There’s reasonable grounds to call this year’s 2000trees the biggest one ever. True, that statement could be made every year with pretty decent accuracy, but even for one of the UK’s best festivals that only gets better each time, it’s hard to deny its validity in 2025. It’s boasting five headliners, for one, which is a practice that’s grown increasingly tiresome in other festival contexts—if they’re on one after the other on the same day, are they really a headliner?—but the smaller size of 2000trees definitely benefits it in that department. Here, you couldn’t really bill Taking Back Sunday, Coheed And Cambria and Alexisonfire as anything other than headliners. Their influence has permeated so far through the ‘trees ecosystem that even a de facto ‘top billing’ only makes sense. (Plus, there’s an undeniable spread of bangers across the three, which definitely helps.)
More interesting, however, are the remaining two of our five toppers. PVRIS are a strange one, though factoring in the dark-pop and crossover vein that this festival has sought to mine most recently, giving that sound a slot like this can have some weight. It’s Kneecap who stand out the most, though, and not just for the recent heat on their ‘controversial’ viewpoint that kids being bombed is a bad thing. A hip-hop headliner really isn’t 2000trees’ bread-and-butter, though you could easily call Kneecap more punk than the majority of what’s claiming the label today. They’re also a pretty enormous get with regular appearances on these grounds over the last couple of years, with this being something of a crowning moment for that little come-up. Add on the fact that their international buzz and notoriety goes without saying, and this could genuinely be a headline set for the books.
There’s also a little band called letlive. due to show up—maybe you’ve heard of them? After what’s felt like an agonisingly long time coming, the return of letlive. is in full swing, with this being one of a very limited number of UK appearances on this initial run. You shouldn’t need any further reasons to not miss this. It’s a well-known fact that their shows are without parallel, and some of the greatest post-hardcore of the modern age to boot only sweetens the deal even further. If you aren’t there for letlive….well, you’ve not precisely wasted your ticket, but you certainly haven’t gotten the most out of your 2025 ‘trees experience, either. Though, if that’s somehow not enough to sate your need for hardcore in the open air, Employed To Serve have never stopped leaping from strength to strength with this likely being no exception, and VOWER really seem pegged among the ones to watch in heavy music in the coming months.
Moving on to punk, that’s where the greatest contingent of this year’s main stage lies. There’s some pretty good names from the modern circles, too, coming in Trash Boat’s darker, denser take; a double hit of hyper-tense spoken-word post-punk from BIG SPECIAL and Meryl Streek; SNAYX’ firmer fare; indie- and alt-punk power from Press Club and Jools; a staunch callback to the classic of the style from The Molotovs; one of the standard-bearers of pop-punk’s current soloist wave in Karen Dió; and even a welcome, rare bit of ska-punk from Catbite. They can’t all be winners—the ever-inconsistent and frustrating garage-punk of FIDLAR springs to mind immediately—but the majority is as solid as it comes.
Diving into what’s left, however, produces a bit of mixed bag. Let’s get the less-good stuff out the way first—the appeal of BLACKGOLD remains a total mystery, and giving their beyond-basic rap-metal a space at the top table is unlikely to change that. As for The Hunna and Himalayas, they’re ploughing an alt-rock furrow that never has and never will be exciting (though, the former are worse for it; the latter aren’t too bad), something that The Dangerous Summer are excellent at avoiding on record, but find their emo leaving a lot to be desired live. Elsewhere, though, the remainders aren’t bad. Sparta absolutely look to go down well, adjacent to At The Drive In as they are and with a relatively infrequent history of live appearances on these shores. The rest is made up of Britrock heavy-hitters-in-waiting, with the exception of Vukovi who are as safe a booking as they come, thanks to the years of growth they’ve undergone and admiration they’ve gleaned. unpeople aren’t much further behind, though, as they and Gen And The Degenerates are packing the kinds of songs that are all too prepared for main stage airtime. Finally, Mallavora might be bringing up the rear of this little crowd, but their alt-metal could also really fly with just the right push. They wouldn’t be the first for whom that’s happened here.
