FESTIVAL REVIEW: 2000trees Festival 2025

2000trees 2025 marked the festival’s 17th year of delivering what it does best: creating the UK’s most welcoming, community-driven rock weekend while continuing to evolve its legendary booking credentials. As the wider festival landscape grows increasingly corporate, Trees remains refreshingly human – where crowd-surfing strangers become friends, where niche bands get main stage moments, and where the lineup still surprises even the most jaded scene veterans. From post-hardcore heroes to genre-defying rulebreakers, this year’s edition proved why Upcote Farm remains hallowed ground for alternative music fans. So what made 2025 stand out in Trees‘ storied history?

Thursday – July 10th

KAREN DIÓ – Main Stage

Thursday’s opening act KAREN DIÓ wasted no time proving why she’s one of the UK’s most exciting new artists. Despite battling in-ear monitor issues, her punk-rock-meets-pop-punk sound cut through the midday heat with upbeat hooks and cool confident swagger. Tracks like So Funny and her tongue-in-cheek Buy My Merch anthem had the crowd grinning, and Karen’s magnetic stage presence ensured even the sun-dazed audience stayed locked in. A bold, brash start to the festival, just what Trees needed.

Rating: 7/10

UNPEOPLE – Main Stage

UNPEOPLE’s rapid ascent from Forest Stage newcomers the day before to Main Stage darlings was cemented here. With only a handful of songs to play off their EP, it didn’t stop their riff-heavy alt-rock anthems like Waste and The Garden igniting endless singalongs, and even a moshpit where their guitarist rode the shoulders of a fellow pitter. The crowd’s deafening cheer as they walked off felt like proof that this band is destined for festival headliners, likely not too far off in the future. One not to miss!

Rating: 8/10

SNAYX – Main Stage

SNAYX’s bass-driven chaos was a sweaty event for all, though their no-frills punk energy felt slightly flat under the scorching sun. Highlights like Boys In Blue (an aptly anti-fascist anthem about the abuse of policing powers) and a gnarly PRODIGY cover of Breathe showed their energy, but the set overall lacked the dynamism to fully convert the uninitiated. Still, a fun pit-starter for the diehards.

Rating: 6/10

PUPPY – The Axiom

PUPPY’s sludgy, 90s-tinged grunge was a welcome change of pace, though the stifling Axiom heat turned their hypnotic riffs into a sleepier affair than intended. Black Hole and World Stands Still landed well, but technical hiccups (notably guitarist Jock’s technical issues during Arabella) disrupted the flow. PUPPY had something to prove, returning to 2000trees after a two-year break spent reforming, and whilst it was a solid comeback, it was not their most explosive showing.

Rating: 6/10

DZ DEATHRAYS – The Axiom

The Aussie duo unleashed a barrage of dance-punk carnage with their signature blend of thrashy guitars and catchy hooks. DZ DEATHRAYS‘ noisy garage-rock gets the tent moving and swaying, opening with Witchcraft, Pt. II and Gina Works at Hearts. Their energy was infectious and unbounding from the stage, but it seems the mid-afternoon slot (and perhaps a few too many samey bangers) kept this set from reaching full delirium – a call to “jump the fuck up” was met with a protesting groan from the crowd’s fragile knees. Great sound, perhaps just the wrong time and place.

Rating: 7/10

SPACED – The Cave

Buffalo hardcore upstarts SPACED turned The Cave into a pressure cooker of flailing limbs and spilled beers. Whilst vocalist Lexi Reyngoudt immediately opened up the pit of enthusiastic two-steppers, their breakneck set was over almost as soon as it began. In the short time they were on, their energy burned bright and hard, sending out aftershocks that lingered with their harsh vocal breakdowns and fast-scaling guitar riffs. This is a band built for chaos, and 2000trees was just another notch on their belt.

