Words: Dave Stewart. Photos: Paul Lyme and Penny Bennett

Inhuman Nature

If coffee isn’t kicking you into gear for the final day of the festival, perhaps some axe wielding, battle jacket-donning, fist-pumping thrash will do the trick. Like Gatecreeper but with a little less fuzz, Inhuman Nature are a no-holds-barred metallic storm and they’re here to deliver a sharp shock to the festival’s early risers. They put on a very enthusiastic and high energy display, and though it isn’t fully matched by the crowd they still put on a sledgehammer display. There is some chaos though, most notably a midday circle pit that includes a banana, a hot dog and Bert from Sesame Street among its ranks, and the band somehow manage to keep stern straight faces. The tent is criminally quiet, but those in attendance are treated to a pulverising dose of sonic caffiene.

HAWXX

HAWXX’s music is about as inclusive, uplifting and loving as heavy music can be, and their unfiltered aggressive delivery beckons a lot of people into The Cave to catch their set. They stomp across the stage with attitude and confidence, and it gives the entire set a powerful aura that’s near impossible to turn away from. With a set full of brutally low riffs juxtaposed by angelic vocal hooks, it’s a seriously hard-hitting display, let down a little by the muddy sound. Their vocal harmonies are on point, though, and they’re most hypnotic during ’The Death Of Silence’ where their stunning four-part acapella completely silences the tent. They bravely finish on a brand new unreleased song that they only finished yesterday; a feral and risky way to end a set, but one that pays off.

Press Club

There is so much energy spilling out of Press Club as they take to The Axiom’s stage that it’s impossible to not be enveloped by it. The band dominate the tent with an eye catching show that showcases a lot of their latest record ‘Endless Motion’ as well as all the biggest and best from their catalogue, and it’s such a joy to watch. Vocalist Natalie Foster bounces across the full width stage while delivering her impassioned and adrenaline-fuelled vocals, and the crowd give back every drop of effervescence right back to her. She repays them for their enthusiasm by leaping into the pit for the stunning ‘Separate Houses’, the entire floor jumping and moshing around her as the band lock into their groove back on stage. If that wasn’t enough, during set closer ‘Suburbia’, Foster climbs the stages central steel beam and empties her lungs while swinging from its side, and she has everyone’s undivided attention while doing so. The set is further proof that there’s something in the Aussie water that makes good bands, but above all, that this band have drank a lot of it. A festival highlight.

The Xcerts

The gathering around the main stage for The Xcerts is enormous, and rightly so. Their posi-vibes, feel good anthems are everything a festival like this is about. The weather understands this too; even though you couldn’t see the sun you could feel it, and every song they play seems to turn up the temperature up a little more. Considering there’s only three of them, they sound colossal. Every song they play, from the delicious ‘Daydream’ to the short but joy-filled ‘Ache’, shakes the ribcages of everyone in attendance and it’s enough to get your dancing feet twitching, regardless of whether you’re a curious spectator or a devoted fan. They have one of the best sounding snares of the entire weekend, too; when hit hard it feels like a bomb going off right next to you, but it gives off a tasty and delicate snap when hit softly. The set is full of minimal banter and maximum tunes, vocalist Murray Macleod using one of his few crowd interactions to dedicate the stunning ‘Aberdeen 1987’ to his now cancer-free dad. Closing the set on the immaculate ‘Feels Like Falling In Love’, helped along with a surprise guest vocal from You Me At Six’s Josh Franceschi, they leave the crowd feeling content and full. A glorious smile-fest, from beginning to end.

Angel Du$t

If you were looking for a band to knock you off your feet, you may well have found it in Angel Du$t. The Cave temporarily transforms itself from a festival stage into a gigantic hardcore party, and Angel Du$t are the function band providing all of the good vibes for everyone to lose their minds to. If you close your eyes during the set you can picture yourself skating down an empty boardwalk, sun shining, carton of cranberry juice in hand, but when you open them it’s pure chaos. The front half of the crowd is an ever-moving mass of energy; an non-stop mosh-fest, not even taking the opportunity to take a breather in between songs. The band spot Tigger amidst all the bedlam and invite him onstage as a hype man for the rest of the crowd and it works like a charm, causing the madness to stretch even further back through the tent and ending his contribution to the set by leaping from the stage to much applause. This isn’t just one of the most spirited sets of this year’s festival, but one of the most high-powered that you’ll ever see. Simply incredible.

