It’s that time again to get curious, to get adventurous and to get ready. After taking a year out to re-imagine the festival following our tenth anniversary, Supersonic Festival is now back and going old skool in special two-day “Limited Edition” format this May 30th-31st. Tickets HERE.

The line-up so far includes post-punk legends SWANS, avant garde rockers WOLF EYES, multi-instrumentalist ensemble EX EASTER ISLAND HEAD, straight-talkers SLEAFORD MODS, sonic explorer BASIC HOUSE, Baltimore duo MATMOS, electro-violinist AGATHE MAX, Norwegian songwriter JENNY HVAL and more…. For a taste of what’s to come have a listen to our Supersonic 2014 playlist featuring these artists:

Supersonic Festival’s playground for 2014 will be the iconic Custard Factory, home of Capsule HQ. This ever-evolving industrial arts complex will shapeshift once again this May to play host to Supersonic’s enticing programme of experimental music, film and art. But this is Supersonic “Limited Edition” don’t forget, so expect a few extra special treats… and remember tickets are limited to 400 so do not miss out. Keep your eyes peeled for further line-up announcements over the next few weeks. Tickets are available from HERE.

Back by popular demand and after a successful 10 years of existence, Supersonic Festival return and are taking the event back to its core values

by curating ‘Supersonic Festival Ltd Edtn’ an intimate two day event. On 30th and 31st May, Capsule present Supersonic Festival Ltd Edtn and shall return to the Custard Factory where it all began.

Since the inception of Supersonic Festival in 2003, Capsule have firmly established the event as a unique, inner-city festival, with an undeniably vibrant atmosphere, always presenting a variety of performers – the inaugural event featured the bewildering blend of Coil, DJ Food, LCD soundsystem, The Bug and more – and where the film programme, workshops and exhibitions are as paramount to the event’s atmosphere as the live performances. Year in, year out, Capsule unite discerning music fans, embracing eclectic tastes and have over the years adapted a creative space for music lovers, musicians, artists, filmmakers, record stalls and independent businesses to thrive.

As this is a limited event, there are only 400 weekend tickets available at just £45 and they will be going on sale on Friday morning at 10am, so grab them while you can via the www.theticketsellers.co.uk

Supersonic have already confirmed the billing for the event, which will take place at a new space within the Custard Factory, and are delighted to welcome back Swans. Michael Gira, Norman Westberg, Christoph Hahn, Phil Puleo, Thor Harris and Christopher Pravdica are no strangers to Supersonic Festival, and are thrilled to play host to their infamous, dominant and strikingly powerful live show.

Baltimore duo Matmos shall bring their dizzyingly diverse assemblage to Supersonic Limited in support of their 2013 album. Their music comprises stomping techno, eerie synth

jams, musique concrete, Latin rhythms, and Ethiopian music, at once at home in the academy, the art gallery, the nightclub and the noise warehouse, perfect fit for the festival then.

Liverpool based ensemble, Ex Easter Island Head, will bring their expanded Large Electric Ensemble which includes twelve prepared electric guitars and drums to create a maximalist wash of amplified strings and droning overtones. The ensemble adopt a new vocabulary of playing based around various guitar preparations, from billowing harp-like arpeggios to ‘bowing’ the strings with allen keys to produce luminous upper register drones. Microtonal intervals create shimmering tones akin to the struck metallophones of Balinese gamelan, whilst the thrum of electrified strings creates a dense undertow of singing harmonies. Scored in custom notation the piece places free flowing passages alongside conductor cues, allowing the players to collectively create a distinctive sonic landscape. What Supersonic event would be complete without something special such as this?

Supersonic are pleased to welcome back, the infamous blistering noise of Wolf Eyes. From touring with Sonic Youth and Andrew W.K., Wolf Eyes have crossed borders into popularity which few other such confrontational units of their ilk have been able to and kept straight and narrow on their blazing path, and are on top form. The overwhelming force of Wolf Eyes must be seen to to be believed.

Sleaford Mods will bring their aggressive verbal onslaught to the Custard Factory, a great setting to spout about all that is contrived and connected to the day-to-day hammer of low paid employment and domestic situations arising from that trap.

Also returning to the festival, is French artist Agathe Max. With an elegant command of melody and a strident use of rhythm, Max creates dynamic, fast-flowing loop pieces that encompass noise, post-classicism and krautrock with nods to the High Lonesome Raga as filtered through Henry Flynt.

We warmly welcome a rising talent to this rich mix in the form of Basic House, the work of the UK’s Stephen Bishop, the man behind the ever more impressive label that is Opal Tapes and also vocalist of Drunk In Hell who played an unforgettable set at Supersonic in 2012. His textural and rhythmic explorations are fast growing in acclaim, described as “somewhere between Kassem Mosse, The New Blockaders and Zoviet*France.”

Finally, provocative Norwegian singer, composer, lyricist and writer Jenny Hval shall perform at Supersonic. Multidisciplinary and transgressive are words often employed to describe her art, but Jenny Hval’s polyphonic artistry is in fact seamlessly interwoven between musical, literary, visual and performative modes of expression. Despite her young age, she has already infused, carved and modulated an artistic voice that is altogether present, accessible and obscurely complex at the same time. We cannot wait!

Let’s not forget the other elements which always make Supersonic so special, the workshops and participatory events. Supersonic have selected If Wet to feature at the festival. If Wet is a monthly event of sonic exploration, usually held in a rural village hall; chaired by musical instrument designers MortonUnderwood. Part show and tell, part test bed, part salon. A place for artists to showcase their latest sonic works and research. A place to revel and discuss. After a successful inaugural season MortonUnderwood have decided to extend the reach of If Wet beyond the village hall and it is with great pleasure that they will transport their distinctive event to Supersonic 2014.

