Glass Boys’ was a moving meditation on the tension between youthful ideals and adulthood’s commercial imperatives, whose songs are now sadly eschewed from Fucked Up’s live sets. GREG HYDE [GH]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: Sun Glass, Paper the House, Glass Boys

The Rocket Summer – Zoetic (2016)

On his sixth studio full length, The Rocket Summer – aka multi-instrumentalist Bryce Avary – changed the formula. Injecting these eleven tracks with a more electric, dark vibe resulted in something completely unexpected from the man more known for his gentle, acoustic sound, but one thing is key – the heartfelt familiarity and beauty of his lyrics remains, and ultimately, it all comes together for some of the greatest work of his career so far. Avary’s words are at times the most comforting of embraces, or at others, a steady hand of support, dancing through this often energetic and always vibrant release; from the echoing harmonies of ‘Help Me Out’ to the truly gorgeous pop chorus of ‘FL, CA’, this is an album that quickly finds itself embedded in the heart and soul, offering a boost of life to anyone in need. Avary is an artist who has continued to grow and shine through the last decade, and we can’t wait to see what the next one has in store. [GR]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: You Are, You Are, Help Me Out, FL, CA

La Dispute – ”Rooms Of The House’ (2014)

La Dispute released three albums in the 2010s and although ‘Wildlife’ (2011) remains the one most well-liked by die-hard fans, the band’s most accomplished storytelling and musicianship featured in ‘Rooms of the House’ (2014). The album portrayed the downward trajectory of a young, blue-collar, Midwestern couple’s relationship from the viewpoint of their household objects. It cut between various points before, during, and after their break-up across a timeline spanning 1956 to 2009. Frontman Jordan Dreyer’s delivery made you really want things to work out for the couple, but there was a constant sense of doom underpinning a narrative played out across an unforgiving economic landscape where job opportunities were few and alcohol addictions were cheaper alternatives to cocaine habits. Despite the epic timeline, the domestic setting leant a feeling of intimacy to the songs that was lacking from the almost as great ‘Panorama’ (2019). [GH]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: First Reactions After Falling Through the Ice, Scenes From Highways 1981 – 2009, For Mayor in Splitsville, Extraordinary Dinner Party

Oxbow – ‘Thin Black Duke’ (2017)

The only album of this decade from the veteran San Francisco avant-gardists comprised eight songs depicting the inner torment and external confrontations faced by the titular duke (possibly an alter ego of preceding Oxbow album ‘The Narcotic Story’ (2007)’s protagonist Frank Johnson). Inaccurate comparisons to Faith No More were made in reviews that discussed the album’s sound upon its release, with one far more shrewd online comment saying it sounded like The Jesus Lizard playing Bond themes. Either way, the album took listeners on a disturbing narrative journey from catchy single ‘Cold & Well-Lit Place’ (which gained the band BBC airplay) through to the Jean-Paul Sartre-alluding ‘Other People’ and devastating closer ‘The Finished Line’. It may be less abrasive than albums like ‘Fuckfest’ (1989) and ‘King of the Jews’ (1991) but the songwriting displays a maturity and world-weariness that those works lacked. ‘Thin Black Duke’ remains Oxbow’s most profound, satisfying, and multi-layered album yet. [GH]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: Cold & Well-Lit Place, Other People, The Finished Line

Touché Amoré – ‘Stage Four’ (2016)

‘Stage Four’ (2016) is the most moving album of Touché Amoré’s career and was one the best albums of 2016, dealing as it did with the death of front man Jeremy Bolm’s mother from cancer. The songs dealt with the various stages of grief in an admirably honest way, from the regret over various things left unsaid to a deceased loved one in ‘Flowers and You’ and ‘Palm Dreams’, to a bereaved atheist’s acceptance that while there may be no afterlife, there may instead be a spirit world on ‘Skyscraper’. The elegiac sounds made by Nick Steinhardt’s and Clayton Stevens’s guitars bolstered the lyrical content considerably, with the Godspeed You! Black Emperor influences on the latter’s playing style in evidence here far more than ever before. ‘Stage Four’ remains one of the most touching albums ever made about grief, released in a year when its songs’ sadness seemed to reflect many accompanying political upheavals. [GH]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: Flowers and You, New Halloween, Palm Dreams, Water Damage

My Chemical Romance – ‘Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys’ (2010)

