So, let’s get this out of the way first so we don’t have to talk about it anymore: it was hot. Pretty darn hot. Three days in 30+ degrees at a festival really turns you into a sweaty mess, let me tell you that. If not because of the scorching sun, then due to the packed line-up with amazing acts. On day 1, I saved myself from a lot of perspiration by heading to the festival early and quickly dropping my stuff into my pre-booked tent but for Tigercub, I had no other choice than to brave the heat. And I’m glad I did ‘cos once again, the Brighton trio proved to be one of the UK’s most underrated rock bands out there. Having seen Tigercub once before, I knew what I was in for and yet again, they played an amazingly tight set featuring some of the best songs they have released over the last 10 years, including some off of recent album ‘Nets to Catch the Wind’. The band’s 4th has been my most played record of the year so far and songs ‘Fall In Fall Out’, ‘I’m Breaking Out’, and former Jam ‘A Black Moon’ fitted in perfectly in between Tigercub’s classics. Additionally – and this obviously goes for every act you’re a fan of – it’s just great fun being able to enjoy the music of a band together with people who are equally as excited about it as you. This might sound like a given, but not often does one meet people who are into the same small or mid-sized bands as you are. Over the years, Tigercub has paved its way to the top end of my list of favourite bands due to their ability to continuously release some of the best hard-hitting alternative rock songs out there. Of course, this is easy for me to say wearing a Tigercub hat (literally, since I bought one at the merch stand after their show) but, seriously: if you get a chance to see them live, go check them out. You’ll be blown away by their mighty wall of sound.

My first great new discovery of this year’s Trees came in the form of Newcastle metalcore group Long Goodbye. At times feeling like a mixture between old-school Bring Me The Horizon and some of Loathe’s most acclaimed songs, taking a liking to this NEHC (North East Hardcore) group was an easy feat, even at 12 in the afternoon. Titles such as ‘i used to dream of drowning’ and ‘to reconcile with death for the sake of a beautiful ending’ tell you all you need to know about the emotional impact of the band’s lyrics, though you can’t figure out most of what Patrick Morton is shrieking into the mic anyways. In fact, we even got some good ol’ deathcore pig squeals at times. Hell yeah! Absolute great energy and a lot of potential to be fronting the entire UK hardcore scene at some point.

The beauty of 2000trees (alongside all the things I’ve mentioned up until this point already) is that they will always make room for the best and most surprising acts on their line-up. Signed on independent avant-garde metal label The Flenser (Deafheaven, Faetooth, Chat Pile et al.), Canadian young’uns Truck Violence obliterated The Cave on the early Thursday evening with an utter chaotic mess of experimental DIY-hardcore, throwing in the odd banjo too, at times. Vocalist Karsyn Henderson at the forefront (in his underwear), the band went completely nuts causing an almost inimitable show. Just how I like it. Truck Violence ended up being the only band I saw this weekend where I ended up speaking with the members afterwards, complementing them for their unique show. Brilliant.

It’s been a good few years since I’d last seen Norwegian hardcore band Hammok take the stage. Back then, at a small festival in Utrecht, I ended up in the pit with some other nutters going wild. I’m not much of a mosher anymore these days but I couldn’t help still giving it my all watching the trio. Blasting through their set, Hammok made it clear there was no time to sit back and relax, with bass player Ole Benjamin Thomassen leading the pack and jumping in the pit whenever necessary. Screaming “Norway is going to f*ck up England in the quarter finals!” into the mic (he probably regrets doing that), the energetic bassist didn’t make many friends near the end of Hammok’s show, but their music had long won the hearts of the people in The Cave at that point.

• Noise-newbies HIGHDRIVE kicked off my edition of 2000trees with their well-rounded gaze-set.
• Somewhat snowed under by the other fantastic discoveries, Isle of Man hardcore band Silo still very much made me want to check ‘em out again.
• Indie rockers Tooth really got that London swagger.
• Featuring founding members of acts like Dead Swans and Bring Me The Horizon, Still In Love has got a serious amount of hardcore quality.
• Glad I can now tick Isle of Wight-rockers Coach Party off of my to-watch list.
• Superheaven is so much more than just another Title Fight.
• Hypemen DON BROCO might’ve actually been a better headliner than the originally planned act.