2000 Trees Set-Up Diary - Day Three (the one where a throne was built)

Another day another storming achievement for the team here at 2000 Trees Festival.

It would be impossible not to be impressed with the speed in which things are coming together, and now the almost final touches are being put in place. With these things comes the stark realisation that in just two days Upcote Farm will be teaming with around 6,500 people.

Nothing gets more exciting than that!

VIP SWAG

Upcote Farm, Withington

4/07/2016

For those of you who have purchased a special VIP ticket, your SWAG bags have now officially been

packed and alphabetically organised with all the love in the world. Veteran crew members Becky and Alex hand packed them all yesterday so that your special shirts, posters, souvenir tickets and much more will be ready when you arrive.

If you didn’t bag yourself a VIP ticket then that was a little bit silly of you. But never fear, the Merch tent is just over the way and boxes upon boxes upon boxes of awesome merch (I know this because it says so) are piled up high waiting for you to grab your memento of what is shaping up to be a sensational weekend.

But yesterday’s outstanding triumph came from  the Room No.7 area. Aptly named because it was added in 2000 Trees seventh year, Room No.7 is just next to the Forest Sessions acoustic stage and has to be the most charmed part of the festival.

The perfect place for a quiet moment of relaxation, organisers heavily recommended getting down here in the mornings before the bands start, and it’s easy to see why. But yesterday the team worked like Disney characters to build this masterpiece.

Base Camp

Upcote Farm, Withington

4/07/2016

Now, I’m not sure you need much more reason to get your butts down to Upcote Farm this weekend, but if you have ever dreamt of spending some time in an actual woodland fairy-tale, clearly this is the place to be.

Main Stage

Upcote Farm, Withington

4/07/2016

Quick update on the Main Stage – it gives me goose bumps now. It looks purely majestic as it is right now, and it’s not even finished. There’s no ramp installed up to it yet but as soon as there is…

But not only has the Main Stage developed even more but the crew have, yet again, pulled out all the stops and spent a few hours today installing an immediately-backstage chill out area complete with Game of Thrones hay bale throne, for the mainstage bands to compose themselves before blowing everyone’s minds up there.

Two. More. Days.  

Main Stage Throne

Upcote Farm, Withington

4/07/2016

2000 Trees Set-Up Diary - Day One (the one where Hayley just can't believe she's here)

Everybody loves a weekend right? Except people who work in retail (ahem). They wouldn’t even notice it wasn’t a week day if it wasn’t for the sudden influx of humans in the shop. But despite my daytime employment situation, I too am a fan of the weekend. This weekend, however, is something else altogether.

Yesterday morning, I arrived at Upcote Farm, Withington for the first day of set-up at the glorious 2000 Trees Festival where I will be spending the next eight days and I could not be happier about it if I tried.

After less than 24 hours here I can safely say we’re on course for one of the most memorable experience of my life.

I got here at about 10am and immediately marvelled at the surroundings. Based in the Cotswold Hills, 2000 Trees has the advantage of an actually breath taking view from all angles without even having to put up a single defining feature.

In all the excitement of arriving on site I drove quite randomly looking for Andy, one of the festival’s dedicated organisers. I pulled over once I found the first human I came across, explained to him that I was looking for Andy and was delighted to find out that this was, in fact, Andy. I’m telling you this place is magical.

 

After a quick chat I drove up to The Barn, met a few more members of the family that is this crew

and jumped straight into applying some 2000 Trees vinyl decals to a set of monitor covers. Prepare yourselves for a barrage of pictures of these up on the stage during sets next weekend.

Once that job was jobbed we hopped into a vehicle and drove down to the tree. I, much like you, had no idea what that was other than a strong suspicion that it might be a tree. It transpires that it’s a beautifully large tree, encompassed by a picket fence, in front of which will be the main stage.

We hung out there for the rest of the morning, decorating the tree with fairy lights and re-painting the picket fence. This was pretty lovely in itself, painting is incredibly therapeutic for me and I’m really hoping for an emotional lights ceremony later in the week. If that’s not happening, I’ll strongly suggest it.

But from where we stood we watched the perimeter fence go up and the main stage itself begin construction. Ever since I found out I was coming here I have been excited to see that happen and it’s just as outstanding as I thought it was. To see something that will be so full of life in its bare-bones is really special.

Breaking for lunch we were thoroughly spoilt. It was a great opportunity to meet more of the team, who I will work really hard to introduce to you as I move through the week because I’ve known them for less than a day and already feel quite blessed.

I phoned my mum and wished her a Happy Birthday!

The trial-run that was Download Festival worked in my favour and I managed to get my tent up with ease this time, owed in no small part to the much softer ground. Believe it or not, there was a time at Download Festival 2016 when the ground was not only dry but hard.

After all of the excitement, and the settling of anxious nerves which were completely unnecessary, a nap was in order. The rain has been off and on all day so I snoozed to the pattering of the threatening drops on my tent. It’s easy to drift away when you feel truly content and oddly at home.

My ten-minute nap window came and went and I headed straight back to the barn to paint some

artwork that will (when it’s finished today) be put up at the bar. The rain washed the paint clean off of three of them, but we’ll go ahead and brush right past that.

Besides, the rain meant that the most glorious rainbow stretched over the site. You just don’t get this shit in London.

The whole crew were served a delicious Thai Green Curry and that brings me to now. I’m sitting in The Barn with a can of cider and a Kit Kat, managing to write this only because a new friend sat with me and typed notes whilst I told him what I had done with my day forming a skeleton for this diary that I would not have been able to get my head around otherwise.

Honestly, I can’t believe that I am here. I feel truly honoured, and so incredibly lucky to have been given the opportunity to help set up this festival, to contribute to this event that means so much to so many people, and to meet all of these incredible people.

I have never felt more at home, and more determined to make myself useful! I’ll just point out that this is day one. O-N-E. This week is going to kick all other week’s ass.