Blanket

The Neu Stage is criminally quiet when post-rock heavyweights Blanket take to the stage. Their expansive and gut-wrenching approach to their sonics is hypnotic to those in the know, but for some reason it just doesn’t grab the curiosity of those passing by the tent. Vocalist Bobby Pook is giving off Liam Gallagher vibes today; shades on, arms held behind his back when not playing guitar, he oozes cool as he delicately sings his lullabies down the microphone. The crowd takes a couple of songs to get going, but by the time the majestic ‘Euphoria’ and the colossal ‘White Noise’ show their faces everyone in the tent is either moshing, head banging or both. It’s impossible to stand still, really; the band are so tight, and their soundscapes and incredible use of dynamics translate so well into a live setting and truly fill every inch of space around the crowd. They’re a hidden gem on this year’s bill, and hopefully the next time they play it’ll be to a bigger audience.

Lonely The Brave

There’s a real buzz in the air as The Cave awaits Lonely The Brave, and that buzz suggests that what is about to happen is going to be a tad special. As soon as the members begin to appear, that begins to become a reality, with the crowd surfing, limb flailing and mass-singing kicking into gear almost immediately. Everyone on stage is visibly delighted by what they’re seeing, and the mutual appreciation for one another ensures that everybody present will have a good time. The band occasionally come across as a tad messy and disjointed, maybe a direct result of them losing themselves in the adrenaline-fuelled chaos of the performance, but the crowd doesn’t notice at all. The tent finds itself getting extra busy during the second half of the set due to the first heavy rain of the weekend rearing its unwanted head, and the tightly packed feel adds to the vibe; it feels like a sold out venue, and the band raises their own bar. A serene and punchy display that makes everyone forget the rain even happened at all.

Creeper

As the masses crammed into The Axiom prepare to receive Creeper, Darcia the Vampire Familiar steps out to introduce the set. “Isn’t there a better band on another stage you could be watching,” she asks, and its safe to say that as far as this enormous crowd is concerned, there isn’t. Shortly after this, the band creep (sorry) one by one onto the stage to rapturous applause, and everything that follows is absolute bliss. Set opener ‘Further Than Forever’ is the perfect kick off for the set, turning the heat up from nought to a hundred within seconds as the audience explodes into action, and the follow-up punches of ‘Lovers Led Astray’, ‘Sacred Blasphemy’ and ‘The Ballad Of Spook And Mercy’ ensure that those energy levels stay high. If Mötley Crue and Billy Idol had a biker vampire baby that grew up listening to Meatloaf, this is exactly what you’d get – a theatrical, hard-hitting and fierce rock show that’s all killer and no filler. 

The band express their gratitude to the attending mob of Creeper cult members for supporting them, frontman Will Gould (currently William Von Should – vampires innit) holding them all in the palm of his hand as he steers them through hit after glorious hit. The closing moments of the set are just as epic as the rest has been; ‘Down Below’, ‘Chapel Gates’ and the stunning set closer ‘Cry To Heaven’ are all lapped up eagerly by the crowd, but its ‘Misery’ that completely steals the show. The performance is one of the most powerful not just of their set but of the entire weekend, and the acapella singalong led by the crowd caught the band completely off guard, genuinely moving them as they allow their fans’ power to take the spotlight. One of the most triumphant sets of the weekend, and if this is anything to go by they could be 2000 Trees headliners in the not too distant future. Absolutely magnificent.

Don Broco

It’s time for the main event. The final main stage band of the weekend. Not the end of the festival for everybody, but the end of the festival for some, and Don Broco are one hell of a band to close out this magnificent festival. Their stage production is the biggest that the main stage has seen all weekend; they’ve brought an enormous lighting rig with them to enhance their energy and it definitely did the trick. Kicking things off with the towering ‘Everybody’ is a masterstroke and the crowd are bouncing and dancing immediately; merely minutes into the set, the full field is completely captivated. ‘Pretty’, ‘Technology’ and the irresistible ‘Come Out To LA’ ensure the party keeps going, and the atmosphere is unlike anything else that’s happened this weekend. This is a real spectacle. 

