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]

Three more bands have been added to the already impressive Slam Dunk lineup this year which takes place in three locations in the Midlands, the South and the North over the May bank holiday between the 27th and 29th.

And they are:

Zebrahead;

The Ataris;

Fenix TX.

The full lineup as well as ticket information can be found over at the Slam Dunk site.

It will be released on September 30th via Cyber Tracks, and serves as the bands first new material in 15 years. It follows their 2002 album, ‘Lechuza’, which spawned the singles ‘Phoebe Cates’ and ‘Threesome’.

‘CRE.EP’ is available to pre-order now, and comes with an instant download of one of the tracks.

More than twenty acts have been added to the bill, joining the previously confirmed Underoath, New Found Glory, Bayside, State Champs, Neck Deep, Real Friends and many more.

In among the latest additions are Dance Gavin Dance, Silverstein, Fenix TX and Capsize, to name just a few.

The full-line up, with Citizen, Knuckle Puck, Turnover, Hotel Books, Major League, Milk Teeth, Sorority Noise, Monuments, Beartooth, Chunk! No, Captain Chunk!, ’68 etc. is available to view over on the So What?! website.

Looks like it’s time to look into flights to Texas…

It’s been reported that a few days ago Will Salazar from Fenix TX suffered a stroke – and now recovering, he is left with the legacy of that, along with the usual hefty American health care bill. With this in mind, his band mates have set up a pledge fund to help him raise the cash for his medical bills. All the information is on http://www.gofundme.com/willsalazar.

PT would like to wish Will the speediest and easiest of recoveries possible.

Fenix TX Facebook

Kicking off their set wih ‘VCG3’ you can sense the intensity RxB put into their live performances. With the crowd strangely subdued [probably because they haven’t heard of RxB before] the band launched into a frenzied throng, catapulting themselves around the stage with reckless abandon. With new record ‘Progress’ a bit of a difficult one to get into, the band played the more obvious songs during their 25 minute set. ‘Analog Boy’ has a cool organ intro, and when RxB really go crazy they certainly pull it off. But when the chorus kicks in, the band go through ten shades of mental, really hammerimng their instruments with all the intensity of a hardcore band. To say RxB give 110% would be an understatement. Trombonist Rich Balling plays air guitar with his instrument, and vocalist/guitarist Matt Embree flings himself around like a man possessed. And when he wants to, his voice borders on hardcore territory.

Clearly pissed off that the kids aren’t getting into it, Matt decides to tell them to jump and get their groove on, and by the time they play ‘All The Time’, perhaps the poppiest song on ‘Progress’, they are really moving. It’s not hard to see why, there is so much going on on stage I guarantee you will be swaying from side to side even if you’re tone-deaf. Before they leave RxB finish with ‘What If’ from their first CD, ‘Halfway Between Here and There’ which again sparks the pit into life, with skanking and moshing, but no crowdsurfing. Thank God. Call me old, but there’s a time and a place for that sort of crap, and it’s at metal gigs…

RxB are far more intense live than on record, and it’s really hard not to be absorbed into the performance. They’re tight and polished, like most Drive-Thru bands, but have an edge that sets them apart from other skacore bands. If they continue to play like this, expect big, big things.

There were rumours abound that Fenix Tx would play a pretty metal set, made up of the heavier songs from their new record ‘Lechuza’. But thankfully, this could not have been further from the truth. Sure, this band rock, but they still know their roots – kick ass punk rock. And to be honest, the whole gig left me so absorbed and exhilarated that I couldn’t possibly tell you the set list in any kind of order. I remember every song they played, but order? No chance. What I can tell you is that Fenix Tx are no longer a Blink 182 copycat band. They are now a full-on punk band in their own right. Guitarist James Love oozes confidence, even spitting fire [literally] at one point. Having seen Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio two weeks previously, I thought I’d found my new guitar hero. Sorry Matt. James, for an hour at least, is now my hero.

Fenix Tx now have so many kick ass songs it is startling. ‘Katie W’ is immensely powerful with a chorus to die for, ‘Minimum Wage’ from their self titled first record is greeted like an old friend, and ‘Pasture Of Muppets’ may be a metal song at heart but has one of the best riffs seen this year. With more stage presence than you could shake a stick at, Will [who may be short in stature but not in confidence] and the boys will surely be back headlining gigs soon.

