Festival News: 2000trees Festival can announce over 45 new bands
The hell month of January is over and we’re finally getting on with 2025 — and first up, it’s time for 2000trees to get even treesier!
Back in October, 2000trees unveiled arguably their biggest lineup yet — from the five headliners, consisting of the likes of the BAFTA-nominated Kneecap; the rock icons Pvris; emo legends Taking Back Sunday; the prog heroes Coheed and Cambria, and the only band ever that is Alexisonfire, through to the likes of Imminence, La Dispute, Kid Kapichi, RØRY, and the long-awaited return of Frank Turner’s Million Dead, it was an ambitious first poster that set the internet ablaze. Perhaps not quite as much as the Black Sabbath announcement just did, but still, not too shabby - and what else could you expect from UK Festival Awards’ Best Medium-Sized Festival for three years on the trot?
And now, that line-up’s successor is free to roam across the screens, hearts, and minds of all the festival’s loyal fans — that’s right, it’s time for a new lineup drop! Plus, the long-awaited day splits…
Now, let’s do this chronologically and start with the Wednesday. Headlining the intimate, VIP Wednesday pre-party is… someone, presumably, but that’s the one name 2000trees are keeping under wraps! BUT, in their first of two appearances across the weekend, Kid Kapichi are sub headlining, along with another who’s who of 2000trees favourites. Panic Shack, The Meffs, Blood Command, Unpeople, Vower, Haggard Cat, Grove Street, Meryl Streek, Other Half, Buds. and Blank Atlas… pretty much all of them have graced 2000trees at one point or another, and what better way to kick off a festival than to celebrate its past, present, and future in one jubilant hurrah?
And then comes the festival proper. Thursday, as previously announced, sees the weekend kicking off with headliners Kneecap and Pvris — but who’s joining them? Well, finishing up their doubling up come both Kid Kapichi and Meryl Streek, hopefully not too hungover from the night before, along with Big Special, Snayx, Deathbyromy, Hyphen, and Battlesnake, amongst others. They’ll be joining the previously announced Stick To Your Guns, DZ Deathraws, Lake Malice, Grade 2, and so many more fantastic artists, sure to get your weekend proper off to a very good start indeed.
Friday time now, with the duo of Taking Back Sunday and Coheed and Cambria. You already know about Million Dead and FIDLAR, Bambie Thug and Heriot, VENUS GRRRLS and Spyres— but what about The Dangerous Summer, or Delta Sleep, or Witch Fever, or Unpeople’s second set? What about the likes of Youth Fountain, Graphic Nature or Hail The Sun? Basically, big things are planned for Upcote Farm in 2025, and Friday’s no exception.
And, like all good things, 2000trees must too come to an end; not without one final mayhem-packed day, though!
Closing out the Saturday is Alexisonfire. That was always going to be the case — how could they not? But, in true saving the best for last fashion, the Saturday’s had its potential for clashes thrown into disarray. You’ve got RØRY. You’ve got Imminence. La Dispute and Employed to Serve, Gel and Hidden Mothers. But the Saturday looks to be overjoyed in announcing the return of the likes of Vukovi — whose track ‘SNO’ seemed to be the answer to the ‘Inter Onterland’ teaser from 2000trees earlier in the week (side note — tweet us at @WTHBlows with who the rest of the clues were for??) — along with Sprints, As December Falls, The Hara, a second set from Vower, Future Of The Left, Anxious, Birds In Row, Daytime TV… band upon brilliant band, all set to entertain and wallop you with songs in equal measure!
With a handful more 4-Day and VIP tickets re-released, and 3-Day tickets reportedly growing dangerously close to disappearing, it’s time to pull the trigger and get your July in order! See you in Cheltenham.
Words by James O’Sullivan
