Curated by Monk
To celebrate 20 years of the ÜK’s premier independent two-day split site showcase of the best and hottest talent on the emo, pop punk and ‘core adjacent scenes, we thought we would break down the (appropriately enough) 20 hottest “must see” acts over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend…
Please note that the running orders and stage times are the same for both sites and are correct at the time of writing.
Bayside (Monster Energy Stage 1315)
The NYC emo-punk vets are going stronger than ever, as they proved on their most recent album, 2024’s ‘There Are Worse Things Than Being Alive’:
Boston Manor (Monster Energy Stage 1600)
The Blackpool quartet have transitioned from emo/pop punks to more alt-rock leaning genre-fluid risk takers and are undoubted SD faves:
Call Me Amour (Scott’s Key Club Stage 1140)
It’s an early start for these Scottish electrocore exponents, but no doubt they will make sure the darkness transcends the late morning sunshine:
Cancer Bats (Main Stage East 1330)
TBH, it’s a fairly lowly billing for these Canadian hardcore vets, but, what the heck, they’d probably play anywhere there’s electricity and will bring the party to the stage no matter where or when they play:
Currents (Main Stage East 1730)
This gnarly, uncompromising Connecticut metalcore quintet are making their SD debut and no doubt will deliver another of their gut-punching hard-to-follow sets:
Dead Pony (Scott’s Key Club Stage 1215)
These Glaswegian electropunks are another bunch of early starters but they undoubtedly will make it worth your while hanging around the smallest stage for a bit longer than you intended:
Dying Wish (Main Stage East 1410)
This Oregon hardcore mob are another making their first ever SD appearance, and will bring their brand of brutality to the stage at a time when the clashes start to get interesting and decisions harder to make:
Good Charlotte (Main Stage West 2100)
Slam Dunk will be the only opportunity to see the Maryland pop punk legends, who are entering their fourth decade rawer and more visceral than ever, performing live anywhere in Europe this year:
Hawthorne Heights (Monster Energy Stage 1355)
Another act with a surprisingly lowly billing (in our opinion at least) on what is an admittedly stacked line-up, the Ohio emo-core vets have added a swirl of intimate headline shows around this weekend adventure:
Heriot (Main Stage East 1215)
Another act with (IMO) a ridiculously early low billing, the industrial metalcore uprisers will set a high bar for those tasked with following them, and set the mood for the pit opening action later on the same stage:
Knocked Loose (Main Stage East 2105)
We’ll be surprised if the stage is still standing after the closing double barrage which will see security having to work triple time to control the amount of crowd surfers and barrier breakers which the co-headliners undoubtedly will encourage…
Madina Lake (Monster Energy Stage 1240)
The Chicago post-hardcore vets live up to their mantra of “there will never be a last time you see us” by returning to the SD stage for the first time in nearly a decade.
Malevolence (Main Stage East 2005)
The Sheffield show stealers are one of the most intense live acts in the Überverse at the moment, smashing records for the numbers of crowd-surfers and inducing pits bigger than some of the arenas to which they have now found themselves elevated.
Pest Control (Main Stage East 1140)
Combining classic thrash vibes with explosive old-school hardcore passion, these Leeds crossover crusaders will make sure the main stage explodes into life as they rip earlycomers new ones with avengeance.
Punk Rock Factory (Scott’s Key Club Stage 1715)
The undisputed kings of power pop-punk covers, known for turning everything from Disney faves to TV themes into party-inducing ‘bangers, these Welsh wind-up merchants will live up to their name and reputation as they lighten up the late afternoon slot:
State Champs (Monster Energy Stage 2005)
Going head to head with Malevolence will be no easy task, but these pop-punk powerhouses will nevertheless hold their own as they appeal to the wide demographic that is the SD massive.
Static Dress (Main Stage East 1450)
The screamo revivalists are erstwhile live faves and will prove why when they bring their brand of post-hardcore to the second of the main stages.
Sublime (Main Stage West 1930)
The Long Beach reggae-punk legends will be making history when they take to a ÜK stage for the first time in their four-decade long history:
Tonight Alive (Monster Energy Stage 1820)
The Aussie alt-rockers agreed to re-unite after a four-year hiatus exclusively for the SD weekender, and such has been the demand for their return that they will now follow it with a (at the moment) one-off London headline show.
Zebrahead (Main Stage West 1440)
The OC OGs are celebrating 30 years of punk-rock mischief-making with a return with a stage on which they have virtually taken up residency in recent years – but, another band who, IOO, should be much higher up the bill:
- Slam Dunk South will take place at Hatfield Park, Hatfield on Saturday 23 May, with Slam Dunk North at Temple Newsam, Leeds, the following day (Sunday 24 May).