It’s Slam Dunk South and I’m here to hear the LOUD WOMEN making some noise! The initial cluster of people at Hatfield train station was dense with festival-goers as everyone vibrantly muddled along towards the entrance. Upon arrival there’s a wider range in the demographic with a significant uptick in younger attendees, however, don’t panic, the elder emos definitely still dominate the scene! It’s early(ish) and there are more coffee cups than pints, humidity in the air promising a warm day and the lineup is peppered with increased shoegaze, electronic rock and diversity than in previous years as the festival broadens its appeal.
Lake Malice
I head to the Kerrang! stage where Lake Malice get the crowd going, the duo roar and dance energising the masses.
Alice owns the stage and a pit emerges, kick-starting Slam Dunk like a firecracker igniting everyone around her. Let’s go Hatfield!
Sophie Powers
Sophie Powers turned chaos into catharsis on the Kerrang! Stage when some technical issues caused a pause in the show, and confusion hung in the air for a beat too long. But when Sophie reappeared, grinning and defiant, the atmosphere shifted: “We are so back!” she declared, instantly recharging the crowd.
One of the guitars cut out and Powers leaned into the chaos “Should we just play it without guitar?” she asked the crowd, half-laughing, already turning the glitch into a moment of empowerment, before inviting a swarm of fans to join her on stage. “I’m only inviting girls up – okay, one dude – mostly girls!” she laughed, turning the moment into a spontaneous celebration of community and chaos, keeping the audience captured as things were being fixed. Fans danced around her as the pounding electro-rock beat kicked in — a sound that straddled the lines between pop-punk angst and Ashnikko-style futurist pop, messy, loud, and absolutely theirs.
Sophie Powers delivered a set that was unpredictable, imperfect, and fantastic (she’s only 20 years old!). In an industry that can feel increasingly polished and programmed, Powers reminded everyone that vulnerability and spontaneity are still punk as hell.
Save Ferris
Bouncing across to the Monster stage for a bit of Save Ferris and Monique Powell’s stage presence is infectious; exhibiting an electrifying performance that keeps the audience captivated. Save Ferris blend together punk/rock/ska and top it all off with Powell’s energetic vocals. Post-resurgence, the band have some newer faces and are promising to go harder than ever, ferociously demonstrating that they’re gaining momentum and kicking things into high gear!
Winona Fighter
I dart back across to Key Club stage and head to the front as people trickle into the tent and Chloe ‘Coco’ Kinnon welcomes the crowd. Chloe’s unique vocal twang carries over the wind, calling out to those wandering past and the tent starts to fill up around me. She darts around the stage, giving an energetic performance throughout, dancing for a full 20 minutes whilst her voice supercharges the tent, blasting ‘You look like a drunk Phoebe Bridges’ and ‘I’m in the market to please no one’ with next-level energy, solidifying Winona Fighter as a musical force to be reckoned with. “Slam dunk do we still have you?” Chloe belts, a chorus of cheers erupts and then -poof- the set is over, that was quick! Turns out Key Club stage had significant technical issues, which unfortunately resulted in delays and WF’s set being cut short.
South Arcade
I managed to catch the end of South Arcade and was absolutely floored by Harmony’s vocals. Guttural-ripping, perfectly balanced noise flooded the tent as the band delivered a full-throttle space invasion of Y2K pop infused metal. A hybrid of dynamic sound, executing an exciting set that left the crowd buzzing.
Delilah Bon
After some Key Club stage technical delays, Delilah and her stage sisters came in swinging. Delilah dresses for the female gaze, strutting in pink fluffy boots and a cow print skirt she roars “This one’s for the queer girls and the sad girls” as she wastes no time throwing herself into ‘Brat’ followed by howling “This song is about dressing how you want and dumping your boyfriend!” to a roar of approval from her following as she throws herself into ‘I don’t listen to you’.
There’s a huge sign on stage with the words ‘Dead men don’t rape’ – lyrics for her signature song and aptly aligned with her next belter ‘Chopped dicks’ which goes in with low beats and steady builds. ‘Prince-less princess’ goes in heavier, with growled vocals and a nod back to her ‘Hands Off Gretel‘ days. She tells the audience “When I’m on stage I feel like it’s unreal, like a dream and you can do anything” to cheers from the crowd, empowering those around her, in true Delilah fashion.
Waiting for Scowl I was able to watch a fair bit of Hot Milk from the distance, it was kicking off and there were incredible scenes over at The Kerrang Stage!
As much as I wanted to see Scowl, Key Club’s delays clashed with the need to bounce towards the last train home. However, I heard through the pipeline that Scowl’s set was incredible and the audience they did have, went hard! Hopefully they had a fuller crowd for Leeds.
As Slam Dunk grows rapidly every year with huge names, their hard-working team still stays true to artists climbing the scene, showcasing talent across a broad scope and bringing a range of audiences from all corners to Hatfield (and Leeds!). After an incredible day at Slam Dunk South the masses ambled towards the exit in good spirits and on the packed train journey home my carriage erupted into belting Cher’s ‘Life After Love’ as a classic end to the day. Here’s to next year Hatfield!
