2000 Trees Festival 2025 – Thursday: The Review
As the sun beat down on Upcote Farm for a second day, who would bring the musical beatdown to 2000 Trees Festival?
Words by Cece Lawless, Emily Simister & Will Marshall
uncertainty – The Cave
Ferocious and unforgiving, Uncertainty tore into their set with all the grace of a wrecking ball on fire. Toward the end, the sound faltered slightly at The Cave stage, but instead of stopped or letting it throw them off their stride, they leaned in harder, punching a hole straight through the noise. Imperfect, yes, but a testament to their professionalism. – CL
Grief Ritual – The Cave
As the name suggests, Grief Ritual are heavy and morose, but they bring out the morning moshers. From the first note, they hammer through their set with relentless precision, switching time signatures constantly. Sonic booms marked every beatdown moment, while the bass is so loud it rattles ribcages. Guitars shriek and snarled, and then, in a Triple H moment, the guitarist spits water skyward like a metal baptism. They dropped the heaviest breakdown of the festival, slow and mean. A set that shook a whole tent. – CL
Superbloom – The Axiom
Like a more hardcore Smashing Pumpkins, Super Bloom bring a razor-edged blast to the Axiom stage. Their set thrashes with grunge grit and punk swagger, loaded with bouncy hooks and raw, unfiltered energy. The shirtless vocalist commands attention, their tattoo-covered body becoming part of the spectacle, a living canvas in constant motion. Each riff hits harder than the last, whipping the crowd into a sweaty frenzy. Super Bloom erupt when they play, and the audience absolutely loves it. – CL
Photo Credit: Jez Pennington
unpeople – Main Stage
2000 Trees is writ large in unpeople’s DNA, having played their first ever show here just a few years ago. Now, they’ve risen to the main stage and the sun is scorching the ground as their summery riffs boom out. Opening with ‘waste’, fists are pumping, and crowd surfers start sailing over the barrier quickly. This is the homecoming they deserve; a huge crowd, the main stage and more sunny bangers than you can shake a stick at. Despite the heat beating down and a clear lethargy for some, the front of the crowd goes wild for them. Give it a few years and an album or two, and we’ll be seeing them headline this stage. – WM
False Reality – The Cave
False Reality tear into their set with the fierce declaration: “This is U.K. hardcore representation”. The Cave’s sound issues continue (wobbly bass cutting in and out all day) but that does not stop them from delivering a raw, uncompromising set that rattles the walls. Gritty, aggressive, and bursting with defiance, they channel frustration into every breakdown and barked lyric. It’s chaotic, it’s cathartic, and despite the sonic glitches, False Reality still feel like the realest thing in the room. – CL
Vexed – The Cave
Ominous electronics herald the arrival of the alt metal bruisers, before the string- and mind-bending riff of ‘Anti-Fetish’ pummels eardrums. This is their first time here, and they’re determined to leave a lasting impression, vocalist Megan Targett stalking the stage and delivering her rapid fire screams atop the bludgeoning. It’s followed by a deliriously heavy rendition of ‘Panic Attack’, Targett declaring “we didn’t come to fuck around!” They sound terrifying, caustic roars, seismic breakdowns and machine gun drumming flooding the tent, while the moments in which Targett shows her stunning melodic singing make it hit all the harder. Vexed remain criminally underrated – hopefully this masterclass in groove-laden fury helps change that. – WM
Photo Credit: Jez Pennington
Spaced – The Cave
Marking the last day of their UK tour with fellow hardcore outfit Terminal Sleep, Buffalo, NY’s Spaced tear a fissure through The Word stage, carving their presence into the festival with unbridled savagery and intent. Vocalist Lexi Reyngoudt’s raw magnetism holds the crowd with natural ease, tearing across the stage with the velocity of a live wire. Spaced’s sound melds hardcore with a melodic metalcore gloss that feels expertly crafted for an intimate live environment, but sits comfortably on the festival stage with towering presence. Locked in with the crowd up front, Lexi snarls, “UKHC to the fucking front! If you know the words, get up here and sing them with me!” igniting the crowd into a haywire flurry of two-steppers and spinning limbs as they clamber over each other for a mic grab. – ES
Lake Malice – NEU
Rising metalcore/hyperpop outfit Lake Malice get a hero’s welcome on the Neu stage, the crowd spilling out the tent as they come on. Their stage craft has levelled up significantly this year, bringing in dance troupe Kaos Kollective for a few songs, including the brand new, unreleased ‘Nobody Wants To Be You’ that sounds like an arena anthem in waiting. The crowd is fully swept up in it too, pits circling constantly and crowd surfers making their way over the barrier seemingly constantly. The energy exchange is palpable, guitarist Blake Cornwall egging the crowd on just as much as vocalist Alice Gauls, who has become a thoroughly commanding presence as she snarls and sings her way through songs. Mark our words – next time they’re back, it’ll be on a bigger stage again. – WM
Photo Credit: Gareth Bull
PVRIS – Main Stage
As the sun starts to set over the main stage, hazy amber light seeps across the crowd. PVRIS deliver a glossy, watertight performance that weaves slick pop with a thunderous heavy sentimentality, bleeding emotional weight and raw authenticity. Opening with the anthemic and brazen ‘Burn the Witch’, PVRIS set the tone for what became a killer line up of hits spanning their catalogue. Ever the dynamic front person, Lynn Gunn’s vocal performance brims with charisma and genuine passion, effortlessly blending soaring highs and husky mid-ranges. At the peak of their set, the band deliver a string of fan-favourites from their 2014 debut LP White Noise- ‘Holy,’ ‘You and I’, ‘White Noise’, and ‘Fire’, sweeping the crowd into a sea of mutual, feel-good sing along. They close with the audaciously punchy “Goddess,” demonstrating their effortless command of the stage and delivering a headline set charged with undeniable magnetism. – ES
In a scene increasingly saturated with talented, rising ‘core acts, Stick To Your Guns continue to deliver a ferocious live show that is distinctly rooted in their own identity- a testament to their longevity and influence. Deep into their career, the band still draw packed-out crowds and unleash punishing sets with relentless intensity. Their set list on the Cave stage blends cult-favourite metallic hardcore anthems like ‘Against Them All’ and ‘Empty Heads’ with newer heavy hitters from their latest LP, including ‘Severed Forever’ and ‘Spineless’, the latter swelling to an almost arena-sized scope in its live form. Amongst a battering ram of kick drum blasts and soaring guitars, Jesse Barnett’s vocal delivery slices through with laser precision, every word bristling with scathing intent. ES
Kneecap – Main Stage
Amidst recent legal battles, the Irish punk/rap trio emerge onto the main stage, easing the audience in with some “songs for the lovers” before punching up the tempo. Playing the well known tracks amongst some deeper cuts, this group threw everything into this performance. Intense lighting and 90s rave music cascaded across the field, while they laughed at the “confused metal heads” wondering if they’d got lost. Usually known for their cool guy attitude, Moglai Bap and Mo Chara let out guttural screams at times with Geailge pouring forth and leaping about the stage, leaving the nonchalance at home. This felt like catharsis for them and for a very pumped up crowd. Co n-éirí an t-ádh libh, Kneecap. – CL
Photo Credit: Joe Singh
Reviews of Friday and Saturday coming this week…