The Axiom
There’s a lot to talk about with this year’s Axiom headliners. The big story is, obviously, the return of Million Dead, which finds Frank Turner resurrecting his hardcore band that looked to be gone forever, but are back after 20 years. Subsequent shows have been also announced for later in the year which might rub a bit of the shine off, but come on—it’s Million Dead! Turner has already staked his claim as one of the keynote individuals that made ‘trees what it is today, and barring a Reuben reunion that’ll actually never happen, this is as close to an undeniable moment as it comes. As for the others, they don’t hold as much weight, but there’s still enough to talk about. Twin Atlantic carry on the trend of past headliners being knocked down the bill for their next go-around, but if their catalogue of Britrock hits can satisfy the apex, the tent should be no issue. As for SPRINTS, they’re absolutely the odd duck of this selection, a band who’ve definitely amassed some buzz in post-punk circles that hasn’t translated to any significant profile. To be fair, you do get slots like this at ‘trees, where a left-of-centre headliner is drafted in to keep things interesting, so hopefully SPRINTS can add their name to that list.
Or perhaps they’re here to represent the bevy of post-punk that The Axiom is packing this year, and of a pretty wide-reaching variety, too. Most noteworthy is Andy Falkous’ double duty with Mclusky and Future Of The Left, the former having just released one of the best albums of the year so far, and the latter essentially being a continuation of that framework. Needless to say, they’re the premium source for funny, witty, indelibly gripping post-hardcore for this year. While not strictly post-punk per se, La Dispute fall into a similar bracket, albeit swapping out snide jabs at any and all comers for an extended session of hearts being ripped from chests. They’re actually doing two sets this year with this being the biggest, and a new album later this year from this most mercurial of post-hardcore bands would suggest there’s no reason to miss out.
Back to post-punk, though, and the bevy that The Axiom has to offer. Cloud Nothings definitely stand out for the acclaim they’ve amassed over the years, with a brand of noise-rock that’s always had a magnetising factor to it. As for the new names looking to perform a similar strike (and where better than here to do that?), KEG play more fast-and-loose with modern post-punk’s wry intellect and commentary; Humour channel their noise-rock into something priding its viciousness; and Queen Cult take the sound in a more further-reaching, anthemic direction.
Also noteworthy is the shoegaze quota of The Axiom, where the genre is clearly having something of a moment in finding different places to attach itself to. Flying the flag the highest at the moment are Split Chain, who have found themselves firmly nestled among the scene’s current rota of guaranteed wave-makers with their atmospheric take on metal. Oversize could enjoy something similar with their ‘90s-esque brew (featuring a lot of—who else?—Deftones), and while Superbloom’s ascent is yet to fully come, for anything reminiscent of emo and grunge’s infatuation with a distortion peddle, it’s just a matter of time.
And yet, even with all of that, The Axiom still has some of its biggest names to roll out. It’s where you’ll find Kid Kapichi this year, perennial alt-rock faves who, even despite a fairly sizable lineup re-shuffle recently, don’t seem anywhere close to buckling. High slots like this are their M.O. at this point, and that doesn’t look to be changing in a hurry. They’re also alongside DZ Deathrays as an ever-present noisy garage-rock band (though, thankfully, one of the better ones); Puppy, re-emerging from a period out of the spotlight and still sporting some of the catchiest alt-rock and -metal known to man; and Dream Nails, who, in the ever-turbulent world of indie-punk, remain a great constant.
Finally, there’s the rest, with little to complain about here, either. The closest may be Youth Killed It, and even that’s because they’ve been rather quiet for a while, and it’s no certainty how their lad-rock-cum-indie-rap has held up after that time. Still, it’s far from a pressing matter when you take a look at how stacked even this section of stragglers is. Anxious’ album this year is already one of the most underrated of 2025, though knowing how much the ‘trees crowd loves their alt-emo masterclasses, there’s no alarm to be had here. Meanwhile, Chastity and Out Of Love are representives of indie-punk and emo’s exciting newer wave; Hail The Sun and Delta Sleep bring out a welcome dose of math-rock; and EVER’s straightforward rock music might produce the little to talk about on paper, but there’s still plenty about it to like.
