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! This year we’re also having a word with the acts playing in the VIP area!
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!
Darth Elvis & The Imperials – Serpent’s Lair VIP stage, Sunday
Simple things first –where are you guys from?
We’ll be travelling to Bloodstock from a dark grey place in the Outer Rim we like to call Viva Mos Eisley but it’s better known as Aberdeen, Scotland.
How long have you been playing together as a band?
We are celebrating our tenth anniversary this year. Our debut performance was at the Excel Centre in London at Star Wars Celebration Europe in 2007. Since then the Gracestar has been all over the Galaxy.
Where does the name of the band come from?
Forty years ago I turned to the Dark Side of the Force and became Darth Elvis, the Dark King of the Sith. I said goodbye to the life I had previously and moved to a Galaxy far far away. Whilst travelling the Outer Rim I met the Imperials on the forest moon of Endor and had to drag one of them kicking and screaming away from the Ewoks. We had our first jam session there and the rest is history.
Describe your music. What makes you unique?
We play Sith fuelled rock n’ roll baby, and have reworked some of my old songs along with some newer songs by other artists to tell of our adventures out in the Galaxy and our encounters with Rebels and Imperials alike. Be prepared to sing along with Sarlacc Pit and Sheev Palpatine!
What’s your live show like? Why are people going to watch you instead of another band?
Our live shows are full of energy, audience participation, sing alongs, dancing and guaranteed to put a smile on your face!
Have you been to Bloodstock before? What did you think?
This is our first time to Bloodstock and we cannot wait to get there to drink the bars dry and listen to some great bands. Beer is the path to the Dark Side so we hope to do some recruiting at the festival!
When/how did you find out you’d been selected to play at Bloodstock?
We were originally approached to perform last year but couldn’t manage but jumped at the chance when Griz asked us again for this year.
What sort of setlist can we expect?
Expect sixty minutes of Star Wars themed rock n’ roll from the craziest bunch of Imperials this side of the Outer Rim. Expect the Dark King of the Sith shaking his hips and singing his heart out, TK4468 flipping the bird, hitting his skins and sweating until he es out, Tie Fighter Pilot firing out rhythms and busting some awesome dance moves and Captain Pete dropping Solo’s, something Greedo never could.
What makes it different playing in the VIP area as opposed to out front?
We are used to playing for Hutts, gangsters and stray Imperials. It will make a change playing for VIP’s.
What are you working on at the moment?
We have a number of new songs in the works, a couple of which will be performed at Bloodstock and then we will be back in the studio working on the follow up to our debut album IV.
What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done at a live show?
Wildest thing we’ve had happen to us at a live show was iral Ackbar bitch slappin’ Vegas… Rebel scum.
Jager, Hobgoblin Ale, Kraken, Kingstone Press Cider, Kaltenberg Beer or Bulleit Bourbon? And, yes, we’ll be counting all the votes!
TFP will be drinking the Kingstone Cider for sure! TK sampling the Hobgoblin Ale and Darth Elvis and Captain Pete will be hitting the Bourbon. I’m hoping you will have some Mandalorian Ales for us to sample to wash down the Wampa Burgers. HOT DANG!
Darth Elvis & The Imperials: official | facebook | twitter | bandcamp
