Slam Dunk South 2026: The Recap

Photos by Charis Lydia Bagioki

Five stages, 28-degree heat, and a twenty year celebration: this is Slam Dunk. What began as a small gathering in university halls back in 2006 has grown into one of the UK’s most beloved alternative music festivals.

Over the years, iconic bands like Paramore, Panic! At The Disco and Fall Out Boy have appeared on Slam Dunk line-ups. Across the festival grounds, displays celebrated that history, tracing the festival’s growth from its early editions through to the pandemic-era Stay at Home campaign, which kept fans connected even when live music stopped.

With so many top-tier bands performing, the energy rivalled the heat, which at times had quite literally brought some stages to a standstill. For a twentieth anniversary, Slam Dunk balanced a line-up that mixed nostalgia with up-and-coming talent. This year was so packed it had our schedules overlapping and attempting to not miss a thing. Here are highlights of the day and the bands that we’re still thinking about. 

Call Me Amour 

Kickstarting a festival is never an easy task, but as the crowd packed into the Scott's Key Club stage, Call Me Amour thrived on that energy. Frontman Harry was everything you could want in a performer, incredibly charismatic and completely in tune with the audience, feeding on interactions and conducting the crowd like his own orchestra. From demanding circle pits, diving into them himself, or climbing the stage rigging to once again hyping the crowd, Harry never let the atmosphere drop. Tracks like “Bloom” had phones in the air and every lyric sung back at the band, pulling in curious passers-by into the tent. It was the perfect start for what was to be a packed day ahead.

Unpeople 

Most people would avoid standing in the heat between 12 and 3pm, but we and many others did not care. Stuck in the piercing sun, Unpeople delivered a set full of fan favourites and newer material. Making its live debut was their latest single, the delectable “Clouds” while frontman Jake remained impossible to take your eyes off, always delivering the lyrics with an animated intensity that became a standout on its own. It was a reminder as to why they are one of the most exciting bands to watch right now. 

President 

An artist that needs very little introduction, with speculation always sky-high around them, having already become heavyweights just one year in. It was no surprise, then, that a huge crowd had gathered. Having recently released tracks like “Mercy” and “Doom Loop", many were hoping to hear their live debut. Instead, the set was cut, although not the president's fault. The heat had become an arch nemesis throughout the day triggering a power outage. 

Just as the set was taking off, from “Fearless,” through to the phenomenal "Dionysus", the opening storytelling of “Doom Loop” began before we were greeted with silence. 

After a 15 minute pause, the band returned, slamming into "In the Name of the Father" with a renewed vengeance, it was a true story arc that worked in his favour. After the set, the band posted to social media to apologise for the technical issues. A fault that had affected several bands throughout the day. But despite the interruption, the songs we did see had the crowd more than ready to carry on with the limited time we had together. 

Static Dress 

It was here that we saw not only the unbridled brutality of frontman Olli Appleyard, but the audience themselves. In the sweltering heat, the constant stream of crowd surfers poured over the barrier. Among them were Sesame Street’s Elmo and Cookie Monster, and even a father and son dressed as bananas …. Family fun for everyone. 

Static Dress proved that without a doubt, they are not only a crowd favourite but a band who know exactly how to keep that energy maintained throughout their set. Playing their latest track "Nostalgia Kills", taken from their debut album Injury Episode, they continue to push beyond industry boundaries in both image, sound, and concept. It was a set we walked away from completely transfixed and certain that this is a band that will return as future headliners. 

Malevolence

The blistering heat of Slam Dunk South did not stop Malevolence from delivering a set that felt like a controlled demolition. From the first drop it was evident that there would be bruises and missing limbs in the pit, whilst the band performed tightly without theatrics and funfair. For those not aware of what Malevolence is about, they blend hardcore with groove and swagger, and the open-air setting was ideal for the set that unfolded. The breakdowns kept coming, and so did the crowdsurfers; I can confirm that standing in the photopit and turning around to see 5-6 people coming over the barricade at the same time made me miss a couple of heartbeats. 

Meanwhile, the tornado pit that formed in the middle was not just encouraged, it was inevitable. Whilst Alex Taylor has a remarkable conversational hostility towards their microphone, there is still intention in every word said (or shouted). The setlist, consisting of bangers such as “Trenches”, “Life Sentence”, “Keep Your Distance” and “On Broken Glass", was nothing but a treat to the moshers and was delivered with maximum impact. Malevolence understood the equation of more punches and less fluff, and their Slam Dunk set was testament to that.

Knocked Loose

Whilst the Slam Dunk crowd ran towards the west to watch Good Charlotte, there were a few people like me who wanted to keep the energy and brutality of the festival by going from Malevolence straight into Knocked Loose. If you have been living under a rock, the band is not just a social experiment of how far hardcore can go to engage the mainstream audience; they are a Grammy-nominated act with a blistering sound and even more scorching performances (and no, we are not talking about the weather temperature). After their stints around different festivals last year and their recent announcement of supporting Metallica in their 2026 tour, it was inevitable that they would claim the headline slot of a festival like Slam Dunk.

Their set was a masterclass in sustained intensity and self-harm (again, the moshers did not hold back), and the bruise-coloured backdrop of the sky made their set (and inevitable bruises) even more impactful. There were no peaks or troughs during their songs, just a relentless vertical line of aggression from start to finish. Bryan Garris’ vocals cut cleanly through the mix, acting as the focal point of the set, whilst the band behind him was built like a machine, maintaining the hardcore volatility even on a bigger stage, from songs like “Piece by Piece" to critically acclaimed "Suffocate" to ending piece “Everything is Quiet Now”. Whilst most bands dilute their sets for a headline slot, Knocked Loose did not compromise their atmosphere at all; rather, they built it up on discomfort, punctuation and edge. In two words, they doubled down! And it definitely paid off.

Good Charlotte

With two headliners clashing, many faced the tough choice between the intensity of Knocked Loose or the pop-punk nostalgia from Good Charlotte. For me, I went for the latter - a soundtrack to mine - and many other teenage years growing up. 

Opening with “The River” may have been an interesting choice to start with, but it was anthemic and eased the crowd into the evening, watching the sun set to this powerful track. While the staging was a bit simplistic compared to past headliners, it wasn't needed as the crowd was there purely for the band. 

The setlist was full of fan favourites from 2002’s The Young and the Hopeless, including “Girls & Boys" and “Riot Girl". The encore was the ultimate run of emo classics with “I Just Wanna Live", “Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous” and “The Anthem". Overall, the set felt more like a deliberate throwback to the 2000s, giving exactly what the audience came for. Nostalgia. 

For twenty years, Slam Dunk has remained more than just a festival. It always packs in an unrelenting day of back to back music, built for discovering new bands while showcasing legendary headliners. A place to make new memories that stay with you long after the sunburn fades. Whether at the South or North edition, this year's celebrations proved why Slam Dunk continues to grow alongside its audience year after year.

Long may it continue.

Photos by Charis Lydia Bagioki

Words by Kirsty Bright