Frank Carter And The Rattlesnakes | Photo: Day Rutherford

Live Review: Deathcore To Pop Punk: The Eclectic Sounds At 2000 Trees Festival 2023

One of the UK’s most diverse festival lineups comes in the form of 2000 Trees each year and their 2023 offering is no different. From deathcore to pop punk, the event shines a light on all things alternative with a more naturalistic approach to festivals. With a big emphasis on doing whatever they can to do as little harm to the environment as possible, as well as showcasing the best alt music has to offer, 2000 Trees promises to be a momentous festival once more. Here’s what went down one fateful weekend in July.

Saint Agnes | Photo: Day Rutherford

Day one was more of a relaxed day with only The Forest Stage and The Word Stage being open as around 3000 fans set up camp for a weekend of festivities. Despite a much smaller crowd, the festival put on an action-packed lineup. A fair few returning faces would take to the festival’s intimate Forest Stage to wreak havoc right from the off. Bands such as Delair The Liar and Saint Agnes brought some new age angst to the festival grounds while 2000 Trees regulars Holding Absence laid down a set full of variety as a treat for the early comers!

The highlight of the day for me however came from The Word Stage as Haggard Cat went into the acoustic/speaking tent and delivered a full-on explosive set, giving the intimate stage its first-ever pits and crowd surfers. They drew an enormous crowd and I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a lot more of them at 2000 Trees. Closing out the day was the rebellious and politically driven Bob Vylan. Opting for a more sporadic set with no set list and going off vibes, This set felt special and unique. A variety of popular and deep-cut tracks filled the set with them closing out the day with a cover of Nirvana’s ‘Territorial Pissings’.

Clouds and Sunshine are what the fans of 2000 Trees were greeted with at the start of day 2 and as the 3-day campers arrived the festival coped well with the demand even with a major road closure. The booze was flowing from the early hours of the day and an exceptionally high caliber of music was on display! From the unique aggression of Lake Malice to the rebellious charisma of Kid Kapichi, 2000 Trees offered up one of the broadest lineups you’ll see.

Skindred | Photo: Day Rutherford

Thursday was a day when alt bands with female members shined bright! The rambunctious Bex tore down The Neu Stage while Svalbard sent the Cave into a groovy yet heavy trance. You can’t really have a Festival in the UK without Skindred at this point and once again the reggae metal icons brought the party and had the entire festival dancing and singing! A returning Soft Play closed out The Main Stage with a punky display of passion and charisma while those who didn’t want the party to end ventured deep into the Forest to witness Mimi Barks lay claim to 2000 Trees. The gloomy aesthetic of this stage matched her unique sound perfectly and was a perfect way to end the heavy proceedings of the day.

Sunshine and hangovers are how Friday kicked off but despite that, this was a day where the heavier bands reigned supreme. From rap metal newcomers Blackgold giving the cave some angst to Blackened warriors Heriot tearing down The Main Stage, 2000 Trees was treated to some of the finest metal performances it had ever seen.

Bullet For My Valentine | Photo: Day Rutherford

Brutus showed the festival why they are one of the most interesting bands in the scene at the moment while bands like Kublai Khan TX and Empire State Bastards ensured the entire festival was leaving with whiplash as they unloaded an unrelenting set. Closing out the day was a 2000 Trees first for Bullet For My Valentine who offered up a very diverse set that spanned the majority of their discography and even saw a rare playthrough of the Axewound song ‘Cold’ as both Matt and Cancer Bats Liam Cormier reunited on the stage for the special performance.

Witch Fever | Photo: Day Rutherford

Final days of festivals always feel a bit odd, however this didn’t stop 2000Trees as the day was kicked off with a bang with the exciting Witch Fever who once again called out the HMA’s and the Kerrang! Awards for allowing their presenters to make crude and disgusting jokes about sexual assault on said platforms. Fans’ fatigue was washed away as a collection of pop punk and metal enchanted them once more.

Whether you were dancing away to the likes of Electric Six and Holding Absence or you were unleashing your aggression to the soundtrack of Chelsea Grin, there was something for everyone. Despite an extremely heavy downpour, fans’ spirits could not be dampened and as Frank Carter room to the stage to close out the festival, smiles could be seen across the entire festival. As for his set, you can always expect Frank to be right in the thick of it and this year was no exception. Within two songs Frank was in the crowd and his more slow yet chaotic style seemed to go down fairly well at 2000 Trees. It’s always a fitting end to a festival when the crowd are showered in confetti as the final notes of the band ring out

As a whole 2000 Trees proved once again that it is one of the best festivals you can experience. It offers one of the most diverse lineups in alt music and the overall feel and vibe around the festival is second to none. The family values aesthetic carries a tonne of weight and it’s one of the few festivals I personally feel completely at ease at, without really having to worry about anything in the back of my mind. I cannot wait to see what the team has in store for 2024 but until then we’ll just have to reminisce about this year’s festival!

Electric Six | Photo: Day Rutherford