Pit Shots - Slam Dunk Issue by chris martin

al lm an ne ro fl ive

slam dunk festival arcane roots rolo tomassi sweet billy pilgrim

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to slam dunk south in hatfield. don broco bringing the party schmoove.

tects archi

. tfield in ha h t u o unk s am d l s g n winni

slamdunksouth

So, to Hatfield. The second leg of what’s becoming one of the UK’s most important festivals. Definitely aimed at the

younger end of the market, Slam Dunk has led from the front alongside other one-dayers like Hit The Deck, Takedown

and a handful of others, but has grown a bigger beard and bigger set of danglers as it’s matured a little

quicker than its notional siblings. The strongest line up to date boasts big names from just about every genre in

rock pantheon. From pop punk and ska punk to deathcore and pop rock, there’s a leader of every pack here today.

While She Sleeps, Architects, YMAS, Don Broco, Less Than Jake, The Bronx...the list is as exhaustive as it is extensive,

with the only problem of the day being who to actually watch and who to painfully forego. So, onwards and upwards...

off

slamdunksouth

set it

Kicking off on the nightmare opening slot on the main stage are the frothy and teeny Set it Off. An impressively sizeable crowd has already gathered and dutifully loses its collective shit as front man Cody Carson leads the poppy, pleasant enough and creditably performed set of sing-a-long soaked, smile-inducing sass. A bit cheesy and high school-friendly at times but a tasty starter on the packed menu that gets the hungry young â&#x20AC;&#x2122;uns digging in greedily. As a starter, think prawn cocktail. But washed down with a Blue WKD. Burp.

6.5

ris

slamdunksouth The hype around this lot is unrelenting and gathering considerable momentum. So, is all the fuss worth it? Well, if big power pop with an electronica-infused and a smattering of faux-heaviness is your thang, then it’s easy to see why all the column inches and pixelated prose have been spouted and expounded. They’ve certainly got the songs, the hooks and the energy. A feisty and charismatic front woman. And a fairly original sound. There are moments of Issues or AWOL Nation, but generally they’re on a path of their own. Pvs mvl. Vrviment.

slamdunksouth

Kicking off proceedings on the ‘heavy ‘ stage are another band with an oh so cvrrent vse of the letter

Shvpes

(formerly

Cytota) And that’s pretty much all that’s terribly cvrrent. Their tuneful metalcore is far from unlistenable though. Ticks all the boxes. Well played, well put together and enthusiastically performed. A developing bvnd who will surely develop their sound as they continue to cook. Just need a bit longer in the oven. But palatably meaty.

6.5

shvpes

rt ya th

slamdunksouth

r l. O a et tle h m ’s lit t CJ it ea er r d lity, g O st n a e. ju ‘si re s or l c r l y in h ar oa ca at s, e , b i e ) t sw vy ld ed gh ri f, wi ea uf ou y b teve h r n a n d g e m ha gu y, an ha ir It r g e a . t W u (f g n . ng in ub ro cu ba ch .A an th nk fs a y n u s o f m i a p m m d es am ps so a ld of e op lly o al r d r l f t s . p l a c a o e lo wo Do lo at it ag tr ds fa a . , b b o e n o o s e e y N g a th h s a ere’ rs ag tm at an wl in sa iff ou h o r o a T c n r d e e th y h g d t. y, r of n od s, ne se sa d u ho ar yb s mo t I l n r o a l n r a M ve As s, ba dow g g. Mc ut e rp in ’s t n u o f i b o o in oin ear s, rh ab ds rp al y a e e sw o d g u L d n n r i . a sq f r s sta of a at ba be lot as t g a in as d bl ck an u s f s , ba ting n cu

m is r de ur

we are the ocean

slamdunksouth

we are the ocean

dcore scene t-hardcore/la os p e th of s ing e former darl So, it seems th ave been roll. dy rock and years back h w fe a om of proper bloo fr t ) se g d in lle th ba a actually us and big(if that was ring, boistero oduce a bliste pr

occan e main stage banese or Mor Le of ce n in front of th ou n ed a , er g th on ga b s a ie h g cabin wit swigging teen the alcopoplocked in a lo that most of Not

y, Bad Compan urity, some ppelin, Free, w found mat Ze ne a d s, Le es of el th gh. Never mplete works ptivated thou resin, the co be totally ca seem to

you what, the on’t be hint that it w gle. And, tell n si x Re T. d ghtening riffs -ti od e um th en d fr n d a s an dgie smart groove Pendragon, Bu g great tunes, soddin

g, boogie, ces. gger, audien cock rock, pro of e ol er ss d hopefully bi ca an , p u up n n w ow ro gr g proper for more t are headed results are a before this lo long

ing and ow voiced, snarl y wouldn’t kn ytt ri g y b d Le . And certainl . gh ck ou ro th rd is a h e ure of tim d, honest t an architect soul and goo e no clue wha Hav

