Rocker (feedbot)
Platinum Member
It’s even hotter today, but we’re not throwing in the towel yet. 2000Trees Friday sees the return of the mighty Arcane Roots, gives us a chance to release our Cancer Bats, and kicks us into the heaviest day of the weekend!
The timeless longing of ‘The Reaper’ turns a couple of onlookers into a vast, laid-back crowd within minutes, all of us ready to have our pains eased. ‘Old Rotten Teeth’ blooms with nostalgia for the Leeds of their youth, and we’re filled with emotional warmth for Beauty School’s mellow hardcore that’s as rich in sentiment as it is full of hope for the future.
They’re the fresh new project that feels like they’re created as timeless soothsayers against the pretentiousness of the world, and Reclus.E make brutal, beautiful post punk that twists into wails. “I’m sorry I’m not an angry man screaming,” laughs vocalist Soren Bryce, but in a lineup packed with just that, her outsider take on the problems of the world makes for an intelligent, appealing respite.
Immersive and charismatic, House of Protection have emerged from the ashes of Fever 333 as a force to be reckoned with. Barely recovered from the heaviness of ‘Pulling Teeth’, vocalist Stephen Harrison directs ‘Learn To Forget’ from the middle of the circle pit, his mic stand a tiny island in a whirlpool of people. Lunchtime surfers flip towards the front for ‘Fuse’, a highlight of an endlessly dynamic and massive set.
Free Throw’s passion fills out the Axiom Stage as the sun’s rays lengthen. Before they even finish opener ‘Missingno’, there’s no room left. ‘Pallet Town’ conjures memories of streets past as we fan ourselves with the fumes of their regrets and cloud-like choruses send us swaying. We’re dancing our troubles away, fuelled by the knowledge that catching Free Throw was the best decision of the day.
The fizzy anti-boyband chuck sharp riffs at The Cave and we are ready to slam. ‘Move’, from their upcoming release, builds into towering echoes before we’re thrown into screwed depths, and ‘Be Someone’ shows that the sweary Kiwis have a serious side which could lead to some impressive stadium potential. If they keep throwing out heavy electro with their metalcore, we’ll be seeing a whole lot more of these guys on much bigger stages.
We’ll never stop being grateful that Mallory Knox have returned, and ‘Beggars’ instant connection reminds us of why we’re so thankful. ‘Getaway’ provides otherworldly comfort, and ‘Wake Up’ is always beautiful in the way that it can unite so many tribes within the alt world into one huge singalong. It’s the delicacy at the heart of ‘Shout At The Moon’ that proves that Mallory Knox are the masters of both the emotive echo and the festival anthem.
We’re very pleased to see these late additions to the lineup, as early shouts of glee attest. ‘Failure Is The Mother Of Success’ keeps it old school, with rip-roaring solos and an easy, accessible energy. As their “celebration of life” rolls on, we’re struck by how it’s the warmth of community and good humour which makes a Wildhearts show such a great experience. We toast to ‘Mazel Tov Cocktail’, jump, laugh, and bark back at Maggie the dog’s brief onstage cameo.
The hotly anticipated return of Arcane Roots is worth eight years of waiting for the payoff. Sirens, strings and delicious slow burn announce ‘A Wave, Across The Sea’. It is ever-changing, living art and we just have to stand back and let it wash over us. We raise our hands to worship ‘Matter’, fully aware that we’re experiencing what could be the Band of The Weekend who’ve used their time away to take their emotional gut-punch to the next level.
We’ve got no time to recover from the aftermath of Arcane Roots or “the brutal sun roasting our flesh,” as vocalist Liam Cormier puts it, because there’s no way we’re missing Cancer Bats. ‘R.A.T.S’ takes everything up to eleven before ‘Bricks & Mortar’ calls down the night and a spring-loaded Cormier commands our pit for ‘Lucifer’s Rocking Chair’. They’re a reliable source of the heaviest noise around, a musical steamroller, and we’re rewarded for our endurance with a Beastie Boys cover and a beachball party.
There’s more than a pinch of Trees magic in the air as children with rainbow glow sticks giggle during a proper heavy rock show. “It’s a fucking amazing place to be!” Lucas Woodland grins, having the time of his life. His inclusion in Funeral For A Friend is Trees personified; he’s just as much a fan of the band as we are, and the community spirit between old fans and new, between the band and us, is what makes their set so glorious. Of course, the gorgeous guitar appeal of ‘Bullet Theory’ helps, as does the hypnotic rhythm of ‘Monster’, but this is a set radiating with love from every corner.
If we have to pick the times where we felt the elusive festival spirit the most, ‘The End Of Nothing’ has to be on the list. After all, it is “a fucking banger” as Woodland puts it, essential and compelling with every riff. Every song bursts with an energy that makes you want to revel in each moment until ‘Escape Artists Never Die’ sends us off to the Silent Disco. “Every time we play on stage, we play like it’s the last time,” the frontman admits, and it’s this beautiful transience which they’ve captured at every turn.
