2000trees 2026: Who We’re Watching This Year
Tom Ellis (TJEphotos/FEATS)
2000trees returns to Upcote Farm this July, bringing another packed weekend of heavy music, alternative bands and smaller-stage discoveries.
Running from 8th to 11th July, the Cheltenham festival has always had a slightly different feel to other UK festivals. It is big enough to pull in names like Alkaline Trio, Funeral For A Friend, Neck Deep, Glassjaw, Thursday, The Bronx, Marmozets and High Vis, but still small enough that the best set of the weekend might happen in a tent before most people have even worked out where they are heading next.
That has always been part of what makes Trees interesting. It is not just about the headliners. It is about catching a band at the right time, in the right place, with a crowd that actually wants to be there.
Our “Look-Out” Artists
Tom Ellis (TJEphotos/FEATS)
Back in 2023, Feats caught Lake Malice playing 2000trees at a point where they already felt like they were starting to break through. Even then, they had a stage presence that made the room feel too small for them, and seeing them back on the 2026 line-up feels like a nice full-circle moment.
That same year, we also caught The Xcerts, who brought the kind of big, emotional live set that fits Trees well without feeling out of place on a smaller stage. They are one of those bands that make sense at this festival because they can carry both the intimate and the festival-sized moments.
Looking through this year’s line-up, there are a few other names that have already crossed through the Feats archive in different ways. Lambrini Girls were a standout in our Latitude coverage, with Yonks catching them closing out the weekend in a way that felt chaotic, political and completely their own. They still feel like one of the most obvious must-sees on this bill.
(Ewan McDonald / @jeffvad3r42)
Mouth Culture and Split Chain have both appeared in our festival recommendations before, while Heart Attack Man, High Regard and LASTELLE have all had live coverage from us over the past year.
It gives this year’s Trees line-up a familiar thread. A lot of these artists are not just names on a poster to us; they are bands we have already seen building something. Some are returning to the festival, some are stepping into bigger slots, and some feel like they are arriving at exactly the right time.
Three New Names We’re Excited For
Tom Ellis (TJEphotos/FEATS)
Of course, Trees would not be Trees if it was only about the artists we already know. A big part of the weekend is finding something new, and this year there are plenty of names worth taking a chance on.
For me, Adore feel like exactly the sort of early-day discovery Trees does well. The three-piece garage punk band bring together crunchy guitars, surf, disco and pop influences, which sounds like it could be messy in the best way. Their Thursday afternoon set feels like one to get down early for.
ALT BLK ERA are one of the bigger names in this newer wave of alternative music, and their place on the line-up makes a lot of sense. Their sound pulls from rock, electronic music and DnB without feeling like it is trying too hard to blend genres for the sake of it. They already have the size and momentum behind them, but a Forest Sessions slot could still make for one of the more interesting moments of the weekend.
Karen Dió also feels like a strong fit for the festival. She has the kind of direct, high-energy sound that should work well at Trees, especially with a crowd that is already open to discovering something new. This feels like one of those sets that could win over a lot of people very quickly.
Why It Still Feels Like Trees
The strength of 2000trees has always been its balance. You can go for the big names, but the weekend usually ends up being shaped by the bands you did not plan around.
This year has plenty of both. There are returning favourites, artists Feats has already seen coming up through the live circuit, and newer names that could easily become the thing people are talking about afterwards.
So yes, go for the headliners. But make time for the early slots, the smaller stages and the names you only half-recognise.
That is usually where 2000trees does its best work.