Rating: 7/10

PVRIS – Main Stage

Far from the raw vulnerability of their early days, Lynn Gunn commanded the coveted headline sunset slot with icy precision, transforming PVRIS’ electro-rock performance into a cinematic spectacle. PVRIS didn’t just perform a headline set, but orchestrated a masterclass in atmospheric, genre-defying brilliance. From the moment Burn the Witch’s haunting synths cut through the dusk air, the band held the entire field in thrall. Lynn’s voice has developed massively over the years and soared with power. This set was a career-spanning triumph: St. Patrick and My House ignited emotional singalongs, while GODDESS and Dead Weight showcased the band’s evolution into alt-pop titans. This is a band that needs no over the top production, and relies simply on their flawless live instrumentation. PVRIS didn’t just justify their headline slot but redefined what a modern rock festival headliner can be. A mesmerising fusion of raw emotion and sleek spectacle, proving why they’ve outlasted trends and critics alike.

Rating: 9/10

BAMBIE THUG – Forest Sessions

2000trees knew exactly what they were doing when they paired former Eurovision’s Irish darling with the witchy backdrop of the Forest. This goth-gremlin-meets-lyrical prodigy turned the Cheltenham Forest into a hyperpop séance. Between water-pistol baptisms, nu-metal rager Red Rum Rave, and the hypnotic Egregore, BAMBIE THUG proved they’re more than a viral moment – they’re a full-blown phenomenon. The most gloriously unhinged set of the weekend, and a true masterclass in performance art.

Rating: 9/10

KNEECAP – Main Stage

Controversy be damned, KNEECAP’s headline set was a raucous celebration of resistance in a tumultuous global era. From the laid back Fenian Cunts to the headbopping Get Your Brits Out, the duo’s Irish-language rap ignited a constant raging mosh pit and brought out a sea of Palestinian flags and smoke flares, waved about in solidarity. Just as KNEECAP promise to unleash their heavier tracks, the crowd erupts into a thunderous chant of “free, free Palestine”, a moment which Mo Chara seizes with fiery conviction, thanking 2000trees for refusing to bow to media pressure to drop them from the lineup as a result of their anti-genocidal stance. A screen below DJ Próvai’s decks flash anti-Tory slogans and the group close out with Come Out Ye Black and Tans, cementing their status as punk’s most contemporary rebels.

Rating: 8/10

DEATHBYROMY – Forest Sessions

Whilst Irish rap rockers KNEECAP caused chaos at the Main Stage, deep in the forest, a coven of sultry LA-born musicians prepped to captivate. Cloaked in gothic allure, DEATHBYROMY‘s dark pop anthems oozed drama, so much so that the majority of the set was unfortunately riddled with technical issues. Undeterred, Romy sang a haunting acapella rendition of SEE U ON THE OTHER SIDE proclaiming “thank God I know my songs!” (a sly dig at some other artists, perhaps). Though the late-night slot sapped some energy, she did not leave the audience disappointed and continued to perform a mesmerising curio of songs, leaving everyone craving another bite after the smoky atmospherics dissipated.

Rating: 8/10

Friday – July 11th

MALLAVORA – Main Stage

Friday kicked off with Bristol’s MALLAVORA delivering a fierce wake-up call. Frontwoman Jess Douek’s guttural screams on Skin certainly shook the bleary-eyed crowd awake, while their unreleased track about radicalisation showed rare lyrical depth. Though some of the festival goers were still recovering from the night before, those that showed up took home MALLAVORA’s powerful message about disabilities and the strength it takes to get up and go everyday. Returning the favour from when Jess joined them on stage a few years back in Liverpool, they were joined by fellow frontwoman of GEN AND THE DEGENERATES to debut their upcoming single Smile. Closing with the image of Jess leaning on her cane during the finale ‘Disorder’ drove home their message of resilience – a band with both muscle and meaning.

Rating: 7/10

EVILLE – The Cave

EVILLE’s thrash assault was exactly what The Cave was built for. Singer Eva’s razorwire vocals and relentless energy defied the noon heat, switching effortlessly from saccharine singing to guttural growls (hence their self-titled genre of ‘brat metal’). While their sound didn’t reinvent the wheel, tracks like Ballistic and Leech proved they’ve got the hooks to match the havoc, even if overall their tracks are still somewhat juvenile. A punchy baptism for the weekend’s mosh devotees.

