While other festivals have been busy hogging the limelight with their hefty corporate sponsorships and global megastar headliners, the team behind 2000 Trees have been busy quietly putting together one of the most consistently excellent lineups on offer this Summer. The Cheltenham based event already has a reputation for having the best atmosphere of any of the UK festivals, and with some astute and brilliantly judged artist choices made for this year, 2000 Trees is shaping up to be a dark horse contender to outshine its more high profile rivals.
Already Heard took the arduous task of narrowing the superb bill down to just ten must see acts.
FathersonHaving recently announced their signing to Easy Life Records/Sony Music UK and enjoying their busiest festival season to date with appearances all over Europe, 2015 is shaping up to be a huge year for Fatherson. By the time the Kilmarnock natives reach the 2000 Trees site we’d expect them to be in pretty jubilant mood, and what better way to celebrate with them then by cracking open the whiskey and enjoying Ross and the boys play tracks from their captivating debut album ‘I Am An Island’. Seriously, you’ll want to jump on the Fatherson bandwagon pretty quickly before they inevitably go the way of new label mates Lower Then Atlantis and explode into big time mainstream success.(DW)
When & Where: Friday – The Axiom
Young Guns
Young Guns are following up the release of killer new album ‘Ones and Zeros’ by playing pretty much every festival that will have them. After wowing the masses at Donington a few weeks back Cheltenham is their next port of call. We already know that ‘Bones’ can provide a stand out moment to any festival, but with the new tracks bringing an electro edged groove to the band’s established sound expect Gustav Wood and co to get the 2000 Trees party moving.(DW)
When & Where: Friday – Main Stage
Great Cynics
Lets face it, festivals are really all about making merry with your mates in a (hopefully) sunny field. And few bands set to visit this year’s 2000 Trees will provide quite as perfect a soundtrack to sinking a few pints and having a laugh as Great Cynics. With hooks and a message of good natured bonhomie that are endearingly infectious, the trio will undoubtedly perform as feel good a set as any all weekend. Plus who wouldn’t want the chance to hear tracks from the Devon outfit’s cracking new album ’I Feel Weird’ live. (DW)
When & Where: Saturday – The Axiom
Milk Teeth
In a year which has seen US labels falling over themselves to sign British talent. Milk Teeth are no exception having been picked up by Hopeless Records, but unlike some of their more melodically leaning peers, the grunge punk quartet show that us Brits can bring the rabble-rousing wall of sound noise with the best of them. This is sure to be a chaotic set that brings energy, angst and wailing guitar riffs by the shed load, and there’s no doubt that it will be properly brilliant. (DW)
When & Where: Saturday – The Axiom
Tim Vantol
When you think of typical festival music the first thing that comes to mind tends to be acoustic guitars, big simple melodies, even bigger singalongs and tonnes of camaraderie. That is exactly what Dutch folk-punker Tim Vantol brings in abundance, and making his third UK festival appearance of the year at 2000 Trees he’ll be match fit for wowing British Festival crowds. Vantol may not be a name you’ve heard before but it’s certainly one that nobody will regret putting on their 2000 Trees itinerary.(DW)
When & Where: Saturday – Main Stage
Black PeaksThere are few bands on the British rock scene gathering quite as much momentum as Black Peaks right now. The quartet’s 2000 Trees debut is another stop on the way through a massive 2015 that has seen the former Shrine catapulted onto a whole new level compared to this time last year. The two tours with Arcane Roots have clearly worked wonders for the four-piece but it’s the releases of ‘Glass Built Castles’ and ‘Crooks’ which have really raised their profile. At Takedown and Hit the Deck the band have been far and away a highlight, and with an even busier six week run coming up, their first visit to Upcote Farm is one of many must see moments across the weekend on the festival’s Cave stage. (AL)
When & Where: Saturday – The Cave
Jurassic PopBlack Peaks’ set does not come without competition, however, and one of the Croft’s most unmissable acts are going head to head with the Brighton quartet in what might be the weekend’s cruellest clash. With the recent cinema reboot, it must be a great time to be in a band that writes songs exclusively about Jurassic Park, and it’s as good of an incentive as any to witness the Jurassic Pop experience live. Throw in the fact that last year’s newly introduced Croft stage was one of the most laid back stages at any festival during the summer; it’s a superb environment for the outfit to do precisely what they do best. It throws up a pretty solid juxtaposition to Black Peaks’ set and ultimately sums up the diversity in genres that has served the festival so well over the years. There is very little more you could ask for, really. (AL)
When & Where: Saturday – The Croft
Human PyramidsWhen talking about a potential dark horse for act of the weekend, it would be remiss to avoid mentioning a quite unique project whose performance at ArcTanGent last year damn near stole the show. Out of the mind of Axes’ Paul Russell comes Human Pyramids, a group we certainly expect to see represented in the festival’s “band names taken literally” fancy dress theme. The collision of post-rock and classical genres has Human Pyramids already standing out on paper, and in opening the main stage on the Saturday of 2000 Trees, there are not many better ways the festival could have provided to kickstart a day. There is practically no argument against catching the band if you’re heading to the festival, and for an event that prides itself on giving attendees no end of new discoveries, Human Pyramids are a perfect fit.(AL)
When & Where: Saturday – The Main Stage
CreeperCreeper are another act making their 2000 Trees debut, and another who have been on fire so far this year. Already making serious waves on the touring and festival circuits, it’s hard to believe the Southampton outfit only have the one EP to their name thus far. Nevertheless, shows with Bury Tomorrow, Gallows, Funeral for a Friend and many more have left people raving, making their arrival at 2000 Trees a matter of when rather than if. Mercifully, it’s coming sooner rather than later, and while Creeper have been proven to excel in delivering fast-paced, early MCR-esque tracks with apparent ease, it’s the belting out of ‘Novena’ which is likely to have crowds begging the festival team to bring them back for more. (AL)
When & Where: Friday – The Cave
The St. Pierre Snake InvasionThe St. Pierre Snake Invasion have certainly found themselves in the last year or so, making the welcome transition from chaos to… even more chaos. It may not seem like the most groundbreaking change but there definitely seems to be a new fire behind the quintet’s raucous endeavours. Easily one of the festival’s most outspoken acts, TSPSI were a major high point for last year’s event and their role as the opening band for the entire weekend is a welcome return and one you can expect them to throw themselves at with nothing less than an increasingly typical level of ferality. You can start placing bets on how many times the word “chaos” will feature in our review next week, but judging by this preview alone, it may end up defying even the highest expectations. (AL)
When & Where: Thursday – The Cave
Clashfinder
2000 Trees Festival takes place at Upcote Farm, Gloucestershire from 9th – 11th July 2015.
2000 Trees Festival links: Website|Facebook|Twitter|YouTube
Words by Dane Wright (DW) and Antony Lusmore (AL)