Rescheduled music festival Slam Dunk set for Hatfield Park this weekend after COVID delays

Bedford band Don Broco will headline the Rock Scene Stage in the grounds of the Hertfordshire stately home on September 5, while American punk rockers NOFX will close the Punk in Drublic Stage.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the festival has been postponed three times since May 2020 and organisers will be hoping it's fourth time lucky this weekend.

The Slam Dunk Festival 2021 line-up poster. (Image: Slam Dunk Festival)

That's not to say COVID hasn't hit planning for this week's rescheduled Slam Dunk South 2021.

Canadian co-headliners Sum 41 are just one of the international bands unable to now attend.

At the time of the Fat Lip group pulling out, Team Slam Dunk posted on the festival's social media channels: "To those who ask ‘why not just cancel’ the simple answer is that if we do not attempt to do the festival this year, there might not be a next year.

"Many people don’t realise we are a small, independent company that revolves around, and relies upon, putting this festival on."

So the pop-punk show will go on this weekend in Hatfield Park – and Leeds' Temple Newsam the day before – with Waterparks, State Champs, and Mayday Parade among the bands due to appear on the Rock Scene Stage.

Creeper, recent additions to the Slam Dunk bill, were unable to play Reading and Leeds Festivals last weekend due to members of their touring party testing positive for COVID.

They are still hopeful of making Slam Dunk this week.

When Las Vegas rockers Escape The Fate pulled out of the festival, Slam Dunk organisers added Skindred as special guests in the Jägermeister Tent.

With two stages and no clashes in that big top, While She Sleeps and Bury Tomorrow will close the respective stages, with Funeral For a Friend also down to perform.

Yorkshire metallers Blood Youth will open the stage.

Blood Youth are due to open the Jägermeister Tent at Slam Dunk Festival 2021. (Image: Olli Appleyard)

The Punk in Drublic arena will be headlined by NOFX, with Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls and Alkaline Trio also on the bill.

But Pennywise will no longer be appearing "due to Covid related difficulties" and Anti-Flag have been added to the line-up in their place.

Days N' Daze also dropped out last weekend as they can no longer make the trip due to a flight change that redirects them through a red list country. They have been replaced by Buster Shuffle.

Matt Stocks will be spinning the tunes in between the bands on the Punk in Drublic Stage in Hatfield and later playing a closing DJ set in the Jägermeister Tent.

Another band unable to make it to Hatfield is Chunk! No, Captain Chunk! as their drummer Bastien has sustained a shoulder injury and has not fully recovered.

The French pop-punk band posted on Instagram: "We would like to thank the Slam Dunk Festival team for their unconditional support and understanding through this difficult decision."

Stray From The Path are also unable to make it, after their drummer Craig Reynolds cracked several ribs and fractured the T9 vertebrae in his back.

Holding Absence, A, Lizzy Farrall, The Hara, and Weatherstate are all down to play The Key Club Stages, with Boston Manor announced on Sunday as the special guest headliner.

A 'secret' special guest will also appear on The Key Club Stages during the afternoon.

Here are the latest stage line-ups and set times announced for Slam Dunk Festival 2021, subject to change.

Rock Scene Presents powered by Amazon Music UK Stage

Stage line-up and set times:

Don Broco – 8.50pm-10pm
Waterparks – 7.35pm-8.20pm
State Champs – 6.25pm-7.10pm
Mayday Parade – 5.15pm-6pm
We Are The In Crowd – 4.10pm-4.50pm
Creeper – 3.05pm-3.45pm
As It Is – 2.05pm-2.40pm
Hellogoodbye – 1.10pm-1.45pm
Roam – 12.20pm-12.50pm
The Bottom Line – 11.30am-noon.

Jägermeister Tent

2 stages with no clashes

While She Sleeps – 8pm-9pm
Bury Tomorrow – 6.55pm-7.55pm
Skindred – 6pm-6.50pm
Funeral For a Friend – 5.05pm-5.55pm
Trash Boat – 4.20pm-5pm
Your Demise – 3.40pm-4.20pm
Comeback Kid – 3pm-3.40pm
Malevolence – 2.25pm-3pm
Deez Nuts – 1.45pm-2.20pm
Brutality Will Prevail – 1.10pm-1.45pm
Loathe – 12.40pm-1.10pm
Hacktivist – 12.10pm-12.40pm
Blood Youth – 11.40am-12.10pm

Punk in Drublic Stage

Leeds:

NOFX – 8.55pm-10pm
Alkaline Trio – 7.35pm-8.25pm
Anti-Flag – 6.35pm-7.15pm
The Skints – 5.35pm-6.15pm
Zebrahead – 4.35pm-5.15pm
Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls – 3.25pm-4.15pm
Capdown – 2.25pm-3.05pm
Snuff – 1.25pm-2.05pm
The Baboon Show – 12.35pm-1.05pm
Buster Shuffle – 11.45am-12.15pm.

Hatfield:

NOFX – 8.55pm-10pm
Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls – 7.35pm-8.25pm
Alkaline Trio – 6.25pm-7.15pm
Anti-Flag – 5.25pm-6.05pm
The Skints – 4.25pm-5.05pm
Zebrahead – 3.25pm-4.05pm
Capdown – 2.25pm-3.05pm
Snuff – 1.25pm-2.05pm
Buster Shuffle – 12.35pm-1.05pm
The Baboon Show – 11.45am-12.15pm.

The Key Club Stages

2 stages with no clashes
NORTH
Left Stage

Boston Manor – 8.20pm-8.55pm
Normandie – 7.05pm-7.35pm
Vukovi – 5.55pm-6.25pm
Wargasm – 4.45pm-5.15pm
Popes of Chillitown – 3.35pm-4.05pm
A – 2.25pm-2.55pm
Weatherstate – 1.15pm-1.45pm
The Hara – 12.05pm-12.35pm.

Right Stage

Holding Absence – 7.40pm-8.15pm
[spunge] – 6.30pm-7pm
Lizzy Farrall – 5.20pm-5.50pm
Static Dress – 4.10pm-4.40pm
NoahFinnce – 3pm-3.30pm
Secret Special Guest (TBC) – 1.50pm-2.20pm
Doll Skin –12.40pm-1.10pm
For You The Moon – 11.30am-noon.

SOUTH
Left Stage

Boston Manor – 8.20pm-8.55pm
Vukovi – 7.05pm-7.35pm
Normandie – 5.55pm-6.25pm
A – 4.45pm-5.15pm
Wargasm – 3.35pm-4.05pm
Weatherstate – 2.25pm-2.55pm
The Hara – 1.15pm-1.45pm
Popes of Chillitown – 12.05pm-12.35pm.

Right Stage

Holding Absence – 7.40pm-8.15pm
Static Dress – 6.30pm-7pm
[spunge]– 5.20pm-5.50pm
Secret Special Guest (TBC) – 4.10pm-4.40pm
Lizzy Farrall – 3pm-3.30pm
Doll Skin – 1.50pm-2.20pm
NoahFinnce –12.40pm-1.10pm
For You The Moon – 11.30am-noon.

* Line-up subject to change.

Slam Dunk Festival North 2021 takes place at Leeds' Temple Newsam on Saturday, September 4.

Slam Dunk Festival South 2021 is set for Hatfield Park in Hertfordshire on Sunday, September 5.