Rating: 7/10

OVERSIZE – The Axiom

Shoegaze met emo in a haze of reverb, as OVERSIZE soundtracked the lunchtime comedown. Sam McCauley’s vocals floated beautifully over their grief-stricken soundscapes, though the dreamy pacing often lost the crowd’s focus. OVERSIZE have found a delicate balance between heavy and ethereal which may be perfect for lying in the grass, but is less so for that oh-so-needed festival adrenaline.

Rating: 5/10

KAONASHI – The Cave

Philadelphia’s KAONASHI turned The Cave into a mathcore funhouse, that is, equal parts unhinged and frankly downright hilarious. Whilst the circle pit was certainly active throughout, vocalist Peter Rono’s high pitched shrieks were jarring over the band’s heavy sound. Randomly shouting “ALEXISONFIRE” in the middle of a song, randomly revisiting a soundboard of incoherent noise effects (including samples of NELLY‘s Dilemma), and a messy pacing of the stage which often resulted in his back to the audience or hiding behind a metal column left the crowd confused over whether this was genius or gibberish. Not for the faint-hearted, KAONASHI were certainly memorable, at the very least…

Rating: 4/10

BLACKGOLD – Main Stage

Masks on, and nu metal revivalism dialled to 11, BLACKGOLD’s set was gloriously dumb fun. The hard hitting lyrics of Social Blackout and sub-bass drops got fists pumping, and One Chance got the crowd with their arms in the air, clapping from back to front. Whether it felt more nostalgic than groundbreaking, it’s clear BLACKGOLD don’t care, as evocated in It’s Art’s lyrics: “You don′t like this? Suck!”. Huge bonus points for surviving the 30+ degree heat in full gimp suits.

Rating: 8/10

TRASH BOAT – Main Stage

Even though vocalist Tobi Duncan said on stage that they “never really left”, prior to this set, TRASH BOAT fans were nervous the band had come to a halt. Cue their emotional return to 2000trees, delivering back to back pop-punk anthems filled the crowd with so much catharsis. Newer tracks like Be Someone and filthy/RIGHTEOUS ignited heavy pits, but it was the older songs that cued the emotional singalongs and wave of crowdsurfers. A warm hug for longtime fans, and a strong indication that Trash Boat are back in business (next time including drummer Oakley Moffatt who was absent as a result of a clashing stag do)!

Rating: 8/10

CLOUD NOTHINGS – The Axiom

This trio’s punk anthems were all frantic energy and frayed edges, perfect for The Axiom’s sweatbox vibes. When Dylan Baldi wasn’t screaming the tent down, he was delivering complex scathing guitar solos. The lack of dynamics and stage theatrics wore thin by the end, but as a caffeine hit for the weary, it did the job.

Rating: 7/10

GRAPHIC NATURE – The Cave

One of 2000trees heaviest acts this year, GRAPHIC NATURE completely packed out the tent from back to front. Drawing huge, heaving mosh pits, Harvey Freeman’s nihilistic vocals soared over the dismal decaying breakdowns. Whilst anthems like White Noise brought the energy, the lasting takeaway from this set was the heartbreaking dedication made to a friend recently lost. Absolutely one of the weekend’s most visceral gutpunching sets.

Rating: 9/10

COHEED & CAMBRIA – Main Stage

Whilst every band covets the Main Stage sunset slot, these scene veterans failed to make its best use. COHEED & CAMBRIA delivered a technically proficient set that showcased their signature blend of progressive rock and post-hardcore, but overall it did not go above and beyond to excite. Claudio Sanchez’s distinctive prog-opera vocals soared at golden hour and remained consistent throughout, with ‘A Favor House Atlantic and Welcome Home (complete with behind-the-head shredding) delighting the faithful, however, some material like Blind Side Sonny felt somewhat bloated. The band’s musicianship was, as expected, precise -with particular attention to the complex arrangements that define their catalog – but while the performance was sonically polished, the energy level remained largely static. This was a workmanlike showing from veteran performers – musically airtight but lacking in spontaneity. For devoted fans of their studio recordings, it was a faithful recreation. Those seeking visceral festival energy may have found it somewhat restrained.