Words: Kate Allvey // Photos: Penny Bennett and Paul Lyme
Beauty School
The timeless longing of ‘The Reaper’ turns a couple of onlookers into a vast, laid-back crowd within minutes, all of us ready to have our pains eased. ‘Old Rotten Teeth’ blooms with nostalgia for the Leeds of their youth, and we’re filled with emotional warmth for Beauty School’s mellow hardcore that’s as rich in sentiment as it is full of hope for the future.
Reclus.E
They’re the fresh new project that feels like they’re created as timeless soothsayers against the pretentiousness of the world, and Reclus.E make brutal, beautiful post punk that twists into wails. “I’m sorry I’m not an angry man screaming,” laughs vocalist Soren Bryce, but in a lineup packed with just that, her outsider take on the problems of the world makes for an intelligent, appealing respite.
House of Protection
Immersive and charismatic, House of Protection have emerged from the ashes of Fever 333 as a force to be reckoned with. Barely recovered from the heaviness of ‘Pulling Teeth’, vocalist Stephen Harrison directs ‘Learn To Forget’ from the middle of the circle pit, his mic stand a tiny island in a whirlpool of people. Lunchtime surfers flip towards the front for ‘Fuse’, a highlight of an endlessly dynamic and massive set.
Free Throw
Free Throw’s passion fills out the Axiom Stage as the sun’s rays lengthen. Before they even finish opener ‘Missingno’, there’s no room left. ‘Pallet Town’ conjures memories of streets past as we fan ourselves with the fumes of their regrets and cloud-like choruses send us swaying. We’re dancing our troubles away, fuelled by the knowledge that catching Free Throw was the best decision of the day.
Banks Arcade
The fizzy anti-boyband chuck sharp riffs at The Cave and we are ready to slam. ‘Move’, from their upcoming release, builds into towering echoes before we’re thrown into screwed depths, and ‘Be Someone’ shows that the sweary Kiwis have a serious side which could lead to some impressive stadium potential. If they keep throwing out heavy electro with their metalcore, we’ll be seeing a whole lot more of these guys on much bigger stages.
Mallory Knox
We’ll never stop being grateful that Mallory Knox have returned, and ‘Beggars’ instant connection reminds us of why we’re so thankful. ‘Getaway’ provides otherworldly comfort, and ‘Wake Up’ is always beautiful in the way that it can unite so many tribes within the alt world into one huge singalong. It’s the delicacy at the heart of ‘Shout At The Moon’ that proves that Mallory Knox are the masters of both the emotive echo and the festival anthem.
The Wildhearts
We’re very pleased to see these late additions to the lineup, as early shouts of glee attest. ‘Failure Is The Mother Of Success’ keeps it old school, with rip-roaring solos and an easy, accessible energy. As their “celebration of life” rolls on, we’re struck by how it’s the warmth of community and good humour which makes a Wildhearts show such a great experience. We toast to ‘Mazel Tov Cocktail’, jump, laugh, and bark back at Maggie the dog’s brief onstage cameo.
Arcane Roots
The hotly anticipated return of Arcane Roots is worth eight years of waiting for the payoff. Sirens, strings and delicious slow burn announce ‘A Wave, Across The Sea’. It is ever-changing, living art and we just have to stand back and let it wash over us. We raise our hands to worship ‘Matter’, fully aware that we’re experiencing what could be the Band of The Weekend who’ve used their time away to take their emotional gut-punch to the next level.
Cancer Bats
We’ve got no time to recover from the aftermath of Arcane Roots or “the brutal sun roasting our flesh,” as vocalist Liam Cormier puts it, because there’s no way we’re missing Cancer Bats. ‘R.A.T.S’ takes everything up to eleven before ‘Bricks & Mortar’ calls down the night and a spring-loaded Cormier commands our pit for ‘Lucifer’s Rocking Chair’. They’re a reliable source of the heaviest noise around, a musical steamroller, and we’re rewarded for our endurance with a Beastie Boys cover and a beachball party.
Funeral For A Friend
There’s more than a pinch of Trees magic in the air as children with rainbow glow sticks giggle during a proper heavy rock show. “It’s a fucking amazing place to be!” Lucas Woodland grins, having the time of his life. His inclusion in Funeral For A Friend is Trees personified; he’s just as much a fan of the band as we are, and the community spirit between old fans and new, between the band and us, is what makes their set so glorious. Of course, the gorgeous guitar appeal of ‘Bullet Theory’ helps, as does the hypnotic rhythm of ‘Monster’, but this is a set radiating with love from every corner.
If we have to pick the times where we felt the elusive festival spirit the most, ‘The End Of Nothing’ has to be on the list. After all, it is “a fucking banger” as Woodland puts it, essential and compelling with every riff. Every song bursts with an energy that makes you want to revel in each moment until ‘Escape Artists Never Die’ sends us off to the Silent Disco. “Every time we play on stage, we play like it’s the last time,” the frontman admits, and it’s this beautiful transience which they’ve captured at every turn.
