Hot off the press from 2000 Trees 2019, here’s our highlights from the second day of the festival. A full report to follow once the festival has finished. If you missed them yesterday, you can catch up on the highlights from day one of 2000 Trees here.
Not suffering from any sound gremlins were the unfathomably brilliant Brutus. Armed with material from the outstanding Nest, the band are on top form and ready to take the crown of band of the day despite it only being one o clock. Opening with War – arguably the best song of 2019 so far – the band produce a gentle sound that grows into a thrashing masterpiece. The dynamism of their set beggars belief as they race through hit after hit. Cemetery and closer Sugar Dragon stand out as particular high points in an infallible set. Their performance is genuine art, and the vocal dexterity displayed is perhaps the best at the festival.
Up tot this point every band covered has been relatively easy to explain. If you are looking for the indescribable, look no further than Raketkannon. The jazzy elements of Meshuggah mixed with the hard hitting synths of Daughters, colliding with a Pattonesque frisson of insanity, it is a struggle to get your head around. But good god is it marvellous. Despite problems with the synthesiser half way through the set, the event is gloriously rambunctious and filled with explosive energy. Their vocalist spends as much time in the crowd as on stage and crowd surfs wearing an inflatable donut someone threw at him. It’s barmy, ludicrous maybe even a little bit crazy, and it’s one of the sets of the weekend
If you’re looking for the perfect juxtaposition of beauty and brutality, look no further than Rolo Tomassi. Few bands can balance the seemingly disparate emotional states so well, but Tomassi manage it with ease. Eva Spence is part pop star, part nightmare with her beautiful flow between clean and harsh vocals, each done with impressive nous. The only gripe of the set is that Eva’s harsh vocals are far too low in the mix so the audience doesn’t fully experience those grisly growls in all their glory. Besides this the band barrel through material from their latest album, Time Will Die and Love Will Bury It with a fierce panache, Alma Mater standing out as a clear highlight in amongst the near perfect set. They are a truly special band to be cherished, and their set at Trees leaves them champions.
Closing out the Cage Stage were the ever brilliant Cancer Bats. Perhaps the best quartet to come out of Canada, they utterly destroy the packed tent with hit after hit and riff after riff. Hail Destroyer, Bricks and Mortar and their always welcome cover of Beastie Boys’ Sabotage leave the room frenzied and chomping at the bit for more. Ending with a cover of Black Sabbath’s War Pigs is a particularly good move as it leads to the loudest and most passionate sing a long of the night. Filled with apoplectic energy channelled into undeniable charm, they totally batter a tent so full you can’t even get in for want of trying. Excellent stuff of the highest order.
Stay tuned for the highlights of the final day of 2000 Trees 2019 tomorrow!
