2011 has been an incredible year for Capsule with tons of wonderful events and unforgettable moments. Feel free to let us know what your highlights were from our 2011 program and let us know what you’re keen to see more of in 2012.

The year started with some great shows at the Hare & Hounds, showcasing local talent alongside international touring bands. We were thrilled to host Kayo Dot, Seefeel, Woods and Arbouretum in Birmingham, an ever bass heavy set from Dead Fader and a great new discovery in Cambridge’s The Doozer.

Woods at Hare & Hounds on 14th March 2011 – photo by Katja Ogrin

Just one of the awesome gig posters produced for by Tom J Hughes

March saw us revving up for a full on year of Home of Metal events with a screening of ‘In Bed with Chris Needham’ at Flatpack Festival, a cult piece of video that follows a 17 year old Thrash Metal fan through those difficult teenage years. We also held a Home of Metal Open Day - think Antique’s Roadshow for Metal fans, at The Public with special guest Krusher and a DIY cardboard guitar making workshop with Juneau Projects.

Some pretty serious guitar design, photo by Katja Ogrin

Spring saw some really special shows take place as Capsule favourites Earth played in April, the ever intriguing Matmos and Emeralds played in May. We also had our own Royal Wedding party with some great Birmingham bands, including new  favourites Backwards. Behind the scenes we were busy putting together our major Home of Metal exhibition at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery and planning for the season of Heavy Metal celebrations.

Matmos at the mac, 15th May 2011 photo by Kate Fitzgeorge

Backwards at Hare & Hounds, 30th April 2011

‘Home of Metal: 40 years of Heavy Metal and its unique birthplace’ opened at BM&AG on 18th June 2011 and ran through out the summer. We were more than a bit hyped when Black Sabbath guitarist and all round hero was our special guest of honour at the opening. The exhibition explored the ingredients that together created Heavy Metal and was greeted with amazing audience figures and a huge amount of press attention. Thanks again to all who contributed to the show’s success – it was a landmark moment for the project and for Capsule as an organisation.

Johnny Doom keeping it casual in our recreation of Ozzy’s Aston home, photo by Katja Ogrin

The show included a number of key objects from the featured bands history, including Judas Priest stage costumes and Sabbath’s Mob Rules stage cross. Photo by Katja Ogrin

Yeah, that’s right – Tony Iommi. Photo by Katja Ogrin

The Home of Metal season also saw exhibitions across the Black Country, exploring various themes relating to Heavy Metal, from the music’s visual impact to the metal working industries of the region. Home of Metal also hosted the UK’s first Heavy Metal academic conference which saw world leaders in the field of metal studies discuss ‘Heavy Metal and Place’. A weekender of activity around the Black Country included the ‘Metal on Film’ festival, the touring Vintage Mobile Cinema, more DIY guitar action with Juneau Projects and as ever some great live music from bands like Gentleman’s Pistols, Stinky Wizzleteat and Selfless.

A newly commissioned work by Nicholas Bullen and Damien Deroubaix, referencing the first Napalm Death record. Photo by Katja Ogrin

Crust/grind band Selfless perform at the screening of ”Heavy Metal Parking Lot’ at Wolverhampton Lighthouse. Photo by Katja Ogrin.

The crowd watching Gentleman’s Pistols at New art Gallery Walsall.  Photo by Katja Ogrin.

Clearly, you never quite know what to expect on a day out in Dudley

It was an exhausting but awesome summer, but the momentum couldn’t stop there as that little ol thing Supersonic crept up on us in October. We were thrilled to have Tony Conrad, Secret Chiefs 3, Alva Noto and many more influential names on the line up as well as showcase exciting new or underground artists such as Teeth of the Sea, Drunk in Hell, Agathe Max and Ore.

This (literally) ceiling shattering set was one of the last chances to catch Scorn live. Photo by Greg Neate

After filling the Theatre Space in 2010, Barn Owl took to the largest stage at the festival, and played a beautiful set. Photo by Robert Knowles

Lucky Dragons’ participatory performance was a highlight for many. Photo by Craig Earp.

Supersonic 2011 in 90 seconds by HTF media. For more photos and reviews visit the Supersonic Collective Memory

Thanks to all who came along, performed, volunteered and generally supported. Since then we’ve has two excellent shows with firm favourites The Melvins performing in November, may a Capsule fist in the air! IKON invited Capsule to curate a night as part of their Autumn Almanac series of events. It was the Sound of Birmingham and saw performance from tuba doom band Ore, a Black Sabbath inspired improvised piece by Andrew Moscardo Parker and a collective of string players plus field recordings inspired by ‘metal’ by SOUNDkitchen.

Buzz of The Melvins, 1st November 2011. Photo by Katja Ogrin.

Don’t forget we’ll be having a Christmas party on 18th December at Hare & Hounds with our friends Polar Bear Records, Birmingham Bike Foundry and Ideal. There’ll be live music in the form of Backwards, Stinky Wizzleteat and Selfless, a raffle and other treats. Tickets available here, hope to see you there!

