Slam Dunk named Kerrang! Awards’ best festival for second year running
PUBLISHED: 17:57 12 June 2015 | UPDATED: 17:05 15 June 2015
Slam Dunk has won Kerrang's best festival again
Archant
Hatfield’s Slam Dunk Festival has won a national rock music magazine’s best festival award for the second year running.
The touring pop punk, ska punk, metal and rock event triumphed at The Relentless Kerrang! Awards, which took place last night (Thursday), at London’s Troxy.
It is the second year running the festival has taken the trophy.
At a star-studded ceremony featuring Alice Cooper, Marilyn Manson, Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford and former Slam Dunk headliners All Time Low, the awards were hosted by Andrew WK and Benji Webbe from Skindred.
Slam Dunk once again beat stiff competition from Download Festival, Knebworth’s Sonisphere, Reading and Leeds Festivals, and Bloodstock in the festival category.
The UK’s biggest independent touring festival visited Leeds, Hatfield and Wolverhampton over the Spring May Bank Holiday weekend, with You Me At Six headlining the main stage.
The festival, which celebrated its 10th year in 2015, saw a 25 per cent increase in capacity, with the Hatfield and Leeds legs both selling out.
Slam Dunk South took place at the University of Hertfordshire, with seven stages set up in and around The Forum Hertfordshire complex in College Lane.
The main outdoor stage was on the uni’s Hutton Lawn.
Wolverhampton also recorded its best attendance figures to date.
Festival boss Ben Ray said: “The last year has been a whirlwind for Slam Dunk.
“We have set the bar so high now and taking the award for the second year running is really exciting.
“I’d like to thank the whole festival team, the bands and most importantly all the festival goers. Without you it wouldn’t be possible.
“What we have achieved with such a small team is amazing.
“Still stunned to win this prestigious award two years in a row.”
More than 30,000 music fans witnessed sets by You Me At Six, Lower Than Atlantis, Taking Back Sunday and PVRIS across the three days.
In Leeds, Slam Dunk North returned to Millennium Square in the city centre, with the festival also taking over Leeds Beckett University, the O2 Academy and the surrounding areas.
Moving from its humble beginnings at Leeds University Students’ Union to a full-scale 12,000-capacity festival is a testament to the hard work organisers have put in over the years.
Hatfield also saw a site increase year-on-year due to overwhelming demand.
In Wolverhampton, the festival’s Midlands leg took place across city centre venues Wulfrun Hall, Civic Hall, Civic Bar and surrounding areas.
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