Rating: 6/10

WITCH FEVER – NEU Stage

Refusing to be confined by gender or genre, WITCH FEVER brought a heavy dose of punk antics to the Neu Stage. This band are experts at fuelling their rage against the world and its dismal systems into a dark, enchanting fury filled performance. Doom-punk sermons like Congregation were equal parts terrifying and transcendent, and a tease of their upcoming second album in the form of The Garden hinted at a sonic shift towards shoegaze. But, it was vocalist Amy’s crowd-diving exorcism during Blessed Be Thy and rant against THE 1975 frontman Matty Healy’s recent words about how politics should be kept out of music that stole the show.

Rating: 7/10

HERIOT – The Cave

This was a band with a true connection to the festival, formed whilst three of the original band members attended 2000trees in 2014. The pairing of Debbie Gough’s guttural goblin-mode vocals and Jake Packer’s deep sludge metal screams drew The Cave into the night in an apocalyptic fashion. The call to mosh of “round and round, don’t let me down 2000trees” by Debbie was heard and quickly fulfilled, and watching the chaos unfold under the orange lighting felt overwhelming, but unforgettable.

Rating: 8/10

Saturday – July 12th

LOVE RARELY – NEU Stage

Leeds’ alternative scene’s best-kept secret lived up to the hype. Lucky fans may have seen them open for the likes of CASSYETTE and MOUTH CULTURE, but for many this was their first experience: an enchanting blend of math-rock and post rock. The term ‘genre blending’ is often thrown about (probably somewhere already in this review) but Love Rarely truly does bring a dose of new to the saturated UK scene. This set would have been a contender for the weekend highlights, if it didn’t end a staggering 25 minutes early. A star-making turn – one you hoped you caught before it passed by in the sky.

Rating: 7/10

LAST HOUNDS – The Cave

 

Crossover thrash at its most unrelenting, LAST HOUNDS packed a punch. Clean powerful vocals by Mike Skelcher cut above the upbeat hardcore-influenced sound, with standout tracks like Growing Pains and Bubbles sparking a riot, though their one-speed intensity somewhat blurred together by the end. They closed with Snakeskin, joined by none other than lETLIVE.’s Jason Butler – a worthy pairing and indication that these are one to watch.

Rating: 7/10

SPLIT CHAIN – The Axiom

Shoegaze meets nu-metal and hardcore? It works, somehow. Bribes of free merch for crowd-surfers and Ozzy Osbourne clips (RIP) on a CRT TV made this the weirdest pit of Saturday. Whilst the band are impeccably on sync and teeming with layered delights for the listener, Bert Martínez-Cowles’s vocals fall disappointingly flat. Despite the enthusiasm over playing 2000trees, there is a missing ‘oomph’ from their set – one with high expectations that was unfortunately not fully met. That secret sauce is somewhere in the back of their pantry back in Bristol, it seems.

Rating: 6/10

EMPLOYED TO SERVE – Main Stage

True metal purists delighted at EMPLOYED TO SERVE’s set on the Main Stage. Whilst 2000trees is known for championing many ‘weird’ and out-of-the-box artists, this five-piece metal band stick to their lane, but oh boy do they do it well. The dual vocals from Justine Jones and Sammy Urwin balance each other nicely, and the band weaponised the afternoon sunshine to play songs off their new album ‘Fallen Star’ for half of their set. This group are well-deserving of their Main Stage feature, getting the crowd jumping left, right and centre, and even executing a wall of death during Sun Up To Sun Down – in this heat? Peak 2000trees absurdity.

Rating: 8/10

ANXIOUS – The Axiom

Connecticut emo kids won over the UK with their energetic pop-punk tunes. When vocalist Grady Allen wasn’t bantering with the crowd and reading their t-shirts, he was tearing up the stage, bounding back and forth (and occasionally chucking pieces of cardboard off it). The guys brought a different, youthful air to the tent, and inspired a whole lot of two-stepping, both on and off stage: a clinic in vulnerability-meets-energy.

