Finally! After a long wait (almost a year, would you believe
it!) 2000 Trees weekend came back around again! Even weeks of torrential rain—and
a campsite muddier than Buzz Osbourne’s guitar sound—couldn’t hold back the
festival at the core of the U.K. underground scene from showcasing just how
exciting British music is right now (unless you only listen to Radio One, of
course). While there is lots else about the festival to discuss, this has been covered
on previous reviews, so I shall focus mostly on the music.
Local legends I, The Lion kicked things off in the Cave on
Thursday for those with early entry passes. Featuring wonderfully tight
harmonies, great big guitars and super-catchy tunes, the post-punk band
encompass a hint of Biffy Clyro and appear destined for great things (7.5/10).
If you haven’t heard of Tall Ships yet you need to catch up.
Now. A truly unique band, their captivating live set somehow managed to
interweave math-rock rhythms and a post-rock sensibility with gloriously
accessible tunes and hint of the nautical. Songs like Plate Techtonics and Chemistry
danced around your head while others like Books
grew and built into something very, very special (8.5/10).
Cave headliners Three Trapped Tigers then mesmerised a
packed out tent. Playing numbers from their first three E.P.s combined with
tracks from their debut album Route One Or Die, the band put on a phenomenally
tight performance. Sounding a bit like an instrumental Mars Volta on speed with
a powerhouse drummer, Three Trapped Tigers are one of the most exciting bands
in the country right now and at 2000 Trees, they showed exactly why (9/10).
Post-hardcore mentalists Marmozets played a technically
impressive set in the cave. While the stage energy was simply insane for a band
as complicated as Marmozets and singer Becca Macintyre has an impressive
scream, the performance just didn’t quite flow as it should. This band has a
lot of potential but hasn’t quite reached it yet (7/10).
Later on, main stage headliners 65daysofstatic braved a
small crowd due to horrible weather conditions to deliver an almost flawless set.
Pounding sampled and live drums propelled the band forward as they strayed into
the dance/rock category during Radio
Protector. However, the band soon delved into their first album, The Fall
of Math, on songs I Swallowed Hard Like I
Understood, which twisted and developed into a gloriously satisfying
resolution, while the intricate musical accomplishment Retreat Retreat was somehow captivating, dark and enchanting.
Despite the rain, a superb set. Although it helps to know the songs before
seeing them live (9/10).
Brother & Bones opened the main stage on Saturday and
with their folky yet gritty sound which washes over you and yet always has
enough of interest to keep your attention. The added dimension of a second
percussionist, amongst other things, marks them out above lots of lots of
generic folk bands. (7.5/10)
Back over to The Cave and post-rock/metal instrumentalists
Brontide played to a packed-out tent. Their carefully crafted set was very very
loud and reached a phenomenal peak during the simply epic Matador. (8/10)
Arcane Roots have as much potential as just about anyone in
the U.K.
underground scene right now. Drawing upon post-hardcore (At The Drive-In, Fall
Of Troy ), progressive (The Mars Volta , Tool) and alt. rock (Biffy Clyro) influences, the
band create a uniquely exciting sound. Having played material from debut album
Left Fire, combined with a number of new songs, the band sounded tighter and
more chaotic than ever before. They also seem to have pioneered the
charge-around-the-stage-while-finger-tapping technique, as well as knowing
exactly how to write a song-a-long chorus. A short but stunning set. Mark my
words, these guys are going places. You better go catch them before they go
stratospheric (9/10).
Continuing his record of playing every single 2000 Trees
festival, Jim Lockey delighted an overflowing Leaf Lounge (although it was a
shame he didn’t play Atlases). The folk-punk troubadour is now in charge of his
own record label and is definitely moving on to big things (8/10).
Then came the moment that we were all waiting for...
Hundred-motherfucking-Reasons bitches. Despite the main stage space resembling
a swamp rather than a field the crowd went absolutely wild and created an atmosphere
that was simply magical. The mosh (read mud) pits created an incredible,
communal energy and the sun even came out just as they launched into playing
the whole of their first and greatest album Ideas
Above Our Station. Their catchy, sing-a-long tunes grab you by the scruff
of the neck but also manage to take you by surprise again and again. Sounding
just as fresh and relevant as when they almost took over the entire U.K. alternative
rock scene ten years ago, before they broke up, the only shame was that this
was one of the only performances they will give before they call it a day for
good. Catch ‘em while you can. (9.5/10)
This just left Cave headliners Future of the Left to close a
very special weekend.
Grungey yet infectious punk tunes showed why 2000 Trees are
so excited about this band. One of the few genuinely political bands right now,
Future of the Left make you think and get you dancing at the same time. Short
and sharp tunes like Sheena is a T-Shirt
Salesman grab you by the scruff of the neck, while Robocop 4 – Fuck off Robocop expresses a much-needed lament on the
tediousness of movie re-makes and Failed
Olympic Bid discusses the presence of the Olympics as a great big
distraction from real social problems. Future of the Left is a mighty and
powerful band that makes sure they get their message across. However it is the
simple and infectious synth riff of Manchasm
that is their centrepiece and it is most effective in getting the crowd unstuck
from the mud. (9/10)
Last but not least, I must mention the beautiful Greenhouse
stage. Situated at the picturesque location at the bottom of the hill on the
far side of the campsite, it was the perfect place to relax and watch the sun
set or huddle under the canopy while it poured with rain. Featuring excellent
comedians, musicians and musical comedians such as Mark Diamond, Horse and
Louis, Luke Sital-Singh and Ben Marwood to name but a few, it was a wonderful place
to get away from the muddy chaos and just chill the fuck out for an hour or
several.
All-in-all then, another fantastic Trees weekend… a third of
the price of Latitude and probably three times as good! It might be the fact
that the organisers made this festival because of a genuine love of music, it
might be the reasonably priced bars and the decision to allow you to take your
own drinks anywhere, it might be seeing the organisers getting personally
involved in pushing cars out of the mud, it might be the improvements made
year-on-year, it might be the phenomenal line-up and the friendly people or it
might be all of these things put together but…as I have said a hundred times,
there is something quite magical about 2000 Trees Festival and I shall see you
next year with bells on.
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