Words: Kate Allvey // Photos: Emma Stone and Download Festival

Unpeople

A reward for the early risers, Unpeople are here to show off the harsher side of their sound. We’ve got a brand new blast of joy in the form of unreleased track ‘Bottle It’ and angelic harmonies on ‘Moon Baboon’, all from the band who know full well that they don’t really fit into today’s lineup, and don’t give a damn about it. ‘Clouds’, the first single from their upcoming album, is both as light and as shady as its namesake; a good omen for the future from Unpeople.

Kublai Khan TX

No one can sleep through this set. Everything Kublai Khan TX do feels so necessary, whether its the infernal riffs of ‘Supreme Ruler’ or the circle pit that radiates from the first drop on ‘Low Tech’. Vocalist Matt Honeycutt flexes his muscles as we shake the last of the stiffness from our bodies. “About three days ago I broke my back in Prague”, he confesses, channeling his pain into a mighty growl that rips through ‘The Hammer’ before transforming his anguish into rage for new song ‘The Mountain of Corsicana’.

RØRY

RØRY lays her soul bare throughout a performance that sees many reaching for their tissues to wipe away their tears. ‘Anti-Repressant’ sets the tone for turning personal struggles into danceable anthems, and if we aren’t feeling something deep inside by the time she offers up ‘Alternative’ then we haven’t been listening hard enough. RØRY, on paper, makes for an unlikely main stage star, but the representation and sheer guts that she brings to the Apex today are beyond admirable.

Dogstar

The combination of getting to see Neo from the Matrix in real life while listening to some comforting Dad Rock proves an irresistible draw that overwhelms the Opus stage. The sweeping, grungy ‘Joy’ makes way for the Bowie-influenced ‘Exalted’, and we’re thankful for the calming, driving-rock respite that Dogstar offer.

Bloodywood

The IYKYK band of the weekend open with a roar from Jayant Bhadula and a blazing ‘Dana Dan’. Bloodywood are a powerhouse that opens pits which never close for their entire set. No one could have predicted a couple of years ago that Indian folk-metal would provide the Download moment that we’ve all been craving. ‘Berkhauf’ hides a serious message behind a thin covering of banging, unrelenting determination and ‘Nu Delhi’ is already an absolute anthem. Bloodywood will definitely be returning to Download by very popular demand within a few years, and likely far higher up the bill. 

Magnolia Park

They’re in their vampire era and moving far beyond their pop punk origins. Magnolia Park have sold their souls to the video game cutscene devil and now they’re producing darker, more intense and delightfully sinister metal in the form of ‘High’ and the dangerous, delicious ‘Cult’. As Joshua Roberts leads our voices from the pit, we realise that the signs of their dark turn were there all along, and they’ve now progressed to making music that is absolutely perfect for this festival and this space. 

Social Distortion

Mike Ness and co have circled back to their old school sound and the elder punks have still got the spark that made them great. Opening with ‘Born To Kill’, they focus on what they do best; raw riffs lit by drawling vocals which sound like the desert sun. ‘No Way Out’ meanwhile – their song about “growing up in a not-so-perfect situation” – is a blast of the energy that made their debut so striking all those years ago. In fact, when they mix the new tracks into classics, like ‘The Creeps’ and ‘Mommy’s Little Monster’, we realise we’re watching Social D as they always should have been, and it’s tremendous. 

Dinosaur Pile Up

Let’s keep it direct. We like fuzzy distortion and we like it when it’s really loud. That’s what Dinosaur Pile Up offer us, and considering they’re competing with the mighty Ice Nine Kills, the Avalanche stage is packed for ‘Bout To Lose It’. ‘Sick Of Being Down’ gives voice to an unrefined teenage desperation, and it’s perfect for the kind of song that you’d want to put on loud and mosh out to in your bedroom. ‘Stupid Heavy Metal Broken Hearted Loser Punk’ and ‘My Way’ are huge anthems for the disenchanted masses, maintaining the brilliantly elemental purity which sticks out in a crowded lineup. 

