As ever, we’re going to try and cover every single Jäger, New Blood and SOPHIE stage band before Bloodstock kicks off on August 10th. Your chance to check them out and start planning which bands to get there early for!
Trust us when we tell you that this is bound to result in some frustrating clashes because, as ever, there are some great bands on these three stages.
Our thanks to all the bands for taking the time out to answer our questions!
Xentrix – Sophie Lancaster Stage, Saturday
Simple things first – Where are you guys from?
We’re from the North West of England, except from the new boy, Jay, who lives in Bristol.
How long have you guys been playing together?
The band started in 1988.
Where does the band name come from?
That’s a good question. When we signed to Roadrunner back in ’88 they asked us to come up with a new name. I can’t whose idea it was but none of us liked it until we saw the pointy logo, but over the years it has kind of grown on us.
Describe your music. What makes you unique?
That’s always the hardest question to answer about your own music. I think Xentrix are a balance of riffs and songs all served up with a side order of crunchy speed (the musical pace, not the drug).
What’s your live show like? Why are people going to watch you instead of another band?
We’re an old school UK thrash band, so we rely on being able to play our own songs. At this year’s Bloodstock we’ll be throwing £10 notes out into the crowd… And we never lie, honest.
Have you played Bloodstock before? If so, when? And tell us about the experience.
We played in 2013 and it was a fantastic gig! Whether you’re playing or watching, Bloodstock is the best metal festival the UK has to offer. The organisation is super slick, the layout is easy to navigate, and the general vibe is infectious. That gig in 2013 was probably one of the best responses we’d ever had from a crowd. I was shocked how many people were crammed into that tent!
How/when did you find out that you’d be playing the SOPHIE stage at Bloodstock?
I got a message to call Simon Hall (Bloodstock organiser) last Saturday (15th July), and he said they had a problem with a band who hadn’t got their visas and would we step in? To be honest we were incredibly flattered that he’d asked us and we jumped at the chance.
What sort of setlist can we expect?
We’re mainly doing songs from Shattered Existence and For Whose Advantage? as they go down the best. We will be slotting in a couple of new songs but the majority of the set will be old school thrash.
Which main stage band do you most hope you’re not clashing with so you can see them play?
I know we won’t clash with them but I’m hoping to see Testament because they rule!
What are you working on at the moment? Can we expect any new releases in the future, or perhaps sneak peaks at Bloodstock?
In 2015, we recorded a full album of new music with our original vocalist. But then he decided he didn’t want to do music anymore, so we didn’t see any point in putting it out. Now that we have Jay on board, the plan is to go and rerecord the vocals on an already finished record.
What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done on tour?
Various drunken naked antics by grown up men who should know better and look slightly less vile with their clothes on!
And finally, if you had to pick one drink, which would it be: Jager, Hobgoblin Ale, Kingstone Press Cider, Kaltenberg Beer, or Bulleit Bourbon? And yes, we will be counting all of the votes!
I’m a big fan of Germanic beverages, so Kaltenberg please!
Xentrix: official | facebook | twitter
