FESTIVAL PREVIEW: 2000trees Festival 2023

July 4, 2023 James Weaver

Since its inception way back in 2007, 2000trees has grown to become one of the premier events on the festival calendar for alternative music fans. Evolving to the level it has today, the annual event at Upcote Farm offers a diverse selection of over a hundred bands across five stages every July and this year’s edition is no different. Ahead of the festival kicking off tomorrow, here’s what to expect from 2000trees Festival 2023!

As per tradition, the first day of 2000trees kicks off in a laid back affair with numerous bands taking to The Forest Sessions. From emerging outfit SNAYX, SAINT AGNES, British rock darlings PRESS TO MECO or the excellent BOB VYLAN, the first day of this year’s festival offers fans a chance to hear material from bands in a more laid back setting. We anticipate there to be waterworks aplenty when HOLDING ABSENCE perform in this setting as their melancholic rock will be even more gorgeous in an this environment.

Following what will be a lush acoustic introduction into this year’s festival, Thursday offers a diverse and stacked affair of quality bands of numerous styles and genres to kick off the first full day of music. SOFT PLAY, formerly known as SLAVES, take to headline the main stage in what will be a triumphant return from the British punk outfit whilst the reliable punks THE BRONX will incite chaos over at The Cave. Throw in sets from alt heroes THE WONDER YEARS who will air cuts from last year’s stellar The Hum Goes On Forever, EAGLES OF DEATH METAL, instrumental bliss from AND SO I WATCH YOU FROM AFAR or CANCER BATS‘ raging BLACK SABBATH covers alter ego, BAT SABBATH, and you’ve got one hell of a good first day at this year’s 2000trees.

Dig a little deeper and it gets even better. Earlier sets in the day from BOB VYLAN (who will be fully amplified and fully charged following their acoustic outing the night before), reggae metallers SKINDRED (a guaranteed good time at a festival) and noisemakers GRAPHIC NATURE will surely ignite the party and get the festival in full swing. Elsewhere, LAKE MALICE will capitalise on their surging momentum, SVALBARD will conjure a truly immersive atmosphere and ITHACA will continue to cement their place as one of the best bands the UK has produced as they continue to support their latest album They Fear Us.

Day two at 2000trees doesn’t release the throttle of adrenaline with another stacked day of bands across the festival’s numerous stages. BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE may have had a turbulent career, but they arrive to 2000trees to headline the Friday for the first time and with an anthem of emo heartthrobs in their locker, expect sing-a-longs aplenty as thousands wind the clocks back to relive their teenage years. Following their raucous homage to SABBTH the night before, CANCER BATS will arrive for their second set of the weekend with a plethora of adrenaline-surging hardcore punk, HERIOT will continue to cement their status as one of the most exciting bands in British metal and AS EVERYTHING UNFOLDS will dazzle and delight on the back of their superb new album, Ultraviolet.

Combine that with performances from THE XCERTS, Belgian post-everything darlings BRUTUS, British heavy hitters EMPLOYED TO SERVE, hardcore rabble KUBLAI KHAN TX, or returning rockers LOSTALONE and surging nu-metal collective BLACKGOLD (who have won hearts and minds aplenty supporting LIMP BIZKIT), and there’s ample bands of quality to experience on the Friday at this year’s 2000trees!

Like any festival, the last day can be a struggle but fortunately 2000trees have delivered a strong outing for their final day of this year’s lineup. FRANK CATER & THE RATTLESNAKES, a staple of the British rock scene, headlines the main stage to end the festival on the most emphatic of fashions, HUNDRED REASONS (who arrive at the festival to celebrate their comeback record Glorious Sunset), emo darlings AMERICAN FOOTBALL and party fiends ELECTIC SIX will ensure the final day of 2000trees goes off with a bang!

Digging deeper, British metal collective LOATHE will shock and awe, CHELSEA GRIN will incite chaos in the pits, HOLDING ABSENCE will leave jaws collectively dropped as they continue to build momentum for their upcoming album, The Noble Art Of Self Destruction, and DREAM STATE will continue their resurgence since recruiting energetic new vocalist Jesse Powell.

As is tradition, 2000trees is a gem in the UK festival calendar and it’s less than 24 hours until we return to Upcote Farm once more. We’ll see you down the front!