2000 Trees 2024 Review
If you’d asked someone a few years ago if they were going to 2000 Trees you would probably be met with a blank stare or asked what it was, fast forward a few years and what started out as a small DIY festival continues to grow in popularity with even bigger bands added to the line up each year; 2024 is no different.
WEDNESDAY
Wednesday was originally a day for early access to gain the best camping spots but now it features its own line up of artists playing across the festival's smallest stages, The Word and The Forest. Those lucky enough to get Wednesday tickets are in for a real treat this year.
After setting up camp, it's off down to The Word stage to check out one of the earlier bands, Kite Thief. It may be early in the day but the tent quickly fills up with fans eager to get into the music. Hitting the crowd with a blend of unrelenting riffs and booming drums, the band waste no time in kicking off what might be the festival's first mosh pit. If that isn’t a good sign I don’t know what is.
Next up heading over to The Forest stage to catch Brighton political punks, Lambrini Girls. The band waste no time in getting the crowd moving with vocalist Phoebe heading out into the crowd. As she stands upright, held by determined fans she announces ‘I’m gonna jump and you’re gonna catch me’ before leaping into a sea of hands.
After a quick break to explore the festival site it's back into The Forest to catch one of today's most exciting acts, Dead Pony. Kicking things off with a cover of The Prodigy’s 'Voodoo People', it quickly becomes clear why. Playing an upbeat set, singer, Anna Shields keeps the crowd entertained as she dances across the stage, making the most of every inch of space available.
Next up on The Forest stage is festival royalty The Xcerts. "We’re gonna celebrate an album which is coming up to 10 years old" Murray announces to the crowd before the band work their way through pop rock infused album ‘There Is Only You’. There’s big singalongs throughout, hitting its height at ‘Kids On Drugs’ before crashing down with an emotional ending with title track ‘There Is Only You’.
Over on The Axiom stage the football is being shown, by some miracle, England have made it into the Euro's Semi Final. It's unfortunate timing but that doesn’t stop welsh band Dream State from filling up The Forest; they’ve even stuck a TV on stage playing the football for those who want the best of both worlds. Singer Jessie Powell once again gives a fantastic performance, and interacts with the crowd frequently. Later in the set, Jessie takes the opportunity to get closer to the fans by crowd surfing on an inflatable unicorn.
Following a fantastic set from Dream State it's time to head over to The Word Stage for something a little different. For those who don’t know The 900, they are a Tony Hawks Pro Skater cover band, taking songs from the iconic soundtrack and performing them live. Kicking things off with Refused’s ‘New Noise’, it’s clear to see the appeal. Songs like ‘Guerrilla Radio’ whip the crowd into a frenzy of moshing and crowd surfers, for such a small stage it makes for an extremely fun set.
Back down on The Forest stage, it's time for tonights headliner. As the stage fills with smoke, it’s only a matter of time before alt rock band Boston Manor take to the stage for their headline set. Kicking off with new songs 'Container' and 'Sliding Doors', the band are quick to get the crowd moving before announcing they would be playing some of the older songs. Being down amongst the trees makes this feel like a truly special occasion, giving the crowd a chance to hear fan favourites and deep cuts that may not make the setlist on the latest tours. Ending the set with huge track 'Foxglove' prompts huge singalongs which can be heard across the campsite. It's been a busy first day and only 2 of the stages have been in use, but it's a good taste of what's to come over the coming days.
THURSDAY
It's day two and despite the uncertain weather forecasts, the sun is out and spirits are high amongst campers. Today's line up is stacked out with big names and up-and-comers, it's good that the festival site isn’t huge, making stage-hopping much easier; something I’ll definitely be doing to fully embrace the music on offer.
Playing a 10:30am slot at a festival can be a bit of a challenge. Are people going to turn up? For Blank Atlas this was likely a concern but a welcome surprise to come onto the NUE stage and find a sizeable crowd. This alt rock 3-piece played with pure confidence, giving the early morning crowd a wake up call with big riffs and powerful vocals.