My Chemical Romance becoming the posterboys for modern emo came as little surprise to anyone – they wore their eye liner thick, clothes black, and wrote lyrics that dripped venom and sorrow in equal parts. With ‘Danger Days’, however, they took all the grandeur of glam rock – vocalist Gerard Way having previously cited Bowie as a massive influence in his life – and rolled it in the dirt of that first basement show they ever played. The result? Gritty punk rock with soaring choruses, glittery melodies and synthy accents that shattered the hinges of the broken and damned box they were put into to showcase a band capable of achieving a more uplifting sound. Not to say their lyrics became less introspective, but it shifted the spotlight to more positive aspects and wrapped it in storytelling and concept – all delivered in Gerard’s Billy Corgan-esque vocal. This album is fun, danceable and a true testament of what this band is capable of. RENETTE VAN DER MERWE [RVDM]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: Vampire Money, Party Poison, Planetary (GO!), Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)

Bring Me The Horizon – ‘Sempiternal’ (2013)

Regardless of how you might feel about Bring Me The Horizon post ‘That’s The Spirit’, it’s impossible to deny the impact of their 2013 album, ‘Sempiternal’. Not only was is released to critical acclaim, but it also won ‘Best Album’ at Alternative Press’s 2014 Awards and placed at no.11 on the Billboard charts – not bad for a band who had been ridiculed since their inception back in 2004. Regardless of its acolytes, ‘Sempiternal’ is a sonic masterpiece. It felt bigger than everything they’d done prior, hell, it felt bigger than what any other metalcore band was doing and it definitely felt like they’d gotten rid of the chip on their shoulder and fully embraced a sound that was their own. With the addition of electronic elements and more variety in Oliver Sykes’ vocals, the album felt ambient, cohesive, refreshing and, most importantly, accessible. ‘Sempiternal’ will no doubt go down in history alongside the best metal albums of our time. [RVDM]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: Sleepwalking, Shadow Moses, Can You Feel My Heart, And the Snakes Start to Sing

Microwave – ‘Death Is A Warm Blanket’ (2019)

Isn’t it something when a band transitions from one genre to another and does it really well? When Microwave left the uplifting melodies of ‘Stovall’ and ‘Much Love’ behind to dive into the brooding sound of their third album, ‘Death Is A Warm Blanket’, it resulted in what seemed like a totally different band. Yet, despite having embraced the dark side, it is still the same four guys from Atlanta who tell stories through their music, write clever lyrics and melodies with heart. Nathan Hardy’s vocal range remains impressive and his voice acts like a firefly, bright and illuminating against the moodiness and urgency of the instruments. ‘Death Is A Warm Blanket’ is not only sonically impressive and diverse – the intro to ‘Float to the Top’, as an example, has all the jazzy makings of a lounge song while they lean further into post-hardcore or grunge on other tracks – but it’s the album we need right now. The anger and hopelessness of an entire generation encapsulated in 10 tracks. [RVDM]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: Leather Daddy, Mirrors, Float to the Top, Part of It

Against Me! – ‘Transgender Dysphoria Blues’ (2014)

There are albums out there, occupying shelves in record stores or bytes on streaming platforms, that are all about lyrical content, and ‘Transgender Dysphoria Blues’ is one of those albums. It touches on vocalist Laura Jane Grace’s journey to where she is today, and the brutal honesty about her pain becomes a thing of beauty through her powerful storytelling. It’s wrapped in the punk rock beats, jangly guitars and anthemic structures we’ve come to adore from Against Me!, but ultimately ‘Transgender Dysphoria Blues’ is a stellar record because of the anger, the sorrow and the bravery of someone living with gender identity disorder. Laura Jane Grace, as one of the first transgender musicians in punk rock, is a bastion of light for anyone in the LGBTQ+ community and this album is her reaching hand to pick you up off the floor when you’ve fallen down – what the hell is more punk rock than that? [RVDM]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: Transgender Dysphoria Blues, Drinking With the Jocks, Paralytic States, Black Me Out

SWMRS – ‘Drive North’ (2016)

The first studio album under the new name from Californian rockers, SWMRS, but most certainly not the last. To me this album signifies the passion the band have to make a change. To most this was the first they heard of SWMRS and I believe it was a stand out album that is still being name dropped 3 years on. Each song on this album links well with the next which makes for easy listening every time. This album is a pinpoint within the bands’ career and is a testament to what they are capable of. KIRSTY FOX [KF]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: Harry Dean, Drive North, BRB, Palm Trees

