The Discovery Pavilion is housing an amazing series of residences, with each creative setting up home in the bespoke space for only a week, so catch each residency while you can!

2arttoyguys spent last week making beautiful vintage sci fi models, and decorated the space all things retro science fiction, including a full size recreation of HG Wells’ Time Machine! Lot’s of people joined in, creating their own models from recycled materials.

This week you can explore The Sound Trolley, a collaborative effort between David Morton and Sam Underwood, it is a whimsical audio creature that contains an array of electronic and acoustic sounds. It is controlled through an accessible interface and features an optical sequencer at its core; triggering sound as the trolley is pushed around on floor patterns made from vinyl. These designs will determine what sound the trolley emits when it is manoeuvred over them. It’s a playful vehicle of sonic delights, waiting to be driven by you.

The best way to experience The Sound Trolley is by having a go. Drop in and try it out, or sign up for a workshop to explore its full potential. Be treated to an extremely fun installation from a wildly unorthodox pair of artists. In the words of Sam Underwood “It’s what humans do with it that really brings it alive.”

The next live show in the Discovery season sees some of Birmingham’s finest young talent perform in the library. At Rise of Birmingham on Wednesday 2nd October, you’ll see kraut/disco, noise rock, post punk and more.

Check out Victories At Sea, a three piece who have recently signed to Static Caravan. They’ve played support slots for Savages, Teeth of the Sea and Editors.

“I’m not entirely sure what but there’s definitely something in Birmingham’s waters lately as yet another promising new band emerges on to the circuit. Victories at Sea provide an enticingly refreshing outlook on the standardised Indie Popsters that are flying at us left, right and centre from the city. With brooding guitars shadowed by hauntingly dark percussion they prove to be a stark contrast to the crystallised pop we’re used to hearing from the current Midlands scene.” www.sos-music.co.uk

Tickets are only £5 for four great bands – Free School / Victor / Youth Man / Victories At Sea. You can get them in advance via www.birmingham-box.co.uk

An enthralling songwriter and performer, Josephine Foster will bring a touch of class to the Bring To Light weekend. A multi instrumentalist, and former opera singer she creates contemporary folk, each record drawing inspiration from a different source, from traditional Spanish music to Emily Dickinson poetry. www.josephinefoster.info

Her new record I’m a Dreamer sees her reinterpreting old country music in her inimitable style. You can listen to the track ‘Sugarpie I’m Not The Same’ over at The Quietus.

Weekend tickets for Bring To Light are currently on sale for £40 via www.theticketsellers.co.uk, the event also features Richard Dawson, Kogumaza, Zomes and many more. Read the full details here.

From a new library, to a new record shop – Birmingham is really bucking the trends!

“Milque & Muhle is an independent record shop based in Birmingham’s Custard Factory. Coming from a combination of music and art backgrounds Milque & Muhle is the creation of Nathan Warner and Ellena Donlon, recognising Birmingham’s demand for a unique music outlet, they hope to be a place where people can find rare material and discover the new.

Milque & Muhle not only provides vinyl and cassette, covering all left field material from Punk/Hardcore, Metal/Doom through to Industrial, Jazz/Free Jazz, Psyche, Soundtracks and Experimental; You will also find music fanzines, comics, presses and occasional art prints. With due course Milque & Muhle hope to curate local gigs and music/art based events targeted towards curious audiences in Birmingham.”

Birmingham’s newest record shop will open on 21st September, from 10 am – 6 pm (located next door to the Custard Factory reception), followed by an evening of live music from Black Veins, Female Smell and Ghold with DJ sets from Nicholas Bullen, David Grindi and Scott Johnston held in Muther’s studio Digbeth from 8 pm, free admission.

twitter.com/MilqueMuhle

Wow! A firm favourite of Capsule, the mighty SHELLAC will play Birmingham on Monday 25th November. They’ve not been in town since the Release the Bats show (with Lightning Bolt, OM) back in 2008 so please do give them a firm welcome back!Tickets are £15 from www.theticketsellers.co.uk

“Shellac played its first shows in Chicago in 1993 and has done a lot of stuff since then, including playing on a party boat in Serbia and a record 74 times at various ATP events. Bob has one wife, a yellow bike and is acquiring more cats; Todd has one dog, no wife, a silver Telecaster and two blouses; Steve has three cats, a fiancee and a PT Cruiser, which is quite roomy and not dorky or a mom car fuck you guys.  The band members all work for a living, and playing in the band is their pastime. Because of this, they don’t tour often or for very long. Todd, Steve and Bob love playing music together. We assume that the band will continue to release albums and play live at the same sporadic pace indefinitely. You should be so lucky.”

