Enter Shikari to headline Slam Dunk 2017

Enter Shikari

Enter Shikari will mark the 10th anniversary of debut album Take To The Skies in headline sets at the expanded Slam Dunk festival series next year.

Rou Reynolds and co will appear across the May bank holiday weekend in Birmingham, Leeds and Hatfield. Tickets are available from 9am on November 11 (Friday) via TeamRock Tickets and other retailers.

Slam Dunk celebrated its own 10th anniversary in 2016.

Frontman Reynolds says: “Slam Dunk is a festival that we’ve been attending from the very start – Slam Dunk South is actually on the the campus of my old uni in Hatfield.

“It’s grown into one of the most important festivals in alternative music, and it’ll be an absolute honour to headline it in 2017.”

He adds that it “feels totally mental” that Take To The Skies will be 10 years old when they perform.

“The fact that we get to reminisce and relive tracks we recorded so long ago, and that are still held so dear by many, is something I could never have anticipated back then.

“We’ll never write another album like it, since Enter Shikari isn’t really a band that looks backwards, so to speak.

“But since this is a special occasion it’s important for us to recognise the importance of this album to us, and for the family of people who have supported us since those early days.

“On a purely selfish note, I cannot wait to play some of the tracks we haven’t played since 2007 – or even ever!”

Slam Dunk Midlands will be based on an expanded site in Birmingham’s NEC on May 27, while Slam Dunk North will be extended into Leeds’ First Direct Arena on May 28, and Slam Dunk South will feature an additional stage in Hatfield on May 29.

Enter Shikari play two shows before their Slam Dunk appearances, which will take place while they continue work on their fifth studio album. They’ll release bootleg record Live At Alexandra Palace on November 18, complete with a run of publicity appearances.

Enter Shikari live appearances 2016⁄2017

Nov 18, 5.30pm: Manchester HMV – signing session
Nov 18, 10pm: Manchester South – DJ session
Nov 19: Leeds Jumbo Records – signing session
Nov 22: London Banquet Records – signing session
May 23: Dublin Academy
May 24: Belfast Limelight
May 27: Slam Dunk Midlands, Birmingham NEC
May 28: Slam Dunk North, Leeds city centre
May 29: Slam Dunk South, Hatfield Forum

The 10 best Enter Shikari songs as chosen by Rou Reynolds

Freelance Online News Contributor

Not only is one-time online news editor Martin an established rock journalist and drummer, but he’s also penned several books on music history, including SAHB Story: The Tale of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, a band he once managed, and the best-selling Apollo Memories about the history of the legendary and infamous Glasgow Apollo. Martin has written for Classic Rock and Prog and at one time had written more articles for Louder than anyone else (we think he's second now). He’s appeared on TV and when not delving intro all things music, can be found travelling along the UK’s vast canal network.