Slam Dunk 2017, Birmingham NEC - review with pictures

The move from Wolverhampton’s Civic Halls to Birmingham caused some strong words from fans online, with some complaining about the confusing layout and lack of information available on site at 2016’s festival.

However, this year Slam Dunk built on 2016 and went above and beyond with a brand new layout including more outdoor stages, a new merchandise village packed full of unique stalls and a wide variety of street food catering to every taste.

This is before even reaching the acts, spread across seven different genre stages from up-and-coming bands to those of legendary rock status.

Entertainment journalist Becci Stanley looks back on the acts of the day.

Sorority Noise

Making their debut Slam Dunk performance, American indie rock band Sorority Noise set out to make the audience of the Signature Brew stage feel some things, as well as rock the house down at the same time.

With their raw and angst-ridden lyrics executed with strong vocals, soaring guitar riffs and an almost sombre stage presence - Sorority Noise encapsulated everything that is the new indie rock/emo revival, and they attracted quite a crowd doing so.

Treating fans to delights off 2017 album You're Not As _____ As You Think as well as past releases Joy, Departed and Forgettable, Sorority Noise displayed a great amount of musical growth in their short time onstage, and warmed the crowd of the SIgnature Brew stage up nicely.

Trophy Eyes

Slam Dunk is primarily known as a pop punk festival, having supported up-and-coming pop punk bands for eleven years and consistently offering some of the best names of the genre on their festival bills.

Newcastle’s Trophy Eyes proved no exception to the rule with a whirlwind energetic set that left patrons at the Monster Stage breathless.

Trophy eyes take punk riffs and vocals mixed with a lighter tempo and soaring hooks with a sunny feel - perfect for the summery weather that blessed this year’s Slam Dunk Festival.

Though a brief set, Trophy Eyes displayed the same energy that they would in their headline performances in bucket loads and the same amount of raw talent that is starting to put them on the musical map.

Milk Teeth

Worcester’s Milk Teeth enjoyed their first ever Slam Dunk performance with a rousingly raucous set in the midday sun.

A beautifully intricate band - Milk Teeth utilised spine-tinglingly soothing vocals with visceral instrumentals to create an offering that was one part audibly confusing and another completely brilliant.

“This is our first time here Slam Dunk, thank you so much for having us!” vocalist Becky Blomfield boomed, with a humble smile etched across her face in front of a crowd just baying for more.

Treating fans to singles from their debut album Vile Child, Milk Teeth delivered a set that was both perfectly crafted with a hint that anything could happen - and no one wanted to see them leave the stage.

Crime in Stereo

In a rare UK performance, Long Island hardcore punk band Crime in Stereo took to the Signature Brew stage with the energy of a tsunami - and the crowd acted accordingly, becoming a tornado of bodies from start to finish.

The band have not released any new music since 2010 album I Was Trying to Describe You to Someone and thus treated fans to a thoroughly nostalgic set - with smash hits Small Skeletal, But You Are Vast and I, Stateside delighting already ecstatic fans.

It was as if the band had never been away from the live music scene as they played their set with the same crushing intensity that fans have grown to love them for. The vocals had an impact as strong as ever with the music only heightening that fact. Crime in Stereo pulled no punches and delivered a strong and nostalgic set marking their triumphant UK return.

Cute is What We Aim For

I was most excited to see one of my all-time favourite bands perform one of my oldest favourite albums as Cute is What We Aim For celebrated the ten year anniversary of their debut album The Same Old Blood Rush with a New Touch.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve been here Birmingham, and this is a monumental occasion!” vocalist Shaant Hacikyan boomed after entering the stage to gaudy rap music.

It was the same old singles I’d grown to love, but without the same oomph as Hacikyan’s vocals often didn’t measure up to the gravity that they commanded. Soaring choruses in the likes of There’s A Class For This, Newport Living and Curse of Curves often sounded flat and unenthusiastic - though their stage presence suggested differently as they bounced excitedly across it.

It’s rare I leave a set early, especially during a band I love so dearly, but this moment came as Hacikyan told stories of the band partying all night long and waking up drunk the morning of the festival - before playing heartbreaking ode Fourth Drink Instinct, a story of a girl with a fake ID who is used when she is drunk and left in the morning.

I felt sad to be sorely disappointed by a band I have waited to long to see. The energy was there, but the execution was off.

Turnover

Turnover have enjoyed reaching height after height in their music career since the release of their debut album Magnolia in 2013 - and now they’ve returned to the UK to show the crowds of Slam Dunk why.

Turnover took the crowd on an aural journey filled with lucid instrumental interludes coupled with translucid vocals, quickly interrupted at a moment’s notice by forceful guitar riffs and raging choruses that excited the crowd infinitely.

2015’s Peripheral Vision cemented the band’s talent, and renditions of hit songs New Scream and Humming only accentuated this fact as they played the songs with even more feeling and passion than ever before.

Citizen

Emo rock favourites Citizen were a highly-anticipated addition to the Slam Dunk 2017 line up, as their energetic and thought-inducing live shows have garnered them quite a reputation.