Deaf Havana – ‘Old Souls’ (2013)

In perhaps one of the most surprising evolutions of the decade, Deaf Havana emerged in 2013 with their magnum opus (in this writers’ eyes) and unashamed tribute to the one and only Bruce Springsteen with ’Old Souls’. A far cry from their preceding album ‘Fools and Worthless Liars’, Deaf Havana embraced the expanded musicianship in their arsenal head on, creating an album resonant with dense orchestration, rich harmonies and expertly-crafted choruses. From the get-go with the barn-storming Americana of ‘Boston Square’, ‘Old Souls’ drips with tenderness throughout, due in no small part to James Veck-Gilodi’s heart-on-sleeve lyricism. With such poetically crafted lines such as “because I view my life through a telescope / that I built from a bottle and a slippery slope” in ‘Speeding Cars’, Veck-Gilodi’s self-deprecation woven throughout ‘Old Souls’ speaks directly to anyone who has tendencies to doubt themselves. Whilst not the most warmly received of Deaf Havana’s releases, particularly after the success of ‘Fools and Worthless Liars’, ‘Old Souls’ is perhaps the best, yet most criminally underrated, straight-up rock record from a British band in the decade. [RG]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: Everybody’s Dancing and I Want To Die, Speeding Cars, Kings Road Ghosts

Four Year Strong – ‘Enemy Of The World’ (2010)

If any album could possibly define summer, it’s surely this one. Coming in early in the decade to start things strong, Four Year Strong’s ‘Enemy Of The World’ was one hell of a sophomore release (covers album ‘Explains It All’ doesn’t count… sorry) for the band who blasted onto the pop punk ‘easycore’ scene three years earlier, and there’s not a single low point to be found on this lively and joyous 40 minute tour through the world of FYS. Within seconds of hitting play, it feels like being transported back to a happier time, when the only thing that mattered was friends and happiness – whether that time ever actually existed or not, the memories evoked are clear as day. Four Year Strong weren’t just about bright riffs and a punchy attitude, though, and their emotive lyrical strength shines on tracks like ‘One Step At A Time’. Then, of course, there’s the album artwork. The words you’re looking for to describe it are ‘majestic’ and ‘breathtaking’, just FYI. Made to be played loud and sung along to even louder, ‘Enemy Of The World’ defined an era of music, and it only takes a quick glance at the size of the jubilant crowds bellowing the words to ‘Wasting Time (Eternal Summer)’ at any festival to realise just how well loved this album is – and it deserves every scrap of it. [GR]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: Wasting Time (Eternal Summer), ‘One Step At A Time’, It Must Really Suck To Be Four Year Strong Right Now

It is the latest in Adult Swim’s TV show theme song cover series.

This follows Against Me!’s Record Store Day 7″ single ‘Stabitha Christie’/’First High of the Morning’, which was released earlier this year on Total Treble Music.

Joining the likes of Hot Water Music, Against Me!, Superchunk, Hum, Rainer Maria, The Movielife and more are the following bands:

Bigwig, Clownvis Presley, Mean Jeans, Crime in Stereo, Radon, Static Radio, Street Eaters, Sweet Cobra, Ducking Punches, The Apology Tour, Meatwound, Taking Meds, Young Ladies, Zeta, Edmonton, Protagonist, Life is a Vacuum, Gusto, OOF, Brown Palace, Consent, Flat Stanley, Loose Bearings, PYRE, Shakers, Widow and Children, and ARMS.

It will take place in Gainesville, Florida between October 27-29. All details and tickets can be found at the official Fest Website. Don’t forget that Pre-Fest will also take place in Little Ybor from the 25th to 26th October!

The Punktastic team headed down for the last date, held at the University of Hertfordshire in Hatfield, to see what went down.

