“Godspeed You! Black Emperor are a band that can use the trappings of feedback, noise, and drones in equal balance with melody and rhythm to lead you to genuinely higher place.”
read the full review HERE

Thanks to Katja Ogrin for capturing this epic performance, and a huge thanks to so many of you that turned out to see Godspeed’s first performance in the Midlands in over 13 years. Let’s hope we don’t have to wait quite so long for their return.
If you get the chance check out Dead Rat Orchestra who are a truly unique ensemble and played an amazing opening set.

What Capsule does on holiday

We’ve been busy making plans and making playlists.

We’re producing and curating the glorious, FREE Grand Cross Fayre II in a couple of weeks, AND THEN, the hugely welcome prospect of the only West Midlands show from Godspeed! You Black Emperor in October is on the horizon. (tickets are available here, ahem).

In honour of these super swish events and to celebrate the receding memory of another brilliant Supersonic Festival, we’ve made a nice late summer mix.  Full of tunes to snaffle an ice cream to, the mix features some favourites from Supersonic Festival 2015, such as ultimate summer babes, Happy Meals, plus Trembling Bells affiliates, The Crying Lion, who will be performing at Grand Cross Fayre, and of course, a brand new track from GY!BE.

We hope that, wherever you are, you’ve got some (sunny…possibly) relaxation time planned before this glorious British Summer fades like your old Sabbath t shirt. Here’s mix, replete with track list, for your listening pleasure. Enjoy and see you soon!

1. Apatt: Yes… That’s Positive

2. Gum Takes Tooth: This Perfect Surface

3. Ashtray Navigations: Sponge

4. Apostille: Good Man

5. Happy Meals: Altered Images

6. Ravioli Me Away: Imagination

7. Sex Swing: Night Time Worker

8. Hey Colossus: Black and Gold

9. Selvhenter: A2 Æbler & Pærer

10. Godspeed You! Black Emperor: Peasantry Or ‘Light! Inside Of Light!’

11. Richard Dawson: Poor Old Horse

12. Crying Lion: The Golden Boat

We are pleased to announce that we are collaborating with Sound of Static to present Godspeed You! Black Emperor on the 22 October.

Tickets from www.warwickartscentre.co.uk/whats-on/2015/godspeed-you-black-emperor-plus-guests/

Formed in Montreal, Canada in 1994 post rock legends Godspeed You! Black Emperor continue to release genre defining albums and still perform breathtaking live shows. Returning to UK shores for a handful of live shows this autumn, GY!BE will be showcasing their 2015 album, Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress along with some hefty numbers from their extensive back catalogue. A truly rare evening and one not to be missed.

Taking place at  Warwick Arts Centre, this is GY!BE’s only Midlands show and seats are limited so get in fast.

www.facebook.com/events/509464785876925/

Poster designed by David Hand

We’re delighted to have been invited back by Appetite to curate and produce a second version of The Grand Cross Fayre. Working with the Hanford Village Residents Association.

The event will be held on Saturday 5th September in Hanford Park, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 4QG and will feature a mix of new music and arts workshops. This a FREE event – open to the public and family friendly.

Doors will open at 12pm, with music starting from 2pm and running till 7.00pm.

Bringing an extraordinary afternoon of outdoor delights to Hanford Park with new music, with a selection of workshops and an array of street food, vintage stalls and more to entertain and delight!
Full details of the line up will be revealed over the coming weeks.

Stalwart Finnish psych lords, and Supersonic Festival veterans, Circle return to Birmingham for a Supersonic 2015 warm up show at the Hare and Hounds. Formed in 1991, Circle is the most visible and prolific name in the Finnish avant-rock underground. Having survived innumerable lineup changes, the band and its founder, bassist/vocalist/guitarist Jussi Lehtisalo, have constantly reinvented themselves, weaving hypnotic mantras out of exacting Krautrock beats, heavy riffs, arty noise, dark psychedelia, and soundtrack-like beauty. Hard, chilly repetition has served as the lone unifying theme throughout 15 years of experiments.

Support for this warm up show comes from the mighty Hey Colossus, who are currently riding a wave of “album of the year” reviews for their latest opus ‘In Black And Gold’. Hey Colossus will smash you in the face with a wall of grimy noise and murky lyrics.

Amply fleshing out the line up is Birmingham’s own doom-sludge five piece Opium Lord, sure to open the night loud and kick you into shape with their abrasive and filthy noise.

Tickets available here

You can also RSVP on Facebook here

“I’m 100% sure that I would be a Circle fan, if I didn’t play in the band. Circle is a terrific band that combines fine arts, stumbling in rubber boots, unrecognizable superiority of otherness, notorious rock & roll, and ecstatic self-disgracing. We are a marginal band who are easy to discard and painstaking to follow.”

Jussi Lehtisalo, founding member of Circle

It’s just over three weeks until our pre-Supersonic Festival warm up show, featuring three mysterious musical outlaws; the one and only Circle, Hey Colossus and Opium Lord. Get your tickets here.

The Times guide to the 50 best events this summer – in at no.2 Supersonic Festival 

“For Curious Audiences, announces the poster for this inner-city Birmingham festival. From Ethiopian wandering minstrel Afework Niguisse to Oregon space rockers Eternal Tapestry, this is a celebration of the expressive, challenging and generally out there music.”

Don’t miss out on tickets – now available via The Ticketsellers/See Tickets/Milque & Muhle and Plugd

On Sunday BBC 6 Music’s Stuart Maconie focused the spotlight on Supersonic Festival on his weird and wonderful show, Freakier Zone

The special featured a selection of choice tracks by artists performing at this years Supersonic, selected by the festival’s Creative Director, Lisa Meyer. Lisa was also be in conversation with Stuart, taking us through her choices and telling us exactly why she is so excited about Supersonic 2015’s programme. Those of you who caught her sludge special with Stuart last year will know you’re in for a treat.

Listen to the show on BBC 6 Music website

Artists playing at Supersonic include Holly Herndon/The Pop Group/Gazelle Twin/Liturgy/Richard Dawson and many more. Tickets available now.