Is it July yet?
2000trees have announced their first wave of bands for the 2019 edition of the festival – and the line-up is already incredible.
Headlining the July event are You Me At Six, with the likes of Every Time I Die (playing their second album, Hot Damn!, in full), While She Sleeps, Frank Iero And The Future Violents, Therapy?, Møl, Gouge Away, GroundCulture and loads more all joining them. On top of that, the ace Jamie Lenman is also set to host the second iteration of his personally-curated Lenmania within the festival.
Speaking to Kerrang!, You Me At Six frontman Josh Franceschi and Every Time I Die vocalist Keith Buckley discuss how encouraging it is seeing independent festivals like 2000trees growing year-on-year…
“There are a lot of festivals that are currently in a bit of a stick-or-twist place where it’s like, ‘Do they ride the wave of what’s going on culturally?’” Josh says. “Without naming names, I saw a lot of line-ups last year that I still like, but I think, ‘Well, what is the DNA of your festival now?’ So I think the reason festivals like Slam Dunk, for instance, have succeeded is because it’s always done exactly what it says on the tin. It’s always offered ska, pop-punk, punk and over the years it has incorporated sections of hardcore and metal. They’ve embraced it without shoving it down people’s throats. I think that’s why Slam Dunk has been successful, and no doubt why 2000trees has been successful.”
“I think it’s the future,” adds Keith. “At least in touring music, those are the things that are going to get bands going. When a band is trying to get on its legs, nowadays you need to start playing clubs, but unless you already have a built-in audience it’s still hard to fill a club. So these festivals that are able to do something like this and get such a diverse line-up and secure a venue outdoors, it feels like something big. When you’re going to one of these as a fan of music and your whole surroundings feel so much larger than life it makes you want to enjoy the music. It makes you really open to hearing new bands. You’re going to need these festivals, whether it’s to feed a fanbase or to make one. So I think it’s extremely important for the scene.”
With 2000trees being held in some beautiful surroundings, we also asked the two if they would survive after being stranded in the middle of the woods…
“I think it would be a stretch, but I’d give it a go,” Josh ponders. “I don’t think I’d last very long. But then again it’s one of those things where life has a weird way where just when you think you’re in the bin, you find a new level to tap into. On paper I would be absolutely fucked, but I think there are some other levels in me that I could rely on.”
“Oh, God no!” says Keith. “I would just curl up into a ball and cry until I passed away. I don’t think I could kill an animal, first of all. Secondly, I have to have a comfortable bathroom. I would just fuckin’ fill up with my own toxins and explode! And I can’t start a fire. So I’m totally useless in the woods.”
2000trees takes place from July 11-13 – check out the full line-up below.
See more info and grab your tickets from twothousandtreesfestival.co.uk.
