2000 Timber Competition – Friday (Day Three) (Wednesday right here and Thursday right here)
Upcote Farm, Cheltenham
fifth – eighth June 2023

Day Three of 2000 Timber Competition, with Bullet For My Valentine, BLACKGOLD, Brutus and Rival Sons, amongst others.

Although nonetheless fairly early, Friday begins later than the day prior to this, the sound of Bullet For My Valentine’s soundcheck reaching the quick distance to the campsite making for a pleasing and leisurely begin to the penultimate day’s festivities.

The nice begin continues over on the Axiom stage for Leeds pop-punks Magnificence College. Having occurred upon them by probability at this yr’s Obtain Competition and ending up being considered one of that weekend’s highlights, we knew we needed to see them once more. They don’t disappoint. Whereas the early stage time means there’s solely a modest crowd, it’s clear that everybody listed here are established followers, with these entrance and centre singing again every phrase of each track.

Kicking issues off with Take It Gradual, the band establishes their model of upbeat emo-infused pop-punk completely. It’s a vibe that continues with Pawn Store Jewels, a rousing single that’s more likely to be a staple of their units for years to return, and each crowd and band feed off one another’s vitality.

Elsewhere the likes of Evergreen and Oak showcase a extra sombre facet to the six-piece, proving that they’re rather more three dimensional than your typical pop-punk band. It’s one thing that’s evident within the musicality of the members themselves too, from the spectacular vary of the vocalist all the way down to the sheer talent of the guitarists. Ending with an impassioned outing of Nightwalker and some phrases of real thanks, it’s the right begin to what guarantees to be the warmest day of the competition, and each us, and others, depart the tent figuring out that Magnificence College are band destined for greater issues.

From there, it’s over to the NEU Stage to subsequent to catch the tail finish of London pop-rock trio Carpark’s set, which is harking back to early ‘00s teen motion pictures in each aesthetic and sound; assume Lizzie McGuire with a glug of Avril Lavigne whisked in, notably within the type of debut single, Don’t Know Why We Met.

Frontwoman Sophie ‘Scottie’ Scott bounces and dances across the stage for set nearer and newest launch, Don’t Need You. With a strong crowd in attendance, it’s clear that the band have already began turning heads. And having launched into their first headline tour earlier this yr to not point out notable help slots for the likes of Holly Humberstone and October Drift, it’s clear that Carpark are doing one thing proper.

Issues get a bit heavier now over at The Cave tent for uk metallers BLACKGOLD, who take to the stage to a lot pleasure from a crowd that’s virtually at capability. Masked as all the time, the London five-piece waste no time in exhibiting us that they’re not right here to fuck round. They open with their debut single, It’s Artwork, a real assertion of intent from a band who’ve made it clear that for them, the music ought to communicate for itself, with none want for the members to share their identities, life tales or politics.

A rogue blast of guitar through the opener does nothing to sully the set, as they transfer from one livid nu-metal banger to a different, ripping by the tent like a twister by the unassuming and picturesque English countryside. The aggressive Sorry alludes to the band’s shadowy roots, while On One other Degree has frontman Spookz enlisting the help of the gang for the refrain, leaving no query marks hanging over BLACKGOLD’s opinion of right this moment’s rock and steel scene.

Elsewhere, their rendition of Cypress Hill’s I Ain’t Goin’ Out Like That has the entire crowd bouncing earlier than they shut the set with one other of this yr’s releases within the type of Boogeyman. And whereas they depart each us, and the gang wanting extra, we’ll get the possibility as they head out on tour with Skindred later this yr.

With our thirst for pop-punk not fairly but sated, we decide to hold round The Cave stage for one thing on the reverse finish of the sonic spectrum within the type of Coronary heart Assault Man. We needn’t have bothered. Although the band’s music isn’t dangerous per se, it’s paint by numbers pop-punk and feels flat when in comparison with Magnificence College’s set earlier on. The tent continues to be full nonetheless, however that may very well be as a lot about folks attempting to flee the quickly rising temperature as something. And whereas we’ve definitely heard worse prior to now, the band do little to maintain our consideration, so it’s off to the Fundamental Stage for Joyce Manor as an alternative.

“We’re from California and that’s actually fucking removed from right here” the band proclaim earlier than launching into a formidable 18 track setlist that spans the band’s profession. An first rate mid-afternoon crowd has constructed up in entrance of the stage, and it doesn’t take lengthy earlier than mosh pits open and crowd surfers start their inevitable ascent stagewards.

The band each look and sound at residence on a predominant stage, rattling by fan-favourites resembling Seaside Group and Coronary heart Tattoo with easy ease. It’s a vivid and breezy affair, with light banter and crowd interplay from frontman Barry Johnson (“20,000 Timber, that’s a number of fucking timber!”). It’s the right soundtrack to a heat afternoon and as they shut issues out with a busy rendition of Catalina Combat Track, they’ll have definitely earned themselves some new followers right this moment.

