The WORST Festival We've Ever Been To?! - Slam Dunk 2023

Slam Dunk North 2023 was a bit of a roller coaster. Music good. Festival bad.
MASSIVE thank you to everyone who has subscribed so far, we hit 100 after 18 months and then rocketed to 180 in no time.

[@TPD]

100 is no easy number to hit. there are a million channels out there to compete with. the first few steps are the hardest. well done brother. see you soon!

[@arch_6133]

Rob keeping it real

[@TheAltVaultYT]

Thank you mate, honestly means a lot. Much love

[@TPD]

@@iamchilibeef5379 I had a great weekend. At both sites. As did many. Take your negativity elsewhere. Sides of the opinion have valid points, but this thread is a positive space.

[@TheAltVaultYT]

⁠@@TPD The comment seems to have been removed so I’ve no idea what was said. I’m honestly really happy that lots of people enjoyed their festival, you’d have to be a certain something to hope that people DIDN’T enjoy themselves really. All opinions are based only off our own experiences; some had a better time than others and each opinion is completely valid.

[@daveboyesguitar]

@@TheAltVaultYT My first hundred took me ages and now you've slingshotted past where I am! Well deserved mate, stumbled across your channel today and really enjoying the content you're putting out. Also a big TPD fan and it's great to find others supplying us with that gold festival content. Who know's maybe will bump into you at Download on Friday?? :)

[@alexcapener6667]

Think slam dunk worked so much better back when it was spread out across leeds city centre. actually using the pre existing venues. absolutely loved being able to walk between them and pop in random bars like spoons for cheap drinks as we went

[@kieran6417]

Came from TPD! Great video bro subbed 👍

[@MaxGriffinJames]

Its felt so good to be kicking off the season! I went to South. I had a lot less problems than other people. Could have done with more food and more water points as those queues were big. But travel, bar and toilets were good for me. Super excited for Download next week 😎🤘

[@kebabtank]

Sorry to see you had a rough time there as the lineup looked quite decent. I'll be at Download on Saturday and it has sold out! It's a much bigger venue though, so everyone can spread out a bit more. Hope you enjoy it!

[@SMTV__]

Great vid matey, proper nice to you so happy and chilled, doing what you love most!

[@edenseraphina6156]

I'll keep an eye out for yas tomorrow as I'll be going to download and camping out the full weekend lesss gooo I'm so excited and thanks for the tips

[@heyitsame]

Sick af videooooo 🔥 assuming you’re at Download too, have the best time 🎉

[@nevermindpollypodcast]

Subscribed! Great video mate! 😄

[@TheAltVaultYT]

Thank you 😃 Subscribed right back!

[@gingerelvis]

Cheers for the honest vid, went to south and it was hideous. 4 hours stuck in traffic to get in and missed a ton of bands, shame the lineup was a banger and the sets themselves were great just travel and facilities were a shit show.

[@TheAltVaultYT]

Shikari are my favourite band so there was no way I was missing them, but if they hadn't been there I'd have considered just going home early and getting some food in Leeds city centre. Sorry to hear you had a rough time as well

[@gingerelvis]

It was my first SD, I probably would go again if the lineup was good, just have a different transport plan and have a mega breakfast before 😂 Top work on the Vlog btw only just found your channel through TPD TV

[@JonnieBoi95]

Love the genuine views of the festival, what a great watch man!

[@RikiB004]

We had a bad time getting in at North. Literally queued 3 hours to get to the front and told the car park was full, re-directed a few miles around site to another car park, we got there and were told it wasn't a car park and they didn't know why we were sent there. We finally got in and parked in the staff car park it seems.

