There's Something A Bit Special About 2000 Trees...2011 Festival Review

There’s something a bit special about 2000 Trees Festival. One minute I was enjoying my second festival in as many weeks and the next I was coming to the realisation that I fucking love this festival and everything about it.

It is what every small festival should be. There is a noticeable effort to reduce its environmental impact as much as possible. There are also some of the nicest and friendliest people around, from the organisers, to the stewards, to the bar staff and the bands. Furthermore, the food, toilets and drink options are just about as good as any festival I’ve been to and you don’t feel like they’re trying to suck you dry for every possible penny, the way you do at most festivals. Most of all however, they book some of the best and most exciting underground bands and musicians in the U.K.

For its 5^th Anniversary, some changes have been made to 2000 Trees. It seems bigger (although capacity hasn’t actually increased), more organised and a bit more grown up. That said it hasn’t lost any of its intimacy or warmth. The best addition to the site is the ‘Cave’ stage, featuring up-and-coming hard-rock, alternative, progressive and metal artists. What’s more, the Main Stage boasts a far superior sound, the Leaf Lounge (for mostly acoustic, indie and folk acts) has expanded and the carbon-neutral Greenhouse Stage (for comedians, smaller acts and DJs) has been moved to a more remote and picture-esque location. Because of my taste in music I ended up spending most of my time at the Cave and Main Stage and so these are the bands I will focus on.

Thursday

Maybeshewill showcased their innovative post-rock style of fusing guitars and soundscapes in an engaging set in The Cave. Their exceptionally tight set produced an impressive show with a great amount of rhythmic and timbral variation. However, they didn’t quite have the magic that they perhaps could have done, maybe due to playing along to what sounded like a backing track, although this was nonetheless very professionally sutured into the music. (7/10)

Local favourite Jim Lockey then warmed up for his main stage slot later in the weekend with his heart-warming punk-folk stylings. However, this set didn’t quite set the place alight like his set last year in the Leaf Lounge; the atmosphere just fell a little flat in comparison, perhaps due to a half-full tent compared to a completely rammed out barn (Leaf Lounge) in 2010. (6/10)

Sucioperro then closed the proceedings for Thursday night with their Scottish styled, alternative rock. However, the performance just lacked a little spark and any really electrifying riffs that could grab you and not let go. Close friends with Biffy Clyro, unfortunately, Sucioperro just feel like a somewhat less exciting version. (5/10)

Friday

Frank Turner’s backing band Dive Dive got things going on Friday and showed that they are more than competent in their own right. While perhaps lacking the magic that Frank provides, they have their own unique style and put on a good performance. (6/10)

Mojo Fury then revealed their interesting alternative rock sound in ‘The Cave’. They fuse big riffs with carefully crafted songs and Michael Mormecha’s unique vocal sound. The Northern Irish group are clearly one to watch out for in the not-too-distant future. (7/10)

Kong are weird. Really weird. The first thing you notice is their bizarre clown style face-paint/masks. However, you quickly realise that their music is just as weird as their appearance. But this does not mean it doesn’t work; heavy guitar work combined with weird time signatures and crashing screamed/sung vocal sound actually sounds kind of awesome at times. (7/10)

Unlike so many hardcore/rock/metal bands around these days Exit Ten steer clear from mindless screaming and as a result have a much greater impact. Having gradually built up a national following, their new material sounds as good as anything they have done before and there is no doubt another step up the ladder for this exciting Reading-based band. (7/10)

Next up, over on the main stage were ‘Trees regulars Twin Atlantic. Their alternative rock sound combined driving riffs with big choruses and of course, their characteristic Scottish twang, in hit songs such as Lightspeed. However, their newer material sounded comparatively weak and this year’s performance pales into comparison with their fantastic set last year. (6/10)

The King Blues then gave a complete change of pace on the Main Stage. Their innovative fusion of street hip-hop with Ska-Punk is inevitably great fun. They got the whole crowd dancing and singing along to songs such as Save the World, Get the Girl despite the dreary weather. (7/10)

There is a reason that 2000 Trees’ band booker; James Scarlett describes And So I Watch You From Afar as “just about the best live band in the country at the moment”. Despite never having listened to them before, I was totally blown away. Their instrumental fusion of guitars and synthesisers in a post-rock, progressive style is simply mesmerising when witnessed live. Rhythmical and hypnotising yet always taking you by surprise with a multitude of twists and turns, ASIWYFA are a staggering tour de force. (9/10)

