After three long, long years away, we’re finally back at our favourite festival. An homage to British and international artists alike, fans and band members are all in agreement that 2000Trees is the best festival in the UK and we couldn’t be happier to see its return. Despite the persistent heat and seemingly endless queues for ice cream, spirits are high as time and time again anyone in possession of a mic takes a moment to express their love for this independently run festival. After experiencing it ourselves, we’re in firm agreement. Here’s what we got up to at 2000Trees 2022.
Words by Yasmin Brown [YB] and Catie Allwright [CA]. Photos courtesy of 2000Trees
Holding Absence
Itâs only Thursday afternoon and weâve barely even managed to pitch our tent yet, but 2000Trees might have already peaked. A latecomer to this yearâs line-up, Holding Absence were asked a week ago to play and of course they said âfuck yesâ. This is their fifth time to grace the festivalâs stage, for them the best weekend in the UK, and something will have gone hideously wrong if theyâre not back to perform on the Main Stage (their last to tick off) in 2023. Just like 2000Trees itself, which has been steadily growing in popularity and reputation year-on-year, Holding Absence have been taking the alternative music scene by storm – and they truly deserve all of it and more.Â
Despite the slightly sketchy sound emanating from the Axiom Stage, and even though weâre only just getting warmed up, these five incredible musicians from Wales have us screaming, dancing and sobbing our hearts out. Their latest album âThe Greatest Mistake Of My Lifeâ came out last year, which almost everyone in the tent has clearly memorized from start to finish, but thereâs no better set-closer than the devastatingly beautiful âWiltâ from their self-titled release in 2019. Vocalist Lucas Woodland said weâd been perfect – but weâre just mirroring whatâs in front of us. [CA]
Can’t Swim
The tent might not be packed, but those who are in attendance for Canât Swimâs set today arenât messing around. These New Jersey natives immediately rouse the crowd and in no time at all, arms and legs are swinging at breakneck speed as fans lose themselves in their favourite songs. Most apt is âSet the Room Ablazeâ, taking from the bandâs latest album âChange of Plansâ; todayâs relentless head combined with the raucous nature of Canât Swimâs discography has certainly ignited a fire in us all.
Frontman Chris LePorto sweetens up the non-male portion of the audience, dedicating âMy Queenâ to âthe ladiesâ (a nod to the LGBTQI+ community, perhaps, given the rainbow bandana tied around his arm), before playing one of the bandâs most revered songs from 2018âs âThis Too Wonât Passâ with circle pits aplenty before the set takes a turn, becoming increasingly heavier with each song that passes. Shoes start to fly as this more chaotic part of the set ensues (if âmore chaoticâ is even really possible) as the band launches into âPrickâ and their favourite of all Canât Swim songs, âPowerâ. 2000Trees marks their 8th time in the UK and itâs clear they feel comfortable in front of a British crowd, and as they close out their set with fan favourite, âStrangerâ, we can only hope theyâll be back for a 9th time very soon. [YB]
Dinosaur Pile-Up
âOh shitâ, says lead singer and guitarist Matt Bigland. In his words, Trees is a fucking ace festival with nice people – but the setting sun is melting the eyeballs out of his face. Thatâs apparently only the first challenge as a shot of tequila just minutes before gracing the stage might have been a mistake. We almost have to serenade a very public vomit, but Bigland manages to hold it together through 50 minutes of rock and roll (the same canât be said for drummer Mike Sheils who breaks his snare drum, which apparently happens at every gig).Â
The band may have gone through some changes in members over the years, but thereâs a maturity to Dinosaur Pile-Upâs sound and performance⌠and a grassy open-air stage in Upcote Farm is the perfect place to enjoy it. Whether the aggressive riffs throughout songs like âThrash Metal Cassetteâ and âStupid Heavy Metal Broken Hearted Loser Punkâ send you straight into a pit, or the velvety grooves in closing track â11:11â create ripples through your limbs, thereâs something for everyone from this grungy, angsty, melodious trio. [CA]
Lonely the Brave
Sauntering onto stage supported by a long track introduction, itâs clear that Lonely the Brave have been much anticipated by Thursdayâs crowd. Things quickly fill up as they launch into their afternoon set as fans sip on increasingly warm cans of beers and inhale fast-melting ice creams under the protection of the tent, kicking off with the ever-loved, âBackroadsâ, much to the delight of those already in attendance.