Words: Jess Tagliani, Christopher Lee, Becky Mount / Photos: Penny Bennett

The Fireball Stage is a far from gentle reminder to never underestimate the popularity of ska. Not that we ever did, but it’s 2017 and people are still losing their mind the moment Goldfinger break into ‘Superman’. Can you blame them? Because, you know, that snare. And what’s great about the Fireball Stage is its unrelenting dedication to nostalgia. How else do you explain Fenix Tx opening with ‘Phoebe Cates’. It may have been 15 years since they first disbanded (and with only two full lengths under their belt) but the response is nothing short of impressive. It’s a short but sweet return for Fenix Tx but all is forgiven thanks to the sentimental singalongs that were absolutely the best way to start our weekend. [BM]

One of the first bands to kick off the festival on the Breakout Stage are Casey, and this quintet bring their own, unique brand of emotional poetry to the stage. It’s heart-wrenching to hear the strangled lyrics of ‘Little Bird’ but the meticulous and perfect guitar work offsets Tom Weaver’s plaintive cries, while the piano-led ‘Teeth’ is an incredibly dark and haunting track. [JT]

‘La Di Da’ is a shot of energy from VUKOVI; the adrenaline throughout this song is nothing short of incredible and intense. Janine is a natural front-woman – full of charm and wit, with bags of talent to boot. Her vocal range is fiery, complementing the thunderous riffs that are the driving force behind the likes of ‘Weirdo’. Bouncy and quirky, VUKOVI deliver a very fun set indeed. [JT]

In what is surely one of the most chaotic performances of the weekend, Japanese metal crew, Crossfaith, bring with them an unparalleled energy. From the first minute to the last, their furious set is matched by the huge crowd who have come to bear witness to these crazy but insanely talented musicians and to lose their minds along with them. Frontman Kenya Koie almost commands the crowd through their set as each track comes and goes to a backdrop of mosh pits and jumping, but the highlights come in the shape of Beartooth’s Caleb Shomo joining the guys on stage for a rendition of ‘Ghost In The Mirror’. The place descends into chaos as they power through an expert cover of The Prodigy’s ‘Omen’, much to the delight of all here. It may only be a short but sweet set, but Crossfaith have done what they do best and delivered 35 minutes of pure electricity. [CL]

He’s a legend in his own right, and John Feldmann did well to put to rest any thoughts about the future of Goldfinger. Their 45 minute set is fit to burst with the hits, so to speak, and yes that does include two covers. Not many bands could get away with it yet they slot in perfectly with the almost-exhausting energy of the band and act as a little sweetener to the inevitable (but welcome) anti-Trump rhetoric. There’s a reason Goldfinger have been around since the dawn of time. [BM]

In the most emotional performance of the day, We Are The Ocean return to Slam Dunk for not only the final time but alas, the last time they will ever grace a stage anywhere ever and from the outset the Essex lads give us a glimpse of just what we’ll be missing out on once they’re gone. Much to the delight of everyone, the masses have turned out to see them off and are given a treat as frontman Liam Cromby’s vocals are as exquisite as ever as they roll back the years with a career spanning set full of fan favourites. There’s even time for festival organiser Ben Ray to make an appearance on stage to deliver a trophy to the guys for being the band to hold the record for most appearances at Slam Dunk. As the final ever set draws to a close with a powerful rendition of ‘Nothing Good Has Happened Yet’ there isn’t a dry eye on stage or in the crowd. Thank you for the memories We Are The Ocean, we are in your debt. [CL]

Reel Big Fish. Not a lot more needs saying, really, you already know where this is going. The heavens open for the first time this weekend but no amount of rain can stop the Hawaiian shirts or brass section. They’re certified Slam Dunk veterans and yes, it’s a tried and tested formula of ‘Beer’, ‘Everyone Else Is An Asshole’ and high tempo covers (an unofficial ska rule, apparently) but it’s infectious and it’s fun and that’s what we’re here for. [BM]

Blackpool’s finest, Boston Manor, up the ante on the Key Club Stage with their raw and emotional pop-punk. Huge sing-alongs can be heard throughout the room as the likes of ‘Lead Feet’ reverberate around the walls. These guys know how to do slick riffs and awe-inspiring drum work – each track is absolutely huge. Boston Manor’s slot on this stage is incredibly well-deserved and it wouldn’t be at all surprising if they were bumped up onto the Main Stage in the very near future. [JT]

London rockers, Counterfeit, make their debut at Slam Dunk and they’ve arrived with one goal and one goal only; tear the Impericon stage a new one. Save for a section in the middle, the packed room take a song or two to get into their rhythm but once there they let loose as do the band. If you’ve ever seen Counterfeit before you’ll know that they very rarely confine themselves to the stage and today is no different. Smashing through their set with a raw energy that has earned them an army of fans and set them apart from their peers, the new kids on the block more than prove their worth. There’s barely a second to breath during their 35 minutes which is filled with tracks from their recent debut album ‘Together We Are Stronger’ which concludes with a topless Jamie Bower performing in the middle of the crowd surrounded by their fans. Counterfeit have cleared yet another hurdle on their quest to become on of the UK’s premier rock bands. [CL]