Saturday

Zun Zun Egui got off to a slow start in front of a relaxed crowd on the Main Stage. However, as you start to listen to them you realise that they are actually very impressive musicians. They have an eclectic sound, with tribal, African rhythms combined with Indian-style melodies and intricate, Hendrix-esque guitar work. All in all they are fascinatingly entrancing once you tune in, and show that Prog is still as relevant as ever. (8/10)

Imperial Leisure are just about the only band that can match The King Blues for fun. A hatful of good tunes in a ska-punk style with a smattering of Reggae…what’s not to like? Also, as is not uncommon at ‘Trees, the band can be found partying on the Main Stage just minutes after their set has finished, in genuine, ‘we’re just normal blokes’ fashion. Just about sums up the festival doesn’t it? (7/10)

Three Trapped Tigers don’t blow you away the moment they take the stage, but their unique synthesiser/guitar, dance/rock fusion slowly creeps up on you until you can’t tear yourself away. What’s more, their drummer is phenomenal, with unusual rhythms aplenty. Yet another band to watch out for! (8/10)

Any band with a name like The Twilight Sad must surely be awful right? Wrong. These guys play a textured brand of indie rock not dissimilar from Glasvegas or White Lies and are very good at what they do. However, while they clearly have a positive future ahead of them, they unfortunately don’t quite have the songs to take them stratospheric, and after a while they just feel a bit samey. (6/10)

Just about the heaviest band at ‘Tress, Devil Sold His Soul rock! They possess infectious energy and are rewarding with lively mosh-pits from the go. Although, their screaming vocal style is a little bit tedious after a while, their set is a great example of the exciting places that post-hardcore, British metal is going these days. (7/10)

While most people at the festival were at the main stage watching Frightened Rabbit, those who chose Amplifier instead were hugely rewarded. Their atmospheric, Oceansize meets A Perfect Circle, Alternative/Progressive Rock sound is brilliantly crafted. Thunderous, chugging riffs combine elegantly with soundscapes in a truly unique way. Despite playing to a relatively small crowd, this group are probably the most under-rated band in the country. Given a symbolic 5 minute longer set than anyone else at the festival, songs like Intestellar are mesmerising. While they perhaps didn’t quite reach the heights of ASIWYFA the night before, and at times the performance felt a little cold, what they lacked in warmth they more than made up for in awesome! (8.5/10)

So, another year, another 2000 Trees: it is a measure of their success that they sold out months before the festival this year. They have made leaps and bounds in terms of organisation and layout within twelve months, with the addition of communal busking points around the site - an absolutely genius idea! In conclusion, there were tens of great bands but And So I Watch You From Afar stole the show, closely followed by Amplifier. Having said that, the atmosphere is more than worth the ticket price alone, I simply can’t think of a single reason I wouldn’t want to return every year!

Sonisphere 2011 Festival Review

Sonisphere 2011

Friday

Japanese Voyeurs kicked things off in the Bohemia tent with their raw, grungy sound. Unfortunately some of the songs seemed a little samey and it has to be said that the lead singer’s vocals didn’t cut through as well as they do on record. Her voice seemed more whiney than powerful at times. Nonetheless, they carve out a unique and interesting sound and showed that they do have some good songs. Their cover of Nine Inch Nails’ Closer was cool as well. (5/10)

Megadeth got the main stage crowd roaring with an exciting set. They showed arguably the most considered performance of all the Big 4, with A Tout Le Monde and Peace Sells sounding particularly impressive. The air guitars were out in force; however, they could have perhaps played a better set list and they didn’t quite have the wow factor that Metallica seem to produce at every show. (7/10)

Metallica’s set was probably the most highly anticipated of the weekend (aside from Slipknot) and they did not disappoint; reeling off the hits such as Master of Puppets, Seek and Destroy and One. They are simply brilliant musicians who seem incapable of playing a bad show. Things really got impressive when they ended the main set with Fade to Black into Enter Sandman, showing their depth of song-writing and awesome riffs. Then came the moment we were all waiting for… James Hetfield invited the members of Diamond Head, Anthrax, Megadeth and Slayer onstage for a huge jam on the song Am I Evil – a special moment which will no doubt go down in rock history. They then rocked on with Battery and ended with the brutal Creeping Death. Brilliant band, brilliant set, my only qualm is that they have played so much in the U.K. recently that it was impossible to get away from this being another Metallica set. Although a great performance - made special by the Big 4 moment, I have now seen them three times at festivals without ever buying a ticket directly for them. They really need to take a year or three off touring in Europe so that they seem fresh again. (8.5/10)