Don Broco are one of those bands where you forget just how many songs you know until they play them one after another; every song is a barnstormer, and the crowd bathe in every glorious moment. The majestic ‘One True Prince’ is as crushing as it is trance-inducing, ‘Manchester Super Reds No.1 Fan’ is a riot-starter, ‘ACTION’ is meteoric and connects even harder thanks to a guest vocal from a very rabid Kid Brunswick; every song goes down a treat and the band seem unstoppable. 

Another thing about the band that we often forget is how far back the bangers stretch, and when they drop ‘Priorities’ into the setlist we’re reminded of how ahead of how groundbreaking they were in the beginning. Debut album cut ‘Priorities’ and old fan favourite ‘You Wanna Know’ sound even more staggering than they did back then, sitting in their setlist just as pretty as their newer output. ‘Bruce Willis’ and its deafening “yippee ki yay motherfucker” chants and confetti cannon explosions kick the set back into the now, and the main set ends with the stunning ‘Nerve’ and an ‘Endorphins’ / ‘Thug Workout’ mashup that re-forms their push-up crew in the many wall of death-prone pits scattered through the crowd. 

After playing a brief game of adult peekaboo, the band return to the stage to treat the crowd to two final songs. The first is newer cut ‘Fingernails’, its towering riffs and dark pulsating electronics summoning the final outbursts of energy from the sweaty and ecstatic field. No Don Broco set is complete without the dazzling ’T-Shirt Song’ though, and it’s the most apt way to finish proceedings. Everyone in attendance has an item of clothing ready to swing around their head before they even start the song, and by the time the chorus comes around you can barely see the stage through all the flailing garments. It doesn’t just feel like a celebration of Don Broco; it feels like a celebration of the festival, capping off a wonderful three days at Upcote Farm with a unifying belter and an incredible fireworks display.

The lights come up, the punters begin to slip away into the night, and everyone in attendance is left feeling full. Full of happiness, full of positivity and, most importantly, full of gratitude for this wonderful festival. What a weekend, huh?

don

Album opener and lead single, ‘GIMME’, is a brash, fuzzy-laden flash that polarised fans upon its release. While it lacks the emotional sentiment of Murray Macleod’s more poignant work, it still manages to highlight his ability to create poppy earworms with ease. Likewise, ‘Car Crash Culture’ and ‘Jealousy’ soon follow, maintaining the momentum. 

While the former is a joyous and glossy slice of 80’s pop-rock with modern quirks subtly springing up throughout, the latter certainly sounds like an XCERTS track. Tom Heron’s punchy drums steadily support the power-chord-driven guitars and Macleod’s distraught words. 

Throughout ‘Learning…’, the XCERTS occasionally have a tendency to cut songs before they’re truly allowed to breathe and be effective. For example, ‘Ache’ swirls with a power-pop surge as Architects’ Sam Carter makes a brief, if not unremarkable, cameo. Its synth-led melody is infectious yet its duet chorus races towards the finish line far too soon. Later on, ‘Inhale (Her)’ brings the tone momentarily down with stripped-back, experimental twists before erupting with a wall of guitars. Again, Macleod and company aren’t able to grab the listener long enough to make the finale as compelling or effective. As they’ve shown previously, they’re certainly capable do doing so. They’re even able to do it on this record.

‘Drag Me Out’ is a stirring, slow-burning anthem that utilises tender piano keys and harmonies with Macleod’s heartfelt words interlaced. This is paired with ‘Everything I Cannot Live Without’, a simple, delicate acoustic number that allows a hushed Macleod to flex his balladic muscles with ease. Together, they are able to exemplify the XCERTS’ ability to write emotionally enticing songs that simply capture the listener’s attention.

