Shvpes
If there’s a band that really brought it to Slam Dunk; it’s SHVPES. Droves of dedicated fans rushed to the Impericon Stage in time for their set, and they were not disappointed. Energetic and charismatic on stage, they gave fans plenty time to jump around. And not only that; but they watched out for the crowd the whole time, even having to get bouncers to throw one overly-punchy mosher out of the crowd half way through the set. SHVPES are a band tailor made for the stage, and the metal-rappers know how to keep their fans pumped up. They brought something a little bit different to Slam Dunk too; alternative metalcore was a nice change of pace for the day, and they put on a performance anyone watching won’t be forgetting for a long time. 8/10 ZS
Source: Matt Higgs
I Prevail
Detroit hard rockers I Prevail exploded onto the stage at Slam Dunk. Despite starting a little late, they more than made up for it with their show. They exploded onto the stage, and fans jumped, sang and danced along to what was an energetic and seriously loud set. We’ll admit that we were a teeny tiny bit disappointed that they chose not to play their cover of Taylor Swift’s ‘Blank Space’, but they are so, so much more than that, and they proved that at Slam Dunk. ‘Scars’ and ‘Stuck In Your Head’ were highlights, with fans singing along to every word. They have made some serious waves in the rock music scene over the last few years, and if they keep putting on performances like this, they will continue to do so. 8/10 ZS
Source: Jemma Dodd
Madina Lake
Ever since Madina Lake were announced to play Slam Dunk Festival, we’ve been listening to their 10-year-old debut album From Them, Through Us, To You to brush up on the lyrics, but it turns out we never needed to. Madina Lake’s set at Slam Dunk was everything that we hoped for. In the 10 years that have passed since the debut was released, the band haven’t lost any of the energy or the passion that they had. The Impericon Stage was absolutely packed for Madina Lake’s set, and pretty much everyone watching sang along to almost every word. There was so much nostalgia in this set, and even the stage performance still has the same charms it always used to; vocalist Matt Leone spent more time in the crowd than on stage, and bassist Nathan Leone held up his end by jumping around like a mad man for pretty much the entire set. This year’s Slam Dunk had a lot of nostalgic bands playing anniversaries of their debut albums, and we think Madina Lake’s set was one of the top five performances of the festival. 9/10 ZS
