We’re very excited to announce that electronica pioneers Alva Noto and Byetone will be playing at this year’s Supersonic Festival. Two wizards of  experimental audio visual performance, the German artists will be play at the festival as part of their 15 year anniversary tour. Alva Noto makes rhythms and harmonies using clicks and glitches and is also known for his work with Ryoji Ikeda. Byetone, aka Olaf Benders is the label boss of Raster Noto record label and as Byetone manipulates abstract animations in realtime to support abstract, complex pieces of music that mange to be  danceable at the same time.

Also joining the bill this year is Cut Hands, aka William Bennett of Whitehouse, and his afro noise project. Alexander Tucker will be presenting an intimate performance of his new record of minimalist string arrangements and electronic manipulations and The Berg Sans Nipple will bring their incredible live show to the festival.  Part Chimp, legendary for the volume of their live hows will bring their noise rock to the stage, along with psych sleazers Teeth of the Sea, Sabbath worshippers Slabdragger and Nottingham’s finest, Kogumaza.

As ever, we like you to get you involved in the festival too, a bit of audience participation never goes amiss and we’re pleased to announce an exciting workshop from Supersonic friend John Richards. After the success of his Dirty Electronics Ensemble in 2009, he’ll back with a new noise making workshop, Mute Synth,  where participants can also show off their hard work at the live performance at the festival.

We’re also very pleased to announce the return of Supersonic Kids Gigs – big sounds for little people. Lucky Dragons, as well as performing at the main festival site for us grown ups, will be doing a special performance for children and their families.

For up to date festival news go to www.supersonicfestival.com

Tickets for the festival are only £75 for three days of music, film, art and cake and are available from:

www.theticketsellers.co.uk

www.seetickets.com

Plugs Records, Cork

Polar Bear Records, Birmingham

Swordfish Records, Birmingham

Home of Metal Launch In Pictures

Last Thursday Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery’s Gas Hall hosted the launch of the Home of Metal Exhibition. In attendence were notable members of both the music and art communities. Slade singer Noddy Holder, former Judas Priest guitarist KK Downing and Brian Tatler from Diamond Head were among the guests at the official opening which was launched by Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi.

Please visit www.homeofmetal.com for the origional article and much more.

How exciting! Head on down to HMV Institute to witness the brilliant Battles play tonight! They’re fresh from a Glastonbury performance – check their performance of Ice Cream below.

Support comes from Young Montana?, a favourite of Mary-Anne Hobbs he merges glitch, hip hop and experimental electronica

London had the Tweed Run but here in Birmingham we’re much more hardcore than that so in order to celebrate the Home of Metal Launch our friends at Nimble have organised a Double Denim Ride in homage to the trendsetters that are metal fans!

So get your best metal outfit on, invite your friends and pedal over to the Gas Hall entrance of the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery for a 6pm meetup. Everyone will leave at 6pm after a Double Denim photo opp and enjoy a short pootle around the city and surrounding areas, aiming to be back before 8pm and the end of the party!

Prizes for the best outfit!

A week to go til Battles hit Birmingham! For a little taster check out this video of them paying in Osaka on their current tour.

Monday 27th June
Battles + Young Montana?
HMV Institute
For tickets go here: http://www.theticketsellers.co.uk/

We are delighted to say that after 4 years of research, fund raising and general blood sweat & tears Home Of Metal has finally opened. Here are some photos and we would encourage you to go and check out the exhibitions for yourself. Both the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery show (18th June – 25th Sept) and Wolverhampton Art Gallery exhibition (18th June – 17th Sept) opened this weekend in perfect time for Fathers Day. I was honoured to have spent the afternoon on Wednesday with Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath doing a number of interviews, you can catch them on BBC Front Row and on 6 Music, there is a BBC Radio 2 dedicated programme being made too, I’ll post up details when aired.

The exhibition at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery explores the industrial backdrop of the region and how that impacted on bands like Black Sabbath & Judas Priest.

There are a selection of Judas Priest stage costumes as well as some examples of Tony Iommi of Black Sabbaths jackets on display – looking at the theatrics of Heavy Metal.

In our resource section you can have a go yourselves playing a selection of Gibson guitars – including Flying V’s

In this section see early Napalm Death flyers, fanzines, hand written lyrics and set lists

The exhibition is on till the 25th September – Tickets: Book online or ring 0121 303 1966, for further information and access details see HERE

Photos by Katja Ogrin

At Wolverhampton Art Gallery we have an exhibition entitled ‘You Should be Living’. Featured artists, include Matius Faldbakken, Ben Venom, Harminder Judge, Banks Violette, Amy Sarkisian, Seldon Hunt and Mark Titchner who use typography, vintage t-shirts, sculpture and sound to explore the varying aesthetics of Heavy Metal and its relationship to contemporary art. The artists, both national and international, take inspiration from the genre, whilst exploring notions of fantasy, chaos, performance and musical devotion.

Pictured the work of Amy Sarkisian + Jim Faure

In the Focus gallery there are a selection of images depicting the Black Country and it’s industry backdrop.

With a new commission by Damien Deroubaix & Nic Bullen referencing 30 years of Napalm Death.

The show at Wolverhampton is free – more information HERE

For the full Home Of Metal season of events & exhibitions see www.homeofmetal.com

Further line up announcements for this year’s Supersonic Festival include exciting appearances from Circle and Pharaoh Overlord. Fresh from their artist residency at Roadburn Festival in the Netherlands , Circle and Pharaoh Overlord will both perform at this year’s festival. Circle bring together krautrock beat, heavy riffs and showmanship to induce a trance like state, while Pharaoh Overlord (featuring members of Circle) lets out their stoner/space rock side. To celebrate the appearance of these Finnish legends we will be screening a new documentary ‘Man with a Video Camera’. The film follows a Swedish Circle fan who decides to make a documentary of the band, and finds them to be kindred spirits despite their lack of interest in his film…

Here are Circle performing at Supersonic Festival 2006

Other acts confirmed to play are Silver Apples, enormously influential pioneers of electronic music, their odd breed of psychedelia has inspired scores of other bands. Nathan Bell, formerly of Lungfish will perform his cyclic banjo music. Avant -garde violinist and sound artist Tony Conrad will also be appearing – an experimental musician, film maker and writer, every performance of his is a unique event.

Early bird tickets went flying out the door and are now sold out. Weekend tickets are available here for £75, giving you three days of music, art, film and cake.

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Supersonic Festival 2011

21-23 October

feat: Bardo Pond, Circle, Cloaks, Electric Wizard, Fire! feat. Oren Ambarchi, Secret Chiefs 3, Zombi, ZU93, a.P.a.t.T, Agathe Max, Antilles, Astro, Blarke Bayer//Black Widow, Eternal Tapestry, Lucky Dragons, Monarch, Pekko Kappi, Scorn, The Skull Defekts, White Hills, Wolves in the Throne Room, Nathan Bell, Tony Conrad, Silver Apples, Pharaoh Overlord and many more to be announced.

A 10 artist show at Umbrella Arts in New York opens on 23 June 2011, one of the featured photographers is Jamie Robinson. Jamie will be displaying artist portraits from Supersonic 2010.

Swans

Lichens

http://www.jwrobinson.co.uk/