Even though ‘Learning…’ has a tendency to lean on characteristics that have been so effective for The XCERTS in the past, there are hints of evolution. ‘Lust In Translation’ is an electro-led number that captures the fear and thrill of young love. Whereas ‘Lovesick’ is a jaunty, blatant pop number that is reminiscent of The 1975 with a hint of Prince. 

Their reliance on past traits does remain intact, but as heard on ‘Blame’, they’re able to incorporate a fizzy, surging pop quality to their urgent driving guitars. As a package, it considerably feels like the most realised and well-executed version of what The XCERTS want to sound like in 2023.

‘Learning…’ ends with a pair of intimate songs that emphasise the poignant, introspective narrative that Macleod threads through the record. ‘My Friends Forever’ is timid in its delivery, again highlighting the trio’s capability to produce emotional, heart-wrenching ballads, adding a succulent, mournful horn at its conclusion. Likewise, ‘It Ain’t Easy’ is an atmospheric and stirring lull with Macleod’s confessional words. However, despite its slow-burning structure, it lacks an effective pay-off. Instead, we’re just left with studio atmosphere noise, ending the album on a barren note.

While ‘Learning How To Live And Let Go’ isn’t The XCERTS’ best work or as instantaneous, it still has an admirable quality. It’s a melting pot of new and old (and reliable) ideas that they use to the best of their ability. Collectively, they’ve again proved they can write infectious, guitar-driven alt-pop with ease, as well as earnest ballads. However, the 12 songs on offer here don’t quite reach the heights of what The XCERTS have done before. In time, ‘Learning…’ could be seen as a transitional record for The XCERTS, but in the meantime, it proves to be a mixed bag of a record that celebrates the trio’s best characteristics with one evolutionary eye on the future.

SÊAN REID

Surely, for many, waking up on that Friday morning was no mean feat. That Silent Disco is just too good to refuse, right? One day of festivities down, two to go – suck it up. Oh, and bring sun cream.

Words: Aaron Jackson.  Images: Paul Lyme and Penny Bennett

The St Pierre Snake Invasion

Tasked with the midday slot, the sun was already beating down on the exposed lawn of the main stage as The St Pierre Snake Invasion stepped up. In releasing ‘Galore’ earlier this year, they’ve already entered the album of the year conversation, so to hear renditions of ‘Kracked Velvet’ and ‘Submechano’ amongst others live was a right treat to start the day. Stylised vocals drenched in distorted noise carried over crashing instrumentation that brushed away any cobwebs left over as a result of the previous night’s party.

Unfortunately, their set was cut short, according to frontman Damien Sayell because they had too much gear and spent too long getting ready. However, there was still time to close it out with the rambunctious ‘Rock ‘n’ roll Workshops’, during which Sayell was joined by his young son. Proud as punch, he held onto his boy like a trophy as he screamed his head off like a maniac (Sayell senior, that is). It was a wholesome end to a wholly impressive performance.

BLACKGOLD

Something’s happening here. A nu-metal revival of sorts. Hailing from London but with all the pomp and swagger to garner attention from across the globe (including from genre godfather Fred Durst himself), BLACKGOLD take to The Cave with an air of intent about them. Dressed up to the nines, complete with black and gold masks, it’s a cool aesthetic but they must have been sweating up a storm under there.

The industrious blend of hip-hop and hardcore was impossible to resist, particularly throughout the copious fat breakdowns which elicited mass movement throughout the audience. Anonymous as individuals, but expect to be hearing the name BLACKGOLD plenty soon.

Heriot

Without a shadow of a doubt one of the most brutal bands on the bill, Heriot take no prisoners wherever they go, regardless of the size of the stage. Tanking through juggernauts like ‘Enter The Flesh’ and ‘Profound Morality’, there’s a gravity to this music that belies the breakneck speed at which it’s delivered. 

Debbie Gough (guitarist/vocalist) and Jake Packer (bassist/vocalist) exchanged vocal blows between themselves, each one more guttural than the next to shake onlookers through to their core. While the crowd may have been sparser than one would hope (possibly due to the time of day and the heat), there was a healthy nucleus of devoted Heriot fans front and centre that were insatiable in their appetite for heavy music. Flailing limbs aplenty, Heriot made their mark and then some.

