Slam Dunk Records

Story Untold at Slam Dunk festival 2019

Slam Dunk Records or Slam Dunk Music is a British independent record label, promoter and concert organising company, founded in Leeds, England, in 2007. Some notable signees include You Me at Six and Decade. The label evolved from "Slam Dunk", a weekly club night held at the city's Cockpit music venue, centered on emo, punk, ska and metal music. They have organised and promoted concerts for Leeds venues such as the Key Club, Leeds University Stylus, Leeds Beckett University Student Union and the First Direct Arena, as well as venues in other cities such as The Dome Leisure Centre, National Exhibition Centre and Hatfield Forum.

Slam Dunk Festival

Anti-Flag at Slam Dunk festival 2019

The label is also associated with the Slam Dunk Festival, established in 2006. Although initially small-scale and set up with only a handful of artists, the yearly event now attracts many well-known artists and has slowly established itself as a popular day-long music festival. Initially held in the city's Millennium Square, the event moved to the student union of the University of Leeds in its second year. It is now located in Temple Newsam, Leeds.

The festival attracts more than 40 bands across six different stages. Notable acts which have played at the festival include Fall Out Boy, Thursday, You Me at Six, Hundred Reasons, Reel Big Fish and Paramore.

In 2010, a southern counterpart to the festival had its first year in the University of Hertfordshire, and the now two-day festival became known as Slam Dunk North (Leeds) and Slam Dunk South (Hertfordshire). The festival is normally held on the May Bank Holiday of each year, featuring a mixture of up-and-coming and more established bands, based around punk/emo/metal and ska music.

Leeds Millennium Square 2006

Main Stage
Fall Out Boy The Academy Is... Thursday Hundred Reasons Capdown The Hush Sound Hellogoodbye

27 May 2007 – Leeds University

Main Stage
Reel Big Fish Paramore Mad Caddies Sonic Boom Six Failsafe Beat Union You Me at Six

25 May 2008 – Leeds University

Glamour Kills Stage	The Atticus Stage	The Non Stop Stage	The UK Now! Stage
Cute Is What We Aim For Boys Like Girls Kids in Glass Houses You Me at Six The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus We The Kings Valencia	Story of The Year Fightstar The Blackout Brigade Flood of Red We Are The Ocean Throwing Paper Aeroplanes (Atticus Competition Winner)	Zebrahead Big D and The Kids Table Sonic Boom Six Fandangle Mr Shiraz The JB Conspiracy (replacement for State Radio) Random Hand	Tonight Is Goodbye Furthest Drive Home Attack! Attack! All or Nothing All Forgotten Twin Atlantic Me vs Hero

24 May 2009 – Leeds University

Glamour Kills Stage	Fishing for Eskimo Stage	The Vans Off The Wall Stage
You Me at Six Cobra Starship Kids in Glass Houses We The Kings The Audition Hey Monday Cash Cash	The Blackout Silverstein We Are The Ocean Hollywood Undead The Urgency All Forgotten Young Guns	Anti-Flag The Slackers The King Blues Sonic Boom Six Farse Random Hand The Skints

The Punktastic.com Stage	The Relentless UK Now! Stage	The Dropdead! Stage
Hundred Reasons Attack! Attack! Polar Bear Club Tonight Is Goodbye Sing It Loud Me vs Hero Save Your Breath	In Case of Fire Canterbury Paige The Auteur Out of Sight My Emergency Winch House (People's Choice Winner)	The Ghost of a Thousand Devil Sold His Soul Hexes Glamour of the Kill Ruiner Defeater Outcry Collective