Fresh from their Supersonic debut, Ore played their tuba doom. Referencing Metal, Classical and Experimental sounds.

Andrew Moscardo Parker took inspiration from the newly reformed godfathers of Metal, taking the first three notes of the song ‘Black Sabbath’ ( these notes were known as the Devil’s Intervals in Medieval times) and creating a 30 minute string piece. Eight string players surrounded the audience to create a truly immersive piece of work.

Capsule’s very own Ms Sara Fowles (centre) contributes viola

Huge thanks to all the players, to SOUNDkitchen for contributing field recordings based around the notion of ‘Metal’ and to IKON.

Capsule’s Home Of Metal project got a great mention in yesterdays FT newspaper in reference to the very exciting announcement by Black Sabbath about their reformation next year and embarking on a world tour.

Yet Brummies have rarely boasted of their music, unlike chirpy Scousers and cocky Mancunians – a result of Birmingham’s modesty as well as wariness of mainstream indifference to the subculture.
That is changing. Home of Metal, a series of exhibitions and events in the region, has been held over the past few months. An international conference on heavy metal has just taken place at the University of Wolverhampton. It discussed academic studies from the use of “grotesque realism in grindcore politics” to the role of women in “death metal”.
All this comes amid society’s yearning to return to its industrial roots in what George Osbourne calls a ‘march of the makers’. Yet manufacturing’s recovery is stalling amid turmoil in European markets. With the desired rebalancing so hard to achieve, heavy metal looks a more assured export.

Brian Groom

Read full article HERE

We also appeared on Sky News alongside the guys from Polar Bear Records & Alex of former Brummie band Beestung Lips who declared he was “Frankly power-chuffed” by the announcement. No doubt this statement will in itself go down in history.

We’re up against some pretty outstanding folks including our goods friends John & Luke at The Quietus ( but do feel free to vote for us !)- more details here http://www.musicindie.com/awards/indiechampion

‘Metal on Film’
1-4 September 2011
part of the Black Country Weekender

Brace yourself for a juggernaut of Heavy Metal cinema, blazing a trail across the Black Country with an awesome programme of documentaries, rare archive, late-night horror and special guests. The heart of the action will be at the Light House Cinema in Wolverhampton, with a menu of movies that will take you from Midlands’ foundries to Moroccan rooftops, from spandex nonsense to raw doom.

Below are some of the highlights, but you can read the full programme at www.homeofmetal.com

The Home of Metal Roadshow – FREE

The Vintage Mobile Cinema is a beautiful 1960s cinema on wheels that has been restored and will be traveling across the Black Country for the weekend. Come onboard and watch archival and Heavy Metal related short films, exploring the industrial landscape of the region.

Thursday | 3pm – 8pm | Queen Square, Wolverhampton
Friday | 10am – 4pm | Dudley Museum & Art Gallery
Saturday | 11am – 4pm | The New Art Gallery Walsall
Sunday | 11am – 4pm | Haden Hill House

Detailed programmes for each day can be found here.

Between the Hammer and the Anvil | Friday 2 Sept | 6pm | The New Art Gallery Walsall | FREE

As part of a special knees up, Home of Metal is taking over the gallery with films, live music and a Silent Metal Disco. ‘Patch Jacket’ is a collection of shorts exploring the full spectrum of Heavy Metal devotion and Gentlemans Pistols will be bringing their no frills, filthy rock n roll.
Sponsored by The Kraken Rum – cocktails will be available.

Black Sabbath AKA I Tre Volti Della Paura | Friday 2 Sept | 11pm | Light House, Wolverhampton | £5.80/£4.40 concession

The legend goes that some blokes from a heavy blues band called Earth passed a film poster in Perry Barr, and decided to pinch its title for their new name. Expect women in peril, clunky dubbing, bags of suspense, lush, lurid colours and Boris Karloff threading it all together in style.

Sound It Out | Saturday 3 Sept | 4pm | The Public | FREE
Nottingham-based filmmaker Jeanie Finlay’s latest film sees her camera trained on the employees and punters of Sound It Out, Teesside’s last surviving independent record shop, and crafted a moving portrait of vinyl obsessions. We’re delighted that she will be present to talk about the film.

In Bed with Chris Needham + Q&A | Saturday 3 Sept | 6pm | Light House, Wolverhampton | £5.80/£4.40 concession

A self-portrait of Loughborough teenager, Chris Needham deals with adolescent trials including woman trouble, musical differences and an annoying little brother. Chris is still pledged to Heavy Metal, and will be here to talk about his film afterwards.

Heavy Metal Parking Lot : Silver Jubilee | Saturday 3 Sept | 8.30pm | Light House, Wolverhampton | FREE

It’s 25 years since Jeff Krulik and John Heyn walked around the Capital Center’s parking lot in Maryland, interviewing boozed up rockers before a Judas Priest gig. The resulting document has become required viewing on tour buses across the globe, and now you can enjoy the clothes, the hair and the language in all their glory. Featuring live music from Stinky Wizzleteat and Selfless, DJs and food. Sponsored by The Kraken Rum – cocktails will be available.