Norfolk rockers Deaf Havana return to play a monumental set on the main stage this year. Having released arguably their best material to date with their new album, ‘All These Countless Nights’. And true to form they power through no less than seven tracks from it during the course of their set. Who could blame them though; this album has seen them become one of the UK’s premier rock bands and fortunately for the packed crowd at the main stage they’ve got the skills to expertly deliver an equally exceptional live set. Vocalist and Guitar player extraordinaire, James Veck-Gilodi, has a way of capturing your attention with his harmonies that seem to penetrate deep into the soul. With every single member of the crowd singing along at every given opportunity, few in attendance will be forgetting this set for a long time. [CL]

Every time Turnover take to the stage, it’s easy to forget it’s only been four years since they dropped their debut full length. With their sound having evolved fairly quickly, it’s no wonder that the majority of their (brief) set is lifted from ‘Peripheral Vision’ but are we complaining? No. Everything still sounds just as hazy and just as beautiful as it did two years ago when we first heard it. Sure, that post-punk, shoegazer tag is thrown a lot these days but Turnover show that even in the confines of an oversubscribed subgenre they shine brighter than most. [BM]

On the Jagermeister Main Stage, Bury Tomorrow crush speed and aggression together to bring tunes such as ‘Earthbound’ to the festival. It’s always a welcome sight to see this utterly brilliant quintet grace the stage at Slam Dunk and this year is no different. ‘Sceptres’ burns with power, and the vocal interplay between Dani Winter-Bates and Jason Cameron is jaw-dropping. One of the best and brightest metal bands of the UK scene, Bury Tomorrow have brought the party today. [JT]

Having recently signed to Rise Records and finished recording their debut album, The Gospel Youth have set about capturing the hearts and minds of the rock community. To their credit they’ve taken this new chapter in their stride and seem to feed on the love that they receive from their adoring fans. Sub headlining the Breakout stage is a perfect fit for the guys as the self proclaimed kings of sadness & sassiest fill up the room easily, there’s even a number of people unable to get in which while it may suck for them is testament to just how good these guys are. Sam Little’s rasping vocals are undoubtedly a major factor for this however his ability to deliver them with finesse coupled with their lyrics that touch on the vulnerabilities of the human race are something some bands out there could only dream of creating. They now swap England for the United States as they spend the summer on the warped tour but we certainly can’t wait for them to get back and treat us to another emotionally charged set. [CL]

Two albums into a post-My Chem world, Frank Iero and The Patience take to the Signature Brew stage as part of a line up so continuously great, we’re not sure how we managed to venture to other stages. And their set is everything you’d want it to be; it’s honest and heartfelt whilst still feeling raucous with more than enough punk undertones that it almost make you forget the seminal subject matter of each and every song. It’s a raw, cathartic performance that gets us more than excited to see what Frank is going to get up to next. [BM]

The Uprawr stage offers a little respite for the afternoon, with an annual dedication to some of the best acoustic acts around. With the likes of The Lion and The Wolf and Grumble Bee onboard, it’s a shame that this absolute gem of a stage wraps up around 5pm but luckily the stellar line up helps to ease the pain. [BM]

Beartooth’s set is absolute carnage from start to end; bodies are flying and mosh pits are opening up left, right and centre. Visceral energy shines through during ‘Fairweather Friend’ and creates an earth-shaking atmosphere, full of blistering riffs, thunderous drum work and brutally raw vocals from Caleb Shomo. Stepping up onto the Main Stage for this year’s Slam Dunk was a well-deserved effort for Beartooth, especially as they suit this stage very, very well. [JT]

While frontman Vinnie Caruana is certainly no stranger to Slam Dunk, having played a number of times over recent years in one form or the other, The Movielife are certainly an exception to this having not played a UK festival since Reading & Leeds way back in 2003. What with the band being on hiatus for such a long period of time it might come as no surprise that there unfortunately isn’t a huge turn out for the guys. It’s also not helped by their stage time clashing with with a number of other bands such as Don Broco, Less Than Jake and The Bronx. To their credit however Vinnie, Brendan & co put on an expert set for the fans that have made the effort to be there. Huge hits such as ‘Hand Grenade’ and ‘Jamestown’ go down with the rapture they deserve and with a new album due later this year this was just the thing the guys needed to ease their way back into the swing of things. Let’s hope we get to see The Movielife back again soon. [CL]

