2000trees 2025 • Festivals • DIY Magazine

There’s a tree that stands proud in the centre of the social hub at 2000trees, sandwiched between what have over the years become the festival’s heaviest of stages, The Axiom (a nod to nearby Cheltenham’s musical history) and The Cave. It has, in its time, served many purposes; shelter from a downpour or a spot of shade, a prominent meeting point, and the backdrop to the UK’s best party (unofficially, perhaps). For this writer’s group at least, it’s become a focal point year-on-year. “Meet you at the tree” is now right up there with “can you hold this for a second” as probably the most uttered words of the weekend.

But more than an obvious landmark, the tree represents something more about the South West’s brilliant boutique festival. It’s symbolic of its setting, both physically nestled near to the 1,999 other trees that give it its name, but also its considerations to its surroundings. There really is nowhere else that quite captures the overall wellbeing of nature, and then pairs it with some of the UK and beyond’s most ferocious live acts. At one moment, it’s near impossible to fathom the genuine zen projected by the Gloucestershire field against the backdrop of hardcore pioneers Million Dead’s return, or La Dispute’s fired-up spoken word.

That’s the charm though. Countless words have been written about 2000trees over its near two-decade existence, but all centre around its all-encompassing escapism, its care for its punters, and by no means least, its genuine passion for music. 2025’s line-up proves just that, retaining the festival’s characteristic booking of underground heroes, main-stage favourites, and occasional curveballs. This year’s biggest comes in the form of Thursday headliner Kneecap, the festival steadfast and undeterred by recent rhetoric and developments. The anarchic undercurrent instead feeding into 2000trees’ overall ethos, and a poignant break from its otherwise otherworldly feel.

Other headliners occupy the more traditional alternative space yet with equal acclaim, with Friday’s co-headline billing of Taking Back Sunday and Coheed and Cambria a veritable dream for emo stalwarts. Both are met with fitting affection and huge singalongs, not least TBS whose somewhat subdued volume level is easily counteracted by hordes of fans devouring a set dripping in favourites. It’s an accolade afforded to PVRIS too, whose melodic blend of pop-rock delivers a powerful early evening pick-me-up, and to Saturday main-stage closers Alexisonfire who dominate through a hit-heavy setlist.

Highlights come thick and fast from the likes of Big Special, the Black Country duo making noise far beyond the confines of two straight off the back of the release of their phenomenal ‘NATIONAL AVERAGE.’ LP. Press Club’s Natalie Foster propels herself into the crowd for the closing moments of ‘Suburbia’ rounding out an electrifying early afternoon main stage set, while FIDLAR destroy the fine line between performance and party for one of the most enjoyable sets on any stage, at any festival over the summer. Is there anything better than chanting the iconic line from ‘Cheap Beer’ in the scorching afternoon sun? We think not.

The Forest stage has long been the festival’s worst-kept-secret, and in a year with almost zero cloud cover and temperatures touching 30 degrees, the shade from the trees is enough to attract even the weariest to its cooler setting. That is until 2000trees mainstay and adopted festival muse Frank Turner takes to the stage for a full run-through of ‘Love, Ire & Song’ and seemingly the entire crowd descends on the tucked-away oasis. Say what you will, ‘Long Live The Queen’ might still be one of the best songs ever written.

And once all the magic of the stages is over, it’s time to meet at the tree for the famous silent disco, the magical bonding experience that takes over the whole site every evening across the festival’s four days. It’s been said before and will be said again, but nobody has experienced a silent disco until they have immersed themselves in the 2000trees affair. It’s beautifully inescapable, immeasurably euphoric, and year-on-year the absolute highlight of festival season. As has become customary for 2000trees - and for the tens of thousands of fans on Upcote Farm - there is never a better way to sing out the weekend.