The Cave
As always, 2000trees heavier proprietors gather at The Cave, where this year’s billing is as straightforwardly stacked as always. That always seems to be the case with this stage in particular, and while it’s a bit of a bummer to see a lack of Church Road’s fingerprints compared to past years (save for Grief Ritual and their particular feral hardcore), there’s most certainly not a shortage. For headliners, Stick To Your Guns might seem like the least impressive of the three, but their melodic hardcore thrives way more onstage compared to some safe, samey album releases. Heriot jumping to the top slot feels like a real turning point for them, shaking off the ‘rising star’ tag and landing squarely among modern metal’s strongest. Finally, there’s Imminence, a bit of a strange pick (especially for a final-day headliner), but if you have to have a metalcore rep, one as well-loved and au fait with symphonic grandeur as these will do the trick.
One thing you might notice if you scan down this year’s Cave bill, though, is a more abundant punk quotient than usual. It does make sense, overall—on a stage typically reserved for metal and hardcore, it’s not like this is some uncharted leap, and added melody can bring a freshness that’s not something to complain about. So while Grade 2’s worship of The Clash is a little out of step with more ‘traditional’ heavy fare, if it’s indicative of this part of ‘trees engaging in the ever-metastatic profile of its wider lineup, then they’re a good one to lead the charge. They’re also heading up a focus on British punk that trends more towards classic sounds, like with Rifle, CLOBBER and Bruise Control (and Soapbox to really lean into that melodic aspect). There’s also Calva Louise, who are more nominally genre-benders than straight-up Brit-punk, but they’re already clashing with letlive. so might as well give them a bit of a break, right? As for the rest of it, it’s a bit more familiar to the rubric. With Coilguns, EYES and Uncertainty, they’re indebted to oppressive noise-rock, while the punk of Die Spitz and Last Hounds is more hoary and matted, and SPACED have a hardcore-punk bent to put them in the same lane as Speed or Scowl. Ideal for this lineup, then, you might say.
When all of that is said and done, it might look like a relatively scant list that’s left, but it’s impressive diverse in offering. Melody isn’t out of the question here, either, with Hidden Mothers’ progressive post-hardcore and Love is noise’s wall of Deftones-inspired sound being fine vehicles for that. On the total opposite side of the spectrum, grindcore from Frontierer and the death-metal-styled hardcore of Terminal Sleep are the perfect doses of utter carnage. You can also bundle Kaonashi in there, too, though their breed of mathcore insanity tends to occupy its own space entirely. As for the rest, Birds In Row are one of the standout screamo bands around right now, full stop; additional flavours of hardcore are provided by the emotional cries of Love Letter and the metallic rip of False Reality; Vexed play to some of the more effective contempo-metal angles; and Eville’s self-styled ‘brat-metal’…isn’t all that good, but hey—it’s another base covered, right?
The NEU Stage
It’s always a great little stage, the NEU, because in the entire festival landscape, there’s no individual stratum of lineup that’s as concentrated in its quality as this. It really is the free-for-all of the ‘trees lineup, where a bit of everything (and usually up-and-comers) can co-exist and wreck together. Case in point—the headliners, a blend of Witch Fever’s deep, dark punk, CIVIC’s brawny post-punk, and Black Foxxes, who seem to be coming back from out of nowhere, but given that they’re responsible for some truly wonderful emo, there are no complaints. The more prominent names joining them cover a similarly wide range—Lake Malice bring crushing, cybernetically-enhanced post-hardcore; Lowlives have a hard rock bent really capable of taking flight; Benefits’ fire-spitting post-punk is a serious force to be reckoned with; and VENUS GRRRLS and GIRLBAND! bring new strands of vivacity to pop-rock with their individual styles.
Following all of those, it’s a nice cross-section of the ‘trees sound that’s offered here, and the fact it’s in 2025 means there’s a good chunk of post-punk here. Not that that’s a bad thing at all, when RONKER, TARMAC, Thanks and HUNNY BUZZ are all capable of supremely solid things. Even in the adjoining fields, the classic punk of Split Dogs and the noisier outings of Coughin’ Vicars will undoubtedly appeal, on feel and vibe alone.