Due to Snayx's van breaking down in Germany the main stage bands have been pushed back so I’m sticking to the NUE Stage to check out DIY punks, The Menstrual Cramps. The music is raw yet filled with rage with a somewhat cheeky twist. This is a band who aren’t afraid to share their opinions especially when it comes to politics, this is evident in the work they’ve done with ‘Boycott Barclays’ which recently had a huge breakthrough during Download Festival.
It's time to slow things down a bit, heading over to The Forest where Dylan Slocum of Spanish Love Songs is taking to the stage to perform an acoustic set. The band are known for their emotional songs, getting the rare opportunity to hear acoustic versions of some of the band's songs feels special. Standing amongst the trees hearing Dylan's voice float of the crowd is truly hair-raising.
Back on the Main Stage, it's time for possibly one of the most unique acts today, The Oozes. Vocalist Tom Gilbert takes to the stage in a vibrant red outfit, strutting back and forth across the stage as the band work through their DIY Punk set, they may not be to everyone's taste but those who have come down seem to be enjoying themselves as they dance and sing along.
Due to a last minute change, Death Lens are no longer playing on the Axiom so Exit Child have jumped into the slot for their final show. Having played 2000 Trees multiple times they clearly feel at home on the stage as they take this one last chance to burn through their blend of frenzied guitars and angsty vocals. The energy on stage is high and the reaction from the crowd is clearly rewarding.
Heading back to the main stage Dead Pony are ready for their second set of the weekend. Vocalist Anna Shields is once again full of energy making complete use of the huge stage around her, making for another exciting performance. Songs like '23, Never Me' and 'Rainbow' sound huge when played on the main stage and with the sun shining the atmosphere is electric.
Next up is a tough choice, Static Dress or Knife Bride. Having recently seen Static Dress, I decided it would be the perfect opportunity to check out a band I’ve heard a lot about. Over at The Cave, Knife Bride's frontwoman Mollie Buckley commands the crowd as her powerful voice cuts through the crowd. Despite the clash, they hold their own as they tear through their latest single ‘Melancholia’.
A quick pit stop at Frank's Water to hydrate then it's back down to the main stage for Cassyette. Having previously supported Bring Me The Horizon earlier in the year, Cassyette is the perfect fit for the main stage. Drawing a huge crowd, things start off a little rough but once she gets going she reaches new heights. She radiates confidence throughout proving why she has reached such heights so early on in her career.
Once on the Axiom, the turn out for Spanish Love Songs is huge as more people try to get into an already filled tent. As the band take to the stage one by one the crowd clap and cheer. Kicking things off with ‘Lifers’ the band quickly move into huge hits ‘Losers’ and ‘Self Destruction’ prompting huge singalongs. Blending euphoric sounds and deep emotion throughout, the band fit right in amongst the 2000 Trees line up. Standing amongst a packed out tent of people all belting out the lyrics to ‘Kick’, makes for a truly memorable experience, hopefully one that sticks with both the band and the crowd.
Next up coming all the way from California, Movements are about to bring the ruckus to The Cave. Starting off with an upbeat play-through of their latest single ‘Afraid To Die’, it's not long before the band head back to their early work. Newer songs sound fresh whilst it's the older songs which get the biggest response from the crowd.
Whilst Movements continue their set I’ve made the tough decision to head down to the main stage to catch the second half of Kids In Glass Houses' set. Having not long made a return to the scene, it feels nostalgic hearing ‘Young Blood (Let It Out)’ played on the main stage. Synth-driven new song ‘Theme from Pink Flamingo’ sounds just as good as the older material before they finish strong with pop infused ‘Saturday' and emotional ‘Matters At All’. It feels good to have Kids In Glass Houses back on the scene.
Tonight' s penultimate main stage band is Manchester Orchestra. Fronted by the legendary Andy Hull they dive straight into the back-catalogue, opening with ‘Pride’ before tearing through ‘Bed Head’. The band are joined by Brian Fallon for ‘The Gold’, a song which makes for a stand-out moment in the set. But it's ‘The Silence’ which has the crowd fall silent and truly embrace the full force of Hull’s unique story telling.