Ice Nine Kills

Who doesn’t love cinematic horror masterpieces featuring ska legends? Reel Big Fish’s brass section jump in for ‘Ex-Mortis’, a highlight in a show that never provides a millisecond without action. ‘The Great Unknown’ ignites the pit with dark euphoria, and there’s the thundering, hypnotic ‘Funeral Derangements’ to keep us going. Ice Nine Kills are possibly the only band with more costume changes than Axel Rose and while we love the anthem that is ‘The Shower Scene’, there’s a song even more surprising than seeing Spencer Charnas running around brandishing a knife. It’s their very straight, very devoted cover of NOFX’s ‘Linoleum’ that allows them to drop their masks for a second, and we are astonished by our glimpse behind the scenes. 

Tom Morello

A curated journey through the Rage Against The Machine guitarist’s life, politics and influences, backed by his son and bursting with hope for the resistance? What more could we want on a Sunday afternoon! Morello’s cover of Springsteen’s ‘The Ghost Of Tom Joad’ is a steely compassion for the common man, and while we’re kicking it to ‘Killing In The Name’, his heartfelt tribute to Chris Cornell during ‘Like A Stone’ is one of the most touching moments of the whole weekend. Morello believes in the power of the people, and delivering an intelligent and not-so-subtle anti-fascist message for half an hour fills us with the desire to make the world a better place. 

Mastodon

Emerging into the sunset like ancient gods, Mastodon open with the fiery, tunnelling ‘Tread Lightly’ .The heavy prog end of the metal spectrum always deserves representation at Download, and songs like ‘The Motherload’ flow like a timeless prophecy that keeps the Opus slopes enraptured. Newer tracks like ‘Your Ghost Again’ prove that after nearly three decades, the band are still able to craft thundering aural labyrinths that delight and provoke. Mastodon’s set feels like the bonus chapter to Tom Morello’s curated exhibition, and it’s one that we can’t get enough of. 

Letlive.

There’s always a place for in-yer-face post-hardcore, especially when accompanied by a hefty dose of class consciousness and almost-latin rhythms. ‘A Weak Ago’  is rowdy and inspiring, with Jason Butler’s satisfying growl making Letlive’s set feel purposeful and deliberate. There’s so much more to them than you’d expect on a surface level, and ‘Muther’ is oddly inspiriting and respectful in between the riffs. Letlive leave us with the impression that they’re a band raring to do good in the world and know just how they want to do it.

A Day To Remember

At this point, we’re split into three camps with each claiming the title of ‘the real closer of the weekend’. A Day To Remember prove to be strong contenders for the title, with ‘The Downfall Of Us All’ providing a lightning bolt of energy to open a set that’s simultaneously packed on and offstage. Their talent of being able to balance tough and fun sends our phones up to capture ‘Right Back At It Again’ before the huge rush that comes with ‘Bad Blood’. We wave as confetti falls, the ‘end of camp’ energy thick in the air, with crowd surfers stacked on top of crowd surfers, as the Opus explodes into one final mad jump to round off Download 2026.

Creeper

Of course, if A Day To Remember are just too jolly for you, then the Creeper cult are always waiting with arms open and fangs poised. Twice as many are in the crowd compared to their first set of the weekend, but now crammed into half the space, and ‘The Ballad Of Spook And Mercy’ has every single one of us eating from the palms of their leather-gloved hands. ‘Parasite’, or “one for the lovers” as frontman Will Gould calls it, has an even more majestic showing than before, and the outpouring of emotion from us all on ‘Prey For The Night’ shows the absolute devotion that Creeper are able to command.

Linkin Park

For the first time in Download history, a frontwoman is headlining the festival. There are few more worthy of that honour than Emily Armstrong, and Linkin Park’s set is one huge reminder that times are changing and we must evolve along with them. Of course, they drop iconic bangers that hit you right in the centre of the teenage heart but their mature, sensitive and heavily electronic set is one that’ll light up your synapses from back to front, especially when their entire ninety minutes onstage feels like a mantra for growth and change.