[@Synchronised01]

I heard they directed people to different car parks that weren't actually car parks and people got clamped and ticketed. Fucking shit show

[@BridAnderson]

Cool video. Thanks for posting. I was there too and agree that it felt like they oversold on the tickets. I had many of the same problems as you. I waited 55 mins to get food although the drinks queues to be fair were ok (non existent if you went to the bar at the far side of the site). The merch and record store queues were small too. It just felt to me like they needed more food stalls but it was so packed I don’t know where they could put them (there was a big food tent that seemed largely empty so maybe there) and so really they needed a bigger site or to let fewer people in. The main issue for me was the car parking. I’d driven in for 90 mins from Liverpool, got to the site and was given a post code for an alternative car park. Went there and found myself at some random farm, drove back and asked one of the stewards and they sent me back to the start, they gave me a different post code and then had to wait a couple of hours only to be told they were at capacity in the car park (so I couldn’t park in a space I’d paid for) and that I’d have to park by the side of the road. 3 hours it took in total from arriving to parking. Really not good enough. I never have these problems at Download were everything works like clockwork. Although, it turned out, I was able to get out in 10 mins at the end as I was parked right by the main road so got out really quickly at the end! It was bizarre because I was at the NOFX gig in the tent on the Friday before and, apart from having to wait an hour to get t-shirts in the merch queue (the people were so slow handing out t-shirts and to be fair no one seemed to know their size…), everything else was great and worked like clockwork and this was on a limited section of the larger site. It did take about 30 mins to get out the car park at the end on the Friday (they had what seemed to be zero traffic management in place which was a theme for the weekend) but that isn’t too bad. Overall, I got to see the main bands I wanted to see (Less Than Jake (partly viewed from the nearby food queue), Offspring and Bowling for Soup) but would have liked to have seen some of the others. I probably wouldn’t rate it quite as low as you but definitely improvements are required if I were to go again. With hindsight, and knowing that Less Than Jake supported NOFX together with Lagwagon on the Friday, I’d have probably skipped the Sunday due to all of the hassle. Again, cool video. I’ll be at download too so looking forward to the next one. Cheers.👍

[@nikkirose1719]

My son and his girlfriend went to Slam Dunk south. They were a bit bemused by the complaints as they didn't experience any of those problems 🤷.

[@YGP64]

Yeah I had an amazing time at slam dunk south, got a coach home and took two hours to get back to Bristol, however my mate drove and took him six hours to get home, they couildnt get out the carpark for three or so hours

[@bethweg]

I was at South, and we were lucky - only an hour queue in, but we had friends stuck in a 3 hour queue and miss a load of bands they wanted to see. Pretty much you say the same thing here I was thinking - just over sold, not enough food! Bars were quiet and ended up drinking a stout in place of a meal (Lucky I have a wonderful partner who spotted a sort queue and grabbed us some yorkie wraps, knowing if I didn't get some food in me I'd likely be a nightmare later haha!) - BUT, I am watching this on the first day of Download, at home with FOMO, and oooo buddy, I'm sorry but it looks like its struck again. Hope you have a better time there though!

[@jamesmcconnon2]

Your vids are great. You deserve more subs 👍

[@TheAltVaultYT]

Thank you so much!

[@andycruxtonmusic]

Great video, loving the download tips too. My first time next week, staying in metal meadow RIP. Maybe see you there! Hope it's better than Slam Dunk! 😬

[@Synchronised01]

Not sure why this came up in my algorithm but it was great reliving this day. It was an fucking mess from start to end in regards to the planning of the event. I drove in as I usually do and it was fucking awful. I missed all of Girlfriends and almost all of Hawthorn Heights because of the absoloute shit show of a parking situation. having to constantly step over, between, under and around people was insane, I think I spent most of my day doing that. You said you got back to the hotel at half 1, that's when I was just leaving the carpark. I have no idea what the fuck happened with parking. Awful that the shuttle was just as shit. They way oversold the event. Honestly if the bands weren't as good as they were, it would have been one of the worst experiences I've ever had going to a festival/gig. I'm curious if you're going to go this year? I'm going, but if they make the same mistakes this year then I don't think I'll ever go back.

