Festival Review: 2000trees 2016

10 years of any festival is a great achievement. Think about it. The booking, the planning, the “will people come?” and the cost of it all. Year in, year out. Some festivals exploded then died just as quickly while some giants have fallen under the weight of expectations and running costs in recent years.

But then there is 2000trees. It’s remained an outlet for the best in underground British music and the picturesque beauty of the rolling Cotswolds Hills once again became the unlikely home of some of the best rock music around this weekend.

Even before the first distorted note rang out over Upcote Farm, 2000trees had already put together a special line-up. Buzzing with new acts, old favourites, and those with a special affinity with the festival, this was an exciting selection.

The line-up was actually bigger than the physical size of the festival. It’s the first thing you notice when passing through the gates; this is still a very small festival. You can walk the length of the site- the Main Stage to the forest- in about 10 minutes.

Even with just the Thursday Early Birds on site, it will still cosy. Those who had paid a little extra for an additional half-day of music (and half-day away from work), were in for a treat. Starting as you mean to go, Max Raptor opened proceedings with an all killer set before the much hyped Milk Teeth showed their youthful exuberance and grungy tones over at The Cave.

The Cave was very much the place to be on Thursday as Black Peaks’s Will Gardner gave one of the best vocal performances of the weekend and The Xcerts served up a set filled with pop-rock bangers. The love for the Scottish trio was so much that their final song, the always-emotional ‘There Is Only You,’ featured a marriage proposal on the front row. SHE SAID YES!

Away from The Cave, the magical forest setting- complete with fairy lights and hammocks- welcomed more stripped sets on its tiny stage. It also seemed to be the place to try out a cover song or two. Thrill Collins brought funky covers of R. Kelly and Dirty Dancing tracks while Black Peaks covered Jack Garratt’s ‘Falling’.

As a beautiful pink hue took over the festival sky, the evening began to race away with a blistering performance from And So I Watch You From Afar. The Axiom Stage, which had been taken over by Xtra Mile, was home to the day’s special guest. Whilst kept a secret in the lead to the festival, no one was too shocked when Frank Turner strolled out on stage. He had, after all, spent half of the afternoon signing copies of his new EP over at the merch desk. Plus, would 2000trees really celebrate 10 years without one of its favourite acts?!?!

The punk poet rattled through his hits and before you know it, there was just one act left to close out the first night of the festival. Now, it’s still unclear whether you can refer to The Bronx as a headline act for the weekend but the California hardcore punks sure acted like one. No fancy tricks just big hits and a singer prepared to get his hands dirty once in awhile. The whole set was carnage with frontman Matt Caughthran spending most of his time in the pit but songs like ‘Heart Attack American’, ‘The Unholy Hand’ and ‘Ribcage’ kicked the madness up an extra notch. It was a sweaty and deafening end to the day.

Thankfully, Friday rolled around quickly- maybe too quick for some though. The Main Stage opened in spectacular fashion with VANT whilst the punchy Reigning Days followed in The Cave. Press To Meco and Trash Boat dragged a lot of people from their tents and whilst the former really entertained, the latter seemed a little laboured.

Elsewhere, the Forest Sessions threw up some beautiful performances. Muncie Girls frontwoman Lande Hekt gave a thoughtful insight to her songwriting before The Xcerts played one of those shows where singer Murray McCleod forgot the lyrics to his own songs but did pull off an impromptu Brand New cover with ease. As I said, the morning came a little too soon for some.

A brief tour of the festival site saw Brawlers, WACO and Krokodil smashing their sets before, back in the forest, Moose Blood singer Eddy Brewerton busted out some heartfelt renditions of his songs. The attentive crowd hung on every word with closer ‘Cherry’ proving a huge hit.

As the afternoon headed towards the evening, Dinsoaur Pile-Up served up some grungy brilliance, Muncie Girls lit up The Axiom and Lonely The Brave pulled out a litany of anthems. But, as unbridled sunshine light up the 2000trees Main Stage, it was Neck Deep who stole the show. Stating a case for a future headline slot, the Welsh pop-punk new boys were phenomenal.

Following Neck Deep came Mallory Knox who were a fitting support to headliners Twin Atlantic. In the time before the headliners arrived, Basement closed out the The Cave with an air tight performance stacked with lo-fi anthems new and old. Over at The Axiom Stage, Moose Blood served as an alternative headliner and duly delivered with an exceptional performance of all their emo hits (and previewing their forthcoming album ‘Blush’).