Opening with ‘The Emptiness Machine’ is a strong statement. We’re here for the new Linkin Park, and they’re ready to display their latest incarnation with maximum emotional release from the very start. Somehow, their constructed electronic direction feels more raw and real than we remember, and classics like ‘Crawling’, when stripped of their MTV gloss, hit so much harder. ‘Numb’ is enough to bring a tear to your eye, as it does for a fair swathe of us. Closing Download with the breathtaking catharsis of ‘In The End’ is as close to a perfect moment as we can hope for as we slam our demons away for another day, free from our pain before the long trudge back to camp. Linkin Park prove to be the “goldilocks” headliner; not too rough, not too slow, just right to end our weekend on the darkest depths and the most dizzying of highs. 

KATE ALLVEY

She knows who her tribe are, and how to shred their heartstrings. ‘Restoration’ isn’t going to be for everyone, but that’s not a criticism; she has a groove she’s carved painstakingly with broken bottles that will resonate with those who have been told they’re a write-off for any one of a myriad of reasons. Throughout advance drop ‘In the Bible’, the “addict on her knees with her face towards the light” speaks to the “twenty million people taking anti-depressants”, promising that “everything you lost will be restored”. It’s a message of hope coming from someone who’s clawed their way back from rock bottom, punctuated with angelic vocals cutting through oppressive riffs. ‘SORRY I’M LATE’ pounds itself from the speakers as an affirmation that victory can come to all of us, no matter what barriers we’ve faced. One of her simpler tracks, it leans on chunky riffs and force of personality to deliver the message. 

Self-exorcism involves confronting your enemies, even if they are yourself in different guises, and this process arches over ‘Restoration’. ’BLOSSOM’ aches with a need to prove that survival can turn to thriving through a chorus that rises to form an anthem. It’s also a track which shows RØRY contains multitudes, addressing a hidden “you”, who’s probably the demon of addiction. The character of her self -loathing coming to life takes centre stage as a sneering adversary on opener ‘if pain could talk, what would it say?’, a deceptively heavy track that jolts us upright to show the tortured vocalist’s range.

However, a lot of the record is much softer and confessional, a hug from someone who needed to receive a hug themselves. ‘One Drink Away’ is a shaking reflection on the fragility of sobriety with trap beats and acoustic guitar to soundtrack the power of walking a difficult path one day at a time. It’s also going to be the song to spark a “lighters up” moment across the general admission area when RØRY launches her sold out tour in the near future. Similarly, ‘Sherlock Holmes’ tenderly contemplates her love for someone unknowable while laden with a backpack of uplifting synth tones and wistful longing. 

If you’ve grown to love RØRY already over the last couple of years, you might be disappointed by the lack of snarking on ex boyfriends and exploring her own outsider status that’s been as much of a feature of her sound as her ripped costumes are to her stage presence. But RØRY’s in a better place now, or at least a more contemplative one, and some emotions needed to be brought into the light to lay the ground for her to make the record she always wanted to. ‘Restoration’ is a powerful trip through a history both intimate and universal, a testament to the determination to flourish, and a compelling record from an unlikely star.

KATE ALLVEY

Words: Kate Allvey, Rob Dand Photos: Penny Bennett, Abbi Draper-Scott

As Everything Unfolds

Kicking things off on the GoPro stage, the festival’s loose home for its delegation of heavier bands, As Everything Unfolds ushers in the first mosh pit of the day before the end of set opener ‘Slow Down’. The band proceeds to rattle through highlights from their two full-lengths, peaking at just the right time with the now-familiar closing duo of ‘Felt Like Home’ and ‘On the Inside’. The one slight dull edge on an otherwise razor sharp performance comes when niggling technical issues resulting in the sole guitar intermittently cutting out, illuminating just how much heavy lifting the backing track is doing. Nevertheless, the energy is there in abundance and vocalist Charlie Rolfe in particular turns in a strong showing. Slam Dunk 2024 is officially off and running. [RD]