Sticking with the primary stage, subsequent up are Belgian post-hardcore outfit, Brutus. Watching the three-piece carry out right this moment is a considerably surreal but charming expertise; the band’s model of heavy, melodic shoegaze and the warming solar offering the right juxtaposition, as birds of prey circle in a vivid blue sky and a dragonfly darts above the heads of the watching crowd.

The setlist balances newer choices resembling Liar, Victoria and 2019 hit Battle with lesser-performed tracks resembling Justice De Julia II from the band’s debut album. Drummer and vocalist Stefanie Mannaerts is charming. Her voice highly effective and filled with gravel, but at occasions light with an fringe of desperation and vulnerability, drawing you in utterly. Each brutal and exquisite, right this moment was our first expertise of Brutus and it received’t be the final, impressed at their skill to strike the right steadiness between ethereal and uncompromising.

Sticking with the uncompromising, it’s again over to The Cave for Texas hardcore outfit Kublai Kahn TX. Arriving simply because the band take to the stage, there’s little room within the tent already, testomony to their burgeoning reputation. It was the same state of affairs at Obtain, and simply as we did there, we content material ourselves with hovering on the outskirts of the tent.

It’s a secure choice. From the minute the primary distorted notes ring out, the gang explodes in a mass of catharsis and testosterone. With the band calling for two-steps and moshpits in between every track, these entrance and centre are solely too pleased to oblige. It’s typical US hardcore, any sense of melody changed by sheer aggression making for what’s attainable the heaviest set of the weekend and for a lot of, clearly a spotlight as effectively.

Crowd surfers are thrown ahead, the fortunate ones keep away from the circle pits, however a couple of unlucky souls are thrown straight into the center. It comes with the territory although, and every and everyone seems to be again up and throwing their weight round in no-time. Livid although it’s, it’s considerably two dimensional, and whereas a forty-minute competition set is the right solution to recognize the band, it’s onerous to think about not losing interest throughout a full headline present.

With ears ringing, it’s again as soon as once more to the primary stage to take a look at UK rockers Hell Is For Heroes. Realizing little extra about them aside from they used to grace the pages of Kerrang! once in a while it’s a set we go into blind. Deaf would have been higher. Whether or not it’s the band, the sound high quality, or a mix of the 2, it simply all feels considerably flat. In fact, there’s loads of folks round us who appear to be having fun with themselves, most of that are blokes of the same age to the band.

Bringing their children out for the refrain of a brand new track is a candy, if not considerably twee contact, however it does additional cement the family-friendly nature of the competition. And the youngsters on stage appear to get pleasure from it. It’s not for us although. Having been left flat by the band as a child they do little to make a second impression.

That’s not the case over at The Forest for Get Cape. Put on Cape. Fly, whose sound and environment present some much-needed respite from each the warmth, and the burden of the opposite music on supply.

It’s a mild and understated affair, a modest crowd stood, sat, slouched and in a single case laying in a hammock across the stage’s periphery. The acoustic nature of the tracks signifies that once in a while they wrestle to achieve the again of the world, although the addition of drums and keys definitely helps to flesh issues out.

Having been a fan of the band in our teenagers, it’s a pleasure to lastly hear the songs stay; the likes of Battle Of The Worlds nonetheless harbouring as a lot emotional affect as they did again then. With different bands to catch elsewhere although, we considerably begrudgingly head again out into the warmth and over to the Axiom Stage to catch Simon Neil’s dying steel band, Empire State Bastard.

We’re not the one ones. An enormous crowd has amassed within the tent to see the Biffy frontman flip his hand to one thing very totally different. Because it occurs, the band are a chief instance of simply because you are able to do one thing it doesn’t imply it’s best to. It’s obnoxiously abrasive and feels extra like an experiment in human fortitude than dying steel.

If certainly it’s the former, right this moment’s experiment is a hit, as barely three songs in a lot of the gang begins to shuffle previous us on their solution to the primary stage. No less than we expect it’s three songs. Such is the character of the sound pouring off stage it’s not possible to inform the place one ends and one other begins. And although we handle to resist a couple of extra minutes, we have now to concede that no matter it’s Neil and bandmate Mike Vennart are doing with Empire State Bastard, all of it simply goes straight over our heads.

Torn between which headliner to see, we go for a beer break earlier than going our separate methods. Again at The Axiom stage, a sizeable although not capability crowd awaits the appearances of one of many weekend’s most anticipated bands – New York post-hardcore supergroup Rival Colleges.