29/30 May 2010 – Hertfordshire University / Leeds University

Glamour Kills Stage	Atticus/Jägermeister Stage	The Vans Off The Wall Stage	Relentless Stage	Imperial Clothing Stage	Kerrang! Introduces Stage	Babycakes Bar	Macbeth Acoustic Stage
New Found Glory Four Year Strong Set Your Goals Hit The Lights Out of Sight Every Avenue	Alkaline Trio Against Me! We Are The Ocean Rolo Tomassi Young Guns Moneen Save Your Breath	Capdown Skindred RX Bandits Sonic Boom Six Me vs Hero Random Hand The Skints	The Rocket Summer Breathe Carolina Fireworks Crime in Stereo The Wonder Years This Time Next Year All Or Nothing	My Passion Devil Sold His Soul Your Demise Blackhole Fact Flood of Red Azriel	Futures Deaf Havana Not Advised Straight Lines Kill Casino Francesqa (Kerrang Contest Winner)	L'amour La Morgue Sean Smith (DJ set) Henry Homesweet Millionaires Lags (DJ set) Synthetic Season	Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly (Leeds only) Gavin Butler Chas Palmer-Williams Lights & Sound Lost on Campus Sam Little Portia Conn

19/20 May 2011 – Leeds University/Hatfield

Jager Stage	Atticus Stage	Macbeth Stage	Honour Over Glory Stage	Introducing Stage	Front Bar Stage	Acoustic Stage
Reel Big Fish Less Than Jake The Starting Line Goldfinger Anti Flag Hellogoodbye The Skints	3OH!3 Mayday Parade Framing Hanley Francesqa Versa Emerge Not Advised Rocket to the Moon We Are The in Crowd The Dangerous Summer	Set Your Goals Hit The Lights Cartel Attack! Attack! A Loss For Words This Time Next Year Failsafe Decade With The Punches	We Are The Ocean Deaf Havana Dance Gavin Dance Yashin While She Sleeps Bury Tomorrow Hyro Da Hero Feed The Rhino Shadows Chasing Ghosts	Summerlin Basement Rio Lost Boys Lower Than Atlantis Don Broco The Famous Class Blitz Kids (Competition Winner)	Tek one Innerpartysystem MC Lars Akira The Don Faceplant Oli Brierley DJ Pesk DJ SET	Jimmy Holland The Lion & The Wolf Lost on Campus Babar Luck Tiger Please Sam Little Dave House Ghost Saddles

26/27 May 2012 – Leeds University/Hatfield

Jager Stage	Honour Over Glory Stage	Vans Off The Wall Stage	Macbeth Stage
Taking Back Sunday The Blackout Funeral for a Friend Motion City Soundtrack Say Anything Lower Than Atlantis Straight Lines	Architects Every Time I Die Cancer Bats While She Sleeps Of Mice & Men The Word Alive For The Fallen Dreams I See Stars Upon A Burning Body	Gallows Capdown Set Your Goals Don Broco Random Hand Sharks Make Do and Mend Marmozets Hildamay	Hit The Lights Transit The Story So Far Save Your Breath Decade No Trigger Heartsounds Misser Our Time Down Here

Slam Dunk Festival 2013

The festival was expanded to be a three date festival in England, where all three dates featured the same lineup. Three minor dates were spun off it, one in Wales, one in Scotland and one in Northern Ireland.

Leeds University (25 May), Hatfield (26 May), Wolverhampton Civic Hall (27 May)
Main Stage	Macbeth Stage	Monster Energy Stage	Vans Stage	Tiger Stage	Front X Sinstar Bar	Keep A Breast Stage
All Time Low Deaf Havana Kids in Glass Houses Sleeping with Sirens We Are the Ocean Mallory Knox The Summer Set Tonight Alive	Four Year Strong The Early November The Wonder Years Allister Man Overboard Fireworks Transit The Story So Far The American Scene	Pierce The Veil Memphis May Fire Woe, Is Me Bury Tomorrow The Word Alive Hands Like Houses Heights Our Last Night House vs. Hurricane Heart in Hand	King Prawn The Skints Streetlight Manifesto Polar Bear Club Me Vs Hero Spunge Itch MC Lars Gnarwolves	Cancer Bats Senses Fail Devil Sold His Soul Yashin Blitz Kids Handguns Chunk! No, Captain Chunk! Heroes For Hire	Caspa Tek-One Trolley Snatcha Tyler Mae Pesk & Boca	Andrew McMahon Johnny Craig Gavin Butler William Beckett Ace Enders Chas Palmer Williams Class Of '92 Sophomore Mark Halls

Slam Dunk Festival 2014

The 2014 Festival was held at the same three locations as 2013: Leeds (24 May), Hatfield (25 May) and Wolverhampton (May26th). There was also a smaller lineup in Edinburgh (23 May) and Newport, Wales (27 May).

