Eight acts join Leeds's Slam Dunk Festival line-up

Joining the line-up for the May bank holiday music festival are melodic hardcore band Set Your Goals, Ohio-based metal band Miss May I, alt-rock five-piece Mallory Knox, pop-punk newcomers The Story So Far and veteran Brit ska-punk act Capdown.

Philadelphia pop-punk act The Starting Line, American metalcore band We Came As Romans and prolific American rockers Zebrahead complete the list of new acts on the bill.

Slam Dunk Festival North takes place in Leeds City Centre on Saturday 28 May when 15,000 music fans are expected to flock to performances spread across several venues, including Millenium Square, Leeds Beckett University, O2 Academy, Rose Bowl, Baa Bar and two outdoor stages.

Among the headline performers are Panic! At The Disco, Of Mice & Men and New Found Glory.

Tickets for the festival are now on sale.

Organiser, Ben Ray, said: “This announcement again really feels like it represents the anniversary of the festival, Capdown who played the very first event, Set Your Goals reforming to play, The Starting Line with a very rare UK appearance, and Zebrahead who have so much fun they want to play every year. There’s also still so many bands to be announced, it’s going to be a great year.”

Set Your Goals said they were looking forward to their reunion shows at the festival, saying: “We are thrilled to be back on Slam Dunk this year. We’ve taken much time off and it only felt right that our first festival back be with you guys. We want to thank everyone attending for inviting us over, and we hope to give you one of the best shows of 2016.”

Mallory Knox have enjoyed huge success since the release of their second album, Asymmetry.

With Radio 1 A-list plays under their belt, tours with some of the biggest bands in the scene, a sold-out London Roadhouse show and various magazine covers, the band will be sure to be one of the big draws of the weekend.

“I get the same amount of excited for Slam Dunk every year since it has been on my radar and I love that.” says front man Mikey. “Whether we are playing or just attending to watch it’s always a weekend that’s one of the highlights of my year. With the lineup this year, I have no doubts 2016 will be much the same.”

The Story So Far are another festival exclusive. After selling out their UK tour in December and releasing their self-titled album via Pure Noise Records, they have cemented themselves as one of the best pop-punk bands around in recent years, Mr Ray said.

Capdown played the first Slam Dunk Festival in 2006. The band said: “So 10 years of Slam Dunk? My how you have grown. Looking forward to what Slam Dunk has in store for us this time round, always a blast.”

The Starting Line were one of the forerunners from the Drive-Thru Records era and the band played the festival in 2011, just before the anniversary of the their seminal album ‘Say It Like You Mean It’.

The band have recently announced the release of ‘Anyways’, a three-track EP which is their first studio release in eight years. Slam Dunk will be the only chance to see them this summer.

Zebrahead return to the festival for the third time, while We Came As Romans will be appearing off the back of massive success with their first three full-length albums, with each topping 100,000 sales in the US alone.

The band’s recent live DVD release Present, Future, and Past debuted as Number 1 on the Billboard DVD charts, beating Metallica to the top spot.

For ticket information, see www.slamdunkmusic.com