Heart Attack Man

Embracing their first UK festival appearance, and a second visit to the land overall, with heaps of energy is Ohio four-piece Heart Attack Man. They bound into their set with ‘Freak Of Nature’ – the titular track of their brand new LP. Only in the public domain for a couple of months, the catchy choruses on album cuts such as ‘Like A Kennedy’ and ‘Stick Up’ ensure that plenty in the crowd are singing every word back to frontman Eric Egan.

‘C4’ was an explosive inclusion that sparked a fiery circle pit in The Cave, satiating a crowd aching for an excuse to get rowdier. There’s a case to be made that the edgier, heavier numbers from Heart Attack Man’s oeuvre would’ve been embraced with open arms in this setting – the likes of ‘Puke’ for example. However, pop-punk anthems like ‘Pitch Black’ and ‘Leap Year’ still had plenty of bite in them for Hammy to hold their own on this turf.

Origami Angel

What a stage for the final show of a first-ever UK tour. The eclectic and bordering on prodigious Washington D.C. duo made up of vocalist/guitarist Ryland Heagy and drummer Pat Doherty were clearly relishing this experience. Spotted on the side stage the previous day cheering on their tour mates Prince Daddy & The Hyena, they delivered a whirlwind set on The Axiom with the same smiles beaming across their faces.

Buckets of variety between the surfy ‘Thank You, New Jersey’, the angsty ‘JUDGE’ and of course, the anthemic ‘24 Hr Drive-Thru’ ensured that there was something for everyone on offer. Each song was expertly executed with the two members sonically bouncing off of each other in perfect unison, all the while fans went frankly rabid at points. The cherry on top was some great news for fans both existing and new when Heagy revealed (after receiving permission from The Wonder Years’ Soupy) that his band would be returning to the UK in November to support TWY on tour. We will be there.

Joyce Manor

Taking to the Main Stage in the blazing sunshine, Joyce Manor looked at home in a setting of such grandeur. Understandably unphased by the intermittent British summer, the Californian quintuplet strolled straight into their 18-song setlist – an incredible feat considering their 45-minute time slot. The set consisted of hits that spanned from 2012’s breakout ‘Of All The Things I Will Soon Grow Tired’ all the way through to 2022’s impressive ’40 oz. To Fresno’, delivering a little bit of everything to the sizable crowd that had assembled in the rolling Gloucestershire hills.

The band rattled through their set at an electrifying pace, calling for inspiration from the crowd for song requests – a theme common on Joyce Manor shows, supported by their short, succinct songwriting style. Of course, hits such as ‘Leather Jacket’, ‘Eighteen’, ‘Constant Headache’ and ‘Catalina Fight Song’ drew the biggest singalongs,  affirming the band’s status as one of the genre’s most beloved cult bands.

Zulu

One of the most anticipated sets across the whole weekend belonged to scorching hot trailblazers, Los Angeles’ Zulu. Largely thanks to the quality of their debut full-length ‘A New Tomorrow’ which dropped earlier this year, the band have a record that has rippled seismically throughout the scene. Moving at an unrelenting pace, all five members displayed unmatched energy as they tore through hit after hit, the likes of ‘Where I’m From’ and ‘Fakin’ Tha Funk (You Get Did)’.

The dual vocals between the principal vocalist Anaiah Lei and the drummer/vocalist Christine Cadette (whose performance stunned from start to finish) hit just as hard in a live setting as they do on the record. The whole experience felt as though it lasted five minutes, each crushing breakdown more doom fuelled than the next, completely capturing the attention of all onlookers. Bowing out with ‘52 Fatal Strikes’ it was a fleeting yet delightful encounter, with a fair few fans stumbling out of The Cave ever so slightly worse for wear than they were 30 minutes prior.

Microwave

There was a palpable air of relief from the Atlanta, Georgia four-piece Microwave as they settled into their slot on The Axiom. Two cancelled UK tours off the back of 2019’s ‘Death is a Warm Blanket’ felt like a significant setback at the time. It had been a long wait, but Microwave seized their opportunity to reacquaint with a British audience in a determined and convicted manner.