With (not-so) new singer Jack Bennett at the helm, the setlist is made up of a combination of old and new songs, with Bennett clearly leaning into those he had a hand in writing and producing himself. With some time behind them, these newer songs see the crowd just as animated as those from previous albums, as clapping immediately to the likes of the first live performance of âDistant Lightâ. Lonely the Brave are a softer choice for 2000Trees but this crowd never misses an opportunity to crowdsurf, whatever the situation, and âBoundâ from 2021âs âThe Hope Listâ turns out to be such an opportunity part way through the set, setting the tone for the remaining few songs which were executed with a childlike energy. With just a couple of shows under their belt with Bennett leading the charge, itâs hard to believe these guys donât have years of experience under their belt; so tight is their performance and so powerful are Bennettâs vocals. With a headline tour upcoming, theyâre only set to get stronger and weâre excited to be here for the ride. [YB]
Creeper
The heat is lingering well into the evening and the crowd is swelling in anticipation of our cult favourite, Creeper. Walking around the festival, the âgoth punkâ quintetâs merch can be seen on what feels like every other person – so thereâs absolutely no hesitation getting stuck in. Lead vocalist Will Gould seems in delighted disbelief at the crowdâs response to âDown Belowâ – thousands of slightly-sunburned faces shouting back at him on cue – although no-oneâs voice can compare to his deep, dulcet tones or those of the incredible backing vocalist Hannah Greenwood (whose stripped-back rendition of âCricketsâ is haunting).
Creeperâs most recent album âSex, Death & The Infinite Voidâ was released during the âtroubled timesâ in 2020, so weâve had plenty of time to familiarise ourselves with hit tracks including âCyanideâ, âBorn Coldâ, âAnnabelleâ and almost country-esque âPoisoned Heartâ, accompanied by plenty of well-worn favourites from âEternity, In Your Armsâ (2017). This is a band that doesnât simply play music, which would more than stand up in its own right. Their performance is a feast for the senses, erring just on the right side of gimmicky with costume changes, pyrotechnics and drama – and they clearly relish every second of their time on the Main Stage. Dracula is even roped in at the end to warn us that thereâs evil afoot, and itâs very important we arenât at Camdenâs Roundhouse in November (unless youâd like to see Creeperâs biggest headline show to date, in which case tickets are on sale now – but itâs âlaced with maliceâ so attend at your own risk). [CA]
Cassyette
A guttural scream emerges from the stage and itâs plain to see that Cassyette has arrived. This powerhouse has taken the UK by storm over the past year, becoming a frequent name on festival lineups and with her crowds increasing with every set. Today, her fans are eating out of the palm of her hand, screaming along with her and attempting to match the dirtier features of her vocals, unsurprisingly failing miserably given her unmatched ferocity. Fans climb on each othersâ shoulders of their own volition, so desperate are they to feel more involved in the set, and while Cassyette encourages circle pits to open, itâs far from necessary as bodies are launched at other bodies freely and without hesitation. The only possible complaint is that todayâs set ends a little sooner than expected, leaving us feeling robbed of another song or two, but as with any good performer, Cassyette left us wanting so much more and we wonât stop until we get it. [YB]
Jimmy Eat World
For a band that have been going for as long as Jimmy Eat World, itâs hard for them to find new âfirstsâ to experience. Tonight, however, is one of those moments as the band headlines a festival of this size for the first time ever. Theyâre as humble as ever, of course, as frontman Jim Adkins marvels at the sight before him: âOh my God, thereâs so many of youâ. And there are so many of us – all here to witness that glory that is Jimmy Eat World playing a headline set.
Never a band of many words, the four-piece make their way seamlessly through a 21 song setlist, pulling hit after hit from their extensive 23-year-long discography. The sound, as ever, is flawless and you canât help but feel awestruck as freshly blown bubbles float overhead, popping gently above us. Songs such as âFuturesâ and âBleed Americanâ are played in stark contrast to this picture perfect scene, whereas the likes of âBlisterâ (led by âyour favourite member of Jimmy Eat Worldâ, guitarist Tom Linton), the ever-emotional âHear You Meâ and â23â, and a stunningly acoustic solo version of â555â lend themselves perfectly to this movie soundtrack moment. Humble from start to finish, Adkins canât help but repeat his gratitude as he looks out once more at the crowd before him. He admits theyâve never done a show like this, and it feels more special than ever – both for the band members on stage and every doting fan that gazes up at them. However many times you witness a Jimmy Eat World show, each feels more spectacular than the last. This one, however, will be tough to beat. [YB]
