It was that time of year again. The time of year when the latest and greatest, to the teenage idols, of rock & metal decided to gather on the hallowed turf of Herts Student Union and raise hell with the help of alcohol-fuelled youth - with the occasional parent chucked into the mix.
It was of course the legendary Slam Dunk which took place over the course of the 3 days and locations to create something of a naughty but nice, tradition for rock fans in the UK below the average age of 25.
It may not have the gruelling schedules of Warped Tour or the Rock and Metal greats of Download, but somehow the Kerrang Best Festival of 2014, still manages to hold its own and bring to the table something which neither of the aforementioned festivals do - with the help of the pseudonym "Slam Drunk".
Following the festival's success at the Kerrang Awards last year, before the line-up was even announced, it was time to turn it up a notch. With veteran Slam Dunk headliners You Me At Six at the top of the bill, it was obvious that this was going to be the year the festival really made a name for itself. With the support of rising stars Don Broco, Lower Than Atlantis and PVRIS bringing up the rear, alongside the incredible Taking Back Sunday, the MainStage was set to be a winner no matter what. But organisers didn't stop there, with bands such as Finch, Architects, Gallows, Goldfinger and Reel Big Fish set to make an all important appearance in-between a page full of other incredible bands - all of the fans were instore for a pretty incredible day of music.
Although the weather wasn't at its usual best for the May bank holiday weekend, it still didn't dampen any spirits and certainly didn't stop the party from continuing way into the evening.
Personally I spent most of my time stood to the side of the MainStage, with a beer in hand ready to enjoy some of my favourite tunes, with a great group of people.
Although newcomers Set it Off have some relatively catchy songs on their EP these didn't translate so well into the open-air festival setting, with dodgy pre-recorded Base lines and at times pitchy vocals, you could tell the band hadn't had much time to soundcheck, which is a shame as they have the potential to do great things - if they sort the problems that is.
Second up was weekend-favourites PVRIS, like a cooler more intricate version of Paramore (post-breakup) this band are creating tidal waves wherever they go. Lynn Gvnn's vocals could not be faulted and nor could the overall stage sound. INCREDIBLE.
We Are The Ocean were the letdown of the day for me and to be completely honest their set wasn't even worth mentioning. The lack of stage presence was horrifying and quite frankly, boring. NEXT!
Although not a massive Neck Deep fan, I can still appreciate the band for what they are - a group of guys who like to fucking jump about and have a good time, but can still slow it down enough to be as soothing as a hot chocolate on a winters eve.
Lower Than Atlantis quite frankly embarrassed their earlier not-naming-anyone (WATO) counterparts with this stonking performance. Mike Duce captured the adoring audience within minutes and the setlist was the best I've ever seen them perform - 5 stars!
Don Broco almost failed to live up to the live buzz they have surrounding them - but lets be honest as long as we get to see Bobby D's face - who cares!
By the time Taking Back Sunday were on, the days events had caught up with us, it was time to sit down with a beer and a pizza and relax before the headliners. However; I have to say with TBS being the soundtrack to my pizza munching and watching Adam Lazzara wail from afar - it was the best goddamn pizza date I've ever had!
Last but certainly by no means least were the band that we'd been waiting all day to see. I have been a fan of this band since day 1 and have seen them countless times at venues up and down the country, but not once have I ever seen them quite conquer a crowd like this within seconds of even stepping on to the stage. You Me At Six are one of those bands that everyone loves the old stuff, and with rumours of the whole of Take Off Your Colours being played as well as many other fan favourites - they certainly did not disappoint. To tell you how much I enjoyed it - I had no voice for the next 3 days after.
So overall I would call that a Slam Dunk success.
Time to recuperate for next year I think.
