“Could you imagine Elgar, Bach or Vaughn Williams’ cello adagios thunder-busting the bass-bins? Before tonight, me neither. Which is why Lori Goldston’s not quite so mellow cello opening set of angst-fueled arpeggios, left punters mesmerized, bewildered, fascinated and eye-bleedingly catatonic in equal measure.”

Lori Goldston opens for Earth

Followed by Earth joining Lori on stage

The godfather of drone Dylan Carlson

Earth play to a sell out audience – Thanks you

“Tonight, it bordered on reverence, and we know how H&H punters don’t take prisoners. Primal, tribal, viscerally asymmetric, it has to be said Earth’s dronal incantations are not everyone’s chosen vat of hemlock: their bruised muse being very much for the alternatively, esoterically inclined. But, subtle wiles are this band’s perplexing charm. And damnably nice people as well. Happy Daze! Thanks to Capsule for another great gig.”

Read full review by John Kennedy on Brum Live with thanks to Katja Ogrin for her fantastic photos

Acid Mothers Temple

Photography – Katja Ogrin

Stearica

Photography – Julia Murphy

Gum Takes Tooth

Photography – Julia Murphy

“It’s been two years since Acid Mothers last appeared at the Hare and Hounds, providing a much anticipated return all round, and they certainly don’t disappoint.

The adventurous thrill is still there, but has matured and induced on a whole new level, developing a star-gazing, out-of-this-world theme that leaves you breathless.

The fiercely Egyptian-sounding ‘The Tales of Solar Sail’ whirls an evading concoction of space age Roland synths with snake-charming guitar riffs, making the audience succumb to a hypnotic trance performed by true Pied Pipers.

By this stage, you could physically see the music pulsating around the room, leading everyone on the same journey of amazement, awaiting the Pharaoh to rise from his tomb.”

Read the full review on Brum Live

Review – Ross Cotton

Images – Katja Ogrin & Julia Murphy

Fresh from catapulting Kings Heath into the cosmos courtesy of Chrome Hoof a mere two days beforehand, Capsule returned to terra firma to give us a much earthier proposition this time round. On an oppressive, balmy Saturday evening the Hare & Hounds played host to the intriguing lineup of Tweak Bird and Wolves in the Throne Room, both of them playing their sophomore gigs for the Capsule ladies. A curious lineup on paper, with the stripped down stoner of Tweak Bird up against WITTR’s heady, trance-inducing spin on black metal, but in practise it worked splendidly.
Tweak Bird took to the stage at the almost ungodly hour of half past seven in front of a crowd who were appreciative of their efforts from the get go, certainly none of the stereotypical BM arms-crossed, brow-furrowed ‘grimmness’. After their blow-away slot supporting Lightning Bolt at the tail-end of last year it was satisfying to discover that nothing had changed from what struck me so much at that particular show, and most importantly there was a sense of familiarity with the material that I didn’t have last time round.
Blessed by a full-throttle, take-no-prisoners sound mix, the sheer volume forced people to take notice, never mind the fact that it was impossible to peel your eyes away from the absolutely powerhouse drumming from Ashton Bird, coming across like a hyperactive cousin of Keith Moon and Wizard-era Mark Greening.

Read full review on Brum Live
Review – Duncan Wilkins
Photos – Katja Ogrin

The rapturous applause that greeted the eight-strong collective as they snaked their way from dressing room to stage was deafening, and by the time the jittery keyboard intro to ‘Crystalline’ had shifted into the glam-math stomp of its main riff, not a single eyeball was diverted anywhere other than the otherworldly, shimmering spectacle onstage. Within their number they boasted the talents of a violinist and bassoonist amongst others, giving the band a really vibrant and authentic sound, with doses of electro, old English prog and mathrock jostling for attention within just the first sixty seconds alone.

With the band uniformly clad in matching silver robes (‘Sunn 1999’ perhaps?) and shrouded in heaving dry ice they looked like the resident house band from George Clinton’s mothership, having been lost through time and space for years, honing their skills – but turning them just a little bit insane. Vocalist Lola Olafisoye manages to be sultry, scary, endearing and terrifying all at the same time; her futuristic shades, figure-hugging catsuit and finger extensions giving the appearance of a particularly hard end-of-level boss in some Japanese sci-fi video game.

Read full review by Duncan Wilkins on Brum Live
photos by Katja Ogrin

Next up  ACID MOTHERS TEMPLE this Wednesday at the Hare & Hounds
Tickets for this show can be purchased from www.theticketsellers.co.uk
Polar Bear on York Rd in Kings Heath + Swordfish in Birmingham city centre

There has always been a healthy fanbase of stoner rock in all its different sub-genres and splintered factions in Birmingham, aided in no small part to the sterling work done by promoters Capsule, who have consistently provided a stage for some of the worlds finest artists in this field. After winding down 2009 with appearances by Electric Wizard, Isis and Sunn o))) amongst others, and with a Baroness show in January, you’d have been forgiven for assuming there’d be more to follow swiftly in their wake. But nothing. Bit of IDM, some Krautrock legends. And then, out of the blue, confirmation that Capsule had nefariously been toying with us. Waiting to drop their bomb.

Eyehategod are playing Birmingham.
….
No doubt about it, this was not a show for the unconverted. EHG’s sound and ethos is extreme, aggressive and unashamed. They write anthems for the sick, for the outcasts and losers of the world; and for what the band lack in the way of financial success or just plain good luck, they take their reward in the love and respect that everyone here threw their way for every minute of the set. And probably a fair bit of drugs as well. This was a show for the fans, and if you own even a single Eyehategod CD you should have been here, it was truly amazing.

Read the full review on Brum Live by Duncan Wilkins photos by Katja Ogrin

Review of EINSTELLUNG & CLUSTER at Town Hall Birmingham by Paul Jeffery photos by Katja Ogrin

Cluster, with their roots in the late 60s, defined the roots of everything from experimental ambient to dance, with a mighty dollop of krautrock thrown-in for good measure!
I’d not set foot in Brum Town Hall before, but it’s a cracking venue, all Victorian pomp and splendour sympathetically and expensively restored. Acoustics are good, spacious, but easily filled by relatively modest amp stacks.

First on were a band I was only very vaguely aware of – Einstellung, a Brum-based four piece relentlessly compared to Neu!. They offer-up a kind of ambient drone-metal, heavily guitar-lead, and occasionally pitching and bucking with some ferocity within the confines of their longish set pieces, ultimately yielding a sound that fits within the looser boundaries of Krautrock. These are not wet-behind-the-ears newcomers either, having all served time in other successful bands before. Their particular fusion rocks too – and I have honestly never heard guitar feedback used quite so creatively or effectively as in their set closer. On reflection I would have been pleased if I’d showed-up for this set alone.

Read Full review HERE

Photos by Katja Ogrin
Review by Duncan Wilkins

Oxbow headlining was fitting in many ways, not least their completed checklist of Capsule specialities – Performance in a venue not notable for live shows? Check. (see their 2005 appearance at the Demon lapdancing club). Supersonic appearance? Check. Raucous debut show upstairs at the Jug of Ale, most probably with bleedin’ Mistress supporting? Check. Aided by two support bands with personnel boasting similarly impressive track records over the past ten years, this gig was perfect as an – apologies in advance – encapsulation of their strengths as promoters.

Read full review on Brum Live