Speaking to Kerrang! about their upcoming sets and what makes Slam Dunk so special, Neck Deep frontman Ben Barlow enthused: “At another big festival, there might just be a small section of the crowd who’re really into our kind of music, but at Slam Dunk, there are these massive crowds of people who all love pop-punk – and those crowds seem to be getting bigger all the time! We love playing there, but it’s also the festival my punk-head oldest brother, whose favourite bands are NOFX, Pennywise and Bad Religion, always wants to come to. It’s about having mostly pop-punk bands, with a bunch of old-school punk bands, and some really heavy bands all playing together. That makes for this really nice eclectic mix of everything that represents our world. And it’s a showcase for the very best of those things. It’s a great platform for young bands. If you’re playing Slam Dunk, you’re probably doing something right. [Fans might come for the acts you already know, but] their next favourite band will probably be playing Slam Dunk, too.”