Support will be from cellist Helen Money, a Los Angeles based cellist who has become known for her unique sound, bold compositions and compelling stage performance.

and it’ll be a great few days as Sunday 24th November the Adrian Utley guitar orchestra will perform at the library, and Tuesday 26th November, OM + ORE play the Rainbow.

From Tuesday 17th til Sunday 22nd September, 2arttoyguys are in residence at the Pavilion with their incredible vintage sci fi models. Taking inspiration from HG Wells, you are invited to experiment with their full size time machine model, or create your very own model using recycled material, obsolete technology and a healthy dose of imagination. There’s a pop up library of science fiction in the Pavilion during their residency too. Come say hi!

One visitor enjoying the Time Machine

Image by Laura Kate Chapman

Following the new Children’s Library commission by Laura Kate Chapman – which draws on the stories and picture books from The Parker Collection – the Games and Play talk on Thursday 19th September at 6.30pm is an opportunity to see some of the impressive collection first hand, which dates from 1538 to the present day. Tickets can booked via www.birmingham-box.co.uk

Kicking off Kino 10’s Sunday Film Club season on 22nd September at 2pm is the terrifyingly terrific adaptation of Roald Dahl’s fantastical classic The Witches. But don’t expect this to be your average trip to the flicks, theatre company Little Earthquake will be inviting the audience to infiltrate the witches’ convention in disguise and help to sabotage it when the High Witch takes to the stage to deliver her big speech. This is cinema as an immersive and interactive experience,fun and suitable for all. Best of all kids go for free – but you do need to book via www.birmingham-box.co.uk

The Discovery Trail is open throughout the season, where you can explore the library via a number of artworks that question what a library can be. You can also book advance tickets for a number of talks, live music events and screenings at the Discovery season via www.birmingham-box.co.uk

Read more about the season here www.capsule.org.uk/project/library-of-birmingham-opening-season

Rise of Birmingham

Deputy Director

Capsule is looking for an experienced and enthusiastic arts professional to join one of the UK’s most dynamic arts organisations.

Fresh from our latest major project, a four-month multi-artform festival to celebrate the opening of the new Library of Birmingham, and building on the momentum from other high profile projects like Home of Metal, we’re now preparing to open a new chapter for Capsule. You’ll work with the Director to help reimagine and deliver our flagship project Supersonic Festival, now in its 10th year, and shape the future of the organisation.

You’ll have a successful track record in project management and fundraising, with hands-on experience of delivering complex arts events, a proven ability to manage budgets and cashflow, and the ability to lead small teams of staff.

Contract: Fixed-term for 12 months initially, with potential to extend

Hours: Part or full time

Salary: £28 – £32k depending on experience

Deadline for applications is 15th October 5pm.

To apply, please email lisa[at]capsule.org.uk to request an application pack, with Deputy Director in the subject line.
For more information about the role see About/Recruitment

Image by Cat Stevens

You are invited to join in on the biggest dance craze from South Africa – Shangaan Electro. The collective will be in Birmingham on 25th October delivering a couple of FREE workshops. These are aimed at all ages and abilities. The Quietus visited Shangaan founder Nozinja and attended a dance session…

“It’s hot and sweaty but I find the music provokes an inclination to mess around like a child, and I don’t even feel too put off by the fact that Cat, the photographer, keeps laughing at me. (I try to repeat some of the moves I learned a week later at a barbecue at the Nike 1948 shop, and for my troubles get laughed at there, too.) It’s funny, because normally if people laugh at your dancing you’d be embarrassed, but the very nature of Shangaan electro dancing is that it puts you in a jubilant mood.” Read the full article

You can join these free sessions by emailing [email protected].

Shangaan Electro will perform at Bring To Light and at Library of Birmingham on 25th and 26th October. Tickets for Bring To Light are available now.

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