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!
Oni – Sophie Lancaster Stage, Sunday
Simple things first – where are you guys from?
Jake: Hi, we’re Oni and we’re from Ontario, Canada.
How long have you guys been playing together?
John: As a band, we’ve been together for just over two years. However, we’ve known each other for years thanks to our mutual interests in music and creativity, as well as working in different bands and attending gigs within the same local music scene.
Where does the band name come from?
Jake: The name has its roots embedded in Japanese folklore; an ONI is an ogre-like demon that takes great joy in spreading diseases, disasters, and other unpleasant things. However, in more recent times, ONI have lost some of their wickedness and are sometimes seen as protective wards. Which type you associate with us, the demonic ONI or the protective one, comes down to personal taste at the end of the day!
Describe your music. What makes you unique?
John: We don’t stick to just one genre – we’re not just a metal band. We enjoy mixing things up!
Jake: Like John said, we like to cross genres a lot. We aren’t afraid to think outside the box, and enjoy offering both incredibly heavy songs and songs that take people on a musical journey. We’re also unique in that we’re the only metal band with a Xylo-synth player! I think that helps in making us stand apart from a lot of young metal bands these days; that, and the fact that we enjoy listening to a variety of music, not just metal bands, when drawing on influences for our own music.
What’s your live show like? Why are people going to watch you instead of another band?
Jake: We like to metaphorically break our necks on stage! I’ve also found that I push myself so hard on stage that, once our set’s done, I find it difficult to walk… We like to get the crowd involved in our show and keep them entertained for the duration of our set. Put simply: we take no prisoners.
John: Yeah, it’s very high energy! We genuinely enjoy ourselves on stage too and love watching the crowd pick up on our energy.
Have you played Bloodstock before? If so, when? And tell us about the experience.
Jake: No, we haven’t played Bloodstock before – this will be our first time. We’re excited to experience this incredible festival that we’ve heard so much about, though!
How/when did you find out that you’d be playing the SOPHIE stage at Bloodstock?
Jake: I was very surprised to hear that we would be on the Sophie Stage. Her story is incredibly moving and heart-breaking; when I learned that we would be playing on her stage, I immediately wanted to pay a tribute to her by dedicating our set to her. To think that people still face such hatred and prejudice for the way they dress in today’s society is disgusting. However, to be playing such an important stage and festival is humbling. We can’t wait to play alongside some legendary bands over the weekend.
What sort of set list can we expect?
Jake: Alongside songs from our debut album Ironshore, we may or may not treat the crowd a brand new, heavy song…
John: This setlist will definitely be one of our heaviest ones yet!
Which main stage band do you most hope you’re not clashing with so you can see them play?
Jake: I’m stoked to see Amon Amarth, Megadeth and Testament, that’s for sure! I’m also really excited to see Hatebreed as I love Jamey Jasta; he’s probably one of the best frontmen in the scene.
What are you working on at the moment? Can we expect any new releases in the future, or perhaps sneak peaks at Bloodstock?
Jake: We’re closing in on something very special, which we’re most likely going to perform at Bloodstock. And we also have a new album in the works! There’ll be all kinds of new, face-melting riffs and crazy prog madness coming your way soon in the near future!
What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done on tour?
Jake: We’ve done shit so wild that I cannot put it in print!
Jäger, Hobgoblin Ale, Kingstone Press Cider, Kaltenberg Beer, or Bulleit Bourbon? And yes, we will be counting all of the votes!
John: I’m a Jäger man, hands down, Jäger all day, every day!
Jake: Kaltenberg Beer would be my choice! I’ll always pick a beer.