Traversing between the grit of ‘Mirrors’ to soothing stoner numbers like ‘keeping up’ later on in the set demonstrated the versatility of the band. Frontman Nathan Hardy even donned an acoustic guitar, rarely sighted outside of 2000trees’ picturesque Forest stage, as he strummed through newer cut ‘Straw Hat’. Microwave’s ability to evoke sunny imagery was the perfect compliment to that late summer afternoon described as “spicy” by Hardy.

Usually, the band would leave their audience with the visceral climb at the conclusion of ‘Vomit’, however, they had five minutes in spare change at the end of the set. A solo acoustic rendition of ‘Something Right’ instead marked the end of a well-rounded performance from a band with such a rock-solid discography on an elegant and poignant note.

The Xcerts

Beloved mainstays of 2000trees, endearing trio The Xcerts are back and toeing their way through a brand new era for the band. It’s been over five years since the release of their previous record ‘Hold on to Your Heart’ and, while there was plenty of space across the 50-minute time slot for old favourites, it was the brand new ‘GIMME’ that fans were greeted with. Frontman Murray Macleod was having great fun with his autotune machine, beaming and bouncing around the stage as he chanted his way through the 90-second flash of dirty pop-rock. 

Making light of internet trolls and the band’s apparent insistence on committing “career suicide” with recent directional choices shows just how confident The Xcerts are with their new output, and so they should be. That said, the nostalgia of older cuts like ‘Slackerpop’, ‘Crisis in the Slow Lane’ and the utterly timeless ‘Aberdeen 1987’ is unmatched and therefore marked the highest points of the set. Being part of a crowd in the thousands singing “I’m your new best friend…” in unison, will forever be one of this festival’s champagne moments, regardless of the year.

Employed To Serve

Walking out to a surprisingly humble crowd in numbers, it didn’t take long for The Cave to fill out once Employed To Serve built into the cascading, crushing brilliance of ‘Universal Chokehold’. The instrumentation throughout the set was airtight, with a special mention for Sammy Urwin whose speed up and down his fretboard was implacable. Fronted by the powerhouse that is Justine Jones, her voice was impeccable as she tore through some of the most aggressive and expressive music of the whole weekend.

There was some exquisite headbanging on display from the band and audience members alike, the lightning pace of the music resulted in hair whipping all over the place and, no doubt, some very sore necks. Mind you, would it even be possible to listen to ‘Force Fed’ or ‘Mark Of The Grave’ without throwing the skull around? Doubt it.

Empire State Bastard

Perhaps a small handful of onlookers stumbled to the Empire State Bastard set having heard that Mike Vennart and Simon Neil (from a little band by the name of Biffy Clyro) would be performing, in a tent, in 2023. Those unfamiliar with the nature of the project were knocked for six as the experimental outfit launched into one of just two songs that have been released for public consumption to date. ‘Harvest’ is the perfect introduction to this off-the-wall cacophony – it’s chaos, but it’s brilliant. The following ten songs are no different.

Even in the weirder early years of Biffy Clyro, this is Neil like never seen before – in fetching short shorts, launching himself across the stage while screaming like a bobcat. What a spectacle. The only disappointment was that legendary percussionist and Empire State Bastard regular Dave Lombardo was unable to attend, as he was away on a US tour with Misfits. That said, the replacement was a fucking animal on the tubs. There were few bells and whistles, just really heavy music to which a core nucleus of the crowd pitted hell for leather on every song, whether they were familiar with it or not. The rest stood and watched, awed by the noise surrounding them.

Cancer Bats

Bodies were spilling out of The Cave to catch a glimpse of seasoned pros Cancer Bats headlining the stage. Knocking about for almost 20 years now, the Canadian outfit have been firmly established as a household name in the hardcore scene and it was a busy festival for them. The previous night saw them perform under their, by now well known, alias Bat Sabbath and delivered a set packed with tributes to metal forefathers Black Sabbath, It was, by all accounts, a fantastic experience.

