Festival Review: 2000 Trees (9th-11th July)

The self-proclaimed home of “New & Underground Bands”­­­­ is something of a rare card in the UK festival scene. Situated amidst the Gloucestershire countryside, 2000 Trees boasts a handful of live acts over three days — all for around ninety quid a ticket. Given this price tag and its modest 5000 head capacity, Trees offers a viable alternative to the “mainstream” festival experience. But whatever it lacks in size and prestige, it makes up for in atmosphere and organisation. 2000 Trees does something different — offering an intimate weekend when other festivals only seem to be expanding — but it does so remarkably well.

Trees offers a viable alternative to the “mainstream” festival experience

Of course, articulating the magic of a music festival is much like reviewing a holiday: there are simply too many variables affecting one’s experience. Admittedly, everyone will have had a different time, and music, by its very nature, is divisive. To criticise a set because of an unappealing artist would be poor journalistic form. Likewise, capturing the spontaneity of the festival — such as its bizarre fancy dress contest (with the theme “literal interpretations of band names”) — is almost impossible to put into words. But there are a number of things that are unanimously brilliant about 2000 Trees.

Largely, it forgoes many of the pitfalls that bigger festivals suffer from. Smaller stages means closer campsites, less walking and a generally more relaxed weekend. Travelling between bands takes an average of five minutes — a far cry from Glastonbury’s colossal arena — and I myself pitched mere seconds from a stage (“The Cave”). There is also no arena system, which means you can drink your own booze, and the patronising airport-grade security of larger festivals is thankfully abandoned. I won’t pretend that the toilets were ideal, but there is a lot going for this smaller set-up. Its Big Lebowski themed bar is relatively cheap: offering a wealth of locally sourced beers alongside the Dude’s favourite beverage, The White Russian.

And its clientele is equally refreshing, with everyone from the UKHC scene to small families considered welcome. It is, by and large, the friendliest festival crowd I have ever experienced.  Where strangers merge campsites and sing together. Where the GCSE-celebrates urinating on your tent are replaced by punk enthusiasts, debating the greatest Ruben LP. Everyone is seemingly bound by a mutual love for music, but without the rowdiness that plagues so many other festivals.

The line-up is also fairly unique. Headlined by pop-rockers Deaf Havana and Alkaline Trio, 2000 Trees prides itself on a range of punk, hardcore, and fan-favourites. Each year it asks festival goers who they would like to see play and they endeavour to satisfy that demand. It would be short-sighted to say there is something for everyone — this is not a typical pop festival — but it knows its demographic well.

Contrarily, it manages to appeal to those who dislike festivals — the queuing, the bad food, and the nasty festival clichés are nowhere to be seen. But the heart of Trees is found away from the main stages; in the accidental discoveries, the new bands, and the Tree-clad stage known as the “Forest Sessions”. It’s also the secret gigs and the campsite bandstands that set Trees apart from the rest.

Everyone from the UKHC scene to small families is considered welcome

With that said, personal highlights included Thursday-night headliners, The Subways, celebrating the 10th anniversary of their seminal ‘Young For Eternity’. If one should begin how one intends to go on, then their set certainly set the benchmark. Post-rockers Arcane Roots and And So I Watch You From Afar also blew the proverbial roof off their respective stages, showcasing Trees’ diversity towards the heavier side of things. Scottish anthemic rock was also well received, with The Xcerts and Idlewild providing the perfect beer-clutching soundtrack for a main stage crowd.

On reflection, 2000 Trees attains a wonderful blend of music and people. The silent-discos that follow the headline acts encapsulate this as something of a microcosm of the festival itself. There are various channels, from indie sing-a-longs to hardcore breakdowns. It knows its audience and, much like its approach to the main line-up, it satisfies their demand. It doesn’t take itself too seriously either — something that is evident across the whole site during the weekend.

It’s pure, undulated fun. Which is immeasurably contagious.

Above all else, it is the spirit at 2000 Trees that makes it so appealing. When a power-cut hit Alkaline Trio’s (rain-soaked) headline set, there was no anger directed at the band or organisers. If anything, there was genuine sympathy. A general sentiment of “Oh, I hope this doesn’t give Trees bad press!” was reiterated around me. Bassist Dan Andriano attempted to serenade the front row with an acoustic guitar, clearly grateful for their patience. There is a real sense of solidarity between the artist and the audience and less of the “us/them” dichotomy that larger, staler festivals seem to inspire. Bands can be found at the bar and watching other artists. They seem to enjoy the festival as much as the audience, taking photos with fans and often staying for the majority of weekend. There is something wonderfully endearing about a frontman telling the crowd that he has blown off work to play the festival (Tellison, Friday Afternoon).

It’s about something that existed before festivals became the musical equivalent of an Ibiza holiday and an excuse to plug your latest record

Frankly, 2000 Trees isn’t about the pay cheque or the BBC coverage… because there isn’t any. It’s about something that existed before festivals became the musical equivalent of an Ibiza holiday and an excuse to plug your latest record. It’s something more organic, more meaningful. It’s live music in its purest form.

At a time when festivals become increasingly more commercial, expensive and less about the music, 2000 Trees brings everything back into perspective. Festivals are about people and music. Of course, you’re not going to see Arctic Monkeys or Muse, but for the money you get something far more memorable. A site small enough to walk between acts. A crowd friendly enough to bond with strangers. A festival that is so well organised that the stage times are staggered to minimise clashes.

2000 Trees encapsulates everything I love about live music. It even revitalises my faith in people. It’s a music festival… in the most platonic sense of the term. A celebration of music — and of those who love music. And it’s quite easily the best weekend of the year.

All photos: @OllieShip