It's been a long time coming but tonight's Main Stage headliner is none other than the mighty Gaslight Anthem. Down on the barrier, it's an all-ages affair, bringing together fans of all ages and they couldn’t have asked for a better set. Opening with 'Great Expectations', 'Handwritten' and 'American Slang', it's clear they know how to please a festival crowd. Vocalist Brian Fallon jokes with the crowd between songs, even taking a sign from a fan with a request to hear ‘Blue Jeans & White T-Shirts’. By the end of the set Andy Hull returns the favour by joining the band on stage for a guest spot on '45'. As closers go, bands tend to go for a popular song, so it feels fitting that The Gaslight Anthem finish on a high, playing fan favourite song ‘The ’59 Sound’.
After the bands are finished the party carries on as the silent disco is in full force but down in the forest, things are a little different to normal. This year the festival has introduced 'silent disco' band sets. All the band's gear is plugged in and sent straight through to the silent disco headphones, it sounds odd but it makes for a fun new addition to the festival. My first experience of this is watching The Hara. It's a fun, energetic set and if you’ve seen The Hara before you know what to expect. At one point vocalist Josh Taylor whips out his in ears and jumps into the crowd. ‘That was a weird experience! Crowd surfing but theres no music, only cheering!’ He laughs as he climbs back on stage.
Friday
Day three and it's set to be another busy day with another fully stacked line up, as I head down towards the Axiom, there's a lot of chatter amongst campers about which headliner to check out tonight. Judging by the chants of ‘I’m on Smoko’ and ‘6 Litre GTR’, The Chats is a popular choice.
First act of the day for me on The Axiom is Mouth Culture. With You Me At Six calling it a day next year theres an opening in the scene for some new blood and Mouth Culture might just be the band to fill it. Their set is fun and energetic and only reinforces their increasing popularity.
Heading down to the main stage now, all the way from Stavanger, Norway, is pop punk band Sløtface. "This is our favourite festival, we’re honoured to be here" announces vocalist Haley Shea mid-set before giving the crowd a taste of some new music. The set is upbeat and filled with charm; it's bands like this that really set 2000 Trees apart from the other festivals.
On the bill this weekend are a number of Australian bands, one in particular are making a huge impression on the main stage. The Rumjacks are a new band to me but I regret not checking them out sooner. Playing a quirky blend of folk and punk, resulting in a wholesome experience as people dance down at the front, making for a great early afternoon set.
Over at The Axiom the tent is starting to fill up in anticipation for one of rock's most exciting emerging acts. Mixing rock, metal and electro, Tropic Gold put on one hell of a show. At times you could compare their music to the likes of Normandie with a bit more edge, whilst at others, their music moves closer to the likes of Sleep Token crossed with Bring Me The Horizon. Judging by the crowd's reaction they leave a lasting impression on fans and with new music coming out, it's only a matter of time before they start playing bigger stages.
Down on the Main Stage, As December Falls are bringing their fast-paced pop-punk to a growing crowd. Once again the band put on an enjoyable show; I don’t think I saw the smile leave the face of vocalist Bethany Curtis throughout the duration of their set. There's plenty of interaction from both Bethany and guitarist Ande Hunter resulting in a lively crowd.
Next up its over to The Cave for Unpeople. If you haven’t heard of this band before, now is the time to check them out. With big riffs and some talented songwriting the band go all out on this show, inciting bouncing mosh pits and multiple crowd surfers throughout; they even throw in a cover of Nirvana’s 'Territorial Pissings', grabbing the attention of passersby who join the crowd to catch a glimpse of the band in action.
Next on The Cave is one of metals best up-and-comers, Guilt Trip. Despite clashing with Nova Twins the crowd is filling up to catch the band in action. Having toured with label-mates, Malevolence, at the end of last year the band have only grown in popularity over the past year. Frontman Jay Valentine has a huge presence on stage as he belts out vocals whilst guitars squeal and drums boom. The crowd is whipped up into a frenzy producing what might be one of the biggest circle pits of the day so far. Musically, you could compare the band to early Machine Head with similar guitar tones and rhythms; Bassist Lily only confirms the influence as she rocks a Machine Head baseball cap throughout. Drawing such a big crowd whilst a band with such a huge influence, as Nova Twins, plays the main stage is a huge achievement in itself. Eager to catch both, I made the decision to head down to the main stage and catch the remainder of Nova Twins' set; on reflection this may have been a mistake as I learnt from fellow festival-goer that Guilt Trip ended their set with a cover of 'Davidian' by Machine Head.
