The bands to see at 2000Trees 2026

2000Trees has long been one of the UK’s most exciting festivals for fans of alternative music, bringing together the best of rock, punk, hardcore, metal, emo, and everything sitting somewhere in between. Its reputation has always been built on more than just big names, with the festival consistently giving space to the bands pushing heavy and alternative music forward.

Taking place from Wednesday 8th to Saturday 11th July at Upcote Farm in Cheltenham, this year’s lineup is stacked with scene favourites, rising stars, and artists who refuse to fit neatly into one genre. With so many brilliant acts across the weekend, planning your schedule is never easy. Here are ten bands that should absolutely be on your radar at 2000Trees this year.

BLACKGOLD

Mysterious masked outfit BLACKGOLD have been carving out their own place in the UK alternative scene since breaking through in 2022. Sitting at the heart of a nu-metal revival that feels bigger and more exciting by the year, the band brings together huge riffs, bounce-heavy grooves, hip-hop influence, and a live DJ scratching and mixing straight through the set.

After supporting the likes of LIMP BIZKIT and SKINDRED, BLACKGOLD have already proved they can hold their own alongside some seriously energetic live acts. What makes them such an easy festival recommendation is how instantly fun their sound is. Even if nu-metal is not usually your thing, this is the kind of set that will have the crowd moving within minutes. Expect big vibes, big energy, and a ridiculous amount of bounce.

HAPPYDAZE

Edinburgh’s HAPPYDAZE are one of the clearest signs that the UK pop-punk scene still has plenty of new ground to cover. Blending pop-punk foundations with alt-rock edges and slick modern production, they have built a sound that feels polished without losing the emotional pull that makes the genre hit so hard.

Live, they are the kind of band that immediately hooks you in. Having shared stages with BROADSIDE, HOT MULLIGAN, and TRASH BOAT, as well as their own headline shows across the UK, HAPPYDAZE have developed a presence that feels far beyond “up-and-coming band” territory. There is a confidence and sharpness to their performances that makes them feel like they are right on the edge of something much bigger. Their 2000Trees set could easily be one of those moments people look back on later and say they were lucky to catch early.

BAD NERVES

BAD NERVES make rock and roll sound like it is travelling at 200 miles per hour. Their music is frantic, infectious, and completely in your face, pulling from punk, garage rock, and power-pop with the kind of speed and urgency that makes standing still feel impossible.

Often compared to acts such as THE HIVES, SUPERGRASS, and JAY REATARD, the band have built a reputation for turning every live show into a massive party. Their stamina on stage is ridiculous, and their songs are so immediate that even first-time listeners can get swept up in the chaos. After a whirlwind few years that saw them move from small, sweaty rooms to joining SEX PISTOLS FEATURING FRANK CARTER on their upcoming USA tour, BAD NERVES arrive at 2000Trees with serious momentum behind them.

NATIVE JAMES

NATIVE JAMES is building something that feels genuinely separate from the usual UK alternative pipeline. Refusing to sit inside any one genre, his sound pulls grime, hip-hop, punk, and metal into something fierce, fearless, and completely his own. It is not just genre-blending for the sake of it either; every part of his music feels intentional, confrontational, and full of personality.

Backed by a seriously skilled live band, the heavier parts of NATIVE JAMES’ music hits even harder on stage. Recent milestones, including a MOBO nomination for Best Alternative Music Act and support slots with DON BROCO, ENTER SHIKARI, and UNPEOPLE, have only made his rise feel more exciting. He is not just redefining what alternative music can sound like, he is carving out his own space in it completely unapologetically. At 2000Trees, expect a set packed with intensity and charisma.

DELILAH BON

Built on brat punk, riot grrl rap, and feminist rage, DELILAH BON’s music feels both furious and deeply necessary, especially for anyone who has ever felt pushed to the edges of it. Her sound is loud, confrontational, and impossible to ignore. Through heavy beats and unapologetic lyricism, she channels the anger and frustration felt by so many people who have been pushed aside in spaces that often claim to be inclusive, while still having so much work to do.

