Rancid pull out of Slam Dunk 2022, Sum 41, Dropkick Murphys take headline slots

Sum 41
(Image credit: Avalon/PYMCA/Gonzales Photo/Terje Dokken/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Rancid have dropped off the bill for next year’s Slam Dunk festival, having been announced as one of the event’s headline acts in September. The Californian punks have yet to reveal their reasons for withdrawing from the two day festival, which is scheduled for June 3/4, 2022.

Better news for festival goers comes with the announcement of Sum 41 and Dropkick Murphys as headline acts alongside the previously announced Alexisonfire.

The event promoters have also revealed that next summer’s festival will feature appearances from The Interrupters, KennyHoopla, Pennywise, Pinkshift, Deaf Havana, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Knuckle Puck, Hot Mulligan, Eskimo Call Boy, Yours Truly and Beauty School.

They will join the likes of The Used, The Wonder Years, Hot Water Music and Motion City Soundtrack on the bill.

Slam Dunk Festival 2022 will take place on June 3 (North) and June 4 (South), moving from the usual May Bank Holiday weekend to align with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Bank Holiday Weekend which begins on June 2. 

SD 2022

(Image credit: Slam Dunk Festival 2022)
Paul Brannigan
Contributing Editor, Louder

A music writer since 1993, formerly Editor of Kerrang! and Planet Rock magazine (RIP), Paul Brannigan is a Contributing Editor to Louder. Having previously written books on Lemmy, Dave Grohl (the Sunday Times best-seller This Is A Call) and Metallica (Birth School Metallica Death, co-authored with Ian Winwood), his Eddie Van Halen biography (Eruption in the UK, Unchained in the US) emerged in 2021. He has written for Rolling Stone, Mojo and Q, hung out with Fugazi at Dischord House, flown on Ozzy Osbourne's private jet, played Angus Young's Gibson SG, and interviewed everyone from Aerosmith and Beastie Boys to Young Gods and ZZ Top. Born in the North of Ireland, Brannigan lives in North London and supports The Arsenal.