You’d think making all our early 2000 dreams come true by announcing a fully fledged comeback would be enough for The Movielife, but apparently not; both frontman Vinnie Caruana and guitarist Brandon Reilly treat us to acoustic sets. With setlists boasting tracks from their solo endeavours – I Am The Avalanche and Nightmare Of You, respectively – the term side project feels more than a little inappropriate. Both veterans in their own rights, the likes of ‘Green Eyes’, ‘Dear Scene, I Wish I Were Dead’ and ‘Brooklyn Dodgers’ translate just as well as any full band set and it serves as a nice reminder of just how much the scene owes to The Movielife, whatever band and whichever way you want to look at it. [BM]

Slam Dunk are hosting many nostalgic bands this year and Madina Lake are among them. Their emo anthems, such as ‘In Another Life’ and ‘Adalia’, sees the room bring transported back to 2007 when this band first burst onto the scene. It’s a set full of nostalgia, strengthened by their tight musicianship, beautiful harmonies and melodic hooks, and is a set that really tugs on the heartstrings. [JT]

Headlining the Signature Brew stage are Gainesville punk band Against Me! Whilst the band do have a huge following it was always going to be difficult to draw in a huge crowd with Enter Shikari stealing the show on the main stage, but Laura Jane Grace & co mean business and they quickly set about putting on one hell of a show. Using their hour set to it’s fullest they play through no less than 17 tracks including hits ‘True Trans Soul Rebel’, ‘Transgender Dysphoria Blues’ and finishing on an incredible rendition of ‘Black me Out’ that sees every single member of the crowd singing at the top of their lungs.

It’s almost as if every song is perfectly fitted to be lived through by band and fans alike in a festival environment. The connection between the two is magnetic as the band feed of the crowd’s energy and vice versa creating an atmosphere that gives you goosebumps. They may not command the huge crowd that the spectacle and lasers of the main stage, but the more intimate setting is the perfect way to witness Against Me! [CL]

The festival has saved the best for last in the form of Enter Shikari, and do they deliver a jaw-dropping set or what! Packed with anthems old and new, Enter Shikari take the crowd on a whirlwind and emotional trip down memory lane, from ‘Take to the Skies’ right up to ‘The Mindsweep’. Pulsing synths, crashing drum work and slick riffs come together in the form of ‘The Last Garrison’, whilst the nostalgia is dialled up during the likes of ‘Sorry, You’re Not a Winner’ and ‘Mothership’.
However, the group also use their time to pay tribute to those who died in the Manchester attacks, just a week beforehand, with a touching rendition of ‘Half the World Away’, which is bittersweet and unites the crowd, reminding each and every person that music brings people from every different walk of life together.

The quartet also use their stage time to talk about the upcoming election. Never one to shy away from politics, frontman Rou Reynolds is bold and impassioned as he delivers a motivational speech, asking the young people in the crowd to turn out for the election as “we have the chance to make a change.” This small but powerful speech ignites a fire in the belly of the crowd and sees Enter Shikari carry on rolling through their monster set, whipping everyone up into a frenzy with their adrenaline-fuelled anthems ‘Juggernauts’ and ‘Anaesthetist’.

Signing off with ‘Ok, Time for Plan B’, Enter Shikari close another very successful Slam Dunk and, as people start leaving the grounds in droves, there’s hope written on the faces of every person who was able to witness their powerful set. [JT]

Joining the likes of Hot Water Music, Against Me!, Hum, Rainer Maria, Snapcase and more are the following bands:

