Enter Shikari will headline Slam Dunk 2017 – with one of the festival’s shows in the band’s home county at the University of Hertfordshire in Hatfield.
The St Albans quartet will celebrate the 10th anniversary of their acclaimed debut album Take To The Skies with a UK festival exclusive at Slam Dunk.
The touring pop punk, ska punk, metalcore, rock and hardcore festival will once again take place over the late May Spring Bank Holiday weekend with dates in Leeds, Birmingham and Hatfield at The Forum Hertfordshire.
Tickets for SDF17 will go on sale at 9am on Friday, November 11.
Enter Shikari vocalist Rou Reynolds said: “Slam Dunk is a festival that we’ve been attending from the very start – Slam Dunk South is actually on the campus of my old uni in Hatfield.
“It’s grown into one of the most important festivals in alternative music, and it will be an absolute honour to headline it in 2017.”
Enter Shikari’s unique blend of blistering rock, high-intensity electronics and impassioned rallying anthems have marked them out as one of the most important British bands of the last decade.
They release a live album of their explosive Alexandra Palace concert next week.
2017 marks 10 years since the release of their landmark debut Take To The Skies, and to celebrate the occasion Enter Shikari will be headlining Slam Dunk with a very special exclusive set.
After making their first appearance at the festival in May as electronic alter-ego Shikari Sound System, the TTTS shows are set to be packed with fan favourites, rarities and a stunning new live show that will see them lauded as hometown heroes in Hatfield, as well as bigger dates in Birmingham and Leeds.
Frontman Rou said: “We’re going to be celebrating the 10 year anniversary of our debut album Take To The Skies, which feels totally mental in and of itself.
“The fact that we get to reminisce and relive tracks we recorded so long ago, and that are still held dear by so many, is something I could have never anticipated back then and fills me with appreciation for everyone that has supported this band over the years.
“We’ll never write another album like TTTS, as Enter Shikari isn’t really a band that looks backwards, so to speak.
“But as this is a special occasion it’s important for us to recognise the importance of this album to us, and for the family of people who have supported us since those early days.
“On a purely selfish note, I cannot wait to play some of the tracks we haven’t played since 2007, or even ever!”
Slam Dunk 2017 will kick off with the Midlands leg at the Birmingham NEC on Saturday, May 27.
The festival will then travel to Leeds on Sunday, May 28 for Slam Dunk North.
The tour will finish with a Hertfordshire homecoming for Enter Shikari at The Forum complex in College Lane, Hatfield, on Bank Holiday Monday, May 29.
And due to demand, all three festival sites will be bigger and better in 2017, with the addition of the First Direct Arena in Leeds as the second stage, another outdoor stage in Hatfield, and an expanded site in Birmingham.
Festival director Ben Ray said: “I’m happy to welcome Enter Shikari to the festival for the first time.
“It’s always great to have another headliner from the UK, which shows how well British rock music is doing.
“We’ve also made some major changes to all three sites for next year, so I can’t wait for people to see them!”
Tickets cost £44, and £49 with afterparty.
Hatfield Slam Dunk South car park tickets are £5.
• For tickets, visit http://slamdunkmusic.com/
For more information visit http://slamdunkmusic.com/festival/
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