For too long Birmingham and the West Midlands have failed to celebrate what is rightfully theirs, to claim the city and the region as home of “heavy metal”.

Throughout late 2008 Capsule will be building a digital archive and carrying out a series of open days starting on the 25th October at Wolverhampton Art Gallery as part of “Helllo Digital” We want you to help us create a ‘people’s archive’ of memories, images and pictures to tell the story of this unique moment of Midlands’ musical heritage. This project is being delivered in partnership with, Black Country Arts Partnerships, Wolverhampton Art Gallery, New Art Gallery Walsall, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery.

Capsule are looking for a small team of dedicated volunteers, with a passionate interest in either local history, music (specific or otherwise) or a desire to be part of a ground breaking project, which aims to bring a sense of civic pride to the region celebrating Birmingham and the Black Country as HOME OF METAL.

In return for your time commitment you will receive the following:
Training in recording oral histories / archiving digital data – including photography
Being part of a team delivering a unique project.
Travel cost will be covered.

For further info + to down load an application form:
https://www.capsule.org.uk/event/home-of-metal

Deadline for applicants: Friday 12th September

This project is led by Capsule in partnership with BCAP, WMAG, NAGW, BMAG as part of Hello Digital

We’re over joyed to announce that ATP in collaboration with Capsule will present probably the best line up of the year right here in Birmingham.

RELEASE THE BATS 2008 Halloween Party with:
SHELLAC
OM
WOODEN SHJIPS
PISSED JEANS
LIGHTNING BOLT
+ DJ ANDY WEATHERALL
@ Space 2 . Custard Factory . Birmingham
Sat 1st November

Fancy dress welcome: we’d love it if you could come dressed as something inspired by one of the bands (Perhaps you could simulate some Pissed Jeans? Or arrive in a…Shjip?) or as something spooky to help us with creating the Halloween mood.

We put on Lightning Bolt in 2004 in the theatre space at the Custard Factory and for many in the audience it was a night of musical revelation. If you don’t know much about the band check out this documentary ‘The Power of Salad’ and you too will become a convert to the power of the Bolt, easily one of the most exciting live bands of the last 10 years!

and then of course there is Shellac featuring Big Black guitarist Steve Albini, a band that Capsule have been wanting to bring to Birmingham since we started back in 1999. Probably one of the greatest songs ever written ‘`Prayer To God’

For further details on tickets/recommended hotels and band info check:
https://www.capsule.org.uk/event/release-the-batsatp-halloween-party
Let us know just how excited you are on scale of 1 to 10, we’re pretty much on 11!

for the following Capsule shows which include:

Wednesday 17th September 2008
Pelican + Torche
@ The Factory Club
http://www.ticketweb.co.uk

Florida’s TORCHE, who have risen from the ashes of beloved FLOOR + CAVITY, joined by heavy duty cinematic soundscapes by PELICAN.

and then for something a little more mellow…
Tuesday 23rd September 2008
APPROXIMATELY INFINITE UNIVERSE – A CARAVAN OF RAW SOUND MAGIC FROM FINLAND AND THE US
Kemialliset Ystavat & Axolotl + Es & Fursaxa + Islaja, Blevin Blectrum & Samara Lubelski + Dream Triangle
@ The Hare & Hounds . Kings Heath
http://www.ticketweb.co.uk

Each performance a unique and brand new collaboration, each of the acts features a combination of Finnish artists from FONAL, who have invited a US counterpart to collaborate on a composition, highlighting the parallels in strands of the recent evolving trend of ‘weird/avant folk’ between the US West coast and Finland’s northern communities.

Friday 24th October 2008
Oxes + Beestung Lips + Bilge Pump
@ The Hare & Hounds . Kings Heath
http://www.ticketweb.co.uk

“Eardrum-shattering, technically awesome math rock; listen and become the coolest outcast at your school.” A welcome return to Birmingham for this infamous trio, unleash the chaos as they wander amoungst the audience with their guitars!

Sunday 16th November 2008
Murcof with live strings
Oren Marshall
@ The Hare & Hounds . Kings Heath
http://www.ticketweb.co.uk

Esteemed Mexican electronic composer with live strings in a synchronised visual environment.

Feel free to spread the word, more info about each of the bands in the coming up section of the website.

MARS plays Theremin

Combines the beauty of both a small dog and ‘beautiful’ music.
Please feel free to add your suggestions

Just found a cat playing theramin.

Jenny and I will be taking a bit of time off from Capsule now, hopfully able to enjoy a little of our British summer. (its hard to say which is which in this highly accurate depiction of the Capsule Grannies at leisure enjoying a glass or three of bubberly)

However do not fear we never rest for too long and have already got in place some awesome shows for the coming months including some Japanese psychedelia in the form of ACID MOTHERS TEMPLE who will be playing a 2hr set at the Hare & Hounds on Friday 1st August. Advanced tickets from www.ticketweb.co.uk or from Polar Bear in Kings Heath or Swordfish in Birmingham city centre.
Poster designed by Ben Javens

Following in September with old friends of Capsule, the mighty TORCHE (ex Cavity whom I might add are one of my all time favourite bands and Floor), these guys are not to be missed and will be joined by PELICAN. Tickets will be on sale soon. In the meantime check out this film footage of Torche from a Chunklet show we had the pleasure of being at in Austen, Texas, it was a truely moving and sweaty experience and reminded us of why live music is so darn exciting! 200 kids squeezed into a 50 capacity warehouse space in 35 degree heat in the middle of no mans land.

and footage of the mighty Cavity RIP

Capsule were invited for the 3rd year running to produce a showcase at this years Sonar Festival in Barcelona. We put forward two Birmingham bands ZX Spectrum Orchestra + Pram, which took place in the Sonar Hall on Thursday 19th of June. Both acts performed to a full to capacity hall (3000 +) with an overwhelming response from the audience, this was our best response yet.

ZX Spectrum Orchestra were recorded live for a show on BBC Radio 1 and interviewed by Rob Da Bank:

ZX Spectrum Orchestra Sonar 2008 – interview by Rob Da Bank

Listen to ZX Spectrum Orchestra
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/robdabank/

We also had a stall in the record and media fare, selling our wares. With thanks to Ben Javens/Pram/ZX Spectrum Orchestra/Jacob + Kate/Dan Davies/Film Ficciones/Geoff Dolman/Juan Rae/Ian Rogers/Katherine Godfrey who all took it in turns to man the stall and promote Birmingham.
We produced ‘Capsules Guide to Birmingham’, a free leaflet which is by no means a definative guide to our fair city but trys to give an alternative view to visitors who will attend Supersonic and to intice those at Sonar. It includes recommendations of things to do/places to stay/eat and shop. It was co-ordinated by Capsule, written by Dan Davies and designed by Ben Javens.

Jenny took some amazing photos from the showcase and the stall which are now on Flickr

The highs n lows:

5 highs
1. Proud moment with 1 in 1 out for Capsule showcase as it was so busy
2. discovering happy hour mojitos (3.50 euros)
3. discovering raspberry mojitos
4. visiting Frederic Mares Museum (Barcelonas equivalent to Pitt Rivers museum)
5. street beer + falafel

5 lows
1. Getting stuck in a lift on the 9th floor of our hotel
2. The windy landing at Birmingham International
3. The van breaking down just as it reached Barcelona
4. 35 degree heat and not knowing how to work the air conditioning and in fact putting on the heating
5. happy hour was only for 2 short hrs a day