The Big 2000Trees Festival Review

Tucked deep in the Cotswold countryside, 2000trees once again proved why it's the beating heart of the UK’s alternative scene. More than just a festival, it felt like a gathering of misfits, diehards, and newcomers all bound by a love of raw, honest music. Across three relentless days, Trees delivered everything from throat-shredding hardcore to emotionally charged singalongs—each set woven into the fabric of a weekend that felt both intimate and explosive. Whether you were crying in a tent or screaming in a pit, 2000trees didn’t just host the music—it made you feel every second of it.

Unpeople

Wednesday’s warm up included Unpeople’s first set of the weekend, bringing the party to the forest stage with a covers-centric set. Cover highlights included x song and y song, even treating their Wednesday crowd to some new material never-before seen. As for the crowd the tree roots didn't stop a hectic pit, nor did the rolled ankles that these roots produced, while crowd surfers sailed over the barrier. Punctuating the end of the set was an engagement; then and all weekend 2000Trees were feeling the love.

Photo: Jez Pennington

Hot Milk

The headliners for the evening were Manchester duo hot milk, also gracing the forest stage now lit by strings of fairy lights overhead. The duo were packed with energy, and Hannah seemed to have holes on her mind: wanting one larger than her asshole on poppers and wondering who was going to be the clitoris in her vaginal mosh pit. Nevertheless, she still took the time to remind 2000 Trees that we are all a family as she made sure the security could do their thing, and gave some love to Kneecap as an example of how we can make domestic change before infusing the party energy with tracks such as Swallow This and Woosy. The set ended on a loving note, with Hannah and Jim embracing and closing the evening with ‘Will you feel better.’

Photo: Joe Singh

Grief Ritual

In the morning political hardcore band Grief Ritual served vocals, with their lead vocalist’s screams notably sharp as they rang out to a full cave tent. As for their politics: songs about taxing billionaires, calls for a free Palestine and Hong Kong as well as welcome tracks about ecocide and Swine about criticising the police. The crowd was moving as the set closed and their vocalist reminded us that trans rights are human rights.

FREAK

At half 12 Essex natives FREAK hopped onto the axiom stage, opening with ‘What Happened?’ to lounging festival goers seeking reprieve from the Gloucestershire heat. Nevertheless they brought the energy they could muster across their 25 minutes, as Cake turned into no money - a song, FREAK explained, that is about having no money. They also treated 2000 trees to an unreleased track, and after a little coaching set closer I Like to Smile When I’m Sad saw the pit open and the steps coming in twos. Solid Set, good vibes, would love to see FREAK be able to get away from his mic stand a little more. 

Photo: Carla Mundy

HYPHEN 

The afternoon sun had begun to wane into a welcome evening haze when Hyphen would take the Nue stage at 5pm, with the tent overflowing and the air thick. Hyphen played a greatest hits set over his half an hour:  This Might Be It, Hate Yachts not Dingies, Coca Butter, Confidence, Deskjob, and Marching powder made their appearances as Hyphen boogied around the stage. One thing about Hyphen is that he knows how to work a crowd, with regular “finish the line” call and responses and dancing with the crowd as the crowd surfers kept coming. As for his politics Hyphen highlighted remembering who the real enemy is re former tourmate Bob Vylan, saying “you can disagree with their words but you can’t disagree with their anger or sadness.” This began the first of the “free Palestine” chants of the set, the second spilling out onto the hills as the crowd dispersed at the end of his set. 

PVRIS 

PVRIS were the calm before the storm, with Lynn Gunn's dark pop beats entertaining a crowd of sunkissed couples embracing over their one hour and fifteen minute set. What Gunn lacks in confidence when it comes to crowd work - especially of this size - she makes up for in beautiful live vocals, carrying up the main stage hill and showing the balance of natural talent and honed skill. The set itself contained plenty of crowd favourites from across their discography, from 2021’s ‘Snakes’ or ‘You and I’ from 2014’s seminal work White Noise, though even those less well known still got the people dancing loosely in the evening sun.

Photo: Sophie Ditchfield

Kneecap

 

The storm, of course, was the final headliner Keecap, returning for their 3rd 2000 Trees and in the middle of a heavy touring year.  They started with the “sexy” songs - ‘ITS BEEN AGES’, ‘Fenian c*nts’ and ‘Better Way to Live’ - before bringing the bass in with ‘Sick in the Head’ and ‘Your Sniffer Dogs are Sh*te’ while black balloons with the Palestinian flag and “free Bob Vylan” written on them in white marker.  The crowd at this point began to chant “free Palestine”, giving the Derry trio the opportunity to discuss their manifesto  of empathy and understanding from one colonised nation to another. ‘I’m flush’ followed before the banter about the oldies in the back and DJ provo’s nip slip which got the jokes rolling about pirating their movie and the joys of performing their first trees when Boris Johnson finally stepped down as prime minister. To close out they went for ‘Get Your Brits Out’ ‘HOOD’ and Recap, their newest track with Mozy; DJ provo got to come out from behind the decks to finish the crowd off for Thursday. We don’t need to tell you that kneecap were fantastic - as expected, one of the highlights of the weekend.  