Saturday

Weezer were just absolutely great fun. Kicking off the weird but catchy tunes with The Sweater Song, Rivers Cuomo got the crowd going despite the damp weather. They quickly got things going with the huge Beverly Hills followed by their take on the legendary Teenage Dirtbag which somehow just suits the band perfectly. We were also treated to old favourites My Name is Jonas and Hash Pipe before a surprisingly innovative cover of Radiohead’s Paranoid Android. They then moved into recent hit Pork & Beans before ending with one last sing-a-long for the awesome Buddy Holly. Surely, even the most ardent metal-head must have left that set with a smile on their face! (8/10)

The Mars Volta – stunning, simply stunning. The Mars Volta absorb you into their weird, prog-ed up world of Latino melodies, Tribal rhythms, Jazz fusion jams and Rock Epics. The whole set flowed seamlessly into each other and completely took our breath away. Very hard to describe the set without actually experiencing it, it was just one of those moments when your jaw drops to the floor and stays firmly lodged there for the duration of the set. They even played their most epic song, The Widow – truly a joy to behold. Flawless. (10/10).

Biffy Clyro – safe to say this was the most controversial booking of the weekend, there was even a facebook group called “Biffy Clyro to Die Before Sonisphere 2011”, when they were booked to headline alongside Slipknot back in December. The metal-heads just weren’t having any of it, it seemed… That is of course until the ‘Biff actually took to the Apollo stage on the Saturday night. Usually when they open with cheesy single The Captain my heart sinks a little bit, but not tonight: they sound raw and heavier than ever. Somehow live, they lose all of the over-commercial, over-produced pretentiousness that has been all too present recently and just become a great big rock band. Suddenly what seemed like an incredible gamble six months ago just makes perfect sense. Of all the U.K. rock bands that have broken through into mainstream success over the last five years or so there is no doubt that Biffy possess the greatest depth of song-writing, with a show covering (nearly) all bases; from the furious 57 to the dancey sing-a-long Born on a Horse and the epic 9/15ths. Biffy Clyro have deservedly the step up from a weird, cult rock band with a tiny fan base to festival and arena headlining Juggernaught, with second guitarist Mike Vennart adding a depth to their sound previously found lacking. Although there is perhaps too much emphasis on their latest (and in my opinion weakest) album Only Revolutions, old fans’ favourites There’s no such thing as a Jaggy Snake and Glitter and Trauma are enough to satisfy the more enduring Biffy fan. For me, the highlight of the show however, was All the Way Down: Prologue Chapter 1, with the slow, intricate opening building into one huge crescendo. And, while ending with Mountains is perhaps a little too predictable (I’ve now heard them play it ten times!) this is a very impressive Biffy performance and they will have no doubt won a lot of fans over in the process. Inevitably some metal-heads will refuse to give them the time of day, but a Raining Blood snippet, heavy sounding guitars and epic tunes will have done wonders for their reputation. The sky is the limit from here: they just need to release a record that sounds as good as they do live. (9/10)

Sunday

Arch Enemy’s Angela Gossow showed that you don’t have to have balls to sing with guts. Although death metal isn’t really my thing, they do have some impressive tunes and were fairly enjoyable. (5/10)

Mojo Fury performed to a tiny crowd on the Jagermeister stage but carved out an interesting grungy, alternative rock sound with tinges of hardcore and prog not too far away from Biffy Clyro or Pulled Apart by Horses. They also have some excellent songs and are definitely ones to watch, would not at all be surprised to see them on the main stage in two or three years. (7/10)

In Flames really got the crowd going during their mid-afternoon slot. The Swedish melodic death metal group went down a mosh-pit filled treat on the Saturn stage. However, they suffered from a terrible sound, with the bass guitar and the kick drum flooding the low end. Personally, I found them a little bit underwhelming, and only really got into one or two songs despite the reception they got, although in fairness it must have been next to impossible to follow the chilling yet communal experience that was the two-minute silence for Paul Grey. (6/10)

Mastodon have been making a name for themselves in the metal scene for some years now and this performance more than lived up to their reputation. They have an entrancing prog/metal sound which keeps you guessing but arrives where you intuitively want it to go. The contrast of the screamed and sung vocal styles gave the performance a great amount of depth as did the unusual rhythmical elements. Although I didn’t recognise a single song they played I found their set highly enjoyable. (8/10).

