FESTIVAL PREVIEW: 2000trees Festival 2024
2000trees Festival has been slowly gaining momentum since its debut in 2007, showcasing a wide variety of alternative genres from indie rock to death metal. Today, it’s regarded as one of the best alternative festivals in the UK, even being recognised by the UK Festival Awards as the Best Medium Festival in 2021 and 2022. Visit this delightful music gathering once and it will become clear why – 2000trees is founded in community and positivity, and this is reflected in its diverse lineup of acts.
The main part of the festival runs from Thursday July 11th to Saturday July 13th, but for visitors who turn up to get their camping spot early, several excellent bands will be on hand to kick off their weekend in style. Bands open proceedings in the beautiful wood-panelled Forest Sessions stage nestled amongst the trees. Grunge outfit EXIT CHILD kick off proceedings, followed by PET NEEDS, and the raucous LAMBRINI GIRLS. In the evening, fans can enjoy music from Scottish rock band THE XCERTS, metalcore mob DREAM STATE, and 2000trees favourites BOSTON MANOR.
New Jersey alt-rockers THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM headline the Thursday with their Americana-tinged anthems, while BETTER LOVERS, the metalcore outfit who rose from the ashes of EVERY TIME I DIE, will create chaos in The Cave. These conclude a long day of stellar artists including MOVEMENTS, and two upcoming metalcore bands KNIFE BRIDE and CASKETS. Elsewhere, you can catch sets from the brutal STATIC DRESS, punk rocker CASSYETTE, and nostalgic UK pop-punkers KIDS IN GLASS HOUSES.
The US emo contingent is also out in force on Thursday – you won’t want to miss sets from the spectacular SPANISH LOVE SONGS, the number one hot new post-emo band HOT MULLIGAN, and Atlantan indie rock legends MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA.
After a Thursday stacked with rising emo stars and angsty rockers, Friday is fully focused on one thing – fun. For starters, we’ve got the day’s headliner THE CHATS, an effortlessly likeable Aussie three-piece known for punk rock bangers like SMOKO and Pub Feed.
Festivalgoers can enjoy sets from a catalogue of rising British bands including AS DECEMBER FALLS, ARTIO, CRAWLERS, and NOVA TWINS throughout the day. GRANDSON brings the TWENTY-ONE PILOTS vibes with rap-rock fusions before the mighty BOB VYLAN takes to the stage to deliver their politically charged punk songs to the masses.
Across the other stages, you’ll find Midwest emo prodigies SWEET PILL, charming indie ensemble BEARS IN TREES, and excellent Manchester pop-rock duo HOT MILK. Meanwhile on The Forest stage, don’t miss pop songwriter LAURAN HIBBERD and a stripped-back second set from GRANDSON.
As festival-goers drag their hungover bodies out of their tents for a final day of music, they’ll be greeted by the not-so-soft sounds of PIZZATRAMP on Main, or the even-less-soft sounds of DEFTONES-inspired shoegaze metallers SPLIT CHAIN on the NEU Stage. 2000trees mainstays KID BOOKIE and THRILL COLLINS will smash out the bangers as the evening draws in, while another 2000trees legend FRANK TURNER (he has a camp named after him) rips up the main stage with folk-punk anthems.
There are plenty of new additions to the lineup as well, The Axiom stage brings us emo wunderkinds MICHAEL CERA PALIN, as well as rising grunge stars, TEENAGE WRIST and Australian punks, PRESS CLUB. It all leads up to a climactic headline slot for DON BROCO, which is sure to bring the weekend to an end with a huge party.
We can’t wait to back to Upcote Farm in the coming days. See you in the pit!
2000trees Festival will take place at Upcote Farm, near Cheltenham, Gloucestershire on July 10th-13th 2024. Tickets are available now and can be purchased here.
For more information on 2000trees Festival like their official page on Facebook.