Slam Dunk Festival 2016 add Yellowcard, Mayday Parade and more to the line up!

slam dunk 2016

The 10th anniversary of SLAM DUNK FESTIVAL has jus announced a further 8 bands to the lineup.

YELLOWCARD will be playing the festival for the first time and will play their huge album ‘Ocean Avenue’ in full, in a world exclusive. “I think we owe so much of the success we have been so lucky to have to Ocean Avenue.”  says Ryan Key.  “We have built an incredible touring career on 6 continents over the last 15 years. We have recorded 5 more original albums following Ocean Avenue. Without that album none of these things would have been possible. I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Florida’s MAYDAY PARADE have had a big year with a new album and a sold out UK headline tour under their belts already. They have played the festival twice before, in 2011 & 2012. They say they are “stoked to be a part of this year’s Slam Dunk Festival. We always look forward to travelling across the pond to play music for our UK fans and can’t wait to do again in 2016!”

ROAM– Eastborune pop punks ROAM are all about pushing the pop punk envelope, as can be heard on their debut record record. Having recently been inciting crowdsurfing frenzies on a plethora of tours across the UK, Europe and the US, the band will make a welcome return to the festival.  Alex Costello says “We are so excited to play Slam Dunk again! Playing last year was one of the highlights of 2015 for us and I think this year will be even better now we have an album out. In my opinion it’s one of the best festivals in the UK, especially for pop punk bands. It’s definitely going to be one to remember.”

Australia’s NORTHLANE will be back to play songs off their ARIA number 1 album ‘Node’.  “Every time we visit the UK we’re welcomed with open arms, and always look forward to crossing the globe because the Brits make it worth it! Festivals are the most fun you can have playing in a band, and Slam Dunk is one of the best there is, We can’t wait to come over to the UK again!”

Grimecore crew HACKTIVIST play Slam Dunk in the wake of the release of their acclaimed debut album Outside The Box (UNFD), which has seen them win acclaim across the board from the press and ignite their burgeoning underground fanbase. A confident and bleeding-edge mashup of genres like that of their brothers-in-vibe Enter Shikari, Hacktivist are a force to be reckoned with and a truly unstoppable live band.

Everyones favourite Canadians are also added to the bill –CANCER BATS – They have also played the festival twice, in 2012 & 2013. “Were so stoked to announce that we’ll be playing Slam Dunk this summer ! We can’t wait to party with all our homies and to tear the shit out of the stage with our brothers in Every Time I Die!!! Its gonna be epic ! Scoop some tickets and LET’S GET WEIRD!!!!” says frontman Liam Corimer.

Fans of heavy, loud rock n roll won’t be disappointed this year with the addition of Georgia’s NORMA JEAN.  This will be the bands first time at Slam Dunk and it will surely be a special show.

And finally, it wouldn’t be a proper anniversary without HIT THE LIGHTS. The band has flown over from the USA for a near record 4 times to play the festival, in ’10, ’11, ’12, & ’14.The band released their fourth album ‘Summer Bones’ last year and are always a big crowd pleaser with their huge pop punk sound. Expect nothing less from their 2016 performance.

The bands will join the headliners Panic! At The Disco and the likes of Of Mice & Men, New Found Glory and many more for the May 2016 bank holiday weekend.

PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED- PANIC! AT THE DISCO TO HEADLINE, OF MICE & MEN, NEW FOUND GLORY, FOUR YEAR STRONG, EVERY TIME I DIE, ISSUES, MEMPHIS MAY FIRE, REAL FRIENDS, MALLORY KNOW, THE STARTING LINE, SET YOUR GOALS, ZEBRAHEAD, CAPDOWN, WE CAME AS ROMANS, MISS MAY I, THE STORY SO FAR.

slam dunk 2016

The dates and sites for next years’ SLAM DUNK FESTIVAL are:

Saturday 28 May 2016 – SLAM DUNK FESTIVAL North – Leeds City Centre

Sunday 29 May 2016 – SLAM DUNK FESTIVAL Midlands –Birmingham, NEC

Bank Holiday Monday 30 May 2016- SLAM DUNK FESTIVAL South – Hatfield, University of Hertfordshire

Tickets are on sale now and priced at £42 or £47 including afterparty. The festival is for Age 14 + (festival only) or 18+ for the afterparty tickets.

For the first time, due to popular demand, there is also a limited edition Mega Ticket on sale for £150. This ticket includes admittance to all 3 events and includes afterparties, wristband exchange queue jumps and a limited edition t-shirt.
Visit www.slamdunkmusic.com for all ticketing links.
This year will see some huge upgrades to the event, continuing the huge year on year growth the festival has experienced. Following the success of last year the Leeds site will remain in the City Centre, with a new site being announced at the Birmingham NEC and the Southern date will remain in Hatfield, at the University of Hertfordshire campus for the fifth year. This will bring the capacity up to a huge 40,000 fans across the weekend.

SLAM DUNK FESTIVAL has won ‘Best Festival’ at the Kerrang! Awards in both 2014 and 2015. Widely regarded as the biggest awards in rock, the festival beat strong competition from major events such as Reading /Leeds and Download. Slam Dunk has also been in the final shortlists for ‘Best Metropolitan Festival’ at the UK Festival Awards, in 2013, 2014 & 2015, and ‘Best Festival’ (up to 15,000 daily capacity) at The Live UK Awards 2015.

Danny Peart
Danny Pearthttps://www.dannypeartphotography.co.uk
Editor / Live Music Photographer / Journalist at Soundcheck-Live

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