Photo: Joe Singh

Mallavora

Mallavora opened the main stage up on Friday, with frontwoman Jessica transitioning seamlessly from ethereal clean vocals to powerful screams. The themes of their setlist are speaking out against injustice, be that the rise of misinformation and the rise of authoritarianism or bringing out Jen of Jenna and the Degenerates for upcoming release “Smile”, discussing invisible disability. The circle pits had opened up by 11:15am, and by 11:30 and closing track ‘Disorder’ the crowd had grown

Trash Boat

Trash Boat hit 2000trees like a stormcloud of emotion and distortion. Their genre-shifting set tore between hardcore heaviness and melodic introspection, creating a push-pull energy that resonated deeply with the crowd. Tobi Duncan’s vocals were emotionally charged and guttural, especially during “Alpha Omega” and “He’s So Good,” which triggered mosh pits and mass singalongs alike. Between raw breakdowns and soaring hooks, the band reminded everyone why they’re one of the UK’s most dynamic live acts. Cathartic, powerful, and uncompromising—Trash Boat didn’t just play to the crowd, they connected with them. A standout moment of the weekend.

Photo: Trash Boat

Coheed and Cambria 

The first of the co-headliners for Friday was prog-metalers Coheed and Cambria, who between their transcendent guitar melodies and smooth vocals cracked the dad jokes: be that their guitar player attempting to count the trees to see if there were in fact 2000, or the weather appropriate “2000 trees more like 2000 degrees” which gained laughs from the crowd and the vindication of watchers who had made that joke earlier in the day. By in large their late afternoon set was about the music, with their beautiful melodies making them jump with the lively pit to the front of the field as people further back swayed and stirred their vodka mixers with the end of their sunglasses.

Photo: Jez Pennington

Split Chain

 At 2000trees, Split Chain opened their set like a battering ram—tight, aggressive, and impossible to ignore. Their raw blend of hardcore and metallic riffs cut through the afternoon haze, drawing in a curious crowd and converting them into instant fans. Frontman delivery was urgent and feral, matched by a rhythm section that thundered with intent. For a rising band, their presence was huge—owning the stage with the confidence of seasoned veterans. Amidst the festival’s indie and alt leanings, Split Chain stood out as a no-frills punch to the face—uncompromising, visceral, and thrillingly real.

Taking Back Sunday

 Closing out Friday night, Taking Back Sunday delivered a headline set that was both a celebration and a homecoming for every emo kid-turned-adult in the crowd. Bathed in stage lights and nostalgia, the band powered through a hit-stacked set—“You’re So Last Summer,” “Liar (It Takes One to Know One),” and “MakeDamnSure” landing like emotional fireworks. Adam Lazzara commanded the stage with ease, blending heartfelt gratitude with high-energy swagger. Their decades-spanning catalogue felt timeless, uniting generations of fans in a chorus of catharsis. As the final note rang out across Upcote Farm, it was clear: this was a headline slot earned and owned.

Photo: Gareth Bull

The Hara

The Hara’s set at 2000treeson the Forest Stage was nothing short of chaos—in the best possible way. With their signature blend of glam-infused alt-rock and unhinged theatrics, they delivered a performance that was part gig, part spectacle. Josh Taylor prowled the stage like a man possessed, belting out every line with venom and charm, while the band held down a wall of sound that was both polished and feral. From explosive choruses to intimate breakdowns, The Hara blurred genre boundaries with ease. By the final note, the tent was electric. In a sea of bands, The Hara performed—and absolutely owned it.

La Dispute

La Dispute brought a breathtaking intensity to 2000trees that silenced casual chatter and demanded full emotional presence. Jordan Dreyer’s spoken-shouted vocals cut like poetry on fire, narrating stories of grief, memory, and quiet devastation. Their set was less about spectacle and more about surrender—each song unfolding like a confessional. Tracks like “King Park” and “Woman (In Mirror)” were delivered with aching precision, building from fragile whispers to cathartic crescendos. The crowd stood rapt, moved more by feeling than frenzy. In a festival full of noise and chaos, La Dispute offered something rare: stillness, vulnerability, and the power of restraint.

Vukovi

As for Saturday evening, Vukovi stole the show and served the Out of Rage favourite set of the weekend. Full of energy from set opener GUNGHO, with lead singer Janine hoisting herself over the barrier to perform directly to the chaotic pit that erupted from jump. The crowdwork between, of course, was based on the sweltering heat - be that of Janine’s choice to wear a full body black sparkled suit or her choice to wear her crocs, which came up during the set enough that her request for it not to be covered will have to be ignored. The highlight of the set of course is the final moments of 2000 Trees legend Mr Fridge, who launched himself into the pit and was crowdsurfing to the delight of Janine who was unable to sing for watching him. Alas, he began to rip apart over the course of their set, sending frozen peas and alternative milks flying across the main stage as his cardboard walls fell to the wayside. The closure of the set saw Janine being crowdsurfed while playing La Di Da, and finished with Mr Fridge getting his final applause on the stage; the energy was high and the vibes great, Vukovi stood out as the best act of the weekend.

Photo: Carla Mundy

 2000 Trees is the pinnacle of the alternative scene as a community - from the political calls from the artists to the culture of kindness that exists among the festivalgoers. The weekend was a joy to attend and had packed days whether you were looking to leave with broken bones or to introduce your children to live music. The passion in the crowd was palpable and not a person left without a new friend, the only thing left to say is RIP Mr Fridge, you are gone but never forgotten.

Words: Julia brunton and Mia Gailey