At Gloucestershire’s 2000Trees festival, an unexpected moment turned a tense atmosphere into one of amusement and camaraderie. Last night, headline act Don Broco abruptly stopped their set just as a song was about to drop, leaving the crowd momentarily confused and booing. But the interruption quickly took a playful turn when two people stepped on stage holding up ‘hydration break’ signs, referencing the ongoing controversy surrounding hydration breaks at this year’s World Cup.
The band then gathered together on stage, mimicking a football team huddle, before resuming their performance to cheers and energetic pits in the crowd at Upcote Farm near Cheltenham. The hydration breaks at the World Cup — hosted across the USA, Mexico, and Canada — have sparked debate, with critics claiming the breaks are less about player health and more about providing commercial breaks for broadcasters.
Local voices, including Cheltenham’s Liberal Democrat MP Max Wilkinson, have been outspoken. Wilkinson labeled the refusal to extend pub licensing hours during England’s late-night matches as “the worst decision since the introduction of hydration breaks.”
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Fans praised Don Broco’s stunt on Instagram, calling it “hilarious” and “legendary,” while festival organisers admitted, “Sometimes it has to be done.”
Don Broco was a last-minute addition to the lineup, confirmed just days before the festival after the original headliners, American punk rockers Alkaline Trio, withdrew due to frontman Matt Skiba’s medical issues. The band announced their cancellation via social media, reassuring fans that Skiba would receive treatment in the US and promising a strong return.
With temperatures soaring above 30°C and forecasts hitting 33°C, the lighthearted nod to hydration was especially timely. Even if it had been a genuine break, festival-goers would have understood given the heat conditions.
Looking ahead, fans can catch England’s next World Cup game live on a big screen at the festival, as organisers will broadcast the second half of England’s quarter-final against Norway after the performance by headliners Neck Deep closes the main stage.