Who Wears The Trousers


Capsule were invited to curate an exhibition for the Royal Shakespeare Company in response to the Roaring Girl Season, we worked with the Girls Who Draw, a group of female illustrators from across the UK. Inspired by the Swan Theatre production, they playfully explore the tradition of cross-dressing in theatre and how clothes are used to express identity, the exhibition is entitled ‘Who Wears The Trousers.

Here is a sneak peak from our install yesterday, a huge thanks to Nicola Salmon from the RSC who has been a dream to work with, as has the ever amazing Jo Weldon who has magically fabricated the moving structures and of course Karoline Reerie and Ruth Green from the GWD who have worked alongside Capsule to make the exhibition a reality.

Go and see it for yourself, the show opens on the 7 May till the 31 August and is free to the public.
Artists include – Anke Weckmann/Elle Donlon/Jane McGuinness/Karoline Rerrie/Kristyna Baczynski/Laura Kate Chapman/Mina Braun/Ruth Green


Kristyna Baczynski


Laura Kate Chapman


Anke Weckmann

photos by Karoline Reerie

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Melt Banana + Glatze + Thrilling Headgear – live preview

John Peel described the Melt Banana live experience as “Simply one of the most extraordinary performances I have ever seen and ever heard … just mesmerizing, absolutely astonishing.”

Expect impossible to memorize lyrics, relentless tempos and one of a kind prog-core. Melt Banana are Tokyo’s twisted take on punk rock. Now a duo comprising Agata on guitar and singer Yako (who signature staccato vocal style makes the band the unique monster it is), Melt Banana will be bring their wildly fun, frenzied and unpredictable show to Birmingham this May 27th at the Rainbow Warehouse. Advance tickets here.

Joining them will be Brum’s Glatze and Thrilling Headgear.

Glatze “is all about attention grabbing, energetic live performances” says the man behind it all, Sam Underwood. Drawing influence from the likes of Henry Rollins, Afrirampo, rave DJs such as Sy and Slipmatt, and of course Melt Banana, expect madcap inventions and theatricalities with a fun-at-all-costs mentality!

Meanwhile Thrilling Headgear are set to rock out with their Spock out, compelling us to think about what we listen to and why. As guitarist Neil Bailey states “… music to me is story-telling. Influence is nothing without critical function. You have to think about why you like what you like.”  We honestly have no idea how this story will unfold, we just know it’s going to be rad… with Ex/current members of Stinky Wizzleteat/Mothertrucker/Opium Lord how could it not be.

For  more information about all 3 acts, sample tracks and Q&A’s go here, here & here! Our events page on Facebook can also be found here. See you at the show! Buy your ticket now, here.

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Supersonic preview

Birmingham’s premiere experimental music festival has revealed its final selection of acts.

Anyone who’s managed to hike out to Supersonic before knows how bloody good it is, and how much its organizers have done to make sure it’s a sidestep from the competition. While the majority of other festivals fight amongst themselves trying to snatch identikit lineups of bedraggled nostalgia-core reduxes and hype dance acts that’ll be forgotten in six months, Supersonic has solidified its legacy by simply picking excellent music.”
A wonderful right up from FACT Read full preview HERE

Don’t miss out folks we have just released a limited number of extra weekend tickets but be warned they are going quickly and once they’re gone they’re GONE. Buy tickets HERE

Full line up: Agathe Max/Alien Whale/Anta/Backwards/Basic House/Chris Brokaw/Evil Blizzard/EX Easter Island Head/Felix Kubin/Jenny Hval/Kunnst/Matmos/Opium Lord/Pharmakon/Rattle/Sleaford Mods/Sly & The Family Drone/Swans/Wolf Eyes/Youth Man
+ Bill Drummond talk/If Wet Salon/ Film takover with Death Waltz Records + The Duke Mitchell Film Club – cake and much

more!

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The Ex – live photos + a big thank you


Last Friday 18th was indeed ‘Good’. In fact we’d go so far as to say it was bleedin’ brilliant! A fantastic atmosphere across both rooms and incredible performances all round.  If you missed it, you missed out! The Ex played an uber-fun, high energy set which had everyone moving their feet. Spurred on by the crowd they played 3 encores! Health & Efficiency and Rattle also entertained and delighted, whilst over on stage 2 Bayonnebleeder, Sump, Mob Rules and Ghold brought ‘the heavy’.

Massive thanks to our co-hosts that night, Milque & Muhle, who programmed an amazing line-up (stage 2) which both complemented and contrasted with the other stage really well.  A diverse mix most definitely! So a huge a thank you to them, to all our performers and most of all to all you great folk who turned up to party with us. We hope you had as much fun as we did.

