Grab your Rennies, the paracetamol and don’t forget the plasters—it’s that time of year again! Slam Dunk North 2025 has taken over Temple Newsam, bringing a full day of sweaty pits, massive singalongs and all round good vibes. Whether you were moshing your face off, screaming every word or just chilling with a heavily overpriced beverage, the energy was non-stop. Honestly, who knew that going to a festival in your 30s would feel like doing a Tough Mudder? My legs might never forgive me.
The first band we caught after a 2 hour tour of the back roads of Leeds to find the Bronze car park were Knuckle Puck. Celebrating 10 years of their album Copacetic, they bring an energy to Main Stage West and the crowd react accordingly but there just felt like there was something lacking. There are crowdsurfers a plenty, but personally we think the show may have worked better in a tent environment. 5/10
We caught the smallest bit of Imminence, who are surely destined for great things. Their unique blend of melodic harmonies, metal and live violin shredding certainly turned heads. Some die hard fans planted themselves firmly on the barrier to watch their heroes live and were screaming every lyric back to the Swedish outfit. Jot their name down for the future as they could become a staple for music festivals over the next few years. 6/10
Mouth Culture are already building themselves a cult following with You Me At Six championing them early on. Their set is bouncy and full of good vibes, frontman Jack Voss has the temperament of a labrador and the energy vibrates through the rest of the band. They deserved to be a little higher up the bill today but people will remember in the future when they got to see future festival headliners Mouth Culture play a small tent on an afternoon in Leeds. 8/10
Another cult band with an impressive following at Slam Dunk this year are Landmarks, their visceral punchy hardcore waking everyone up on this surprisingly sunny (at the moment) afternoon. It only takes 1 song for there to be a hoard of crowdsurfers scrambling up and over the barriers. While She Sleeps’ Mat Welsh joined the band for A Line In The Dust which pleased the northern mob even more. A solid set from the French metallers. 7/10
After a fleeting visit to catch the first part of the Stray From The Path set (7/10). We caught Noahfinnce’s set. Noah is a Youtuber and musician and it’s the crowd may have been one of the most dedicated ones of the day- some fans had made posters and most had come doused in Noahfinnce merch. “Did anyone grow up on the internet?… Did anyone’s children grow up on the internet?” asks Noah, realising this crowd may be older than first look. The set is bouncy and fun and suited the Kerrang Stage perfectly, just right for a bit of afternoon joy. 7/10
Hot Mulligan (4/10) are not quite our cup of tea, so we left the set early to head inside to the Key Club Stage to catch Delilah Bon, “Are you ready for some female rage?”, she yells. Delilah Bon delivers unapologetic feminist fury with unwavering confidence—nothing stands in her way. She commands the stage with sheer intensity, seamlessly fusing hip-hop and punk. The powerful message of ‘Dead Men Don’t Rape‘ aligns with one of her tracks and ignites the crowd. A bold, unforgettable performance that leaves a lasting impact. 9/10
Back on the festival circuit, Scottish rock icons Twin Atlantic deliver a dose of effortless cool to the event. Fan favorites like No Sleep and Free ignite the crowd, who have eagerly awaited their return to the Slam Dunk stage. Their performance is tight, full of energy and unmistakable Scottish charm – the audience eating out of the palm of Sam McTrusty’s hand. One of the standout sets of the day. 8/10
Heading back to Main Stage West to see another cult band from the pop punk era, it’s time for New Found Glory, today they are without guitarist Chad who has been suffering from cancer. The crowd chant “Chad, Chad Chad” to the delight of the band who know how missed he is on these dates, we here at Backseat Mafia wish him all the best in his recovery and hope to see him on tour with them again soon! My Friends Over You is a staple track to any night out and then band finish their blistering set with a perfect rendition. 7/10
We need to take a moment and appreciate that The Used are celebrating 25 years of their self titled album… 25 years! Frontman (formerly Bert, now just Rob) beams as he graces the stage as he knows the band have a treat in store for the fans today. The Taste of Ink, a song usually played towards the latter end of a set is second on the list as they are playing the album in full – what a treat! Sean Smith of The Blackout joined the band for a raucous cover of A Box Full Of Sharp Objects. The whole set felt truly triumphant and encapsulated perfectly what a festival set should look like. 9/10
Scaling the hills of Temple Newsam once again, we made our way to the Kerrang Stage for As It Is, who were marking a major milestone—10 years of Never Happy, Ever After. Honestly, can bands stop reminding us how old we are with these anniversary shows? Nostalgia ran high, especially with the return of guitarist Ben Langford-Biss, who looked right at home back on stage with his bandmates. Despite an early pause after just 2 songs due to a medical emergency in the crowd, the band regrouped and delivered a high-energy set that had the entire field bouncing – almost as high as frontman Patty Walters himself. As It Is never disappoints, and this performance was no exception – a cracking way to spend the afternoon. 8/10
Slam Dunk always seems to have a couple of bands that pop up on the lineup every year, and Less Than Jake are definitely one of them. Ska-punk bands usually get their own stage, and it’s absolutely heaving, full of people ready for a proper dance with LTJ. The Floridians have been at it since the early 90s and don’t look like they’re slowing down anytime soon. Another cracking set to keep the good vibes rolling. 6/10
Strolling through the festival grounds, one thing is impossible to miss, the plethora of Electric Callboy merch. Clearly, this band has a hold on the crowd. Wasting no time in grabbing everyone’s attention, they kicked off their set with an explosion of confetti and pyro – nobody is nodding off here! Their cover of Sum 41’s Still Waiting felt especially fitting, with Sum 41’s own Frank Zummo stepping in on drums as the band searches for a long-term replacement for David-Karl Friedrich. Meanwhile, their newly released single Revery may have only dropped days before the festival, but hardcore EC fans were already shouting every word back at them. Pure, unfiltered fun from start to finish, the kind of set best experienced with good pals and an overpriced lager in hand. What more could you ask for? 8/10
Closing the show and absolutely smashing it at the top of the Slam Dunk bill, A Day To Remember prove why they deserve that headline spot. From the moment they launched into The Downfall of Us All, the crowd was in full voice, belting out every word and scrambling to get on each others shoulders. The set was a perfect mix of old bangers and newer tunes, proving why they’re still at the top of the game. Circle pits, huge singalongs, and a ton of energy, it had everything you’d want from a proper headline show – even when they did pause for a short time after a medical emergency. (Sidenote, this is why alternative crowds are the best – they look after each other and call for help when needed). It was a class way to close out the festival and honestly, they could headline every other year and no one would complain. 9.5/10
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