2026 marks 20 years of Slam Dunk, as well as 10 years of The Key Club Stage and this year was filled with an incredible line-up filled with nostalgic bands (Good Charlotte, A, Dashboard Confessional, Broadside to name a few), festival titans (Bury Tomorrow, Knocked Loose, Malevolence), exciting debuts (Currents, President, The Home Team), viral bands currently on an unstoppable roll (Unpeople) and a tease of what the future may hold (Dead Pony, SiM). Whether you came for the pop-punk/alt rock emo nostalgia, the moshpit heavy titans, or to see what the fuss of the new bands is all about, there was something for everyone! With the amount of rock and metal sub-genres out there, it’s getting increasingly difficult to please everyone; however, I’m happy to say that Slam Dunk managed to deliver yet again a line-up that offers stellar options for any fans.

Glasgow rock band Dead Pony have officially announced a headline run of shows for May and June 2026, marking a significant milestone for the rising alt-rock quartet. Titled the Eat My Dust! UK Headline Tour, the trek features eight dates across the United Kingdom, kicking off at Nottingham's Beta on May 26th and hitting cities including Manchester, Birmingham, and Cardiff before concluding at London’s iconic Underworld on June 4th. While support acts for these performances are still to be announced, the tour promises an elevated live experience featuring fresh material following the band's acclaimed debut album and recent Scottish Album of the Year nomination.

American rock giants Twenty One Pilots are set to make their long-awaited All Points East debut with their only UK performance of 2026 on Sunday 30 August. They’ll be joined by a stacked lineup including Wunderhorse, REN, bbno$, PVRIS, Nova Twins, Kid Kapichi, Dead Pony, and LEAP, with even more acts still to be announced.