Having played the festival in previous years, Nova Twins have put in the work and finally made it to the main stage. The crowd down here is huge, and mostly bouncing to the bands signature genre-bending sound. Consisting of lead vocalist/guitarist Amy Love and bassist Georgia South, the band have been growing in popularity over the years, even playing support slots for huge bands such as Muse and Foo Fighters. Wanting to get closer to the crowd the band take their guitars down into the crowd, opening up a pit in which they play to an increasingly excited crowd.
As Nova Twins finish up on the main stage Lovebreakers take to the NUE stage. The Birmingham based band don’t have much of a crowd to start with but as people pass by, the crowd increases to get a feel good hit of rock and roll. Influenced by the likes of The Clash and Tom Petty, they likely appeal to fans of last night's headliner but regardless of the size of the crowd they give it their all, putting on an entertaining show.
Heading out to the main stage and a backdrop has been raised on the main stage and it's quite the eye catcher. It features an illustration of Trump and Biden kissing; it's definitely the most memorable backdrop of the weekend so far. The backdrop belongs to political rap-rocker, Grandson. Kicking things off with 'Drones', the crowd are quick to pick things up and start bouncing along to the bass heavy track. 'The energy is at 7 but I know you’ve got more" Grandson shouts to the crowd before going into ‘Oh No!!!’. If the crowd weren’t meeting his level of energy before, they are now as crowd surfers emerge and the pit opens up. By the end of the set Grandson is down amongst the crowd to round off the set with 'Blood // Water'. The backdrop may have raised attention but its Grandson’s booming bass and energetic performance which has brought the crowd down to the main stage.
It's time to slow things down a little as Turnover play at the festival for the first time over on The Axiom. The tent is filled but it's a more relaxed atmosphere as the band start off with some newer material. The crowd is mainly here for the older material and it shows at the set's late stages when the band play cult hit ‘Dizzy On the Comedown’. The change of pace is welcome as it gives the crowd the chance to enjoy the music before tonights Axiom headliner.
Hot Milk waste no time in getting the crowd going as Hannah Mee runs across the stage, never staying in one spot for too long. The pop metal fusion has the crowd going nuts, with Hannah frequently calling for circle pits. Late in the set Hannah asks the crowd if anyone knows the words to ‘Candy Coated Lie$’ before bringing to the stage a guy known only as 'Ben from Leamington Spa' to perform with the band. Things like this can backfire, but not this time. Ben knows the words inside and out and puts in just as much effort with his performance.
Whilst Aussie punks entertain the main stage and Simon Neil's Empire State Bastard take over the cave, I’ve opted for something a little different. Having seen Grandson bring the noise to the main stage earlier in the day. I was eager to check out his second set down in the Forest. Tonights set is a laid back acoustic set which made for a wholesome, and at times, emotional set. The contrast between the live set and acoustic set is huge but it gives Grandson the chance to interact with the fans on a different level. Early in the set he plays ‘Half My Heart’ to the delight of a girl on the barrier who shouts ‘He’s playing my song!’ “I know someone out there’s smoking weed, mind throwing some my way” He jokes, to much laughter from the crowd but to his surprise someone does exactly that by throwing a joint on stage. He doesn’t have a lighter but a photographer offers him one before announcing he has a Grandson tattoo. Grandson gets him up on stage to show off the tattoo and then the set continues. Half way through ‘Bury Me Face Down’, it seems the joint's taken it's effect as he briefly forgets the words before realising the crowd are filling in for him which brings laughter to the crowd. Before playing ‘Heather’, he explains its meaning, giving a powerful speech about the importance fans have to musicians and how it's a symbiotic relationship. By the end of the song, there's tears in the crowd, but in the quiet of the forest a moment like this feels right. Finishing with 'Blood // Water', he thanks the crowd for their time before leaving the stage.