As for the headliners, it was always going to be a good test for Twin Atlantic. The Scottish rock outfit have always been full bodied in their sound but being able to headline a festival is a different prospect all together.

Not wasting time on a special stage set-up or fancy lighting, Twin Atlantic let their music do the talking. With their new album ‘GLA’ just 2 months away, the opening part of the set seemed much like a testing ground and it didn’t exactly hook everyone. That’s evident with how hit heavy the end of the set was with Twin Atlantic blasting through ‘Make A Beast Of Myself’, ‘Yes, I Was Drunk’, ‘Free’ (which included an appearance from The Xcerts Murray), ‘Crash Land’ and ‘Brothers and Sisters’.

When the hits flowed as freely as they did at the end of the set, it’s easy to see Twin Atlantic topping the bill at bigger festivals in the coming years. Crunching into the festival favourite ‘Heart & Soul’ to close the set, not even a spectacular fall from Sam McTrusty could dampen the spirits in what was overall a victory for Twin Atlantic.

“Why aren’t you still in fucking bed?” were the first words anyone really heard when Saturday came around as Heck smashed up the Main Stage. In an energetic and typically chaotic set, the hardcore anarchists showed off the best of their debut album ‘Instructions’ while jumping off and into anything they could.

The real buzz around Saturday at 2000trees, though, was for Jamie Lenman. The former-Reuben frontman rarely played shows but this weekend, the festival welcomed him for two sets. The first of those followed on from Itch in the forest (and the smart dress code was impeccably observed by both artists).

Whilst all who decorated the forest landscape were eager to hear the eccentric frontman play songs from his old band, no one was too disappointed when he didn’t. That was because instead he rolled through some weird and wonderful covers from The Beatles, Weezer, Nirvana, Madness…and Cyndi Lauper.

The afternoon continues to pull out some big hitters across the festival site with WSTR rolling with the punches and an inspired cover of Limp Bizkit’s ‘Break Stuff’ bringing absolute carnage in The Cave. The Main Stage saw the hyped Creeper set teenage hearts afire while Arcane Roots teased a more electronically focused second album during a ferocious performance.

The King Blues and Ash both rolled back the years on the Main Stage whilst Sikth brought a wall of sound to their stage. Before you knew it, it was time for ‘Round 2′ with Jamie Lenman who had just as many people outside the tent as in during his performance on The Axiom Stage. His set included a special appearance from Arcane Roots frontman Andrew Groves and Brawlers, and a special cover of Frank Turner’s ‘Long Live The Queen’ and, finally, a couple of Reuben tracks for good measure.

Heading to the Main Stage for the final act of the festival came via the insatiable Black Honey on the Neu Stage. And then, it was time for Refused. Opening with ‘Elektra’ from their latest album ‘Freedom’ and smashing straight into the title track of their seminal album ‘The Shape Of Punk To Come’, Refused instantly set the tone for the night. Frontman Dennis Lyxzen was effervescent, mercurial and badass throughout the set as he strutted and jumped around the stage in his bright red suit.

Despite their only recent return to music, Refused were just as invigorated and spectacular as you’d have hoped- every stop, every fill and key change were sickeningly precise.

Whilst always known for as a bad prepared to speak their minds about politics, the Swedish rockers aired their views on Brexit before taking a little swipe at the festival for its lack of women on the line-up (something which was evident- but those women who did play the festival were outstanding). All that came before the epic closer ‘New Noise’ which the Main Stage crowd took as a final opportunity to go wild.

And, that brought the curtain down on 2000trees for another year.

Frank Turner, in his “surprise set” had referred to 2000trees as “the scene” and, whilst walking back away from their festival, that was the feeling. This is the scene; the underground hardcore scene in the UK. The festival was full with bands that are friends, struggling to make money and living day to day. It’s a festival where every set includes the side of stage or the crowd full with other bands and festival organisers wanting to support their friends. That is what has made 2000trees a success. It’s the heart, the personality, behind the festival that makes it something to celebrate.

The headliners were huge names but bands which have worked their way from the bottom to become these huge stars and that isn’t just for the crowd to enjoy; its for the rest of the line-up to aspire to. It all works and it all fits together perfectly.

This is the model for how to successful run a festival but the non-corporate, personal, approach to planning is so difficult and that is what makes the people who attend 2000trees so precious about it. 2000trees hasn’t limped to its 10th birthday, it took it in its stride. Here is to the future- not just of the festival but also the scene.