On 29 April it was announced that Goldfinger had withdrawn from the festival. The band were replaced by The Ataris. On 25 May, it was announced that Landscapes had withdrawn from the festival for both Hatfield and Wolverhampton dates. They were replaced by Great Cynics at Hatfield and Aurora for Wolverhampton.

Leeds University (24 May), The Forum, Hatfield (25 May), Wolverhampton Civic Hall (26 May)
Main Stage	Macbeth Stage	Monster Energy Stage	Atticus Stage	Cheer Up Stage	Antique Acoustic Stage	Uphawr DJ Stage
The All-American Rejects Mallory Knox We Are the in Crowd Motion City Soundtrack We the Kings The Skints Canterbury Blitz Kids	Less Than Jake The Ataris Capdown Zebrahead I Am the Avalanche Gnarwolves Decade Jesse James Fandangle	Bury Tomorrow Letlive The Ghost Inside The Devil Wears Prada Crown the Empire Chunk! No, Captain Chunk! I Killed the Prom Queen Caliban Heart of a Coward	Kids in Glass Houses Hit the Lights Real Friends Neck Deep State Champs Save Your Breath A Loss For Words Modern Baseball Light You Up	Chiodos Red Jumpsuit Apparatus Feed The Rhino Marmozets Landscapes Ghost Town Natives Verses The First	Vinnie Caruana Chas Palmer-Williams You, Me, and Everyone We Know Rob Lynch The Lion & The Wolf	DJ Yoda MC Lars Tek-One

Slam Dunk Festival 2015

The 2015 Festival was held at the same three locations as the last two years: Leeds (23 May), Hatfield (24 May) and Wolverhampton (25 May). The Leeds event was moved from Leeds University to Leeds City Centre.

Leeds City Centre (23 May), The Forum, Hatfield (24 May), Wolverhampton Civic Hall (25 May)
Main Stage	Macbeth Stage	Monster Energy Stage	Desperados Stage	Impericon Stage	Fresh Blood Stage	Uphawr DJ Stage
You Me at Six Taking Back Sunday Don Broco Lower Than Atlantis Neck Deep We Are the Ocean PVRIS Set It Off	The Wonder Years Fireworks Transit Such Gold Bayside A Loss for Words Cartel ROAM Knuckle Puck As It Is	Architects While She Sleeps Finch Crossfaith Bury Tomorrow (Special Guests) Thy Art Is Murder Beartooth The Color Morale SHVPES	Reel Big Fish Millencolin Goldfinger Zebrahead Mariachi El Bronx Lightyear Big D and the Kids Table Patent Pending Survay Says!	The Bronx Gallows H2O Comeback Kid Bane Stick to Your Guns Trash Talk Being as an Ocean Dead Harts	Moose Blood Baby Godzilla Seaway This Wild Life Rob Lynch Fort Hope Only Rivals Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties Wind in Sails Trash Boat	Tek-One Daniel & Davyd Winter Bates The Algorithm Terufumi Temano Kyle Clingo Resident DJs

Slam Dunk Festival 2016

The 2016 Festival was held at the same locations as last year for the North and South dates, however the Midlands date had now been moved to the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham.

