5 REASONS WE'RE EXCITED FOR 2000 TREES - #4

As festival’s go, once that ticket is yours and you’ve got your head around the clashes the last thing anybody gets excited about is the concept of actually camping, and all of the nonsense it brings with it. But not at 2000 Trees Festival.

#4 - CAMPING

There are more camping areas at 2000 Trees 2016 than ever before and they are all placed within a nice walking distance of each other, the car park and the stages. 

They’re also all based on an incline which means that the further back you go, the better your view. Right now that view is incredible with miles and miles of fields and wildlife out in the surroundings but the immediate scene of stages, vendors arriving and the crew beginning to start the busiest day of the week.

Once you guys all get here, that view is going to be out of this world.

I’m also happy to say that the ground here is soft enough to get your tents up without having too much of a fight on your hands and if you do, or if tent life just gets too much for you, you can always retire to a hay bale or hammock in the forest.

With all of that it stands to reason that something has to be shockingly bad right? Most festival goers would agree that the worst part of camping is that you have to actively psych yourself up to use the toilets. Yeah, not here.

2000 Trees have won awards for their toilet facilities. I’ve seen them be installed, and they are really very nice. Flushable and everything, so no need to panic!

And although I can’t yet confirm this for myself I have it on very good authority from veterans of 2000 Trees and its incredible organisers that you are all lovely and friendly people who have spent the whole weekend, for the past 10 years, being ultimately wonderful to each other.

So there’s really no need to panic about the camping situation here. In fact, just get incredibly excited because by tomorrow, it will have all started! 

2000 Trees Set-Up Diary - Day Four (the one where we had to go shopping)

This is being posted at such an ungodly hour because today is the last day of festival set-up before the gates are cracked open and the weekend of incredible music begins.

The phrase ‘calm before the storm’ definitely comes to mind when thinking about yesterday. The crew were still hard at work building and stocking bars, making and hanging health and safety signs and generally pulling the whole site together.

For me, the Office Manager, Kristina and VIP Bar staff member Nick, it was a shopping day.

Shopping Trip 

Wickes, Cheltenham

5/07/2016

I have learnt many things whilst I’ve been on site but one thing that I never gave much thought to is how much stuff a team like this can get through! From as much pipe insulation as we could get our hands on to a massive hunk of cheese, it takes a lot of stuff to get a festival up and running.

In particular, we have got through a lot of food, plates, bowls and paper towels because we’re a big team, engaging in lots of manual labour and thoroughly spoilt. That is owed, in no small part, to John.

John

Upcote Farm, Withington

5/07/2016

 John is the genius behind Smokin’ Hot Tamales, which will be pitched over by The Cave for the whole festival. But by the time you all get here, John will have been serving us for weeks. Every night since I arrived he has cooked up a feast from Thai Green Curry’s to Spag Bol to Ramen Noodle Soup. Washed down with seemingly unlimited beer and cider, it’s been the perfect way to end every working day and for that we all thank him.

Once we got back from shopping we laminated some itinerary’s and maps and headed out to see what had happened with the site since we left.

We know by now that a lot can happen in a day but by the time we headed out on to the site it all just looks more like a festival.

The last of the fencing and panelling has gone up making clear paths from section to section and you’ll be happy to know that the bar, which is now repaired, put in place and decorated with vinyl, has been packed out from wall to wall with beer kegs.

The finishing touches still need to be made on the Main Stage (no ramp yet) but it has now taken it’s almost final form, looking like the badass host that it is.

Main Stage

Upcote Farm, Withington

5/07/2016

The Neu stage has a stage, the first that I have climbed up on to so far. I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again. It’s crazy to think these tents are going to be filled up with people so soon.

New Stage - Stage View

Wickes, Cheltenham

5/07/2016

But with more and more people arriving now it became imperative that we had a grasp on who was on site so members of the team have been deployed to the front gate to keep on eye on the goings on. As you can imagine, it's not the liveliest of jobs so the people stationed there tend to keep themselves preoccupied in other ways - like making amazing sketches of each other which lead to great photo ops later on...

Alex's Sketch  

Upcote Farm, Withington

5/07/2016

 Today the sound gear will arrive, cars will be moved, radios will be labelled and wristbands will be dished out before our final team drinks (beer pong was banned, it was far too intense) as the only people on site.

2000 Trees Set-Up Diary - Day Two (the one where we took buggy's to the top of the site)

Yesterday the following proposition was made: “Hayley have you got your camera? Want to come on a ride to the top of the site to take photos?”

 Errr. Yes.

After waking up and getting my daily dose of Wi-Fi to connect with civilization (overrated, I much prefer it here) I cracked on with finishing the artwork that the rain cleaned off yesterday afternoon.