Here’s a few live pics from the night, thanks to our favourite photographer, Katja Ogrin with some amazing additional photos from Wayne Fox

 

The Ex

Health & Efficiency

 Rattle

Bayonnebleeder

Ghold

Mob Rules


Sump

 

Don’t forget to join us May 27th for Melt Banana + Glatze + Thrilling Headgear at Digbeth’s Rainbow Warehouse. The biggie of the year is also fast approaching: Supersonic Festival 2014 Ltd Edt hits May 30-31st  and features an almighty line-up including Swans, Wolf Eyes, Pharmakon, Sleaford Mods, Felix Kubin and many many more adventurous acts. This event was sold out but we have issued 200 more tickets thanks to us opening a second stage (yes, with even more acts!) so get in quick as half of these extra tickets have already disappeared! Tickets for all Capsule’s events can be purchased here.

Over and out!

Love, Capsule.

 

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Melt Banana – reviews & quotes

In just over a month Capsule welcomes back one of our favourite acts, the one and only Melt Banana who play Rainbow Warehouse on May 27th (Tickets here). Hailing from Tokyo, these Japanese noise-punk pioneers have been enthralling audiences worldwide with their own brand of ecstatic, pop-grindin’ rock. After a six year hiatus (partly due to the dreadful earthquake that hit Japan in 2011) the band are back touring with their latest album offering, Fetch. They’ve been missed and not just by us. It seems there are quite a few people with nice things to say…

“A band who have justifiably been championed across the world, Tokyo’s MELT-BANANA have been responsible for some of the most complex punk rock ever made…. that far outshines ninety-nine percent of most other bands out there. The band once described their live show as “Shooting machine gun and laser beam, chaos in order”. And I think that pretty much sums them up.” – Olli Siebelt, BBC

“MELT-BANANA are in a league of their own. There are other extreme hardcore bands out there who are experimental and unique but MELT-BANANA are more than that. They are giants amongst infants. Masters amongst pupils. Kings amongst serfs. Nobody can do what they do and nobody can adequately use words to describe them.”  -Jeb, Crass Menagerie

“That Melt-Banana is making some of the best music of their career—over 20 years into the band’s existence—speaks to the universal and transcendent quality of their noise. The landscape of media, society, and even the microcosm of noise rock has changed greatly, but Onuki and Agata have locked jaws on the diametric constants: energy versus agitation, phobia versus euphoria, and instant nostalgia versus the relentless pursuit of the upgrade.” -Jason Heller, Pitchfork.

If all that hasn’t managed to convince you to see Melt Banana for yourself, then it’s worth also noting that the legendary John Peel went as far as to describe them as “one of the world’s great bands”.

Also playing this night are local acts Glatze (Sam Underwood‘s alter ego) and Thrilling Headgear (formed from the ashes of Stinky Wizzleteat). Listen to tracks and find out more about these two artists in two recently conducted mini Q&As for Capsule:

Glatze Q&A

Thrilling Headgear Q&A

Tickets for Melt Banana + Glatze + Thrilling Headgear at the Rainbow Warehouse May 27th can be purchased here.

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Timetable for tonight

Folks doors are at 8pm tonight at the Hare & Hounds and we go right through till 2am – there will be tickets on the door or you can purchase yours in advance via theticketsellers.co.uk

Room 1
Rattle 8.30 – 9.15
Comprising of 2 of Nottingham’s most unique and recognisable drummers (Theresa Wrigley of Fists and Katharine Brown of KOGUMAZA) and aided by Kogumaza’s Mark Spivey they create a hypnotic and danceable music form that recalls This Heat or ESG even whilst remaining completely their own.

Health & Efficiency 9.45 – 10.30
H&E combine elements of punk-rock, no-wave, free jazz, psych-folk, minimalist composition, and improvisation into a dynamic balance that sounds spontaneous and harmonious in its execution.

The Ex 11.00 – 12.00
They are the most interesting musical unit in the world today…Go and see the Ex and you will hear rhythms you have never heard before…a sweaty seething party, an uplifting, joyful celebration.” – The Quietus

12 – 2am DJ SETS FROM LUKE YOUNGER & CHRIS BRESS

Room 2
Bayonnebleeder 8.15 – 8.45
Influenced by bands such as Rorschach, Septic Death and His Hero Is Gone

Sump 9.15 – 9.50
Yorkshire two-piece combining a glorious fusion of Black Metal and Punk

Mob Rules 10.20 – 10.50
Arguably one of best bands on the UK Hardcore scene at the moment, Leeds anger-fuelled Powerviolence at its best.

Ghold 11.20 – 12.00
With a heavy bass line and percussive drums, this sludge rock duo pay homage to the early days of Sludge with bands like the Melvins, Karp and Godheadsilo.

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The Ex this Friday 18th April!

 


This is it. The Ex hit up Birmingham’s Hare & Hounds this Friday for our all-nighter consisting of 2 stages and 7 bands, as well as late night DJ sets. It’s going to be a Good Friday after all!

