2000 Bushes – Day One
Upcote Farm, Cheltenham
ninth–twelfth July 2024
With the mud now settled on this 12 months’s 2000 Bushes Competition, each figuratively and actually, learn forward to seek out out what Louder Than Battle thought. Dave Beech and photographer Jack Flynn have been there.
With 2000 Bushes simply being a spotlight of competition season, we discover ourselves up and on web site uncharacteristically early, and as such find yourself within the first competition queue we’ve been in for years. Not excellent given simply how heat it’s getting for half 11 within the morning. Fortunately nevertheless, it strikes rapidly, with simply sufficient time for a can or two earlier than we’re strolling the now-familiar farm monitor to backstage tenting.
With the gates opening at noon and the primary band of the day beginning at two, it’s one thing of a rush to get issues arrange in time. With the day solely getting hotter, we go for a extra relaxed method, heading all the way down to the Forest Stage for 4pm so as to catch “future-headliners” unpeople. They’re a band we’re no strangers to, and so they’re performing their first of two units this weekend.
We’re interested by how they’re going to fill two entire units, solely having launched one EP up to now. Nonetheless, issues develop into clearer when immediately the band seems on stage and kicks issues off with a canopy of Beastie Boys’ (You Gotta) Battle For Your Proper (To Occasion!), which has everybody in amongst the bushes shouting alongside. Simply behind us we spot the competition’s booker, James Scarlett, drink in hand, taking all of it in.
“I’m fairly certain we began this set a 4.20… can somebody scent hash?” teases frontman Jake Crawford as manner of introducing the subsequent cowl, Weezer’s Hash Pipe. A barely heavier model than the unique, and arguably the perfect stay rendition we’ve heard this summer time, it’s one other alternative for an enormous singalong. unpeople have curated this set fantastically, with a basic rock/ metallic medley thrown in for good measure mixed with just a few of the band’s personal (together with two model new, as but unreleased, songs which go onerous).
Guitarist Luke Caley takes the chance to thank James Scarlett and “the Bushes household” for having them again within the forest, the place he and Crawford final performed collectively as members of a special band. Overthinking sees a procession of crowd surfers head over the barrier earlier than one other cowl, this time of a Ruben track, one thing of a legendary band within the eyes of the Bushes’ crowd, and who even have their very own campsite named after them right here.
System Of A Down’s Sugar is a left-field nearer to the set, but works completely and has us all bouncing, the surfers taking their locations atop the gang once more (massive shoutout to safety who’re doing a improbable job of getting everybody over safely). We’re performed out by The Backyard’s vocal hook and are left buzzing with power from half-hour of pure celebration music, able to tackle the remainder of the weekend.
From there, it’s again into the now blistering solar to make the brief journey to The Phrase stage for Southampton’s Grove Avenue; one other band we’re already aware of, and as such it appears a daring transfer to host their uncompromising model of thrashy hardcore on such a small (at the very least within the scheme of issues) stage. Certainly, as anticipated, it’s already at capability, although mercifully we’re capable of finding a small diploma of shade simply outdoors of the tent. We pay attention from the fringes of a crowd that solely will get greater because the band’s set progresses. half-hour of virtually obnoxiously weighty hardcore that’s clearly been taking notes on the ’80s/’90s thrash scenes, it’s a marvel the tent continues to be standing by the point the sweat-drenched crowd begins to emerge, soaked however smiling.
From there, it’s only a fast skip again to the forest, this time for the primary explicitly political band of the weekend, Hastings’ Child Kapichi. They work their manner by means of a slew of their hits similar to 5 Days On (2 Days Off) and Loss of life Dips alongside some lesser-played tracks like Take It On The Chin.
Round midway by means of they flip their consideration to extra critical issues, and frontman Jack Wilson addresses the elephant within the woods, previous collaborators, Bob Vylan. “Bob stated one thing essential… for those who’re extra offended by phrases than a genocide by a authorities and a military, there’s one thing very improper along with your ethical compass”, Wilson asserts. 2021’s Violence follows, and Wilson jokes, “I used to be gonna say ‘Loss of life, dying to the IDF, however that’s in all probability a nasty thought…” prompting a short crowd chant of the identical. Occasion At No. 10 and 2019 are scathing criticisms of the previous Tory authorities, while the remainder of the set is an outburst of frustration about feeling damaged as a part of a damaged system.
2000 Bushes would be the final competition the 4 members of Child Kapichi will play collectively, following the announcement a few months in the past that Ben Beetham and George Macdonald shall be leaving the band. “It feels poignant… this was the primary competition we performed the place we felt like folks cared”, reminisces Wilson. It’s a sentiment that’s repeatedly vocalised by the bands who play right here, and it’s a testomony to the neighborhood Bushes has constructed during the last 18 years. Smash The Gaff sees out the set and, with a reminder that they’ll be again tomorrow on the Axiom, Child Kapichi exit the stage.
By this level the early begin, and naturally the warmth, have began to take their toll. Nonetheless, there’re nonetheless tonight’s Forest Stage headliners Sizzling Milk to cope with earlier than we are able to ponder the concept of an early, at the very least within the scheme of festivals, evening.
“Let’s be ‘avin ya Bushes” shouts frontwoman Han Mee, her Manc accent and northern perspective instantly evident. “The place the fuck are ya?”. It’s an impassioned begin, and from the place we’re standing near the PA, the combination is flawless.
We take within the other-worldly ambiance that may solely be felt right here amongst the bushes after the solar goes down, with the festoon lighting draped over the branches. The second is barely sullied nevertheless, as somebody passes by holding aloft a workers with a grotesque masks of a slug excessive, a pink mild pulsating from inside.
Having packed out the tent after they headlined the Axiom stage right here final 12 months, it’s a really completely different vibe within the forest, and feels a little bit of an odd match; the wood cover, the bushes, the celebs, and Mee shouting, “I must see an enormous fucking gap within the center, like my asshole after I’ve taken poppers”, or “cut up it proper down the center like a vagina!”. That stated, as the ultimate present of a tour that Sizzling Milk have been on since April, it’s actually one thing a bit particular for the band.
There’s barely a quiet second between songs, the band ripping by means of the set, sounding heavier stay than on document. That’s till a compelled pause after absolute banger OVER YOUR DEAD BODY causes the home lights to be introduced up and the band to mill about on stage as safety addresses a doable damage within the crowd. Issues resume rapidly, although, and a heartfelt BREATHING UNDERWATER gives the possibility for a whole-crowd singalong earlier than launching straight into electro pop-rock anthem BLOODSTREAM.
The stage in plunged into darkness, however not for lengthy. “Let’s do yet another, then I’ll come be part of all you motherfuckers!” shouts Mee. As the ultimate notes of the encore ring out, Mee ruffles the hair of co-frontman Jim Shaw earlier than kissing him on the brow. They’ve completely knocked it out the park, triumphantly closing out their tour and the primary evening of this 12 months’s 2000 Bushes.
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Dave Beech is a music author based mostly out of Manchester. Hyperlinks to his work will be discovered over at his weblog, Life’s A Beech, in addition to his Louder Than Battle Creator Archive. He additionally tweets as @Dave__Beech.
Further phrases by Sally Hirshman.
Images by Jack Flynn, see his LTW archive right here
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