Leeds City Centre (28 May), National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham (29 May), The Forum, Hatfield (30 May)
Main Stage	Atlas Stage	The Key Club Stage	Desperados Stage	Impericon Stage	Kerrang! Fresh Blood Stage	Uprawr DJ Stage	Acoustic/Solo Stage
Panic! at the Disco New Found Glory Mallory Knox Yellowcard Mayday Parade Young Guns Moose Blood	Of Mice & Men Issues Memphis May Fire The Amity Affliction Northlane We Came as Romans Miss May I The Word Alive Coldrain	The Story So Far The Starting Line Four Year Strong Set Your Goals Real Friends As It Is Hit the Lights Roam Trash Boat	The King Blues The Beat Zebrahead Capdown King Prawn Catch 22 Spunge The JB Conspiracy	Every Time I Die Cancer Bats Norma Jean Hacktivist Heart of a Coward Gnarwolves Chunk! No, Captain Chunk! WSTR The One Hundred	New Years Day Creeper With Confidence Waterparks Blood Youth Dead! Boston Manor Cane Hill Hellions	Shikari Sound System Dani & David Winter-Bates Astroid Boys Mel Clarke Party Blinders Resident DJs	The Rocket Summer Rob Lynch Grumble Bee Greywind Away Days Elder Brother Seafoal Bethan Leadley Lianne Kaye

Slam Dunk Festival 2017

The 2017 Festival was held at the same locations as last year for the all three dates

National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham (27 May), Leeds City Centre (28 May), The Forum, Hatfield (29 May)
Jägermeister Stage	Monster Energy Stage	The Key Club Stage	Fireball Stage	Impericon Stage	Rock Sound Breakout Stage	Uprawr DJ Stage	Signature Brew Stage
Enter Shikari Don Broco Deaf Havana Beartooth Bury Tomorrow We Are The Ocean Crossfaith Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness	Neck Deep The Movielife We The Kings The Maine Cute Is What We Aim For WSTR Trophy Eyes Like Pacific	Tonight Alive Set It Off Seaway Waterparks With Confidence Boston Manor Black Foxxes Decade Fort Hope	Bowling For Soup Less Than Jake Reel Big Fish Goldfinger Mad Caddies Zebrahead The Ataris Fenix Tx	Memphis May Fire Madina Lake Stray from the Path I Prevail Counterfeit Ice Nine Kills Oceans Ate Alaska Shvpes Too Close to Touch	Ocean Grove The Gospel Youth Sylar Area 11 Homebound Makeout Vukovi Casey Better Days You Know The Drill All That Was Said	I Am The Avalanche Nightmare of You Grumble Bee Louise Distras The Lion and The Wolf Lizzy Farrall	Against Me! The Bronx Frank Iero and the Patience Citizen Turnover Crime in Stereo Milk Teeth Sorority Noise Puppy

Slam Dunk Festival 2018

The 2018 Festival was held at the same North and Midlands locations as last year, however the South date was moved to Hatfield Park.

Leeds City Centre (26 May), Hatfield Park, Hatfield (27 May), National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham (28 May),
Jägermeister Stage	Monster Energy Stage	Fireball Stage	Impericon Stage	Signature Brew Stage	Rock Sound Breakout Stage	The Key Club Acoustic Stage	Uprawr DJ Stage
Good Charlotte Pvris Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes Sleeping With Sirens State Champs Creeper Four Year Strong Knuckle Puck	Jimmy Eat World Taking Back Sunday Lower Than Atlantis Moose Blood Twin Atlantic Say Anything The Audition The Dangerous Summer	Reel Big Fish Goldfinger The Skints Zebrahead Capdown Save Ferris King Prawn Guttermouth Templeton Pek	Every Time I Die Northlane Comeback Kid Crown The Empire Counterparts The Devil Wears Prada Astroid Boys Brutality Will Prevail Loathe	As It Is Me Vs Hero Trash Boat Roam Broadside Homesafe Can't Swim Woes	Palaye Royale Chapel Dream State Grayscale Holding Absence Milestones Sleep On It Stand Atlantic The Faim	Speak Low If You Speak Love Four Year Strong Rob Lynch Luke Rainsford Pvmnts Selfish Things Cavetown

Slam Dunk Festival 2019

The 2019 Festival was reduced to two days. The North festival was held at Temple Newsam Park on 25 May, and the South festival was held at Hatfield Park on 26 May.