quintet d hearty stuff. by, the Essex m ro C m a Li g ed it. Heady an in ne ng to a g b in d a go chewing he . Think we’re Pass that bong sneering, gum to build one. how

slamdunksouth

than

tlanti

lower than atlantis

slamdunksouth

s entertaining for the alway le du he sc A hugely busy

est and über-hon

pop

slamdunksouth

is afternoon. ery it and spite th sp al rm just about ev no ’s and sing back d Mike Duce e te gl un jig bl p, ve m ha ju to unce, mosh, rockers seems ing crowd, bo and the ador lously m from their fabu tempt to perfor e prime fillets th h ug ro th an aborted at g gh rin ou pl du ils lly fa fu man on his acoustic Although they ’s radio pick up syllable. Duce n’t mething does zy-drawered ng player, so lo st la s ou among his fiz ym om on fr ep ng ia So yd Sad -chlam cing Another catchier-than osebump-indu go s ay w al e th d e biggest crow nd crack Saying that, th . en ev el y-next-door ba to bo r up la ay pu w e po th rvedly turned all and the dese appear to be brushes it off he t bu , es yt acol t throng doesn’ tch) enthusiastic d an g n Deadliest ca lin oo ed in a dr the S.T.D. paea er d th an ga ee s Tr ha A r fa s (Beech Like of the day so le of old fave on with a coup an outing b. bum are given al e th m bloody good jo fro s lads, they do a l the biggie Al ed . tir us rly an ea ’s cl nt r Fo rode nt Here We Go. seem to give a with the brillia before ending

slamdunksouth

don broco

slamdunksouth

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8 .5

slamdunksouth

architects

slamdunksouth

Closing the ‘loud’ stage tonight are Britain’s very best heavy band. Architects. Having seemingly finally to have found themselves after wrestling with

demons, identity issues, cancer and crises of confidence, the Brighton quintet, tonight are bringing down the curtain on the most successful stanza of

their career so far. The absolutely spellbinding Lost Forever//Lost Together album chapter is coming to an end. But this evening, in front of thousands of

baying and loved-up apostles, it feels as far from a wake or a pyre-lighting as one could imagine. In fact, it almost feels like the launch of a new ship

before the old one has even been brought into dry dock. The ever-articulate, ingratiating and charming Sam Carter leads the ‘celebration’ from the

front. A totally controlled, powerful, but expressive and emotionally charged set truly sets them apart from the chasing pack. It’s raw, challenging, vis-

ceral, thought-provoking, testicle twisting genius. A good handful of tracks from the last album are interspersed with older favourites, prompting frenzied

sing backs, collective shit being not just lost but sent into orbit and, of course the bizarre nihilistic but neck hair erecting sights and sounds of thousands

of collective throats roaring YOU FUCKING PIGS in unison, unity and unbridled affection. What a band. What a show. What a way to start the next chapter.

6.5

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arcane roots, oslo, hackney

arcane roots

arcane roots, oslo, hackney

arcane roots

arcane roots, oslo, hackney

arcane roots

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arcane roots, oslo, hackney

arcane roots

d an r ba n xto o ,h m ri lg i p lly i tb e e sw

en h c kit

sweet billy pilgrim, hoxton

ly et Bil t, Swe h g i n to

m Pilgri

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jackpot

rolo tomassi the black heart, camden

rolo tomassi, the black heart

t ligen , intel g n i k vo ht-pro thoug , p u ed r fuck . Thei e r n o eithe . No onica ssi do r t a c m e l o T e t Rolo e and s wha thcor e a o m d , ne ck athro f. No o s brie tal, m i n e. h t e p m ee t alon peri all Let’s k I’m no nt, e x , t e i h b g can c am toni u , l o d a y n c i A f ss p. e t (i o -cla h cam d sw e zz, ne switc n a j d a , e l t k a r ic sho f met but the fl nge o o u gh weird h mly in t t r f i l f o mela a e your th d, I’m A nd op of ers of t recor w e o e l h l h t o t f or g sn’t. F rs and havin d porte it doe n p r u o a s h low witc rated f the th fel your s visce me o ed wi e o d s m flicks g d m n n a ei there ly r rou b a e a t g t u r l e o a h d abs t), t r date en is swee o a fou t an ov f n n i t o r d a e e rille d dat ack H ally d nces. secon out Bl t e u d l r h t o b rieva s s et i G e A t c h m n g u ced s bo n oni alb T a . l w e e a c n b ie g ctly five p unnin perfe eir st ffield a h e t o h f t S o ul ated unch nderf re tre the la a ys wo d a s n i e w l l h ty, a t be beau discip to ge d s n e a u en ality tier v , br ut swea y d d n o l a e r malle nd m al’s s em a h y capit a m liant.

il it’s br , t r o h , in s . And y t i s o virtu l and vitrio

8.5

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