2000Trees got off to a flying start this year
After 18 years, you can see why this festival is still at the helm of the rock and alt scene.
Photo: Carla Mundy
Walking onto Upcote Farm, there is an immediate community feel at this site that makes you feel instantly welcome. You can tell this festival is built on strong connections; a family ethos that I’m sure brings many of its festival goers back year after year. With heavyweight companies in the mix on the day, such as Marshall and Gordon Smith, who hosted some super cool interactive tents — a particular highlight was the screenprinting tote bag area where bands such as the Gen and the Degenerates and The Molotovs were also in there signing once you’d copped one of the totes.
I made my way down to the site on Thursday night, just in time for the headliner of that evening, Belfast-born hip-hop trio KNEECAP. Aside from all the news dominating this group at the moment, their performance put all of that noise aside. Their energy throughout their set was electrifying and, even though Trees is mostly known for its metal and rock fans, everyone fully embraced the band with many radiating off their vibes. They opened with a yet-to-be-released track, closely followed by Better Way to Live with Fontaines D.C.’s Grian Chatten, who was on a televised screen behind the band.
The constant interaction with the crowd, including DJ Provai having his own encore and entering the crowd solo, much to everyone’s delight. Demands on keeping a pit open was a talking point throughout their set, this was already a given as this is what the 2000Trees audience are masters of. KNEECAP also mentioned their love for this festival by clearly remembering and reminiscing on their first time they played back in 2022 in the afternoon and, as they stated, in the “pissing rain” whilst thanking everyone for their continued support, especially at a festival that is usually known for its metal and rock music alone.
Shortly after the encore, the band came back to H.O.O.D and a flare was let off, again just highlighting how much the crowd was feeding off their energy throughout. A few mentions on Mo Chara’s upcoming court date in August, with even talk of bands such as Biig Piig playing outside on the day and for everyone to come down and support. Their effortless approach of going from high vibe, almost D&B-led tunes, then into more politically charged conversation is interesting to say the least. These guys continue to generate interest, not only by their way of speaking freely for the Palestinian people and making sure we aren’t silenced in this time, but by creating the most energetically charged music that instantly makes you want to move.
After last being at this festival a whole seventeen years ago, the levels the site has grown to were super exciting to see. The humbling feel of 2000Trees and its strong community spirit are exactly what brought me back — and is what will keep drawing people back for years to come.
