Gigraphy Galleries - 2000trees 2024, Day 1

By Sophie Ditchfield

Having always wanted to visit 2000trees, I was super excited for the weekend ahead and what better way to ease me into the festivities than the line-up that Wednesday graced us with.

Having been sent the maps and layout to the site prior to arrival, everything looked like it was fairly easy to find and what a treat I was in for. Parking, camping and accreditation were extremely easy to find, with staff being more than willing to help should you find yourself lost. The site was a lot smaller than I had anticipated but it certainly made everything much easier over the next coming days.

Lambrini Girls

Once I was all set up and had everything I needed for the weekend, I headed over to the iconic Forest Stage. The first act I managed to catch was Lambrini Girls, who are renowned for being politically outspoken. I was pre-warned that they were an act that wasn’t to be missed and I was most certainly informed correctly - the energy they brought to the stage was tangible despite many festival goers still having not arrived.

Dead Pony

Next to grace the stage was yet another female fronted band that I knew was a set worth catching. I first saw Dead Pony opening up for The Blackout on their recent reunion tour and was blown away by Hannah’s abilities as a frontwoman. To see them perform on such an intimate stage was a delight and they certainly deserve to be seen in the spotlight much more in the near future.

Frozemode

Having seen them a few weeks prior at Download Festival I knew that Frozemode were certainly going to deliver - and what a set it was to watch. I’m hoping to see them moving further up the bill over the next few years because they have most definitely earned it.

Dream State

It was then time for what everyone had been waiting for - England playing in the semi-final of the Euros. Despite the match being broadcast on a large screen in The Axiom, Dream State still managed to attract an impressive crowd. They did have the match playing on a smaller screen behind them, but I believe everyone was much more captivated by Jessie’s raw talent. Powell loves to be involved with the crowd, crouching down to interact with fans at every given opportunity. She closed out their set riding the crowd upon an inflatable unicorn before jumping into the pit to join everyone. Seeing so many amazing female fronted bands within the first day cements why 2000trees is one of the best independent festivals in the UK right now.

Boston Manor

To finish off the very first day, Boston Manor took to the stage to perform their largely anticipated intimate set. This show was the first of two sets across the weekend and had been teased online as being somewhat of a “throwback set”. They opened with their newest single ‘Sliding Door’ followed by several hits across their extensive discography. Of course they had to play ‘England’s Dreaming’ as their front man, Henry, took great delight in informing the crowd that England were through to the finals of the 2024 Euros. They finished off their set with ‘Foxglove’ before informing us that merch would be available at the side of the stage shortly after the end - this is something I didn't see any other bands do throughout the weekend and shows how connected Boston Manor are to their fans.

Sadly I did not go on to attend the silent disco as I was disappointed to discover that there was a fee to access the disco. I completely understood there being a refundable fee for the hire of the headphones but to then be expected to pay an additional £8 for entry seemed a little unfair to me. This was made even more frustrating as I was really looking forward to catching Cody Frost live again. Many of the artists that performed at the silent disco deserved to be on the main bill and I hope to see them there again next year.

Despite the disappointment from the silent disco, I didn’t let it dampen my spirits. With the weekend being jam packed with a variety of talented artists, I knew there would be something for everyone to enjoy and I couldn’t wait to explore more.