The Beyond | Saturday 3 Sept | 11pm | Light House, Wolverhampton | £5.80/£4.40 concession

After our Saturday night party, you can check out a late night screening of this video nasty. Napalm Death lynchpin Shane Embury has selected one of his favourite horror movies, where a  hotel conceals the gateway to hell. Expect gore, mayhem and face chewing spiders.

Cathy Come Home + Q&A | Sunday 4 Sept | 3.30pm | Light House, Wolverhampton | £4.70/£4.20 concession

The gripping tale of a family turfed out of their home, Cathy Come Home is best known as a campaigning drama-documentary that helped to change housing policy. It’s also a vivid snapshot of Birmingham in the 60s, filmed on the same Aston streets where Black Sabbath played as kids. Producer (and long-suffering Villa fan) Tony Garnett will be here to talk about the film.

This is Spinal Tap | Sunday 4 Sept | 8.30pm | Light House, Wolverhampton | £4.70/£4.20 concession

What better way to round off the weekender than with the mother of all metal films? A spoof documentary (or, if you will, rockumentary) which set out to satirise the worst excesses of hair metal and pomp rock, This Is Spinal Tap ended up becoming a touchstone and perhaps even an inspiration for many of the bands it took the mickey out of.

Full film schedule is available at www.homeofmetal.com

An overall ‘Metal on Film’ pass is available for £25 and can be booked online at www.light-house.co.uk

Part of the Home of Metal Black Country Weekender, we’ll be screening the legendary ‘Heavy Metal Parking Lot’ It’s 25 years since Jeff Krulik and John Heyn walked around the Capital Center’s parking lot in Maryland, interviewing boozed up rockers before a Judas Priest gig. The resulting document has become required viewing on tour buses across the globe, and now you can enjoy the clothes, the hair and the language in all their glory – in the Light House’s courtyard.

There will also be film shorts courtesy of Flatpack festival and DJs, plus live music from Selfless
“4 piece, insane politically/socially charged hardcore hardcore punk/crust/grind band.Lying somewhere between Black Flag/Heresy/Discharge…”
+ Stinky Wizzleteat
“Formed some time in 2008, Stinky Wizzleteat have garnered some sort of a reputation, leaving a trail of blood, sweat and broken amplifiers behind them. United by a mutual love of the Bad Brains, Wizzleteat carve out a sound informed by groove from across the musical spectrum, whilst staying fully committed to heaviness, good times and volume.”

This event is sponsored by The Kraken Rum and free rum cocktails will be available and best of all the event is FREE too from 8 – 11pm.

Metal on Film is part of Home Of Metal for the full program of screenings see HERE
and for the full Home of Metal season see HERE.

Be warned last time we showed Heavy Metal Parking at Capsule & cake way back in 2002 we had the most legendary & messy party, prepare for one mighty hangover.

BETWEEN THE HAMMER AND THE ANVIL
at THE NEW ART GALLERY WALSALL

Gallery Square, Walsall, West Midlands WS2 8LG

2ND SEPTEMBER | 6PM–9PM | FREE

This special event, part of the Home of Metal Black Country Weekender, continues our celebration of the birthplace of Heavy Metal. No frills, downright dirty, Rock & Roll will come from Gentlemans Pistols (Rise Above), an already cult UK band featuring former Napalm Death and Carcass guitarist Bill Steer.

The night will also feature a silent Metal disco and as part of this special knees-up Flatpack Festival have put together Patch Jacket, a collage of clips and short films exploring the full spectrum of metal devotion., in addition there will be tours of the ‘BE TRUE TO YOUR OBLIVION’ exhibition and a special performance by artist Mark Titchner.

www.thenewartgallerywalsall.org.uk

This event has been sponsored by The Kraken rum, and refreshments will be available at the gallery

Monday 15th August is the application deadline for volunteers for our Home of Metal Black Country Weekender. Get in touch if you fancy getting involved and helping to deliver an exciting weekend of events, all in the name of Heavy Metal!

Here’s the call out:

Capsule are looking for a small team of dedicated volunteers to assist with the delivery of our Home of Metal Black Country Weekender. Bursting with events relating to Heavy Metal and its unique birthplace, there really is something for everyone.

The events will take place at various venues across the Black Country from Thursday 1^st September – Sunday 4^th September, comprising film screenings, panel discussions, family friendly activities and more.

Duties include meeting and greeting, distributing information, event set up/break down and acting as an advocate for Home of Metal. Some events may require some photography skills and technical experience.

To apply please, email admin@capsule.org.uk with ‘Home of Metal Volunteer’ as the subject title, and we will send you an application form. The deadline for completed application forms is Monday 15^th August.

Some top Home of Metal clobber  is available on our website now, including the essential Heavy Metal Family Tree tea towel by artist Bunny Bissoux, already selling fast! There’s also a t-shirt, tote bag, badge and many more lovely things to come. Go to the ONLINE SHOP to see more.