After missing their main stage slot the day before, Snayx has finally managed to make it to the festival to play their second set at the silent disco. Tonight the forest is packed out with headphones glowing. It's past 1am but the energy is still running high. Snayx apologise for not making the main stage but the set on this stage clearly makes up for it as they hit the crowd with their unique blend of punk. As the set comes to a close there's a chant from the crowd for one more song. Vocalist Charlie Herridge starts a chant of ‘Its coming home’ before jumping into the crowd with bassist Ollie for a spot of crowd surfing.
Saturday
It's the final day of the festival which means only one thing. Today is fancy dress day and the theme this year is 2000 Screams. Whilst the weather this morning has brought rain theres a lot of excitement and despite the inevitable hangovers that a festival brings, people are up and getting ready for the bands who are playing today.
Snake Eyes bring a healthy does of punk to kick things off this morning over on The Axiom, having been handed a flyer earlier in the weekend advertising their set, it only felt right to go down and check it out. It looks like many others have done the same as the tent starts to fill up. Despite an early set on the final day the band put on a good show.
Heading to the Forest now where young Bristol band Tokyo Toy Company are taking to the stage. Theres a lot of nervous energy here but they get into the swing of things in no time. There's 5 of them on stage meaning there’s not a lot of room for movement but they make it work. Dropping a cover of 1000 Miles early in the set is a great choice and the use of a trumpet, only makes for a more unique approach to the midwest emo sound they present. If they keep going like this there's a chance they could make it onto a bigger stage in the future.
Back on the Axiom and American band, Michael Cera Palin are taking to the stage. It may be 12:30pm but the tent is absolutely packed with the crowd spilling out at both sides, which makes you question if maybe they deserved a bigger slot. They sound great and are a joy to watch, most noticeably the bassist who make use of the stage as he jumps around. Excitement possibly gets the better of him to the point he accidentally pulls the lead out of his bass, quickly getting it plugged back in before getting back to it.
Back to the cave and the mighty 4-piece Hawxx are here to show the crowd how it's done. Bringing huge riffs and some killer 4-part harmonies the band blast through their set, taking time in-between songs to talk to the crowd and spread their message of empowerment sprinkled with rage.
Back at the Axiom and a band who took a significant break during covid are finally back. It's time for Indoor Pets. It's a fun set of Weezer-esque tracks covering old material whilst also giving a healthy dose of new songs from their comeback album. The music feels somewhat relatable at times making for an enjoyable set.
Time to head back to the main stage now for what might be one of the most fun sets of the day. Sometimes all you want to do at a festival is dance and have fun with your mates, what better band to bring that energy than Aussie punks, Dune Rats. Tracks like ‘Up’ get the crowd jumping and having fun and it's not long before the crowd surfers are out in full force, as a young girl rides an inflatable unicorn over the crowd before running back out into the crowd. At one point a significantly older member of the crowd surfs up to the front, "Look everyone my grandad just got here!" Shouts vocalist Danny Beus clearly amused by what's happening in front of him.
Following up on the dumb fun on the main stage is The Xcerts, having played on a smaller stage earlier in the weekend, today's set brings out all their pop infused bangers before an emotional Murray talks about his dads recent battle with cancer, before leading the crowd into a huge singalong for the much loved song ‘Aberdeen 1987’. But thats not the only big moment of their set, as the band power through their final song of the day ‘Feels Like Falling in Love’ they bring out close friend, You Me At Six frontman, Josh Franceschi, to help close their set in the biggest way.
After a fun pop-tinged set the next band on the main stage feel almost a little out of place. Liverpool band The Mysterines are currently on the rise, they’ve just dropped a new album to much critical acclaim and have recently played some huge support slots. Whilst they sound fantastic, it's a tough follow-up to the fun that's been going on down on the stage earlier in the day, bringing a far more serious tone than previous acts. Despite that, the crowd still look to be enjoying themselves.
Something that's always interesting about 2000 Trees is that despite it's location and size it still brings in bands from all over the world. Coming all the way from Ontario, Canada, Cleopatrick bring the big riffs and thunderous drums to the main stage this afternoon. Similar in sound to Royal Blood, the crowd are here for it as moshing breaks out amongst the crowd.
