2000 Trees Festival Preview: Interview With 'Holding Absence'
Ahead of their performance at this years 2000 Trees Festival we've had a quick chat with Holding Absence.
Hey guys, as you’ve never played 2000 Trees before, what can people who have never seen you before expect?
An honest and passionate performance. We don't take any of these opportunities for granted and we are very grateful to be a part of 2000 Trees.
What’s your favourite thing about 2000 Trees?
None of us have attended 2000 Trees in the past, however my housemate [James from Frown Upon] mentioned that the festival site itself is beautiful. Other than that, I really like how the scale of the festival sort of means that more people will watch bands they may have never seen before.
2000 Trees has a smaller capacity than some; how does this add to the atmosphere of the festival?
Similar to what I mentioned above. 2000 Trees has a real 'music lover / appreciator’ vibe to it; there are few to no clashes so the tents seem to fill out for every band.
Which bands are you hoping to watch while at the festival?
I'm really looking forward to seeing Turnstile again for the first time in a year or so; I’m really enjoying their new record. Seeing Creeper is always a treat. The Xcerts will provide some great singalongs. Looking at the poster again now, there are so many good bands.
Any tips for someone’s first time at 2000 Trees?
I'm the foodie of the band for sure so I'd say bring plenty of snacks. The only thing better than seeing your favourite bands in the sun would be seeing your favourite bands in the sun with a load of good snacks.
What’s your go-to festival food?
I'm vegan, so I literally only eat grass. Nah, kidding; probably some kind of BBQ fake meat / jackfruit kind of Mexican thing. I recently had an amazing vegan full English breakfast pie at Slam Dunk mind, so 2000 Trees is gonna have to try and beat that.
How do you create songs with such emotion? Is there a set structure or is it all in the moment?
We have a set list just because we have a set amount of time to play songs that people want to hear, however no emotion is choreographed or dramatised; for us playing live is the biggest emotional release possible. The day we stop being an emotional band is the day this band will end.
Holding Absence have such a wealth of talent; what influences come into play when writing a new track?
We are all massive music nerds, so we draw from a huge range of influences. When it comes to writing at the moment, we are aiming to create a broad spectrum of music that spans multiple genres. Some days we're influenced by Melodic Hardcore like Carry On and Dead Swans, other days we're influenced by Alt Rock like My Chemical Romance and 30 Seconds To Mars, and on other days we are influenced by bands like Radiohead or My Bloody Valentine.
You have a new album on the way; what can we expect from it?
An album with a lot of substance. An album that you can get swallowed up in for forty minutes or so. An album that has been in our sights since the inception of the band. Needless to say, we're excited to share it with the world.
Finally, what’s your number one festival tip?
Plan ahead! Try and look online to find set times of the bands you want to see. That being said, we play The Cave on Friday, but I don't think times have been released just yet. Either way, we can't wait to see you there and share a special performance with you.
As stated above you can catch Holding Absence at this years 2000 Trees on the Friday on The Cave stage.
Website - www.holdingabsence.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Holdingabsence/
Interview - Jake Williams