Funnily enough, it was another cover performance in The Cave on the Friday night that stood out amongst the rest – Cancer Bats really do a mean ‘Sabotage’ by Beastie Boys. Fans of the band will know what they’re getting from a Cancer Bats show, but that never stops it from hitting as hard as it does. Jay R. Schwarzer’s swashbuckling riffs, paired with Mike Peters threatening to beat his kit so hard that it collapses the entire stage creates a colossal sound that rattled the whole field to its core. Of course, always impossible to ignore, was frontman Liam Cormier who never once stopped for breath in between songs, let alone during them – a tireless performance from one of the most consistent acts out there.

Bullet For My Valentine

There were plenty of moments throughout the 90-minute headline slot for Welsh metal outfit Bullet For My Valentine that proved why they are held with such legendary regard across heavy music fans. Filling the stage out, complete with an elevated drum platform and vivid light show, the setup couldn’t have been more opposite to the raw simplicity of Soft Play the night before. Armed with timeless hits like ‘Your Betrayal’, ‘Hearts Burst Into Fire’ and ‘Scream Aim Fire’ (for all the guitar heroes out there), each song was executed with the flawless proficiency of a band that have remained at the top of their games for literal decades.

It was their first time at the festival and there was a bit of a foot-in-mouth moment from frontman Matt Tuck as he pontificated about how Bullet were probably the heaviest band to ever play 2000trees. If he’d caught Heriot or Zulu earlier in the day, then he would’ve quickly realised how silly a claim that was. Things did kick up a notch however, when fans were treated to an impromptu AxeWound reunion as Cancer Bats frontman Liam Cormier was back again, this time on the festival’s biggest stage. Running through ‘Cold’, Cormier’s energy was simply unmatched and made the rest of the band look static in comparison, though he would have this effect on most artists out there.

With ‘Tears Don’t Fall’ ageing into something of a seminal track for the band, it marked a huge moment in the set that will stay with fans, both old and new, for a long time after the final note had rung out. ‘Waking The Demon’ was the perfect closer, standing as something of a quintessential Bullet song – blistering verses fuelled by a storm of riffs and a gigantic chorus that opens up, allowing Tuck to let his voice soar and soar it did. Perfectly suited for the biggest stages, Bullet were built for the occasion and delivered appropriately.

AARON JACKSON

Punktastic have always been supportive of upcoming bands, local scenes and the industry as a whole and after your loving support over the last 20 years, it’s time for us to repay the favour. We created the Punktastic Self Care Club, a Patreon that allows our Patrons to meet fellow music fans, share music recommendations, and (when it’s safe to do so) find gig buddies, as well as help contribute to community features and create a platform to raise funds for The Music Venue Trust. Over the next year, we’re looking to create regular community features  via our Discord server – features that’ll be written by the fans, for the fans. No spit or polish, it’s your words, your feelings, your love.

With that in mind, this inaugural community feature is the first in what we hope is a regular playlist feature. You can listen to the playlist below, as well as check out the highlights, as described by our Patrons. So what are you waiting for? Join the Self Care Club and get involved.

Melt Yourself Down – ‘Every Single Day’

Every Single Day is the stand out track from what is potentially my favourite album of 2020. It’s funky, it’s chunky, and absolutely bonkers. The experimental jazz fusion vibes almost reach a delightful SKA sound.

SAM LOVELY

KennyHoopla – ‘how will i rest in peace if i’m buried by the highway?//’

This hits like 2000s indie pop-rock had a baby with 80s new-wave to create a vicious combination of the two, but with more angst and political nous. The chorus is catchy, the riffs are great and Kenny’s voice is rich with empathetic resonance.  If this isn’t in your head for the rest of the day, you didn’t listen to it properly.

ELLIE JOICE

All Them Witches – ‘When God Comes Back’

Do you want to feel like you’ve been transported to the Louisiana Bayou lost and alone at midnight with the eerie feeling your being watched? Well, for one that’s a weird feeling to want to have, so seek help. But this song gives off definite airs of occult mystery and is filled with trippy head banging juiciness.

EDD THOMAS

The Xcerts – ‘I Wanna Be Sedated’

Everyone’s favourite Brighton via Aberdeen heartland rock trio performing a stripped back cover of the best punk band that ever lived (yeah I said it, fight me)… Oooh go on then! Appreciate covers might not be for everyone, but it’s a beautiful take on the song.

