Slam Dunk Festival 2017 headliners Enter Shikari have thanked their “passionate” fans for making the band’s Take to the Skies anniversary shows so memorable.

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The St Albans quartet – Rou Reynolds, Chris Batten, Rob Rolfe and Rory Clewlow – headlined the touring pop-punk, ska punk, metal and alternative rock festival for the first time over the Spring May Bank Holiday weekend.

The Slam Dunk dates in Birmingham, Leeds and Hatfield celebrated the band’s 10 year anniversary of their 2007 debut album Take to the Skies.

And after storming sets at Slam Dunk Midlands at the NEC Birmingham and Slam Dunk North in Leeds city centre, the tour finished triumphantly with an almost hometown gig at the University of Hertfordshire in Hatfield on May Bank Holiday Monday.

Accompanied by a dazzling lights and laser show, the band played the bulk of Take to the Skies, including Stand Your Ground; This Is Ancient Land, Mothership, Labyrinth, No Sssweat, Jonny Sniper and Sorry, You’re Not a Winner.

Frontman Rou Reynolds told the Welwyn Hatfield Times and its St Albans sister paper the Herts Advertiser: “It was really nice to play all the old songs again, and celebrate the album that kicked everything off for us.

“It was great to be able to headline a festival and still be able to bring our own production in, making it a real spectacle of a night, too.”

The group’s set also included the likes of Redshift and Juggernauts, as well as Anaesthetist and The Last Garrison from fourth studio album The Mindsweep.

After headlining a festival just a few miles from St Albans, Rou added: “The crowds were so loud, energetic and passionate.

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“Especially so in Hatfield – the nearest we were able to get to a ‘hometown’ show.

“It really felt like a special night.”

Although last week’s headline slot was Enter Shikari’s first time playing the festival, the band’s electronic alter-ego Shikari Sound System appeared at Slam Dunk in 2016.

And Enter Shikari’s Live from Planet Earth – Bootleg Series Volume 3 live CD was recorded at the group’s gig at The Forum Hertfordshire, on the Hatfield university’s College Lane Campus, in December 2010.

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Following the release of new single Supercharge featuring grime legend Big Narstie, Enter Shikari have announced their biggest arena tour to date.

With special guests Lower Than Atlantis and Astroid Boys, the British rock mavericks will be returning to Alexandra Palace in north London on Saturday, November 25, 2017.

Tickets for the band’s Ally Pally concert, and other dates on their UK winter tour, are available now.

• For more details, visit Enter Shikari’s website at https://www.entershikari.com/

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