Promoter Ben Ray on Slam Dunk’s European expansion

Slam Dunk Festival promoter Ben Ray has shared his blueprint for the brand’s 2025 “European takeover” in an interview with IQ.

The rock event, which was crowned Festival of the Year at this week’s LIVE Awards, will take place in six markets across one week next May/June, debuting in Belgium, the Netherlands and Switzerland, as well as returning to France, Italy and the UK, where the brand launched in 2006.

It is collaborating with partners in each market, apart from the UK, including Live Nation Belgium, Jera Presents (Netherlands), Good News Productions (Switzerland), Opus Live (France) and Hub Music Factory (Italy).

“It’s what we’ve been working towards,” Ray tells IQ. “The first European [spin-offs] were in France and Italy in ’23, but we only did France this year because – and I was very honest about it – we didn’t have the artists to do Italy. And with any of our European editions, if we don’t get the artists, we won’t put on the events.

“This year, we started looking at more markets but were determined to do both France and Italy. I had to know that France and Italy were done before I looked at anything else, because I wanted to deliver with my existing partners first.

“Luckily, in the cases of Netherlands and Switzerland, I’d been talking to those people for a long time and we’d said we’d do something if the opportunity arose.”

“Neck Deep are the only band playing all seven events”

Slam Dunk 2025 will kick off with its flagship, 30,000-cap UK editions at Hatfield Park on 24 May and Temple Newsam in Leeds on 25 May, headlined by A Day To Remember, Electric Callboy and Neck Deep, before making its way across the continent.

“Months ago, I told the artists that were flying over from the US for Slam Dunk UK that we were trying to add some European options for afterwards,” explains Ray. Thankfully, many of those bands have decided to come and join us and go into Europe. A Day To Remember are also headlining in France and Italy, and The Used, Newfound Glory and Neck Deep are the main three bands doing the majority of the shows.

“Switzerland is New Found Glory and Neck Deep, and then Netherlands and Belgium is The Used and Neck Deep, so it’s all rotating. Neck Deep are the only band playing all seven events.”

The inaugural Slam Dunk Belgium (cap. 2,000) is set for 27 May at Trix, Antwerp, with the first Slam Dunk Netherlands to follow 29 May at Tivola Ronda in Utrecht.

Slam Dunk France (cap. 5,000) will take place Lyon’s L’Amphitheatre 3000 on 31, with Slam Dunk Switzerland (cap. 2,000) to debut at Zurich’s Komplex 457 on 1 June. Slam Dunk Italy (cap. 10,000) will then bring proceedings to a close at a new venue – Milan’s Carroponte – on 2 June.

“Ultimately, it’s getting the brand out there into Europe and hopefully putting a benchmark down in those territories”

“The [Belgium/Netherlands Switzerland events] are in club venues,” notes Ray. “It’s a touring package rather than a [traditional] festival. But ultimately, it’s getting the brand out there into Europe and hopefully putting a benchmark down in those territories.

“Everything’s an experiment,” he continues. “The idea is to grow in each market and build the brand in each country, and then we hope to do bigger venues in those countries – and I suppose more countries – in the future.”

Past lineups at the pop-punk, emo, metal, and alternative have included the likes of Paramore, All Time Low, Panic! At The Disco, Enter Shikari, Jimmy Eat World, Don Broco, Sum 41 and NOFX. And in closing, Ray is cautiously optimistic the rollout will be a hit.

“We look at ticket data from the UK events and we know we get a lot of customers coming from Europe,” finishes Ray. “There is brand awareness all across Europe – even in territories we’re not in – and on top of targeted campaigns in each country, we’re running a very large overall campaign advertising the events together across Europe, again, trying to grow the brand.

“A big target for us is sponsorship: we believe that the more markets we’re in, the more attractive it looks to potential sponsors, so hopefully that will grow over the years as well.”

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