So, Fenix highlights. Well, there were so many. The single ‘Threesome’ is a delightful three-minute piece of punk rock heaven; ‘A Song For Everyone’ is perhaps the most underestimated song on ‘Lechuza’, but Nottingham was treated to a near perfect version; ‘Flight 601 [All I’ve Got Is Time]’ rocked so hard it blew the speakers. Still, it was worth the wait and ‘Something Bad Is Gonna Happen’ rocked so hard it would give a geologist a wet dream.

So, down to the last two songs. Please, ‘Pheobe Cates’ I begged. But no, a stonking version of the Nirvana classic ‘Territorial Pissings’ instead, and with James playing from the top of the speaker stacks, then jumping off it at the end, Fenix had won over hundreds of new fans in one song. There was only one song that was going to end this set, the anthemic ‘All My Fault’. And it did not disappoint.

Before the gig I was a fan but not a massive one, but now I’m completely converted. Fenix Tx should be headlining venues like this, and to be honest the energy they gave was that of a headlining act. Come back soon boys, just bring ‘Phoebe Cates’ with you next time…

After all that, I had to get my hands on some merch. But as I was on my way to the stalls, I bumped into the guys from RxB. As you do. An opportunity far too good to miss, I wandered over to Rich and like a big geek gave him my verdict on his bands performance. The whole band signed my ticket, he said he liked my hat [well it was an RxB one..] and said they hoped to come back to the UK in the summer. The night just got better.

But just as you thought it couldn’t possibly get any cooler, New Found Glory pulled up on stage. And oh my God, are this band amazing. With drummer Cyrus still injured with a broken arm, and replaced with the RxB’s Chris, who for the record is an amazing drummer, the band walk on in Christmas hats and fairy lights adorning their amps. Launching straight into ‘Better Off Dead’ the crowd goes mental. This is the greatest opening song of any set, ever. Its big fat riff bounced off every wall, with Jordan throwing himself around the stage and Chad, Ian and Steve slashing at their guitars like their lives depended on it.

In between Jordan hugging the crowd, Steve breaking his guitar and Chad [who is now my new guitar hero] repeatedly thanking us for coming [“you guys are soooo cool,” he enthused] the band bashed out hit song after hit song. ‘Second To Last’, ‘All About Her’ and ‘Ballad For The Lost Romantics’ are mini-anthems from their amazing second full-length album. People can slag off NFG for being no more than a pop band or another Blink wannabe, but when you see this lot live you know full well that they are the real deal.

Highlights? Well I could list every single song. ‘Dressed To Kill’ was outstanding, if only Rachel Leigh Cook had managed to make a guest appearance; ‘That Thing You Do’ and ‘The Glory Of Love’ from the covers EP were fantastic; ‘3rd and Long’ amazing and the rarely heard ‘Broken Sound’ was brilliant, even if Jordan thought he screwed up. “Some girls are crazy” Jordan belted out during ‘Boy Crazy’ and a hundred boys completely empathised with him. You see, NFG are one of us, and this was highlighted with Chad’s speech about over 18 gigs. “If you’re friends didn’t get in then tell them we’re real sorry,” he said. It’s actually hard to believe that most of the band are just 20 and 21, such is their sheer brilliance.

Coming back for an encore of ‘Hit Or Miss’, NFG prove that they are the best punk band in the world right now. You can call them what you will, but this is the best live band I’ve ever seen. Lagwagon were good, Pennywise excellent, and Reel Big Fish, MxPx and The Ataris amazing. But for sheer energy and pop-punk perfection, NFG beat them all. The last time they came to the UK they played toilets. This time it’s clubs. Next time it will be arena’s…

After all that there was no way possible that the night could get any better. Or was there? As we made our way to the exits, who would be standing by the doors? Fenix Tx! So, out came the tickets again and after handshakes all round all the boys did the deed, capping a memorable night. Little things like this make punk rock what it is today, and I for one respect bands like Fenix for meeting their fans and taking the time to sign stuff for them. Will Salazar, the cheeky young scamp, even started flirting with Mark Punktastic’s girlfriend! Until she told him she’d hit him with the knuckleduster on her finger!

Due to Dan Punktastic’s unforgiveable error in only allowing a maximum of 5 stars [sorry Dan!], thats all you will see below. But ignore that because this gig was a 6.5 out of 5. Drive-Thru Records…thank you for bringing three of the best live bands I’ve ever seen on the same bill.

So, to sum up. It was punk. It was fantastic. You work it out…

Paul Savage