SLAM DUNK FESTIVAL REVEALS FIRST WAVE FOR 2027
Slam Dunk, the UK's premier independent rock festival, is set to make its highly anticipated return in 2027 by unveiling its first wave of confirmed artists. Coming off the momentum of a milestone 20th anniversary this past summer, the festival launches its 21st edition with a massive line-up. Headlining the announcement are Bowling For Soup, Simple Plan, Killswitch Engage, Beartooth, Sleeping With Sirens, The Used, and The Front Bottoms, leads among more than 20 artists joining the weekend showcase spanning pop-punk, emo, ska, metal, and beyond.
In a departure from previous routing, Slam Dunk will host its northern leg first, landing at Leeds' Temple Newsam on Saturday 29th May before wrapping up the weekend at Hatfield Park on Sunday 30th May 2027. Attendees can secure early access through the Slam Dunk app starting Friday 2nd October at 10am, where a 48-hour pre-sale will take place (subject to availability). General ticket sales will follow on Monday 5th October at 10am via www.slamdunkfestival.com.
At the forefront of the announcement are two legendary pop-punk festival staples. Bowling For Soup make their return following a standout 2023 performance, an appearance frontman Jaret Reddick later hailed as "up there with my favorite shows of our career." Their 2027 appearance coincides with the 25th anniversary of their breakthrough album Drunk Enough To Dance, home to iconic fan anthems such as “Girl All The Bad Guys Want”. They will alternate closing duties over the weekend with Simple Plan, who return to the SDF stage after eight years. Simple Plan's debut record No Pads, No Helmets…Just Balls also hits the 25-year mark, with this festival performance following on from their largest UK headline gig to date at London’s Wembley Arena.
Ska-punk icons Reel Big Fish are lined up for an exclusive UK reunion performance. Marking their first Slam Dunk appearance since 2018, vocalist Aaron Barrett will regroup with original members for the first time in over 15 years, following a hiatus that began in 2019. Less Than Jake return as well, backed by a catalog spanning more than three decades, while The Interrupters strengthen the ska-punk bill and Isle of Wight outfit Grade 2 bring a classic punk energy to the event.
On the heavier side of the bill, metalcore titans Killswitch Engage will make their long-awaited Slam Dunk debut, topping the heavy stage. Their debut comes behind the 2025 release of This Consequence, their first full-length album in six years. They are joined by Beartooth, who bring a decade-plus catalog and material from their sixth studio record, Pure Ecstasy, guaranteeing plenty of crowd sing-alongs.
Wage War join the festival roster ahead of their upcoming album Landfall next month, while Australian outfit The Amity Affliction deliver their signature blend of melodic metalcore and post-hardcore back to the festival. Progressive metalcore acts ERRA and Sydney's Melrose Avenue also join the lineup, the latter making their Slam Dunk debut following a surge in online international popularity. Pennsylvania's From Ashes To New round out this segment of the announcement with their hybrid of metalcore, hard rock, and rap elements.
The emo roster is equally stacked, led by Sleeping With Sirens on one of the main stages following their eighth album, An Ending In Itself. The Used perform alongside them, coming off a year of playing their first three albums in full and leading into a special guest slot with My Chemical Romance at the Hollywood Bowl this autumn.
The Maine make their return as they approach 20 years together, bringing a career-spanning set of pop-rock hits. We The Kings celebrate two decades of their self-titled debut album and hit single “Check Yes Juliet”, while The Academy Is... mark 20 years of Santi. Cute Is What We Aim For are also set to cross the Atlantic for a rare overseas appearance.
The Front Bottoms take on a stage-headlining slot for their inaugural Slam Dunk appearance, armed with cult hits like ‘Twin Size Mattress’ and ‘Flashlight’. Fan favourites Four Year Strong bring their breakdown-heavy pop-punk back for a high-octane set. Australian group Trophy Eyes will perform an exclusive 10-year anniversary set for their fan-favorite record Chemical Miracle, Chicago’s Knuckle Puck deliver their blend of melodic pop-punk and emo, and Overgrown add their signature 'nu-grunge' sound to the mix. Leeds mathcore group Love Rarely also join the first wave following their debut release Pain Travels.
Completing the initial wave, Hot Milk bring their high-energy blend of alt-rock and pop-punk back to the stage, alongside Leicester's rising heavy alt-rock act Mouth Culture. Independent pop-punk band As December Falls join the festival following steady grassroots growth, and Australian band RedHook complete this first wave with their genre-crossing mix of rock, pop, and heavy elements.
Slam Dunk Festival returns to Hatfield Park and Leeds Temple Newsam in May 2027, with additional artist announcements to follow. Pre-sale tickets open through the Slam Dunk app for 48 hours starting at 10am on Friday 2nd October (subject to availability), before general ticket sales commence at 10am on Monday 5th October across all standard outlets, including www.slamdunkfestival.com.