Superchunk, Pegboy, The Movielife, Grade, City of Caterpillar, Majority Rule, You Blew It, Career Suicide, Chris Gethard, Able Baker Fox, toyGuitar, Apologies, I Have None, Rozwell Kid, Into It. Over It., Banner Pilot, No Trigger, MC Lars, Cadillac Blindside, Squirtgun, MakeWar, Great Cynics, Wild Pink, Sundressed, Worriers, Western Addiction, Tiltwheel, Timeshares, Walter, Etc., Whiskey & Co., Katie Ellen, UV-TV, Wet Nurse, Joe McMahon, The Dirty Nil, The Atom Age, Bad Cop / Bad Cop, Astpai, Pet Symmetry, Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires, Vacation Bible School, Shellshag, Extinction A.D., Such Gold, Sunshine State, Deadaires, Baggage, Decent Criminal, Honey Joy, Adult Magic, Pacemaker, Gender Roles, Post Teens, Sciatic Nerve, Too Many Daves, Aaron Rev (Success), Dredger, Andy Thomas’ Dust Heart, Boyfriend Material, Army Of Ponch, Thin Lips, Blood on the Harp, The Duppies, Lauren Denitzio, Attic Salt, SteveO and the Crippling Addictions, Debt Neglector, Nervous Triggers, Insignificant Other, Anna’s Anchor, Rational Anthem, Pale Angels, James Alex (Weston/ Beach Slang), Bat Boy, Chotto Ghetto, Sic Waiting, I Like Allie, Seth Anderson, Yotam Ben Horin (Useless ID), Old Vices, Telepathic Lines, Heat Rash, Soul Glo, Frigs, Allout Helter, Notches, Winded, Shells, Bitemarks, Divine Feed, Sandspur City, Ceramicats, Woolbright, Alumine, Quinn Cicala, Orbiter, Walt Hamburger, Gutless, and Crit!

It will take place in Gainesville, Florida between October 27-29. All details and tickets can be found at the official Fest Website. Don’t forget that Pre-Fest will also take place in Little Ybor from the 25th to 26th October!

They join the stacked line up that includes Enter Shikari, who will perform ‘Take To The Skies’ in full, Don Broco, Bowling For Soup, Less Than Jake, Reel Big Fish, We The Kings, Cute Is What We Aim For, Beartooth, Tonight Alive, Against Me!, The Bronx, Goldfinger, Mad Caddies, The Movielife, Trophy Eyes, Like Pacific, Neck Deep, Citizen, Turnover, Deaf Havana, Frank Iero and The Patience, We Are The Ocean, The Maine, Crime In Stereo, Sorority Noise, Too Close To Touch, Seaway, WSTR, Boston Manor, and Stray From The Path  Set It Off, Memphis May Fire, I Prevail, Ice Nine Kills, Oceans Ate Alaska, Crossfaith, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, Waterparks, With Confidence, Milk Teeth, Black Foxxes, Decade, Counterfeit., Fort Hope, SHVPES, Puppy,The Gospel Youth, Ocean Grove, Vukovi, Area 11, Sylar, Homebound, Casey, Makeout, and more.

The festival will take place at three dates across the May Bank Holiday weekend, and the dates for the event’s are below.

Slam Dunk Festival south has now sold out but tickets for the remaining dates are on sale now from the official Slam Dunk website.

May
27 BIRMINGHAM NEC
28 LEEDS City Centre
29 HATFIELD The Forum

The names include Against Me! performing ‘Reinventing Axl Rose’ in full, Hot Water Music, Hum, Rainer Maria, Snapcase, 88 Fingers Louie, Beach Slang, Nervus, Meat Wave, Spanish Love Songs, and dozen’s more.

It will take place in Gainesville, Florida between October 27-29, and tickets go on sale April 28. All details can be found at the official Fest Webiste.

The stacked line up includes Enter Shikari, who will perform ‘Take To The Skies’ in full, Don Broco, Bowling For Soup, Less Than Jake, Reel Big Fish, We The Kings, Cute Is What We Aim For, Beartooth, Tonight Alive, Against Me!, The Bronx, Goldfinger, Mad Caddies, The Movielife, Trophy Eyes, Like Pacific, Neck Deep, Citizen, Turnover, Deaf Havana, Frank Iero and The Patience, We Are The Ocean, The Maine, Crime In Stereo, Sorority Noise, Too Close To Touch, Seaway, WSTR, Boston Manor, and Stray From The Path  Set It Off, Memphis May Fire, I Prevail, Ice Nine Kills, Oceans Ate Alaska, Crossfaith, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, Waterparks, With Confidence, Milk Teeth, Black Foxxes, Decade, Counterfeit., Fort Hope, SHVPES, Puppy,The Gospel Youth, Ocean Grove, Vukovi, Area 11, Sylar, Homebound, Casey, Makeout, and more.

The festival will take place at three dates across the May Bank Holiday weekend, and the dates for the event’s are below.

Slam Dunk Festival south has now sold out but tickets for the remaining dates are on sale now from the official Slam Dunk website.

May
27 BIRMINGHAM NEC
28 LEEDS City Centre
29 HATFIELD The Forum