5 Bands I’m Excited To See At Slam Dunk 2026
There’s only 3 months until one of the UK’s most nostalgic alternative music festivals returns for another year. Slam Dunk is known for platforming an array of artists, from Indie bands, to Hardcore and everything in between, so it’s no surprise that 2026’s lineup is just as stacked and variety-driven as previous years.
Considering this will be my first festival ever, I couldn’t have picked a better one to attend. One day in a field in Leeds seeing a plethora of bands that are heavy in my rotation. I just hope there are no clashes so that no one has to see me channelling my inner Usain Bolt to get between stages.
Here’s 5 bands that I’m excited to see at this year's Slam Dunk, and you should be too. (Unbiased I promise.)
1. CURRENTS
The modern metalcore giants from Connecticut, United States, are making their Slam Dunk debut this year, and I guess this one comes with a bit of bias as they’re in my top 3 bands ever and I’ve seen them before when they embarked on a headline UK tour for their 2023 release, “The Death We Seek”. The 5-piece know how to command a stage and sound exactly like they do on record, so be prepared to see a packed crowd for their set. It’s been 3 years since I’ve seen the, and I can guarantee I’ll be front and center to see their performance.
2. GUILT TRIP
The Manchester Hardcore group have recently dropped a stellar 3-track EP, “God Forgives” and there’s no denying that they’re one of the best in their genre right now. They’ve recently toured Europe and are returning in March, before heading out with Malevolence for a huge North American tour. From seeing live clips on their socials, I’m looking forward to seeing them bring the energy.
3. STATIC DRESS
I saw Static Dress back in January 2024 when they supported Bring Me The Horizon’s “Next Gen” tour, and that was the moment that I became intrigued by them. They embrace that raw sound that’s found throughout old-school metalcore, but they put a modern twist on it that works so well. The performance that they gave, even as a support act, makes me believe that they’ll turn the heat up at Slam Dunk - which I don’t know if that’ll be safe since it’s in the Summer.
4. DEAF HAVANA
Deaf Havana are a band that were the soundtrack for my early teenage years. Those first 2 records still hold up to this day as some of the most influential post-hardcore releases of the 00’s. Over the years they’ve had some lineup changes which now leaves them as a 2-piece. James’ voice remains to be one of my all-time favourites, even now in their more stripped back, Indie/Acoustic era, and I’m really interested to see what songs they bring out for their performance, maybe we’ll get some gems from their OG days, who knows.
5. KNOCKED LOOSE
The undisputed heavyweights of hardcore. Knocked Loose are making moves never before seen by a DIY band with this sound. Whether you love them or hate them, there’s no denying that they know how to pull a packed crowd and give a performance you won’t forget. Forget strobe lights and smoke machines, they don’t need it, not when they’re one of the most formidable bands in modern hardcore. I’ve never seen them live before and that definitely adds to my anticipation of their set.