BRAD STRATTON

The Lawrence Arms – ‘Hey, What Time Is “Pensacola: Wings of Gold” On Anyway?’

It’s the perfect introduction to The Lawrence Arms. Asinine and snarky, full of thick and frantic rhythms. Recorded in 2001 but released on their 2005 B-sides album ‘Cocktails And Dreams’, it’s a golden oldie (sort of) that still hits as relevant as it did then. Strong recommend for anyone looking for a meaty punk sound laced with punch basslines and lyrics that make you doubt your own existence.

ANDY JOICE

Angelus Apatrida – ‘Indoctrinate’

Thrash metal from Spain that sounds like the bastard lovechild of Pantera and Slayer in all the right ways. RIFFS. FOR. DAYS

BRAD STRATTON

Enola Gay – ‘The Birth of a Nation’

Imagine hayday Beastie Boys raw lyricism being supported by a beefy bass line, but they are from northern Ireland.

EDD THOMAS

Sleaford Mods – ‘Mork n Mindy’

Mork n Mindy is Sleaford Mods back to their obscure best. I think I have Radio 6 to blame for this one as they have been blasting it constantly. I’ve greatly appreciated it.

SAM LOVELY

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But before the craziness began, Scottish punk band swim school graced the stage. Through a black and white kaleidoscope of hair flips and effortless vocals from lead singer Alice Johnson, they smash their set. But, as they say, all good things must come to an end, and their set is over all too soon. But it’s not all serious punk here – they even bought along their ultimate fangirl, aka Johnson’s dad, who somehow manages to fill every moment of quiet with jokes in true dad style.

Then The Xcerts ‘imposter’ guitar tech, who they “brought along cuz he has a good vibe”, checks the sound on Murray’s mic, with a chorus of Freddie Mercury ‘ayos’ that have the crowd singing along already. By this point, you can almost taste the excitement in the air, and throughout the crowd full of 30-something year olds and teenagers alike, it’s infectious. The mix of people in the room is amazing, something only a band who’ve remained relevant on the scene for such a long time could achieve.

Just before the room descends into chaos, you could hear a pin drop (along with the trains running above), before the familiar chords of ‘Home Versus Home’ blast through the speakers. They start with one of the most energetic starts to a show since YUNGBLUD’s show in Camden earlier this year, and the energy in the theatre shows no sign of stopping for the duration.

Soon into Murray’s opening speech, their recent odd show in Aldershot gets mentioned. A resounding cry of ‘Aldersh*t’ sounds back at the singer who laughs before making a confession… “It became quite clear, quite quickly, that the crowd had never heard our first album before…it was like some awful date.” 

“Bet you made money out of it though?” A fan shouts back. It takes a good two minutes to get Jordan to stop creasing with laughter. “Bet you’re a Boris fan?” Murray fires back to a chorus of even louder boos. “Oh shut up you lot, it’s an emo concert…behave yourselves!” he chides like a Scottish mother before swiftly moving on with the next song.

 The more this nostalgia-fuelled, punchy party progressed, the more it morphed into one of the most enjoyable nights ever. Then out of nowhere, a crowdsurfer makes his way to the front – and before anyone has the chance to put hands up to help hold him up, Murray’s reaching out for a fist bump as the crowdsurfer falls to the ground.

With a trip to A&E avoided (and there’s always worse reasons to go), Murray’s already banging the life out of a snare drum marking the end of their first album. The lights drop and, only a short few minutes later, glare red. After a complete play through of ‘In The Cold Wind We Smile’ we’re treated to a selection of their best tracks from the last glorious ten years. McLeod then ventures into the crowd to party with everyone in ‘Hold Onto Your Heart’. It’s safe to say from the band’s smiles that they’ve enjoyed the night as much as we have.

 As the night draws to a close, handshakes and hugs galore are shared with the front rows. The band leave the stage, the house lights come back on, and The Xcerts ’emos’ disperse into the night.

SOPHIE MCCARTHY