But as for the rest, it shouldn’t be understated how much is encompassed here, to the point where ‘something for everyone’ is a genuine selling point, rather than a trite platitude. Even from 2000trees’ most left-field pulls, Hyphen and Good Health Good Wealth fit the crossover hip-hop niche, and Daytime TV and Bandit are the kind of indie-rock more accustomed to Reading & Leeds or any manner of local metro-festivals. As for more established footing, the return of Bad Sign is a phenomenal booking, as yet another revival of a crucially underrated post-hardcore band is right in our midst. Meanwhile, straight-up alt-rock looks to be in rude health thanks to Chroma, HECTARES and Pavé; post-hardcore balances out the new with the nostalgic, respectively delivered by San Demas and Failstate; Tayne occupy the small but noteworthy corner of industrial representation; Terminals have cavernous shoegaze on lock; and Love Rarely’s blend of screamo and math-rock is an unrepentantly ear-catching mix.
The Forest Stage
As the Forest Stage continues to morph into a proper part of the ‘trees infrastructure and not just its own side-attraction, it’s always fascinating to see what it’ll turn into. Its roots haven’t been forgotten, thankfully, as the home of soloists, singer-songwriters, and and those more receptive to stripped-down vibe. Thus, Frank Turner giving a full airing of his seminal Love, Ire & Song couldn’t fit the bill better, especially as a way to promote and build excitement for that side of the lineup. As a festival that’s always kept in touch with its (grass)roots, bookings like that—and fellow soloists like Kevin Devine, Ben Brown, Freddie Halkon, Grumble Bee and solo side-ventures from Stick To Your Guns’ Jesse Barnett and Jenna McDougall of Tonight Alive’s Hevenshe—is a perfect way to stick firm to that.
Of course, the 2000trees edict has never been one to stagnate, and the influx of electro-pop and nu-gen only seems to be building even more of a foothold. Hell, on two of the three days, topping the bill are RØRY and Deathbyromy, once again welcoming any and all from the broader alternative spectrum onto the grounds of Upcote Farm. Julia Wolf also fits that bill, though your attention may be drawn a lot quicker to the mini Eurovision party that ‘trees seems to be hosting. Yes, Bambie Thug has had clout in this scene before the represented Ireland at last year’s contest (and Cyan Kicks technically don’t qualify for that world, but were in the running), but Baby Lasagna is such an out-of-nowhere pull that it’s almost beyond belief that it’s a genuine inclusion on a UK summer festival lineup. It’ll probably be a laugh, no doubt, but it’s the most conclusive bit of proof yet that the floodgates have opened and ‘trees is welcoming all who spill through.
Just look at what else is on offer, if you want more. Admittedly, it’s not quite the wild swing of the Croatian Eurovision entrant, but the Forest really does appear to become a home for whatever feels like stopping by. The one that leaps out the most is Battlesnake, the costumed metal sextet who might have a bit of a tight squeeze to even fit on the stage, but sport a sound and presence that’s comparable to literally no one else here. La Dispute are also making their second appearance of the festival here, in one of the intimate I-was-theres that this stage excels at producing. As for the rest, it’s where you’ll catch previous ‘trees staples As December Falls, Orchards and The Hara this year, as well as pop-punk from Youth Fountain; genesis-of-post-hardcore emo from Grieving; alt-country from L.A. Edwards; opulent goth-pop and post-punk from Imogen And The Knife; tried-and-true garage-rock duo-ness from Baby Said; and good, old-fashioned alt-rock from Spare Kid and Riding The Low.
And let’s not forget ‘trees’ early-bird special where, as always, highlights from last year and cool names from in and around the bill come down to the woods to welcome Wednesday’s crowd. Hot Milk are the main attraction this time, a ludicrous proposition when this band packed the Axiom last year, among their myriad other achievements, but that’s the magic allure that ‘trees brings. There’s no other explanation, not with a line-up—one exclusively for early starters, at that—as stacked as Kid Kapichi, Panic Shack, Blood Command, unpeople, VOWER and Haggard Cat.
2000trees Festival takes place on 9th-12th July at Upcote Farm. For more information, visit 2000trees.co.uk.
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