Slam Dunk North smashes South as the sun shines down on the festival once again

Don’t get us wrong, there were some mini showers, but the sun FINALLY returned to Slam Dunk.

26th May 2025

3 minute read

Slam Dunk Festival has had a couple of rocky years of late (if you’ll pardon the pun), but one thing you can always count on is those in the North making the most of whatever hand they’re dealt – and 2025 was no different.

It just so happens that this year’s edition of the festival managed to avoid the increasingly typical rain and boggy conditions and, instead, gig-goers were finally treated to some pretty consistent sunshine, warmth and, most importantly, dry land.

Seriously, we always fear the worst when stepping back out onto Temple Newsam Park the day after Live At Leeds Fest – which also had another successful year – but the ground was primed for stomping, moshing, circle pits, the works.

And that’s exactly what we got.

We kicked the day off by trying to sprint through the gates to catch Movements, but even the early crowds had already started picking up so quickly that making it to the main stage proved a challenge.

However, we did manage to get a great lay of the land, with this year’s festival site marking a noticeable improvement upon recent years in terms of layout extras besides the stages, with more food and drink vendors than ever.

After catching a few Rain City Drive tunes, we paid a visit to local Leeds legends Crash Records, who were slinging out signed LPs, bargain bin band tees for just a fiver and plenty more, before making a beeline for Hot Mulligan’s set.

The Midwest emo archetypes didn’t disappoint, both in terms of those instantly recognisable screeching vocals and being their usual silly selves on stage – we just wish they were given a longer slot.

It was also fun to just stop and look upon the sea of black that had descended upon the fields for the iconic festival every now and again, which only got better as the sun continued to drop.

Thank you Slam Dunk North 🖤

And thank you everyone for an amazing Slam Dunk Festival 2025 weekend.

📸 @EddyMaynard pic.twitter.com/F9ogWUrN6g
— Slam Dunk Festival (@SlamDunkMusic) May 25, 2025

That being said, we did get a truly terrific, technicolour set from fellow Northerners Neck Deep, a.k.a. the pop-punk princes of Wales, who booked one of the main slots on the Main Stage West just a few short years on from playing the smallest one.

Now that’s a narrative we can get behind.

For context, one member of our party (naming no names) had been a big fan for a long time but had never been to a solo show as he’d heard ‘they’re not that good live’; meanwhile, his Hoot tour guide for the day was on her ninth Neck Deep gig.

Unsurprisingly, the latter knew way better, and the former was proven a fool who was given some of the worst and most unreliable information on Earth. Let’s just say I—sorry, THEY* will never make the same mistake ever again…

Not only were they on top form but frontman Ben Barlow made sure to use his platform to touch on important issues and “get just a little bit political”, sending the crowds away with one key message:

Damn right.

There were so many bands we wanted to make more time before the first-world problem of having to choose between so many people’s favourite bands all in one place will never be lost on us.

Last but not least, we got to see American rock giants A Day To Remember headline the night and, obviously, they drew the biggest crowds of the whole day.

Once again, it’s our ultimate privilege to be invited along to festivals like this, and we always see Slam Dunk North as a very special celebration of all things alternative.

Here’s hoping the rare Slam Dunk sun is a good omen for the rest of festival season; we can’t wait to be ‘Right Back at It Again’ next year.