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 search out out what Louder Than Battle thought. Dave Beech and photographer Jack Flynn have been there.
With 2000 Bushes simply being a spotlight of pageant season, we discover ourselves up and on website uncharacteristically early, and as such find yourself within the first pageant queue we’ve been in for years. Not ultimate 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 observe 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 as a way to catch “future-headliners” unpeople. They’re a band we’re no strangers to, they usually’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 thus far. Nevertheless, issues change into clearer when right away the band seems on stage and kicks issues off with a canopy of Beastie Boys’ (You Gotta) Combat For Your Proper (To Occasion!), which has everybody in amongst the bushes shouting alongside. Simply behind us we spot the pageant’s booker, James Scarlett, drink in hand, taking all of it in.
“I’m fairly positive we began this set a 4.20… can somebody scent hash?” teases frontman Jake Crawford as method of introducing the subsequent cowl, Weezer’s Hash Pipe. A barely heavier model than the unique, and arguably the very best reside rendition we’ve heard this summer time, it’s one other alternative for a giant singalong. unpeople have curated this set superbly, with a traditional rock/ metallic medley thrown in for good measure mixed with a number of of the band’s personal (together with two model new, as but unreleased, songs which go exhausting).
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 distinct 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 group once more (huge 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 vitality from half-hour of pure social gathering 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 accustomed to, and as such it appears a daring transfer to host their uncompromising model of thrashy hardcore on such a small (not less than 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 surprise 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 method via a slew of their hits corresponding 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 via 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… should you’re extra offended by phrases than a genocide by a authorities and a military, there’s one thing very fallacious together 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 most likely a foul thought…” prompting a quick 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 pageant 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 pageant we performed the place we felt like individuals 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. Nevertheless, there’re nonetheless tonight’s Forest Stage headliners Scorching Milk to take care of earlier than we will ponder the thought of an early, not less than within the scheme of festivals, night time.
“Let’s be ‘avin ya Bushes” shouts frontwoman Han Mee, her Manc accent and northern angle instantly evident. “The place the fuck are ya?”. It’s an impassioned begin, and from the place we’re standing near the PA, the combo is flawless.
We take within the other-worldly environment 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 a giant fucking gap within the center, like my asshole after I’ve taken poppers”, or “break up it proper down the center like a vagina!”. That stated, as the ultimate present of a tour that Scorching 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 via the set, sounding heavier reside than on file. That’s till a pressured 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 potential damage within the crowd. Issues resume rapidly, although, and a heartfelt BREATHING UNDERWATER presents 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 night time 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 might be discovered over at his weblog, Life’s A Beech, in addition to his Louder Than Battle Writer Archive. He additionally tweets as @Dave__Beech.
Further phrases by Sally Hirshman.
Pictures by Jack Flynn, see his LTW archive right here
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