Temple Newsam Park, Leeds (25 May), Hatfield Park, Hatfield (26 May)
Monster Energy Stage	Punk in Drublic Stage	Jägermeister Stage	Impericon Stage	Dickies Stage	Marshall Stage	The Key Club Stage (Left)	The Key Club Stage (Right)	Acoustic Stage
All Time Low New Found Glory Neck Deep Simple Plan Waterparks As It Is Boston Manor WSTR	NOFX Bad Religion Less Than Jake Millencolin Lagwagon The Interrupters Mad Caddies Anti-Flag The Bombpops	Bullet for My Valentine Atreyu Story of the Year Silverstein The Word Alive Wage War The Plot in You	Glassjaw Gallows The Bronx Cancer Bats Turnstile Knocked Loose Angel Du$t	The Menzingers Touche Amore The Get Up Kids Saves the Day Tigers Jaw Tiny Moving Parts Milk Teeth	Plain White T's hellogoodbye Real Friends Seaway Trophy Eyes A Loss For Words William Ryan Key (Yellowcard Acoustic Set)	IDKHow grandson Employed to Serve Between You & Me Pagan Press to Meco Hot Milk Kublai Khan	Lights Microwave SHVPES Our Hollow, Our Home Story Untold Busted Wallflower Cruel Hand	Justin Pierre Rob Lynch Liam Cromby Chas Palmer-Williams Lizzy Farrall tiLLie John Floreani

Slam Dunk Festival 2021

The 2020 Festival was to be held at the same two venues as the 2019 festival. The festival was originally scheduled for the North festival to be held at Temple Newsam Park on 23 May, and the South festival will be held at Hatfield Park on 24 May. However the COVID-19 pandemic led to North being rescheduled to 5 September and South to 6 September. On 14 May, Slam Dunk announced that the festival will no longer be held in 2020 although the festival returned on 4 and 5 September 2021.

Temple Newsam Park, Leeds (4 September), Hatfield Park, Hatfield (5 September)
Rock Scene Presents Stage	Punk in Drublic Stage	Jägermeister Stage	The Key Club Stage
Don Broco Waterparks State Champs Mayday Parade We Are The In Crowd Creeper As It Is Hellogoodbye Roam The Bottom Line	NOFX Alkaline Trio Anti Flag The Skints Zebrahead Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls Capdown Snuff The Baboon Show Buster Shuffle	While She Sleeps Bury Tomorrow Skindred Funeral for a Friend Trash Boat Your Demise Comeback Kid Malevolence Deez Nuts Brutality Will Prevail Loathe Hacktivist Blood Youth	Boston Manor Holding Absence Normandie Spunge Vukovi Lizzy Farrell Wargasm Static Dress Popes of Chilli Town Noah Finnce A McFly Weatherstate Doll Skin The Hara For You the Moon

Slam Dunk Festival 2022

The North festival was held at Temple Newsam Park on 3 June, and the South festival was held at Hatfield Park on 4 June.

Temple Newsam Park, Leeds (3 June), Hatfield Park, Hatfield (4 June)
Dickies Stage	Jägermeister Stage	Rock Scene Stage	Rock Sound Stage	The Key Club Stage (Left)	The Key Club Stage (Right)
Sum 41 The Dropkick Murphys The Interrupters Pennywise Streetlight Manifesto The Vandals Hot Water Music The Bronx The Suicide Machines	Alexisonfire Beartooth The Amity Affliction Electric Callboy Cancer Bats Silverstein Counterparts Cassyette	Neck Deep The Story So Far The Wonder Years Knuckle Puck KennyHoopla Hot Milk Meet Me At The Altar Beauty School	Deaf Havana 3OH!3 Set It Off Stand Atlantic The Summer Set Mod Sun With Confidence Punk Rock Factory Chunk! No Captain Chunk! Yours Truly Between You & Me	Nova Twins Cold Years As December Falls Magnolia Park MC Lars Pinkshift DeathbyRomy Caskets	Bears in Trees The Flatliners Lil Lotus Mom Jeans Smrtdeath In Her Own Words Point North Zummo

The Used, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Motion City Soundtrack and Spanish Love Songs were all due to play the festival but cancelled.