The Dangerous Summer

The Slam Dunk stage openers dish out heartbreaking optimism with the heart of Ataris, offering a furtive start to our day with a bass heavy punch of Americana and emo. The spirit of Brian Fallon watches over their dashes of guitar and ‘The Permanent Rain’ smoulders like dying, thoughtful embers, at odds with the congenial atmosphere surrounding their set. If they were playing at 2am, or sharing a slot with The Wonder Years, The Dangerous Summer would be sublime; as a first act, they’re still really damn impressive. [KA]

Honey Revenge

The first IYKYK band, judging by the crowd running in as soon as they spot the hot pink co-ords onstage, Honey Revenge announce their presence with a gawky wave. ‘Seeing Negative’ makes for a subversive bubblegum eighties start with sonic bass, and vocalist Devin Papadol is overjoyed to be here. “Welcome to our first ever festival set, baby,” she squeals like a Barbie customised with koolaid and safety pins. Brand new song ‘Recipe For Disaster’ swerves past self-loathing and into hit status, and ‘Are You Impressed?’ swings wildly between adorable chiming, frustration and rocket launch bass. ‘Airhead’ ends their set on a high, eliciting eager and unironic horn signs as they stride offstage. [KA]

As December Falls

As December Falls are in a celebratory mood, marking their first main stage billing at Slam Dunk with an effervescent set spanning much of their discography to date, including several cuts from last year’s top 20 album ‘Join the Club’. Opening with old favourite ‘Ride’ and closing with the exuberant ‘Carousel’, the band attack every opportunity with their infectious enthusiasm, and today’s sun-soaked fiesta will likely win over some new converts. [RD]

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

Third on the lineup but first in our scarred emo hearts, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus open with ‘Brace Yourself’ and its gorgeous payoff after the intro. They endlessly twist between loud and soft to intensify the impact of each lyric, and ‘False Pretence’ draws a static but observant crowd to appreciate Ronnie Winters’ vocal gymnastics amid the song’s live hardcore ferocity. ‘Damn Regret’ seems to move in slow motion as we’re finally ready to jump, and dropping in a cover of Blink 182’s ‘All The Small Things’ is an easy win to create a positive energy across the field, drawing in those otherwise distracted to appreciate the joy radiating from their set. [KA]

Head Automatica

The surprise return of Daryl Palumbo’s Head Automatica to the UK festival circuit was one of the more eyebrow-raising points of note on the Slam Dunk roster. We’re ostensibly gathered to mark 20 years since the release of debut album ‘Decadance’, a flamboyant maelstrom of post-hardcore, soul and danceable indie rock. Unfortunately, some early technical issues derail disappointingly loose renditions of ‘At the Speed of a Yellow Bullet’ and ‘Brooklyn is Burning’, and while the band persist to find something resembling their stride as the set progresses, Palumbo’s delivery seems loose; almost pained at times. Despite this, Slam Dunk most definitely came to dance, and while the Hatfield crowd becomes the first to hear new song ‘Bear the Cross’ in a live setting, it’s the older material – and most notably set closer ‘Beating Hearts Baby’ – that predictably gets the most raucous reception. It’s not quite the vibrant canvas it was supposed to be, but the smiling faces and questionable dance moves suggest that plenty of people used their imagination to paint by numbers and fill in the blanks. [RD]

One Step Closer

One Step Closer draw a modest but committed crowd over on the Key Club stage. It’s possible that they fly just below the radar of a typical Slam Dunk attendee, which is a shame, because their brand of melodic hardcore is consistently enjoyable and very accessible. Their sound is evocative of early 2010’s Deathwish/Bridge Nine favourites, with newer songs like ‘Giant’s Despair’ adding a touch of the alt-rock flavour brought by bands like Basement and Balance And Composure. Their set focuses on material from recent record ‘All You Embrace’, and their impassioned performance is another fine showing for a band that are slowly winning over UK crowds. [RD]