This reputation is one they confirmed over on the Signature Brew stage, with the crowd itching to get moving the minute the band entered the stage.

Blood, sweat and tears went into making their music, and it’s what the crowd gave back as they crowd-surfed, head-banged and pointed viciously at the band as they scream the hair-raising lyrics out into the hazy afternoon sky.

From early Youth singles How Does it Feel and The Night I Drove Alone to Everybody is Going to Heaven releases Cement, Dive Into my Sun and Yellow - Citizen delighted the crowd with their intricate lyrics and heavy live delivery.

Reel Big Fish

There’s no band I look forward to seeing live more than Reel Big Fish - their sets are nothing more than one big party that you can dance your feet off to and have an all-round good time.

Treating fans to some of their greatest hits, Reel Big Fish brought the party to the Fireball stage with their infectiously funny stage presence and timeless hits.

With punk tinged Everyone Else is an ***hole and Another FU Song through to pint-raising hits Sell Out and Beer - Reel Big Fish had the whole crowd moving and laughing as they erratically ran across the stage, jumped up and down and frequently got the crowd to join in with the set

“Now for this next song, that is the same song, we want you guys to shake your hips!” then square dance, then head bang, and anything else they could think of as they repeatedly showed their musical prowess playing hit single Suburban Rhythm in various different styles.

Ending on a cover of The Specials’ Monkeyman and A-Ha cover Take On Me - Reel Big Fish reminded the audience why they are still at the top of their game after more than twenty years in music and why you can always rely on them for a great time.

Don Broco

Despite only forming in 2008, Don Broco have cemented themselves in modern rock history as being one of the greatest live performing bands - and they showcased this prowess once more as they made a celebrated return to Slam Dunk Festival.

Don Broco know how to work a stage - the movements almost seemed choreographed as both guitar and bass players jumped as one, while vocalist Rob Damiani sashayed across the stage through the flashing lights.

They commanded the packed out main stage audience to sit down on the floor and they sat, they commanded them to jump and they jumped, they even jumped down to do press ups during Thug Workout. Don Broco really know how to create an atmosphere at a moment’s notice.

This stage presence didn’t detract away from their musical talent however - from entering the stage to Everybody, through Priorities hits Hold On and Whole Truth to Automatic hits Superlove and Money, Power, Fame - the band recited these songs with almost radio-precision and with remarkable energy.

Leaving the stage to brand new song Pretty, Don Broco played a set that no one in the audience is likely to forget anytime soon.

Madina Lake

2017 marks the return of Madina Lake to music, and they celebrated this with an exciting set at this year’s Slam Dunk Festival.

It was as if they had never gone away as they ploughed through smash hits House of Cards, One Last Kiss and Here I Stand with the same excitement and power that they have always held

“Thank you so much for having us back Birmingham, it’s been a while!” vocalist Nathan Leone beamed, and this excitement was palpable in every frantic note they played and the smiles plastered across the faces of the band throughout their entire set.

Leaving the crowd breathless, Madina Lake marked their return in style with a powerful set that put them right back at the top of their game.

Enter Shikari

Telling screams and chords erupted across the pitch black main stage and green lasers illuminated the excited faces of the crowds - Enter Shikari had arrived, and they were about to deliver the most impressive set the day had to offer.

Celebrating ten years since the release of their groundbreaking debut album Take to the Skies, Enter Shikari played this album in full for the first time, and they did so with the same visceral energy and passion that the album commands.

Entering to Stand Your Ground, This is Ancient Land the whole room immediately burst into a frenzy of boisterous movement and raw energy that didn’t let up through Mothership, Anything Can Happen in the Next Half Hour, No Sssweat and Jonny Sniper.

Enter Shikari still have the same love and respect for this album as ever, and despite it being ten years since it’s release, the band still performed as energetically as ever with vocalist Rou Reynold’s climbing any stage prop he could like a Tasmanian devil in a fit of rage.

Shikari’s sound has changed a lot over the years, as is evident when they juxtapose singles The Last Garrison and The Anaesthetist within the set.

Enter Shikari continue to innovate their music with stunning results - but one thing that has always been at the heart of the band is their political ethos and messages of love.

“We have an important date coming up, you all know what it is. We have the chance to stand up and shape how the country feels and how it is run - that is important, don’t ever forget that,” Rou bawled to the sounds of roaring admiration.

From political speeches to those of love - Shikari played a heart-rending cover of Oasis’ Half the World Away in commemoration of those who lost their lives in the Manchester attack, before ending the set on their own hair-raising single Adieu - inciting tears and a sense of unity across the room.

Following one whirlwind encore featuring Ok, Time for Plan B and a medley of The Appeal and The Mindsweep II - Shikari finished their celebration in a style only they know how to achieve.

The audience walked away breathless. Many of us have grown as their career has grown - and looking at how their career and music has grown forced the crowd to look back and see how their lives have changed along with it.

A breathtaking end to a day packed full of exciting live music - Enter Shikari provided the perfect ending message of love and unity in music as the stars pierced the midnight sky and revellers left Birmingham NEC on an all-time high.

Until next year, thank you Slam Dunk!