Once that and lunch was taken care of I got myself a site map and snuck off to explore this incredible site and see how everything was coming along. 

Surrounding Fields 

Upcote Farm, Withington

3/07/2016

In the morning it was suggested that I check out the farm houses gardens, so that’s where I started. Upcote Farm might be home to 2000 Trees but there are other (legendary) people who call this home all year round and they have clearly worked hard to make it one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.

After I had my fill of the garden’s I explored the surrounding fields and ended up back at the entrance to the festival site. I took the opportunity to say hello to all of the teams working hard (whilst I clearly was not) to make this site the incredible place that all of the guests will see from Thursday.

First up on my journey was the Main Stage which has come on leaps and bounds since the day

before. As I passed it looked as if a lighting rig was being hoisted into place and The Tree, that I thought looked massive just 24 hours ago now seemed to pale in comparison (but you wait until the ceremonial light-turning-on event that I have demanded).

Main Stage

Upcote Farm, Withington

3/07/2016

I wandered into the VIP bar area next and found a team raking the VIP garden in the blazing sunshine. Ten of the shiniest gold stars to those guys because it looked like hard work in the best of circumstances but when the sun is this bright and wonderful, well I can’t even imagine. Like troopers they had the place looking lush (word used appropriately).

VIP Bar

Upcote Farm, Withington

3/07/2016

From the VIP bar I wondered over to Neu Stage, just over the way from that Main Stage. The tent itself is up and looking amazing but the team were busy…building up their strength we’ll say so that they could crack on reinforcing the tent pegs with gaffer tape.

I must ask how much gaffer tape we’ve gone through so far. I imagine it’s ridiculous.  

Neu Stage

Upcote Farm, Withington

3/07/2016

Neu Stage Team

Upcote Farm, Withington

3/07/2016

  

The Cave and The Axiom Stages are both up and raring to go but crew were milling about putting up signage so that you’ll all know exactly where you need to be to catch all of the bands on this incredible line up. It’s a good job too. They’re the same colour and roughly the same size. Without signage we would all have to distinguish between them by some other visual standard - and that seems like it will end rather inappropriately.

The Cave 

Upcote Farm, Withington

3/07/2016

Axiom

Upcote Farm, Withington

3/07/2016

After being pointed in the right direction (at this point my sense of direction was shot) I hopped over there to check it out before all of the bells and whistles are put up (by bells and whistles I mean hammocks and what not, YEAH HAMMOCKS) .

Before arriving here, it was the concept of the Forest Sessions that really intrigued me so I am beaming with happiness when I say that this area is everything I wanted it to be and more. Honestly, it’s like something out of a fairy-tale, with the teeniest of stages set in amongst thick woods. I cannot wait to see this place in its full glory and I’ll be sure to check in with it today to see how it’s cracking on.

Forest Sessions

Upcote Farm, Withington

3/07/2016

I came back to The Barn thinking that my big exploration was over. There were so many times on my 2-hour trek that I had to stop and absorb what I was seeing. The wildlife alone is sensational, peacocks, sheep, butterfly’s, dragon-fly’s you name it I saw it on my journey.

Leaping at the chance to help out Sarah from Artist Liaison, I spent the next few hours organising trader vouchers and making sure that the bands would be looked after when they arrive on site from Thursday.

But just as I finished off packing those envelopes with food vouchers and wristbands, Andy skipped over and made the wonderful proposition I mentioned earlier.

We drove all the way up to the highest point of the area and looked over the entire festival site. The headliners will be brought up to this spot for a chance to relax before they explode on to their respective stages. It’s easy to see why. It literally doesn’t get better than this.

In a day and age where it’s easy to be ashamed of one’s home country and to be bogged down by the woes of the world all it takes is a view like this one to remind you. Take out all the unnecessary and all you are left with is pure, unaltered, beauty.  

The Whole Damn Place

Upcote Farm, Withington

3/07/2016

Well, it’s altered a little. The amazing 2000 Trees crew have rocked up and turned it into the best music event of the year, obviously.  

My sheer amazement of this place well and truly continued into my second day here. The team have continued to be the hardest working, happiest, friendliest group of people I have ever met and the surroundings just keep on throwing hidden gems my way.

We drove the buggy’s back to The Barn and a Beer Pong tournament quickly broke out. I could tell you all about it but it was so tense I think it might distract from the happy-go-lucky vibe that we’ve been enjoying otherwise. Pretty sure I’m going to live tweet you all of the action from tomorrow’s rematch anyway.

So here goes day three. Surely it can’t keep on getting better.

PS – Mum, the blog’s finished, you can stop reading now. Right now.

PPS – Guys, serious question. Does vodka make me a better writer? Tweet me your opinions.