I woke up on Thursday morning in my flat in sunny Brighton, packed my welly boots, factor 5 billion (I’m a ginger) and headed to the Cotswold’s to what would be 3 days of glorious sunshine, great music and White Russians.

I have been going to festivals for most of my life and what I think separates good festivals isn’t just a good line up of music but the atmosphere of the site and the attitude of the people going.

As soon as I pulled into the field-car park the friendly staff and the sense of everyone just wanting to have a good time immediately struck me. You usually get a few dickheads at a festival but I didn’t see any at 2000 trees, just 5000 people up for a good time.

This was the first year where some non-British bands would be playing, given its status as a “grass roots festival”, it did make me feel a little fearful that in the future it may loose some of it’s independent spirit. However given the feel of the festival as a work of passionate music fans and how well it’s run, hopefully this fear will never happen.

Arrived fairly late Thursday because of the M25, so unfortunately missed some of the stand up comedy at the croft stage, was really looking forward to seeing Alaistair Becket-king (fellow ginger, kind of looks like a renaissance painting) and Liam Pickford (kind of looks like no one else).

First band, after first beer, was Gnarwolves nice opening to my festival of splendid pop punk followed by Dan le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip. Which got the festival mood going with of 500 plus people dancing and singing lyrics ‘the Beatles – just a band, Led Zeppelin – just a band’ (Thou shalt always kill). It left people wanting more and hungry for the musical delights of the next couple of days.

Thursday evening I discovered the Lebowski Bar, White Russians of course…

Friday - hangover, asked a 22 year old if he was equally hung-over – he didn’t understand the question, which I found odd as he had tripped over a tent the night before and crafted a beautiful turn of phrase “alcohol misplaces me from reality”…no shit.

Quick note on food at the festival: quite simply the best food I’ve ever had at a festival, vegetarian breakfasts, burritos, and wood oven cooked pizzas. Everyone got their chops round something, without the normal festival food look of confusion/displeasure/regret.

Friday was the first official day of the festival; I started with The St Pierre Snake invasion, Bristol Punksters with fantastic live presence. Even though I missed the comedy on Thursday, Szack Notaro (lead singer) made up for it with the best banter of the weekend. Had people bowled over laughing one minute and jumping around the next.

God Damn, ashamed to say I had never seen the two-piece rock band before, first band of the festival that was that loud I popped the ear protection in. The tent was packed and I could see why, well-crafted, catchy tunes unashamedly loud.

After my third hair of the dog, went to the main stage to see Slaves – quite a different band to some of the others at the festival. A Great British punk band - two vocals, one guitar and an overturned bass drum/snare, the simplicity of their setup got the 1000 strong crowd jumping with delight. A particular highpoint for me was listening to people singing ‘where’s your car Debbie’ who 5 seconds previously had never heard the song before.

Next was Baby Godzilla a noise band from Nottingham, who gave every single person who saw them an adrenaline shot in the brain with an un-believable performance of jumping around the tent/stage/lights/amps/mosh pit etc. At some point in the middle of the set was one of the greatest interpretive dances I have ever seen in my life. A wheelie bin appeared with twenty people inside it and one-person crowd surfing the crowd bin, whilst guitarist Jonny Hall was rocking out on the shoulders of a fan. If there was an award for the most solid bassist and drummer then it goes to this band, one of the highlights of the festival.

The next band must have thought how the in the hell do we follow that, well first move the wheelie bin (the people got out and pushed back where they found it), on steps Turbowolf. Good rock band, good riffs, got the crowd going; really good performance the only problem was they were following an incredible performance from Baby Godzilla.

For a change of pace I went to see Nordic Giants, who wereepic, unforgettable and beautiful.

Rock/Punk American band The Bronx, one of the headliners of the festival, I’m sure was the highlight for many people but I had one of those unfortunate decisions you have to make at a festival – two bands you want to see on at the same time, so I tried to see both.

Band of Skulls, after a day of mostly harder music it was refreshing to have a good rock band blowing sun kissed melodies into your ear lobes, thoroughly enjoyed them but half way through made my way to see the end of Three Trapped Tigers set and was not disappointed, just go see them - fantastic instrumental music played by great musicians.

I finished Friday evening at the forest stage, a beautiful little cove of new music. Which given the natural landscape of a cross between a forest and amphitheatre made the P.A. sound almost haunting sometimes.

Written in Water giving a special performance and I’m sure gained many fans from those that were in attendance, soaring vocals, Tool esc riffs, their music took you places.

On the Saturday the festival had the addition of families out for the day, when I see babies at festivals are they bobbing their heads because they like the music or because those ear defender things are too heavy, I don’t know.

First baby head bob I saw was at Kill Chaos, in what was there last gig ever, they were a good band but with all the other new music around at the festival it was clear they needed a change.

Around this time I was walking around the site, checking out bands, which is why I love festivals so much. Every now again you come across a band or artist you have never heard of who blows you away.

I found myself at the forest stage cold cider in hand and saw Lu’Ami and was astounded, a raw talent using a sample pad in such a way it’s clear she has an astute musical intelligence. Sounding like a mix of old school jazz vocals, Prince and Bjork without sounding like a fax machine. It was an incredible performance, the highpoint of the festival for me.

After an organic burger and an organic beer headed over to see Tall Ships, Brighton based kind of a Rock/Post rock band (I hate genres so much).Whose epic mellow dreamy music was like an aperitif before the red painted face of Jamie Lenman. Really creative music, switching from brutal gut retching sounds to lovely sing-a-long songs. For those that were that drunk, the red face of Jamie Lenman is probably one of the few things they remember, which is not a bad memory to have at all.

After watching a masterful display by Mr Lenman I saw Wolf Alice give a decent performance of radio friendly, well-written rock songs, I get the feeling grunge inspired music is making a comeback.

Quick note on lavatories: everyone has their horror stories about festival toilets but I wouldn’t be doing my job as a reviewer if I didn't mention them. Really well maintained, everyone’s fears were abated, apart from one unfortunate incident where I entered a bog directly after a petite women had used it (all I’m going to say is: birth of an L shaped universe). Seriously though, toilets were clean in fact all the volunteers did a great job of keeping the whole site clean. I have been to loads of festivals where by day two every stage has a two-inch layer of crushed plastic pints cups, not here though.

Last few bands of the festival, last few white Russians, first final band was Frightened Rabbit, there is something about Scottish accents that just work in Rock. They are a tight band but my cynical ears wanted something else, at this point in the festival I had seen some amazing scenes, heard amazing music and the ears needed to be blasted.

Australian band DZ Deathrays did the job, playing great thrash/hard rock, I have noticed at other festivals some really good rock bands coming out of Brisbane and these guys were a lot of fun with distorted riffs swirling around your head. Crowd loved it and made for a nice end of the festival.

Hold on a minute did I forget something oh yes the silent disco. Ask yourself a question have you ever heard 2000 people singing Papa Roach at the same time, how about Tenacious D. No, well you have not lived before going to a Silent Disco with people dancing around you like Dante’s inferno singing, “my kielbasa sausage has just got to perform”.

This was my first time at 2000 trees and although not all the music was to my taste (I’m a 30 year old cynical git) every band I saw was good at what they did.

It is a well-run festival, good facilities and a great atmosphere.

With astounding performances from Lu’ami, Baby Godzilla and Three Trapped Tigers, the highest compliment I can give is I will be buying a ticket for next year. 

Article by: Niall Brennan

Photos: Chris Poots 3rd Eye Photography