[@TheAltVaultYT]

We want to go this year to give the event a chance to show all the good work they've said they've put in, to ensure that what happened last year doesn't happen again. Unfortunately, we might not be able to afford it, but if we can be there, we will. Hope it's a better event for both of us.

[@Synchronised01]

@@TheAltVaultYT well if I see you there I'll buy you a beer 😂 Honestly if All American Rejects weren't on the lineup I probably would have passed this year

[@britishboy2757]

just imagining phil as the lead singer of ATL is so funny ngl

[@_ginock_]

There was a lot wrong with the day to be fair. The main thing for me was the facilities and the overall arrangement of the site. I really wish they had either had more toilets or split them over the site, putting them all in one location was just a silly idea. I also think they need clearer locations. Even a huge map with "you are here" would have been useful. Aside from what I did enjoy the show.

[@simonnaylor3536]

It was great in Italy this year. No huge lines. Great weather. Great performances. Had a blast! Sorry to anyone who didn’t have a good time this year. The Bronx were awesome!

[@deanholt2135]

We went last year and really enjoyed it but Really glad we didn’t go now. I’m willing to bet they sold more tickets to pay for the bigger bands they had on this year but it’s no excuse

[@TheAltVaultYT]

This was my 3rd Slam Dunk in as many years and the other 2 were fine. I thought it would be one of those festivals that I'd buy a ticket for regardless of lineup every year, but they've got to do some serious work to make me consider it again.

[@maggiegunn8439]

Toyally agree, was a shit show !! True representation of the day, left early and went to Tgi Fridays 😂

[@benslaughter563]

Within the first 500

[@TheMcLaughlincrew]

BuT wE dIdNt OvErSelL...

[@mkdgaming2195]

210 subs now and I payed 98 quid for a six man tent I think that's a pretty good price thoughts

[@TheAltVaultYT]

That’s a great price for that size!

[@mkdgaming2195]

If I see you at download I'll come have a drink or 5 with you guys as you seem a good laugh and honest people which you don't find these days

[@2000dibbz]

Completely disagree with you. Yeah, not enough toilets or food vendors that is on the organizers. I got food and merch as soon as I got in. Saw 9 bands I wanted to see. No queues at the bars I was at. Straight in and out on the shuttle bus. Was in bed with a kebab 40 minutes after I left (During offspring encore) I know people had a shitty time but if an event is sold out you must expect this sort of environment! They should just allow food to be brought in! Can't argue with the toilet situation. It was a solid 9/10 for me though

[@TheAltVaultYT]

Yes it was sold out, and yes people should expect it to be busy if that's the case, but if the event planning team has failed to acquire enough food vendors or toilets to meet those number requirements (which they didn't, hence the ridiculous queues), then they've sold too many tickets to the event; regardless of the actual capacity of the site. I'm glad you had a good time, the opinions expressed in the video are based on my own experiences of the day.

[@Mydogsleepsat10pm]

Good for you. My experience I rate it 1/10 will not be returning. After queuing for at least 20 mins every time I needed the toilet, zero signal and lack of food after queuing for what felt like forever. Sh!t show!!

[@benjaminbeier4036]

@@Mydogsleepsat10pm Kinda weird that the organizers can't figure out the proper number of toilets after so many years of experience with that festival.

[@BLACULA-Skeewoah]

Wow, what a knob!

[@Synchronised01]

Nah mate. Every single slam dunk I've been to was sold out and not once did I have an experience like I did last year. I was stuck in the carpark for 3 hours. The people in the car in front of us had young children in their car, which they had to keep running the entire time otherwise it was too cold. There is no excuse to sell out of food. There is no excuse for the queues to be encroaching on the areas where people are sitting/standing to watch the main fucking stage. I was emailed 3 days before the event saying they will be checking all parking tickets on arrival so if I was planning on parking, I had to buy one. I already had done, but I wonder how many people got that email, paid for parking, and then didn't get to park. at £5 a pop, that's not a small amount of extra money they scammed out of us. What a fucking joke.