RØRY

Opening with a predatory electro pulse as we stampede towards the front, RORY has tapped into a shared waterfall of emotion with her music, and the world outside the tented Kerrang stage seems to shrink away during ‘Anti-Repressant’. More than a few in the crowd tear up for ‘Alternative’, and security drop their professionalism and start to film the vocalist as she lays her pain out for us to find strength in. That’s not to say that this is a po-faced set by any means; she serenades a guest dressed as baby in the character of her ex-boyfriend during ‘Baby Vendetta’, and new song ‘Blossom’ lets electro synths water the seeds of rage and triumph under the shade of Evanescence at their most pop. This is RORY’s first festival set, and it definitely will not be her last. [KA]

The Skints

The Skints have “done a lot of Slam Dunks,” as guitarist Josh Rudge explains, and only seem to be cementing their reputation as mainstays in the punk section of the lineup. ‘Mindless’ is a soft opener, but it’s ‘Rise Up’ that attracts curious onlookers with its rapid fire echoes and seismic bass drops. ‘Ratatat’ is the song that makes this sunny corner feel like how you’d expect a festival to feel. “If you know what a ‘capdown’ is, and what it means to your heart,” calls Rudge in reference to the defunct iconic British ska punk outfit before launching into a blistering cover of ‘Ska Wars’, leaving us with a sense that the Skints are the strongest torch bearers of the UK ska punk revolution. [KA]

The Blackout

The boys from South Wales draw a huge crowd, probably the largest outside of the headliners. ‘Save Our Selves’ (The Warning)’ is thrown into the deep waters of heavy rock and swims, not sinks, directed by Sean Smith and his magnificent mullet with help from guest Charlie Rolfe of As Everything Unfolds. ‘Top Of The World’ comes across far cuter live, like a little burst of Blink-ish optimism in the sunlight, and the racing clap-along for ‘Said And Done’ starts a huge pit. It’s the fifteenth anniversary of the Blackout’s ‘Best In Town’ album, and we’re gently chided for singing happy birthday to the band instead of the record. ‘We’re Going To Hell…So Bring The Sunblock’ (“Our attempt to be metal,” according to Smith) fills the field by the Go Pro stage with candy floss fronds of friendship and there’s a tangible, warm bond between us, the band and all the others on the lineup with whom they seem genuinely thankful to be friends. [KA]

Mallory Knox

It’s been five years away from Slam Dunk for Mallory Knox, and seven for returning vocalist Mikey Chapman, who left a little before the band originally called it time. There’s a slightly awkward dynamic onstage as Chapman references his extended break (“Whose fucking fault was that?” asks bassist Sam Douglas  – the man who stepped into Chapman’s shoes for their final self-titled effort – with most of his tongue in cheek, if not all). But from the moment ‘Beggars’ twinkles into life until the final defiant chorus of ‘Lighthouse’, their hard-edged pop-rock soars over the Hatfield crowd and marks a triumphant return. [RD]

Against the Current

Somehow, Against the Current have never performed at Slam Dunk, despite slotting perfectly into the lineup. Newly independent, and with a slew of recent singles just aching to be launched out into a festival crowd, they do not waste the opportunity that their debut appearance brings. We’re treated to an enthusiastic rendition of ‘Running with the Wild Things’, and older cut ‘Gravity’, but for the most part the band are focusing on their newest material, with vocalist Chrissy Costanza covering every inch of the stage in her efforts to connect with the large crowd that has gathered. Their first Slam Dunk, but undoubtedly not their last. [RD]

The Ghost Inside

Legend has it that it never rains on Slam Dunk South, but if any band could cause the clouds to open, it’s the heaviest band on the earliest part of the bill: The Ghost Inside. Live, ‘Mercy’ is dark, sludgy and somewhat polarising (with many retreating to the sunnier climes of The Selector’s set), but with a hidden complexity which tunnels through the compacted grass and up into our spines. ‘Pressure Point’ is fuelled by a violent purity and ‘Wash Away’ evokes less a domestic task and more a weather warning as unexpected keyboard lines contour up nu-metal memories. Disruptive drumbeats and ironic raving from the crowd make this a set of epic proportions. [KA]

