St Albans rock heroes round off the biggest pop-punk extravaganza that brings Slam Dunk Festival.

Yes, it’s this time of the year again when the annual migration of all pop-punk and rock music lovers takes place, hitting Birmingham, Leeds and Hatfield for a massive live experience.

Last Monday we headed South to witness The Forum in Hatfield transform into a giant site of all things punk. From the alley stacked with record labels’ stands to an exquisite variation of merch choice, to restless fans running around just to make it on time to catch their favourite band (us including of course). This year’s line-up showcased a diverse plethora of amazing bands. Over 60 acts across eight stages, from hardcore metal themes to softer poppy offerings undoubtedly made Slam Dunk stand out on this year’s festival circuit. There was clearly something for everyone, and even the rain didn’t spoil the mood. But before we tell you all about the artists we decided / physically managed to see, let’s dive into the immense world of the headliner’s soundscape.

Enter Shikari took to the main stage to gracefully close out the grand weekend of Slam Dunk shows. Delivering an exclusive UK festival performance and celebrating a decade since the release of their debut album Take To The Skies, the band simply amazed with vibrant repertoire and sensational lighting show.

Opening suitably with Take To The Skies tracklisting, Enter Shikari embraced the overwhelming response hailing from the eager crowd. Well, some fans had been waiting by those barriers for a couple of hours just to get a close glimpse of the rock heroes. The show dazzled from the very moment the four-piece emerged on stage. I mean, even if you were not a big fan, you just had to stop by for a few minutes to check out this year’s headlining set.

Spinning exactly in order Stand Your Ground; This Is Ancient Land, Enter Shikari and Mothership, it got as loud as Enter Shikari could be. With heavy beats and Rou Reynolds‘ electrifying vocals the set magnified with precision and pure madness. What’s more, the band’s stage persona could easily count for it with singer’s mad scientist look-a-like image completely overshadowing other artists. Following with Anything Can Happen in the Next Half Hour… the feeling stinging in the air could not seem any more accurate.

Naturally Take To The Skies material dominated the set with a few stand-out exceptions. The Last Garrison and Anaesthetist, taken from 2015’s The Mindsweep, woke up even the quietest souls with its unstoppable riffs and infectious rhythmic of the lyrical content. If we were to pick any Enter Shikari‘s tracks designed for a massive sing-along, then those were it. No doubt people were grasping the lyrics just right “Still alive / Still air in my lungs / Still blood in my veins”. Not to mention the cover of Oasis’ Half The World Away that seemed just too good to be true.

The rotating bright stroboscopes determined the speed of the performance, accompanying the set in the most dazzling way. The flashes of shining light alongside the movement of the band members on stage aligned veraciously, showcasing the charisma of a true headliner.

The rawness of their debut album continued with tracks as No Sssweat, Jonny Sniper and Adieu which rounded off the main set. And the last songs were there just to keep the high energy levels on point as the festival was coming to an end. The melodic electro-tinged Redshift surely is an amazing piece of art and a sign of the band’s latest progression, indicating the infusion of broader mix of electronic genres. The live factor only amplifies that sensation.

The Appeal & the Mindsweep II masterfully closed the performance just as it closed Enter Shiakri‘s most recent album.

Perhaps including the track Today Won’t Go Down In History in the setlist was not the best idea, because that’s exactly what Slam Dunk’s 2017 headliner will do. I don’t know how the organisers will top that next year. I guess we just have to wait and see.

Photos: Kasia Osowiecka