Advance tickets are available for just a tenner here.

If you don’t know what to expect from The Ex, then you might be interested to hear what’s been said about them…

” guitars played with screwdrivers from stalwarts of the Dutch power-improv scene the Ex, who’ve played more than 1,800 shows in their time. Spearheaded by axe-wielders

Terrie Hessels and Andy Moor, along with Katherina Bornefeld on drums and Arnold De Boer on vocals, the group started out in the late 70s as a punk outfit. They still do everything themselves, from roadying to releases, and have racked up an eclectic list of regular collaborators, from Ethiopian musician Getatchew Mekuria through power-jazz trio the Thing to jazz drummer Han Bennink.”

– The Guardian

“They are the most interesting musical unit in the world today…Go and see the Ex and you will hear rhythms you have never heard before…a sweaty seething party, an uplifting, joyful celebration.” – The Quietus

You can also listen to Capsule’s April playlist to sample some of the artists playing this Friday.

Get your tickets here.

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ss_14website

Following the initial announcement about Supersonic Ltd Edt 2014 where tickets sold out in a weekend we are delighted to be able to make available another 200 tickets due to the opening of a brand new venue, Alfie Birds at the Custard Factory, we just couldn’t resist partnering with this new space and adding a second stage. BUY TICKETS

pharmagood

Adding to an already impressive line up (including Swans, Wolf Eyes, Matmos, Sleaford Mods and many more) are an array of weird and wonderful performers, and what band fits both categories “weird” and “wonderful” more aptly than Evil Blizzard, who shall bring their critically acclaimed, uniquely bizarre noise rock to the event. Meanwhile, Pharmakon’s confrontational power electronics and deathly industrial sounds will reverberate loudly around the Custard Factory, impossible to ignore. For something different, veteran performer/film composer and member of rock bands Codeine and Come, Chris Brokaw shall perform solo in support of his latest album.

Kubin Twins - by Dorle Bahlburg

Excitingly, Khünnt (featuring Richard Dawson and Pigs x 7) shall perform at Supersonic Ltd Edt 2014, exploring the boundaries of esoteric music, from minimalist noise and ESP screams to live improvisation, fog-beat and psychedelic city mantra. From these savage sounds we traverse to the futurist pop, electroacoustic and chamber orchestra music of Felix Kubin. And on another part of the musical spectrum, Sly & The Family Drone‘s egalitarian approach will propel the audience and band together into a shamanistic setting of catharsis and anarchic celebration.

Opium Lord

What Supersonic event is complete without something heavy? Enter Opium Lord, who’s desolate doom-sludge, filthy grooves and abrasive noise will satisfy those with a penchant for dark sounds. Also ticking the boxes for loud, visceral, imposing and intelligent music are Bristol based ANTA who have also been added to the line up.

rattle

To mark the release of their first record, a 10″ EP, on London -New York label care in the community recordings, Alien Whale have been added to Supersonic Ltd Edn, musically exploring their roots in free-form rock ‘n roll with an ecstatic energy. Also taking to the stage at Supersonic Ltd Edn 2014 are Rattle, two of Nottingham’s most unique and recognisable drummers (Theresa Wrigley of Fists and Katharine Brown of Kogumaza) and aided by Kogumaza’s Mark Spivey shall perform their hypnotic and dance-floor filling music, that recalls This Heat or ESG.

youthmna_web

And finally, Capsule add two exciting local bands to the Supersonic Ltd Edn bill which includes, Birmingham based, Youth Man who shall present their hyperactive, non-stop form of post-punk which sounds like the Pixies playing Minutemen covers, heavily influenced by the Dead Kennedys. Also added are Backwards, featuring ex-members of Beestung Lips, Una Corda and Napalm Death – who serve up a heady brew of distortion with two bass guitars, drums, voice and electronics.

billd_web

Of course as well as adding more performers we also have a number extra curricular happenings across the weekend at the Custard Factory and other locations also. Don’t forget to check out the Bill Drummond exhibition at Eastside Projects, he shall be leading a re-enactment of two historical performances given by The17 choir. The first was in Moscow on the 28 September 2006, the second in Saint Petersburg the following day. The re-enactment will involve 34 people, 17 of whom will act the part of those that were The17 in Moscow, the other 17 will act the part of those who were The17 in Saint Petersburg. The17 choir creates music that follows no musical history, or necessarily has words, melodies or rhythms. This is a ticketed event taking place at Eastside Projects on Saturday at 2pm.

Still to come in the near future…more

information about Capsule’s inaugural ‘Labs’ (artist development and commissioning scheme) devised to create more opportunities for commissioning experimental, cross-disciplinary art, which Capsule intend to launch at Supersonic Ltd Edn.
BUY TICKETS

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