Remember that Slam Dunk Festival guide Alice penned for us a week or so ago? Well, here is the follow-up! After some time to recover, and some ruminating on the day’s events, here are some of the very best bits to get you in the mood for the next one. A year isn’t so far away, is it?
On a warm and hazy day in the heart of Leeds, the crowds amassed in force to celebrate the finest musicians that the pop punk and alternative scenes have to offer. As this was my first time at the festival, I was impressed to see just how professional the setup was. With whole streets of the city open only to festival-goers, the centre of Leeds was transformed, almost beyond recognisability, into a musical haven.
Woes
Despite being the first act of the day on the Signature Brew Stage, Woes drew an impressive crowd which loosely packed out the whole area in front of the stage. The band members were friendly and relaxed, bantering with one another and engaging naturally with the crowd throughout their set, kicking things off to a strong start.
The performance, overall, perfectly encapsulated the spirit of the alternative scene: a highly energetic band jumping around the stage, and a receptive audience ready to head-bang and let loose in the early afternoon. Needless to say, Woes set the precedent for much of the day that would follow.
The Faim
For me, the highlight of the day had to be The Faim’s performance. They delivered an incredible set and are no doubt heading for big things in the future.
Beginning with only the drummer on stage, strobe lights flickered over the crowd rhythmically, in time with the drumming, before darkness descended upon the venue. The darkness became the cover for the rest of the band to enter onto the stage, so that when the lights returned it was as if they’d all just appeared out of nowhere. This was one of a few theatrical elements that made this set particularly memorable.
The entire performance screamed charisma and confidence in a way that compulsively sparked engagement from the audience, and much of their set reflected the input of the notable collaborators on their forthcoming album, such as Pete Wentz and Josh Dun.
The Faim’s most recently released track, ‘Saints of the Sinners’, set the entire crowd in motion: a wave of jumping and dancing, even from those who hadn’t heard a single song by them before.
I left feeling incredibly grateful to have been able to see this band at such a small and intimate venue. Especially because I’m sure that in a year or so they will be playing sold out gigs to even larger crowds. It was a very promising show of talent.
Moose Blood
Moose Blood, a four piece band from Kent, attracted plenty of attention. The crowds they drew were met with a notably chilled-out set, which was a welcome change of pace for what had been a frantically charged day so far.
However, there were moments where the relaxed energy could have been mistaken for weariness, with the atmosphere and set seeming a little tired at times. Singer Eddy Brewerton barely broke a sweat either, despite keeping his hoodie and jacket on. Fortunately, the crowd brought enough energy to balance out what the performance lacked, belting out lyrics and moshing at all the right moments.
Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes
This set really highlighted what it is that so many people love about festivals. The band played to a highly energetic crowd, many of whom were wearing PVRIS merchandise (the band playing immediately afterwards on the stage), but were happy to enjoy the music as much as everyone else was. It was here that, inspired by Frank Carter’s instruction, the crowd formed possibly the biggest mosh pit of the day: a whirlwind of limbs, and hair, and sweat, it was unlike any pit I had experienced before.
In a performance packed with highlights, the one that was the most powerful came when the band played the song ‘Flowers’. After dedicating this song to all the women in the room, it was declared as an opportunity for female-only crowd surfing, for all the women who might have wanted to, but were held back by fear of being touched inappropriately. This announcement came hand in hand with another to the men of the room, encouraging respect and compassion. This dedication, from such a big name in a largely male-dominated genre, felt like a really important step in the right direction, and was an incredibly commendable act. Although it was by chance that I ended up at this performance, given the opportunity, I would not miss seeing Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes in the future.
PVRIS
PVRIS’s performance oozed planned professionalism, but I couldn’t help but feel this may have come at the expense of personality. When it comes to festivals, short set times push bands to choose between playing more songs or having greater engagement with the crowd. For me, PVRIS should’ve chosen a to chat with the crowd a little more, as the lack of communication meant the set felt forcibly churned out, although I’m sure this wasn’t the case at all.
Nevertheless, there were moments when the band did manage to connect with the crowd, even without addressing them directly. At one point, openly gay frontwoman Lynn Gunn, laid a rainbow flag across her drum set — a timely gesture, just weeks before Pride Month begins — an action that drew great support from the crowd.
Despite having a few reservations about parts of the gig, PVRIS’s overall performance was incredible, and Lynn Gunn stole the show with her powerful vocals and several captivating drum-offs against the band’s drummer, Brad Griffin. All in all, this was a highly enjoyable set, from a band that I think might just shine more at their own shows, rather than at a festival.
Well, if it wasn't clear already, I’m certainly a Slam Dunk convert. A day packed with performances from some of the very best names in alternative music, in the heart of a beautiful city, with some of the best crowds I’ve seen, there’s nothing more you could ask for really. So, here’s to an incredible Slam Dunk 2018! I will look forward to the next one.
Article: Alice Cronshaw
URY Music Editor: Alex Sheriff