Next on the Main Stage is folk punk, and festival royalty Frank Turner backed by his band, the Sleeping Souls. Over the years, Frank has had a huge part in the festival, having headlined the very first 2000 Trees, 17 years ago, he’s returned multiple times since. Frank's band, The Sleeping Souls, are always a joy to watch, the on-stage chemistry shines. Not even rain can dampen the spirits as Frank's booming voice creates huge singalongs from the crowd from the start, with ‘If Ever I Stray’ being an early favourite amongst the crowd. ‘Try This at Home’ ignites the crowd into a frenzy of mosh and dance as the punk side of his music shines through, whilst songs like ‘Polaroid Picture’ allow for moments of respite amongst the action. All in all, it's another triumphant set from Frank Turner and The Sleeping Souls.
As Frank's set ends on the main stage, there's a surge of movement to get to an already over-flowing Axiom for one of rock's most divisive and unique acts. Creeper start off with the synth-tinged ‘Further Than Forever’, their influences shining through more than ever as vocalist Will commands the crowd through this opening song. ‘Down Below’ creates one of the loudest singalongs of the weekend whilst Will could easily of stopped singing all together as the crowd takes over during the bone-chilling ‘Misery’. Wrapping things up with a remarkable play-through of ‘Cry To Heaven’, the question arises ‘When will Creeper take the Main Stage headline slot?’.
Whilst Don Broco bring the masses down to the main stage, Nu-Metal-tinged punks, Wargasm, are taking it back to the early 2000’s over at The Cave. Wargasm have gone from strength to strength since they burst onto the music scene, locking in some huge support slots and even getting the legendary Fred Durst to guest on one of their latest tracks. They take to the stage with a vicious energy and devoted fans at the front are here for it. Its not long before co-vocalist Sam Matlock is climbing the pillar at the centre of the stage, it's all chaos from here on out though, for some it's not quite enough to keep their attention from wandering to the main stage.
Down in the Forest, it's a different vibe all together, for some Don Broco and Wargasm aren’t to their taste. Tonight's Forest headliner, Skinny Lister, is sure to bring the weekend to a close with a bit of song and dance. Skinny Lister are another folk punk band who have played the festival numerous times, and they know exactly what the crowd wants. It's all singing and dancing amongst the crowd for the duration. During ‘Arm Wrestling In Dresden’, vocalist Lorna Thomas heads to the barrier to arm wrestle with members of the crowd whilst Dan Heptinstall takes the lead vocal duties. Later in the set, a flagon of whiskey is brought to the crowd and it begins to circulate amongst them. Finishing strong with ‘Company of The Bar’ and ‘Trouble on Oxford Street’, opening up the crowd to mosh pits and crowd surfing, but this isn’t a violent mosh pit, more a pit of people jumping into each other and having fun. It's a wholesome end to the evening down in the forest and a joy to be a part of. The headliners are done and the festival is coming to an end, as Frank Turner makes a surprise appearance on the Camp Turner busking stage, for those who don’t want the weekend to end theres one final band.
Playing a silent disco set is the experimental Calva Louise. Forming in London in 2016 the band come from far and wide, Venezuela, France and New Zealand to be exact, they’ve become known for their mash up of indie, metal and electronic genres and despite the set not kicking off until the early hours of the morning the forest is filling up. "Wow it's like one of my sci-fi dreams, I love it" says vocalist Jess Allanic when looking out into a crowd of people all wearing headphones. It's an exciting set, watching Jess shred on a guitar before sliding the keyboard over to layout a solo on the keys. By the end of the set Jess jumps off the stage and out into the crowd, laying down a huge solo whilst a sea of hands hold her up. The band's set feels right at home on the silent disco channel making for possibly one of the most exciting sets of the entire weekend.
And like that the festival is over for another year. It's been a huge weekend featuring a truly eclectic line up of talent. The atmosphere around the festival has been amazing, a constant buzz of energy that kept going morning, noon and night. As happy campers pack up and make the journey back to reality the question on everyone's mind is how can the festival top the line up next year?