Slam Dunk 2027 Reveals First Wave: Killswitch Engage, The Used, Beartooth, Wage War Among Initial Lineup

# What was announced Organizers published the first set of acts for Slam Dunk Festival 2027. The festival will run in two UK locations: Leeds (Temple Newsam) on Saturday, May 29, and Hatfield Park on Sunday, May 30. The announcement came as an initial lineup reveal, with additional artists expected in later waves.

# Who's on the first wave The announced roster mixes metal, hardcore, emo, pop-punk and ska. Confirmed performers in this first wave include:

• Bowling For Soup
• Simple Plan
• Reel Big Fish
• Less Than Jake
• The Interrupters
• Grade 2
• Killswitch Engage
• Beartooth
• Wage War
• The Amity Affliction
• ERRA
• Melrose Avenue
• From Ashes To New
• Sleeping With Sirens
• The Used
• The Maine
• We The Kings
• Is…
• Cute Is What We Aim For
• The Front Bottoms
• Four Year Strong
• Trophy Eyes (performing a "Chemical Miracle" set)
• Knuckle Puck
• Overgrown Love
• Rarely
• Hot Milk
• Mouth Culture
• As December Falls
• Redhook

This mix spans legacy acts, recent festival regulars, and scene bands that cover multiple subgenres. The lineup was shared on the festival's Instagram account as part of the announcement package.

# What this lineup signals The initial roster balances headline-level pop-punk names (Bowling For Soup, Simple Plan) with heavier metal and hardcore acts (Killswitch Engage, Beartooth, Wage War). That reflects Slam Dunk's long-standing approach of programming multiple related scenes on the same weekend to attract a cross-section of alternative-music audiences.

# Logistics and next steps

• How the announcement was shared: via Slam Dunk Festival's Instagram post, which published the first-wave list.

Other outlets covering the announcement noted the same headliners and locations. The initial wave includes bands returning after previous Slam Dunk appearances and bands celebrating milestone albums or recent touring cycles.

# What fans should watch for

• Additional lineup waves: Expect more names, stage splits and set times in later announcements.
• Ticket and travel details: With two separate sites on consecutive days, attendees should confirm whether single-day, two-day or site-specific tickets are offered once organizers publish ticketing information.
• Special sets: The announcement already highlights at least one themed set (Trophy Eyes performing a "Chemical Miracle" set), so look for other unique appearances or set concepts in follow-up reveals.

# Bottom line