Slam Dunk Midlands 2018 review!

Templeton Pek

The fireball stage at Slam Dunk 2018 began with an incendiary set from returning brummie punk heroes Templeton Pek (7.2/10). Raging against everyone from their ex-manager, Boris Johnson and Birmingham city council alike.
Astroid Boys (7.6) were outcasts in the Slam dunk roster being the only rap or grime act on the bill yet Astroid Boy's crossover appeal meant that a huge gathering of fans came to see them. Despite MC Traxx being AWOL and AB's other MC Benji being seriously hungover Astroid boy's still delivered one of the best sets of the festival, causing carnage in the pit and proving why they're one of the most vital bands in the UK right now.

Luke Rainsford

Creeper (8.8) also delivered a fantastic set, packing an arena full of ecstatic fans moshing, dancing and singing along to every word. An unexpected highlight being Hannah Hermoine taking the spotlight for acoustic ballard 'Crickets' as fans piggybacked and waved lighters. Hannah may have proved herself the better singer, but Will Gould is still a fantastic frontman commanding the stage with ease. Despite being such a new band Creeper already seem capable of headlining Slam Dunk.
Immediately after Creeper finished playing a short run across the festival was necessary to see Luke Rainsford (7.2) play on the acoustic stage. Less than a year ago Luke was playing tiny shows across birmingham. In 2018 he's supported As It Is, and gained a slot on the Slam Dunk roster things seem to be clicking into place for Luke. Who genuinely seemed surprised at the amount of people coming to see him each night, and that he actually said 'Yeet' while on-stage. Luke's new EP has some of his darkest and best material to date. Looking for your ghost reflects on Luke's first night at home after the passing of his mother. Luke delivered one of the most passionate and emotional sets of the festival. While he may sing that he's 'too broken for anyone to love me', the gathering of people hanging onto his every word may prove him wrong.
"In case you were wondering THAT is how you open a show" bragged Frank Carter after opening with 'Juggernaut' and having immediately jumped into the crowd and stood on the hands of his fans. Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes (8.8) had the best set of Slam Dunk by far. This is mostly down to Frank Carter being the kind of engaging, entertaining, swaggering, jack the lad that rock needs right now. Frank seems to talk entirely in sound-bites. Whether encouraging female audience members to crowd surf and males to respect them because they could be "your mothers, wives, sisters, but most importantly they are your equals', before 'Wild Flowers'. Frank also dedicated 'paradise' to the MEN Arena and Bataclan attacks, adding that 'terrorists are all cowards and scum'. Frank also dedicated 'Lullaby' to 'the sweetest mother-fucker I know' - his baby daughter. Frank jumped into the crowd to start the largest circle pit of the festival, encouraging a circle pit so big it surrounded the sound desk of the Arena stage, after which Frank remarked that 'it's amazing what a leopard skin coat will do.
Taking Back Sunday's (8.4) set was an odd exercise in nostalgia. TBS are clearly not the same people who wrote the earnest, emo songs from years ago, and have matured into more of a straightforward rock n roll band, best represented by the recent stand-out track 'tidal wave'. Adam Lazzara has eased into middle age, with a relaxed persona at odds with the angst of his earlier material. Adam joked about writing these songs when he was 18, '5 years ago', yet also opened up about depression, a subject also brought up by Frank Carter and Jimmy Eat World. TBS know how to keep a crowd happy and filled the set with emo classics such as 'cute without the e', 'a decade under the influence' and 'timberwolves at new jersey'. Yet its the songs from 'Louder Now', Where they sounded strongest. 'Liar', What's it feel like to be a ghost' and closing song ''makedamnsure' still sounding as great as they did all those years ago.
Good Charlotte started strong with a smattering of pop punk hits, showing off their confetti cannons and pyrotechnics early on. Yet not even hits like 'Girls and Boys' or 'The Anthem' could make up for Joel's insufferable monologues. Luckily Jimmy Eat World  (8.4) were playing a refreshingly bullshit free set just around the corner, finishing Slam Dunk on a high with 'The Middle.