La Dispute

La Dispute came crashing out of the blocks over a decade ago with a gloriously brash debut, before crafting a more reflective sound on their genre-defining follow-up. Today’s set largely sidesteps these two towering behemoths of the scene, however, and leans most heavily on material from third album ‘Rooms of the House’, now celebrating its 10th anniversary. In truth, some of the more introspective numbers are hampered by the positioning of the Key Club stage, and anyone further than 30 feet from the monitor is treated to a jarring mash-up of State Champs and the Bouncing Souls drifting in from either side. Regardless, set closer ‘King Park’ snakes in like muscle memory for virtually everyone in attendance, twisting through its breathless build toward its heartbreaking conclusion. The sound of a few hundred people screaming “Can I still get into heaven if I kill myself?” may not seem like an obvious mid-afternoon festival highlight, but ‘King Park’ is both some of their strongest material and a high-watermark for the entire genre, and worth sticking around for. [RD]

Asking Alexandria

Eschewing a buildup or lead-in, Asking Alexandria appear as a sudden lightning slam of brutal guitar that dissolves into 8-Bit keyboard. In the pit, a man dressed as a mime climbs onto his friends’ shoulders and films, the only spot of colour against the black backdrop and equally funereal band. Asking Alexandria keep their sound sharp and harsh, leaping between steely cold roaring guitars and vocal ripples. Vocalist Danny Worship folds one arm behind his back like he’s delivering a lecture before passing the metaphorical baton to guitarist Cameron Liddell for a solo that dispels any lingering loneliness. Most of the crowd are flagging in the heat as we draw on the same core of molten lava that the band do and push ourselves to even higher jumps. The clouds finally part during ‘Dark Void’, such is the power of Asking Alexandria. [KA]

Pennywise

A lot of bands have joked about being old over the course of the day but ironically, as one of the oldest bands on the bill, Pennywise show they’re still a force to be reckoned with. ‘My Own Country’ slams harder than it has any right to while still maintaining the strutting nineties rhythm popularised by the Hellcat stable. Pennywise’s sideways slide into full on street punk is working for them, with their coarser sound fitting in with who they’ve become. Of course, there’s a bit of silliness in the form of covering Men At Work’s ‘Land Down Under’, but we can forgive their missteps when ‘Fuck Authority’ is still as fury-filled and urgent as ever and ‘Bro Hymn’ inspires those with mohawk to full-throated song. [KA]

Funeral for a Friend

Atop the Hatfield site’s only hill, Funeral for a Friend take to the stage along with guest vocalist Lucas Woodland. One arm held aloft, a familiar sight for Holding Absence fans, he stands ready to conduct the gathered crowd. As if there was ever any doubt, Slam Dunk is about to witness one of those special performances that will be talked about for years to come. Uniquely positioned to do justice to Matt Davies-Kreye’s impressive legacy, with both the talent and humility in spades, Woodland confesses to his admiration for the band, having grown up in their shadow as part of the vibrant South Wales scene of the time. Energised by his obvious deep connection with the source material, the band deliver an absolute masterclass, seeming as fired-up as they have in many a year.

The crowd mirror this exuberance, singing back every word to a hit-filled set that reminds us just how important this band was in shaping the British response to the largely US-dominated post-hardcore scene at the turn of the millennium. Bathed in the glorious golden hour light of the early evening, this is Funeral for a Friend viewed through Instagram’s Valencia filter – warm and familiar. They’ve played Slam Dunk before, but this is something else entirely. It’s an absolute triumph and quite possibly the standout set of the festival. [RD]

Goldfinger

John Feldman has returned to these shores, briefly removing his mantle of pop punk mogul to revert to his original incarnation as Goldfinger’s frontman as the sun begins to set over Slam Dunk. A lot of the older ska acts really can still pull it out the bag when it comes to an energetic show, and Goldfinger are no exception. Vocally, Feldy can’t seem hit the heights he was able to back in the nineties, but in the midst of the angst and emotional outpouring across the Slam Dunk site, Goldfinger provide an oasis where we’re having fun, counting the days and dancing like we’re still kids. With an incredibly strong fanbase willing to overlook the weaker parts of their set, ’99 Red Balloons’ can’t fail to hit the mark, especially when it’s backed by Reel Big Fish’s brass section. [KA]

The Wonder Years

If there’s one thing that’s abundantly clear, it’s that despite some logistical challenges in recent years that have led to a lot of soul-searching, Slam Dunk is still held in incredibly high regard by many of the artists. None more so than the Wonder Years, who recall a time in 2010 when their career trajectory changed – something they attribute to their performance here. Ever since, they’ve answered the call in return, even pulling a double shift in 2022 when a last-minute slot on the lineup became available.