That sense of catharsis is exactly what makes her live shows so powerful. DELILAH BON does not offer a passive festival set; she creates a space for release and collective rage. With a huge run of festivals across the UK and Europe in 2026, as well as Australian and Canadian tours later in the year, her momentum is only growing. For anyone looking for one of the weekend’s most freeing performances, this is the set to be at.

HO99O9

HO99O9 are not a band you casually stumble across and forget about. From the moment they step on stage, they demand full attention, dragging together hip-hop, hardcore, punk, metal, industrial noise, and flashes of electronica into something that feels genuinely unhinged in the best possible way.

Their live shows are pure chaos, but there is a sharpness underneath all that noise. It is hellish, intense, and strangely beautiful, with every song feeling like it could collapse at any moment while somehow staying completely in control. Following the release of their third full-length album in 2025, HO99O9 have continued to pull in new listeners while keeping the edge that made them so thrilling in the first place. At a festival like 2000Trees, where genre boundaries are already being pushed in every direction, they feel like a perfect fit.

CAROLESDAUGHTER

Behind the darkly glamorous visuals and mysterious online presence, CAROLESDAUGHTER has built a sound that reaches far beyond one viral moment. The American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist first gained wider attention with her Platinum-certified 2020 single Violent, but her world has always stretched further than that; blending alternative pop, pop-punk, and darker emotional textures into songs that feel raw and intimate.

Her 2022 EP Please Put Me In An Induced Coma helped build on that identity, pairing vulnerable lyricism with a sound that refuses to stay completely polished. With just a handful of UK and European shows around her 2000Trees appearance, this feels like a rare chance to catch an artist whose following has been growing steadily for years.

SPLIT CHAIN

Shoesgaze and hardcore might seem like strange starting points, but SPLIT CHAIN makes that collision feel completely natural. Blending hazy textures with hardcore, alt-rock, grunge, nu-metal, and even black metal influences, the band have helped push the “nu-gaze” sound into wider attention, while still keeping a raw DIY feel at the heart of what they do.

Their live shows have become a huge part of their reputation, explosive without losing the atmosphere that makes their music so distinctive. It is easy to see why they fit so well across different corners of the alternative scene, with enough heaviness for hardcore fans, enough melody for alt-rock crowds, and enough texture for anyone drawn to the more immersive side of heavy music. Fresh from a major USA tour supporting SOUL BLIND and with a UK headline tour later in the year already close to selling out in places, SPLIT CHAIN’s 2000Trees set feels like one to prioritise.

LAKE MALICE

LAKE MALICE are one of the UK heavy scene’s most distinctive bands. Heavily influenced by Japanese anime in both sound and style, they splice hyperpop energy with metal heaviness to create something bright, chaotic, and completely their own. Their music is sharp and futuristic, but also grounded in lyrics that deal with trauma and lived experiences, channelling an immense amount of emotional honesty.

That balance between high-energy production and genuine vulnerability is a huge part of why fans connect with them so deeply. Their rise has already seen them nominated at the Heavy Music Awards for Best UK Breakthrough Artist and Best Breakthrough Live Artist, alongside support slots with ENTER SHIKARI, SKINDRED, and BLOODYWOOD. On a festival lineup packed with heavy music in all its forms, LAKE MALICE stands out as a band pushing things somewhere new.

STATIC DRESS

STATIC DRESS have spent the last few years building a reputation as one of the most compelling live bands in the UK scene. While their sound draws from post-hardcore, screamo, and metalcore, what sets them apart is the way they package everything into a fully realised creative world, where the visuals and music interconnect to do the storytelling.

That attention to detail has helped them stand out on increasingly bigger stages, from appearances at Download Festival and Slam Dunk Festival, to touring with BRING ME THE HORIZON. Yet even as their profile has grown, there is still an unpredictability and raw energy to their performances that makes every show feel special. For anyone heading to 2000Trees looking for a set that balances atmosphere, intensity, and genuine artistic ambition, STATIC DRESS should be high on the list.

Whether you are looking for chaos, catharsis, massive hooks, or a new favourite band, these ten acts should be firmly pencilled into your 2000Trees schedule. With a lineup this strong, there will be clashes everywhere, but missing these sets might be the thing you regret the most.

Words: Zuzanna Pazola

Photos: James Smith for Out Of Rage

Tickets and further information can be found through the official 2000Trees website.