The most under-rated band of the weekend, Amplifier played an absorbing set to couple of hundred fans and onlookers on the Jagermeister stage. One of the most interesting British rock bands around at the moment, it was just a shame was that they were only given half an hour. Playing mostly material from their latest album, The Octopus, they create a wonderful prog-rock soundscape similar to the likes of Oceansize and Porcupine Tree with the driving rhythms of A Perfect Circle. This band deserves to be MUCH bigger than they are. (8/10).

“Hello Castle Donnington!” Opeth’s frontman Mikael Akerfeldt amusingly proclaimed as they took to the Saturn stage, somewhat setting the scene for their quirky and original performance. Taking wide-reaching inspiration from prog rock to death metal to jazz, no-one sounds quite like Opeth. Although they have a steep learning curve from a musical perspective, when you listen to the music live, as a primary activity, all the initial hesitancy about their recordings washes away. While perhaps not to everyone’s taste, the change of pace and build up of their songs are simply phenomenal. Moreover, Akerfeldt possesses an uncanny amount of wit and charisma which makes the stage banter almost as enjoyable as the songs themselves. I was uncertain what to make of this band before I saw them live, and although the music is all too easy to let wash over you, tune in and you will be as impressed as I was. (8.5/10).

Not a band to be taken too seriously, Limp Bizkit have the fun factor in spades. Opening with Hot Dog, from the Chocolate Starfish and Hot Dog Flavoured Water album that we all grew up with, before ‘Jarnardo’ (drummer John Otto) takes us to the Mathew’s Bridge in My Generation, the packed out Apollo stage loves every minute of this performance. Their heavy riffs and cheesy choruses start wild but friendly mosh pits and Fred Durst even takes the audience’s request to launch in to the frenetic Break Stuff and then the awesome sing-a-long My Way.  We even get treated to a cover of George Michael’s Faith before EVERYONE is Rollin’ with their hands in the air for Limp Bizkit. (8/10)

While the tension and anticipation was noticeably building to a peak for headliners Slipknot, Bill Bailey offered some light entertainment on the Saturn stage. Unfortunately, while his performance was great fun the sound on the stage completely let him down. His voice was almost inaudible for large parts of the set and it wasn’t until later on that he could be fully appreciated.  His uniquely British sense of humour and his knowing ability to play on musical clichés was at times exceptional, especially during his Love Ballad and a couple of brand new songs such as The Majesty of Emo and Asda. Bailey’s love of metal shone through on his ‘Rammstein’ version of Scarborough Fair and his tooting horns cover of Enter Sandman but the show was sadly let down by a dreadful outdoor sound. (7/10).

The rain clouds gathered and so did the masses. The 60,000 Sonisphere attendees (not to mention the half a million fans watching on the live webcast) collected around the Apollo stage to witness the return of the mighty Slipknot, an event which many feared would never happen after the tragic death of bassist Paul Grey just over a year ago. The atmosphere had clearly been building to this one moment all weekend but to be honest the ‘Knot got off to a slow start despite the classic red boiler suit costumes. It wasn’t until the third song Wait and Bleed that the main stage became loud enough for the band to make the impact that they wanted to. From then on in it was a ride. And what a ride. Before I Forgot rang out across Knebworth Park as the multi-instrumentalists tore it up in impressive style, with each member possessing as much charisma as most entire bands. It was lead singer Corey Taylor however who really stole the show, seamlessly following heavy screamed vocals with pitch perfect clean sections. The Pulse of the Maggots and Left Behind really turned the screw as the heavy, thick and dense industrial sound of this band stole the weekend. Clearly an incredibly emotional set for both the band and its spiritual family Psychosocial and Disasterpiece were nothing short of epic. Sid Wilson then climbed the sound desk and threw himself into the crowd on the first drop on the chorus of Duality. As the concert progressed, the riffs only got heavier, building on each other like an incredible weight about to be released. The release came during Spit It Out as Corey invited the entire crowd to simultaneously get to its knees before JUMPING THE FUCK UP. A completely breathtaking moment as 60,000 fans found themselves jumping around in one giant mosh pit. They weren’t quite done however, emerging to complete the set with the awesome People = Shit followed by the frantic Surfacing. The band then gathered together for an emotional and fitting tribute to Paul Grey, with his mask and boiler suit remaining on stage over a recording of Till We Die. In conclusion, Slipknot’s set was almost too intense; a staggering end to a staggering weekend, none of which will be forgotten any time soon by anyone who was privileged enough to witness it. (10/10).

Reviews by Asher Kenton