A band who ought to want little introduction, it’s probably the primary time many individuals have had the chance to catch them, and as they seem on stage the roar that greets them is deafening. As they launch instantly into opener Journey By Phone, there’s folks sprinting from the surface.

With the stage bathed in pink and blue lights, the whole crowd has their arms within the air, singing every phrase. It’s post-hardcore perfection; the emotion and the catharsis emanating from the stage saying excess of any crowd interplay might do; the appears and certainly tears of pleasure throughout the gang the one response the band want.

We lastly get an introduction (as if we wanted one) simply earlier than they head into fan favorite and breakthrough single Used For Glue. It’s a surprisingly early inclusion for the monitor, but an unsurprising response, as crowd surfers fly overhead and an intimidating although seemingly respectful mosh pit opens shut by. There’s little or no else stated from the band, however in doing so their in a position to rattle by numbers at a formidable tempo, every one as appreciated by the gang because the final, if no more so.

{That a} band like Rival Colleges must be given a headline slot is a testomony to the competition’s bookers. They know their crowd effectively, they usually cater to them completely. With a lot of stated crowd over on the predominant stage nonetheless, it offers the Axiom tent a surprisingly intimate really feel that advantages the set to no finish and gives a welcome return for post-hardcore royalty.

Over on the primary stage nonetheless, tonight is a giant night time for Bullet For My Valentine. Having headlined the lowered capability Obtain Pilot in 2021, tonight is their first ever competition headline efficiency with out restrictions. It’s additionally the primary time they’ll be gracing any of the levels at 2000 Timber.

Plunging straight in with Knives, Bullet are off to a heavy begin. The sunshine present is spectacular, as are the dance strikes of the person a few rows in entrance of us. An unusually early outing of Your Betrayal will get the gang screaming, while the night’s first crowd surfers emerge throughout Piece of Me.

Frontman Matt Tuck takes the chance to greet his viewers correctly, commenting that “We’re in all probability one of many heaviest bands of the weekend” to which the man behind me replies “Not even shut mate”. Regardless of this barely misjudged assertion, subsequent track 4 Phrases (To Choke Upon) is the primary track of the set to actually excite the diehard followers.

Fan favorite Scream Intention Hearth subsequent for yet one more sing alongside, with Tuck and lead guitarist Michael ‘Padge’ Paget on twin solo duties, neither of them lacking a observe. This might simply have closed the set, however we’re not even midway by.

Introducing a track that he says they’ve began together with in setlists on their most up-to-date tour after numerous requests from followers, Tuck requires the gang to sing the phrases again. And when the opening notes of Hearts Burst into Hearth pierce the night time, they oblige wholeheartedly. A extra common fixture subsequent, within the type of The Final Combat, earlier than introducing “the heavy part” of the set. Taking us from their most up-to-date album with Shatter again to considered one of their earliest singles, All These Issues I Hate (Revolve Round Me).

Tuck lets us know that tonight will probably be Bullet’s last UK present for a few years. “Don’t boo!” he laughs. “We have to make a brand new album, and it’s gonna be fucking sick! After which we’ll come again and headline Obtain, how about that? Possibly…I dunno.” It’s not one thing we’re given an excessive amount of time to dwell on, because the band have a giant shock in retailer as they welcome Liam Cormier to the stage, whose band Most cancers Bats headlined The Cave earlier this night.

Again in 2012, Tuck and Cormier amongst others fashioned AxeWound, a heavy steel tremendous group, releasing only one album and doing a small tour that very same yr. Their songs haven’t had a stay airing since…till tonight. Launching into single Chilly, a big portion of the gang are unfamiliar with the track although lots of these surrounding us are in ecstasy, savouring this rarer than uncommon second.

The stage empties briefly, earlier than they return for a three-track encore beginning with the scathing Don’t Want You. Subsequent up, breakthrough single Tears Don’t Fall sees Tuck standing alone underneath a highlight. As quickly as the primary phrases depart his mouth he’s joined by the gang. Taking us by to the tip of the primary refrain accompanied solely by his guitar, he’s quickly joined on stage by the remainder of the band, earlier than kicking issues off in all their distorted glory.

The ultimate monitor comes within the type of a searing Waking the Demon. A dose of pure heavy steel, full with twin guitars, vocal harmonies and screams that might summon a demon exhibiting that tonight is a triumph for the band definitely, but additionally for British heavy steel.

It’s a triumphant finish for Saturday too. As soon as once more the headphones of the silent disco start to mild up across the enviornment, however having spent a strong 12 hours watching a few of the finest bands in various music, we go for one other early night time. Something to ease the aching knees.

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Dave Beech is a music author primarily based out of Manchester. Hyperlinks to his work could 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.

Extra phrases by Sally Hirshman.

Images by Jez Pennington and Joe Singh