Bloodstock 2017 Interview: Ben Savage of Whitechapel

Just after their performance on the Main Stage on the Friday at Bloodstock, we had a quick chat with Ben from Whitechapel about their performance and also what gear the band is using at the moment. Read on for the full transcription…

You guys played on the main stage earlier on today. How was it for you?

It was great, man. There was a really good crowd and a great response from them. This is the second show we’ve played here as we played the Underworld yesterday. That was a sweaty show in a sold out small club which was awesome. Today was a bit different as it was a little colder so I had to warm up a little more than usual but it was good.

What sort of gear are you guys using at the moment. I gather that you have a signature with ESP.

Yes, that’s correct. Myself, Alex and Zach all have signatures with ESP and we all use Kemper units as well. I currently use the 5150 profile and Alex and Zach use their own different profiles that cut through the mix.

What are your plans for the next 6 to 12 months?

We’re hoping to write a new album at some point next year. We’ve got a couple of tours here and there in places but we’re going to be taking a bit of time off in between to work on some stuff.

Forgive me for asking, but who was drumming with you today?

Chason Westmoreland. He’s a super tight guy and nails all our stuff. It’s fun playing with a new drummer as they always bring something fresh and it’s fun to try some new stuff. I’m not sure if we’re going to keep him around or not as at the moment he’s just in for our current commitments. We’ll see though.

What would you say is the main difference between US festivals and European festivals?

I’d say it’s the fact that America is one place that’s kind of the same. Europe is multiple countries which have different crowds and cultures there. I like playing festivals in Europe but I like touring in America as well as it’s home and our phones work! There’s a lot of good cities there as well like Chicago and Portland.

And the shady venue in Vancouver.

Oh, Rickshaw Theatre! Yeah, man that area is interesting. It’s a weird place that as there’s like Ritz places and then two blocks down it’s drugs and people and shooting up heroin and then another two blocks down it’s like the Ritz again. It’s a weird place but the crowds are always good there so we can’t complain too much!

Describe the band in three words.

Epic, heavy, diverse.

Whitechapel: official | metal blade | facebook | twitter | instagram | youtube

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