They may only be playing the smallest stage at the festival tonight, but they wear their Key Club headline slot like a badge of honour, in solidarity with the bands lower down the bill who embody the old-school approach to carving out a career in the music industry. Opening with the quickfire double of ‘I Don’t Like Who I Was Then’ and ‘Low Tide’, the band take us on a journey through their discography, spanning from old favourite ‘Washington Square Park’ to newest track ‘Year of the Vulture’ – which is played for the first time live here tonight, and gets the appropriately feverish response it deserves from the pit.

The set ends in familiar fashion, with a buoyant performance of fan favourite ‘Came Out Swinging’. More familiar still is the way in which vocalist Dan Campbell has no qualms in stopping his bandmates mid-flow and cutting the song short by a few seconds in order to allow an audience member to receive medical treatment – just as he did here two years ago. The Wonder Years love Slam Dunk, and Slam Dunk loves The Wonder Years. [RD]

You Me At Six

The big ticket item for most of the Slam Dunk crowd has to be the final festival appearance of You Me At Six before the band split next year. Some are taking it poorly (the main banner featuring vocalist Josh Franceschi becomes steadily covered in graffiti as the day goes on), but for many, this is an emotional moment. ‘Save It For The Bedroom’ and ‘Reckless’ are a safe start to their set, but it’s ‘We Are Believers’ which begins the cascading tears and chest-clutching from the audience before the sweetness and forceful vocal downstrokes within ‘Kiss And Tell’ cause the sentiment we feel to be transformed into the urge to dance.

It takes a good twenty minutes for the band to hit their stride and bring out the harder songs, but when they do, we revel in their command of a “nice loud communal singalong”, as Franceschi puts it. The splintering riff and gutsy bridge on ‘No Future? Yeah Right’ and Sean Smith of The Blackout’s chanting appearance on ‘The Consequence’ remind us how very good You Me At Six are at what they do, and makes it all the more poignant that this will be their last festival show.  The band are fully aware of this mixed sentiment, and absolutely make the time to squeeze the last remaining juice from our sunburnt emotions. ‘Stay With Me’ bursts with life and starts a long, lazy line of swaying right to the back. “Thank you for making our dreams come true for the last twenty years,” gasps Franceschi, “this is our love letter to you,” before the lilac magic of ‘Always Attract’ fills the air and friends hug each other tightly before the lovely slide into ‘Take On The World’. Thousands upon thousands of tiny phone lights glow in the night on each tender line.

A gentle bounce to ‘Beautiful Way’ grows and intensifies as thousands take their last chance to enjoy You Me At Six; the desperate slam like their lives depend on it, the sensible begin to stream away into the darkness to rejoin the real world. It’s a masterful set that toys with the emotions and leaves you with a sense of both privilege and loss. [KA]

The band, who features members from Joanna Gruesome, Spinning Coin and Rapid Tan, released their latest album ‘Eurgh!’ earlier this year via Amour Foo Records.

OCTOBER
09 BRISTOL The Old England w/ Toddler + Rory
15 LEEDS Temple of Boom w/ Wormboys, Antimonopoly Trashman + Akne
16 BRIGHTON The Pipeline w/ Porridge Radio, Van Stonholdt + Leatherhead
17 LONDON DIY Space for London w/ Schande, Socket, Lizard + …and the City Mouse
18 SUNDERLAND Pop Recs Ltd. w/ Luxury + Roxy Girls

photo: Paul Burt