Alexisonfire's set time was adjusted to avoid clashes with Sum 41 after The Used's withdrawal. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones were replaced by Streetlight Manifesto and Suicide Machines. The Wonder Years played two sets, performing both The Upsides and Surburbia in replacement of Motion City Soundtrack.

Slam Dunk Festival 2023

The South Festival was held at the Hatfield Park on 27 May, and the North festival was held at Temple Newsam Park on 28 May.

Hatfield Park, Hatfield (27 May), Temple Newsam Park, Leeds (28 May)
The Dickies Stage	Amazon music Presents Rock Scene Stage	The KERRANG! Tent (Left Stage)	The KERRANG! Tent (Right Stage)	The Key Club Stages (Left key)	The Key Club Stages (Right key)	The Knotfest Stage
The Offspring Bowling for Soup Less Than Jake Flogging Molly Gogol Bordello Millencolin Zebrahead Teenage Bottlerocket Millie Manders & The Shutup	Enter Shikari Billy Talent Pvris Kids In Glass Houses Underoath Wargasm Holding Absence Trash Boat Vukovi Zand	Yellowcard The Academy Is... Four Year Strong Real Friends Fireworks Hawthorne Heights Destroy Boys	Creeper The Menzingers Boston Manor Trophy Eyes Spanish Love Songs Movements Sincere Engineer	The Hunna JXDN SUECO Charlotte Sands Scene Queen Emarosa Youth Fountain	The Maine Maggie Lindemann NOAHFINNCE Grayscale L0L0 girlfriends The Tyne	DJ Fresh Malevolence We Came As Romans Escape the Fate Fit For A King Landmvrks Static Dress Dragged Under SeeYouSpaceCowboy Higher Power Heriot

Slam Dunk Festival 2024

The South Festival was held at Hatfield Park on 25 May, and the North festival was held at Temple Newsam Park on 26 May.

Hatfield Park, Hatfield (25 May), Temple Newsam Park, Leeds (26 May)
Slam Dunk Stage	GoPro Stage	Kerrang! Stage	Monster Energy Stage	The Key Club Stage
You Me at Six The All American Rejects Boys Like Girls State Champs Mallory Knox We The Kings Head Automatica As December Falls The Dangerous Summer	I Prevail Funeral For A Friend Asking Alexandria The Ghost Inside The Blackout Set It Off The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus Caskets As Everything Unfolds	Waterparks Palaye Royale Pale Waves Against The Current Bob Vylan Rory Taylor Acorn Honey Revenge Artio	The Interrupters Goldfinger Pennywise The Bouncing Souls The Selecter The Skints Mad Caddies Big D & The Kids Table Snuff	The Wonder Years Mom Jeans L.S. Dunes La Dispute H20 Stick To Your Guns One Step Closer Guilt Trip Arm's Length Beauty School

Slam Dunk Festival 2025

The South Festival will be held at Hatfield Park on 24th May, and the North Festival will be held at Temple Newsam on 25th May. European editions, which share some artists with the UK festivals but not the complete line-up, will take place in Belgium, The Netherlands, Switzerland, France and Italy.

The line up for this year's festivals has been announced, including big names like A Day To Remember, Neck Deep and Electric Callboy as the star names for the festival.

The Key Club

The Key Club is a live music venue and nightclub in the Merrion Centre, Leeds that is owned by Slam Dunk Records. It has a 300-person capacity, is the successor to The Cockpit, and hosts many events that the Cockpit did such as Slam Dunk and the Garage club nights. It is advertised as the "first pure rock venue in Leeds". Some bands who have played at the Key Club include Fit for an Autopsy, Blood Youth, Cancer Bats, Beartooth, Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes, Idles and The Wonder Years.

References

Footnotes

Citations