![Slam Dunk Festival South 2016 in Hatfield [Picture: Alan Davies] <i>(Image: Archant)</i>](/resources/images/15689129.jpg?type=mds-article-962)
The fourth Slam Dunk Festival 2017 line-up announcement is due to be made next week.
The touring pop punk, ska punk, metal and alternative rock festival will return to the University of Hertfordshire in Hatfield on Bank Holiday Monday, May 29.
And organisers are set to reveal more of the bill on Wednesday, February 1, when the latest line-up additions will be confirmed.
Slam Dunk promoters have already announced the first stage partnership, with Fireball hosting a ska and classic pop punk stage.
Last week the festival confirmed via its Instagram account: “We’re pleased to announce our @fireballuk partnership with the reveal of our 1st stage at #SDF17!
“The stage will feature a line-up of the worlds finest #ska & classic #poppunk bands ever assembled in the UK!! 3 bands to be revealed…Who do you think it’ll be? http://bit.ly/SlamDunk17”
The Fireball Stage so far features Bowling for Soup, Less Than Jake, Reel Big Fish, Goldfinger and Max Caddies.
Three more bands are to be announced, with the stage hosted and compered by MC Lars.
Slam Dunk 2017 kicks off in the Midlands on Saturday, May 27 at the NEC, Birmingham.
The tour moves to Yorkshire on Sunday, May 28 for Slam Dunk North at various indoor and outdoor venues dotted around Leeds city centre.
The third and final leg of this year’s festival will be Slam Dunk South at The Forum Hertfordshire and the surrounding University of Hertfordshire College Lane Campus on Bank Holiday Monday, May 29.
St Albans quartet Enter Shikari will headline SDF17 over the Spring May Bank Holiday weekend, with the closing Hatfield concert being a ‘home’ gig for the band at the university where frontman Rou Reynolds studied.
Rou 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.”
The festival bill also includes the likes of Enter Shikari’s good mates Don Broco in a festival exclusive, as well as Cute Is What We Aim For and We The Kings.
Beartooth, Tonight Alive, Against Me!, The Bronx, The Movielife, Trophy Eyes and Like Pacific were also all confirmed for Slam Dunk 2017 in the last line-up announcement made on Daniel P Carter’s BBC Radio 1 Rock Show earlier this month.
Aussie trailblazers Tonight Alive are one of their genre’s biggest crossovers in recent years.
On their return to the festival, Jenna McDougall said: “Slam Dunk fam! It’s been four long years.
“We can’t wait to reunite and play for you this May.
“The UK always brings some of the best shows and we know this time won’t be any different.”
Americans Against Me! are at the beating heart of the modern punk scene.
Reunited melodic hardcore heroes The Movielife, Australian quintet Trophy Eyes, and energetic hard-hitters Like Pacific will also play the festival.
Vinnie Caruana, of The Movielife, said: “Any chance to do Movielife shows in England is an opportunity I jump at.
“We’ve had so many great shows there and there are still so many more great times ahead.
“I’m glad it finally worked out and that we will be making our Slam Dunk debut.”
Trophy Eyes drummer Callum Cramp added: “Slam Dunk festival is something we’ve all been closely watching grow for years and this time around, we’re ecstatic to be able to play it.
“Touring the rest of the world is great but there is something about Britain that is just so immersed in rock music, something raw.
“We’ll see you all in the birthplace of punk rock this May, for Slam Dunk 2017.”
Like Pacific’s Chris Thaung said: “We’re very excited for the opportunity to not only come back to the UK, but to play such a premiere punk and alternative festival like Slam Dunk.
“The line-up seems to get better each and every year. Very stoked to be a part of Slam Dunk.”
Advance tickets for Slam Dunk cost £44, or £49 with after party.
They are on sale now from www.slamdunkmusic.com and The Forum’s website at www.forumhertfordshire.co.uk
• For more on Slam Dunk, visit the festival’s website at http://slamdunkmusic.com/
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