Rating: 7/10

BIRDS IN ROW – The Cave

This French trio’s grungy, poetic hardcore felt more art-gallery than mosh pit – beautiful, but lost on a crowd craving explosive catharsis. The vocalist – who’s name cannot be shared due to their deliberate arty omission from their work – often felt monotone and repetitive. Overall, the performance was flat and didn’t leave much for the festival goers to sink their teeth into. With the band members mostly not even looking into the crowd, this performance may have been better suited to a dark basement instead of a festival tent.

Rating: 5/10

LA DISPUTE – The Axiom

Unlike the majority of the performers (and the rest of the band) vocalist Jordan Dreyer took to the stage smartly dressed in a baby blue shirt and dress pants. The tent was densely packed, all waiting to hear their poetic, emo post-hardcore anthems. For new listeners, LA DSPUTE may be easy to miss as their performance remains more laidback against many of their peers, however Dreyer’s speech about sticking together in the face of the rising far-right before I Shaved My Head brought many to tears. It’s this storytelling that keeps people coming back for more, even if it does leave them emotionally flattened. You either get it, or you don’t.

Rating: 7/10

LETLIVE. – Main Stage

A mournful crowd showed up to send off LETLIVE., and a farewell performance is what they got, although possibly not in the way they expected. This farewell tour was a masterclass in chaos – those familiar with lead singer Jason Butler know he is always itching to climb scaffolding (which, of course, he did) and go on long narrative spiels (which he also did), however no one could have quite predicted him stripping to boxers at the end during 27 Club. That being said, guitarists Jean Francisco Nascimento and Jeff Sahyoun post-hardcore dizzying riffs stole the show, and the band’s political legacy was cemented with a dedication of Muther to women who need respect, not protection. “We’ve been LETLIVE.,” ends Jason, “and so have you.”

Rating: 7/10

ALEXISONFIRE – Main Stage

If there was one place to find ALL of the 30-somethings at 2000trees, it was during ALEXISONFIRE‘s post-hardcore set at the Main Stage. Guitarist and support vocalist Wade MacNeil stuns with chainmail draping his head, but it’s Dallas Green’s voice which remains the most powerful in evoking the emotions of the crowd – who are surprisingly sprightly – even if newer tracks like Blue Spade lacked the old magic. George Pettit crowdsurfing in an inflatable chair during This Could Be Anywhere… and losing his in-ear monitors summed up their glorious mess; definitely one of the more indulgent nostalgic acts booked this weekend. Cocky, but with receipts to back it up.

Rating: 7/10

RØRY – Forest Sessions

Tired from the heavy moshing and energy that 2000trees had brought, RØRY brought a healing balm to end the weekend, not dissimilar to a group therapy session amongst the trees. Her sunny energy gave the crowd joy – her candidness around her sobriety, age, and sensitive topics like not being able to accept her mother’s death barely two decades ago make her amiable and refreshing. Her quips like thanking the crowd for “checking out the weird ADHD lady” are punctuated with truly headbangable tracks like the new sublimely heavy ‘Degradation’. Ever vulnerable and transparent, emotional tunes like Sorry I’m Late brought many to tears and the weekend to a bittersweet close.

Rating: 9/10

TROPIC GOLD – Forest Sessions

Silent disco metalcore? An truly odd choice, but Joshua Lee’s sharp guitar riffs and drummer Amy Barnett’s thunder made it work. This genre-blurring trio were perfect contenders for this set, with so many layers of production echoing in festival goers headsets on top of the live screams and whispers from Jacob Parris. Watching out for crowdsurfers on top of this was truly dizzying; a fever-dream finale to an unmissable weekend.

Rating: 9/10

2000trees has earned its reputation as the UK’s most welcoming festival for good reason. Beyond the consistently stellar lineups, clearly, it’s the little details that make the difference and the sense that every artist is given their moment to shine. Whether you’re a lifelong rock fan or just discovering alternative music, 2000trees creates that rare festival magic where everyone belongs. After another unforgettable year, we’re already counting down to 2026.

Check out our extensive photo gallery of all the action at 2000trees 2025 from Dev Place Photos here: 

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