Supersonic Ltd Edtn will launch Capsule’s inaugural ‘Labs’ (artist development and commissioning scheme) devised to create more opportunities for commissioning experimental, cross-disciplinary art. More information about this will be coming soon.

Bill Drummond: The 25 Paintings
Legendary musician and artist Bill Drummond will begin a twelve year ‘World Tour’ under Spaghetti Junction marking this momentous event with an exhibition at Eastside Projects.
The exhibition focuses on ‘The 25 Paintings’, a series of artworks that signpost actions Drummond will perform across Birmingham during his three month stay in the city including, but by no means limited to, giving away bunches of daffodils, discovering Dead Oak Rings, building rafts, hiding in cafes, making beds, sweeping the streets clean and brewing tea. Also on show will be The SIXTY Posters, The 25 Sixty Second Films, an evolving selection of photographs, a globe of the world and a large map of the city.
www.eastsideprojects.org

Wow – what a show! Sunday’s Matmos show at the mac was really something special, thanks to all who came down.They were joined on stage by J Lesser and were supported by the ever mesmerising John Weise. A special thanks to the vocalists who joined Matmos to re create a 1960s vocal sound piece, complete with tippexed out glasses and monotone chanting, it made the show extra special.

A review by Ross Cotton is online now…

Forwarding what Pierre Schaeffer had once begun, Matmos innovatively break through the musique concrete barrier, with the use of bottled water, scraping singing bowls and ‘anything goes’ percussion, the duo portray abnormality in it’s greatest form of entertainment, both extremely uncomfortable and highly eccentric, the unpredictability provides that thrill ride to anybody who is keen to be pushed to their limit.

Read the full review here

Thank you to Kate Fitzgeorge for the photographs.

The next show is Emeralds + Iron Fist of the Sun + Mr Underwood at Hare & Hounds on Sunday 22nd May, should be another great one so snap your ticket here

Oh and don’t forget we’ve announced the initial line up for Supersonic Festival 2011, if you fancy seeing Electric Wizard, Zu93 (David Tibet + Zu), Zombi, Secret Chiefs 3, Lucky Dragons, White Hills and more all in one place then get your Early Bird tickets here while they last!

Matmos – the electronic duo comprised of Drew Daniel and Martin Schmidt – have been creating, constructing and collaging sonic ephemera since the mid 90s. With each album they release, Daniel and Schmidt seem to have thrown each other a gauntlet, between them creating compositions based around the collection and processing of particularly unorthodox sounds. Sometimes compared to artists like Steve Reich, and certainly to Pierre Henry (the ‘father’ of Musique Concrete), Matmos have created albums entirely from the sounds of surgery (A Chance To Cut Is A Chance To Cure), used the sound of a bovine uterus (on their venerative album The Rose Has Teeth In The Mouth Of A Beast which pays tribute to notable queers), and on their first self-titled effort sampled the nerve signals of a crayfish.

Read the full interview by Nix Lowrey HERE
Matmos perform with J Lesser at the mac in Birmingham this Sunday tickets are available HERE
We’re intrigued and so should you be – see you there.

Exciting news – the ever intriguing Matmos will play at mac, Birmingham this Sunday 15th May and they are looking for people to contribute vocals to their performance.

Members of Dream Dreams the Dreamer will be involved and Matmos are looking for 4 more people to perform. mac staff will be recruiting people on the night as they collect their tickets so if you fancy taking up this unique opportunity to contribute to Matmos’ show then grab your ticket here and look out for mac staff on the night.

You don’t need to be an experienced, or even talented, vocalist and instructions will be given on the night (you can’t just sing anything I’m afraid).

We’re even more excited than before- should be a cracker!

There’s no doubt that this will be an extremely special show, and we’re all very excited here at Capsule HQ.

Matmos are a prolific experimental electronic duo whose previous works have included the use of liposuction surgery, aspirin tablets hitting a drum kit from across the room, and the reproductive organs of a cow. Yum. They’ll be joined on stage by J Lesser, who has previously worked with Bjork and Blevin Blectum.

Check out this amazing footage of Matmos performing at Royal Festival Hall:

Support comes from John Wiese – an important part of the LA noise scene, he has worked with C. Spencer Yeh, Kevin Drumm, Merzbow and has even toured as a member of Sunn0))).

Their performance at mac on Sunday 15th May is one of only four UK dates for Matmos – don’t miss out. Get your tickets here

Wedlock- what a success! We raised approx £300 (got some shrapnel to count!) for Japan Red Cross so a big thanks you to all the bands, DJs and stall holders but mainly a big thank you to everyone who made it down.

Here’s some pictures below from Katja Ogrin, plus a couple of videos that have been circulating…

Dream Dreams the Dreamer began proceedings with a 5-piece noise orchestra.

It was the Birmingham debut for Backwards; early Swans-esque filth.

Followed by Fickle Twin

and Bargepole

And on to the next event, the amazing Matmos will be performing a very special show at mac on Sunday 15th May, featuring J Lesser and with support from John Wiese  -get your tickets  here

Matmos is M.C. Schmidt and Drew Daniel, from San Francisco aided and abetted by many others. In their recordings and live performances from 1995, Matmos have used the sounds of:

Amplified crayfish nerve tissue, the pages of bibles turning , liposuction surgery,  chin implant surgery, contact microphones on human hair,, rat cages, tanks of helium, human skulls, cards shuffling, field recordings of conversations in hot tubs, frequency response tests for defective hearing aids, a steel guitar recorded in a sewer, electrical interference generated by laser eye surgery, latex fetish clothing, rhinestones on a dinner plate, Polish trains, insects, aspirin tablets, dogs barking, people reading aloud, life support systems and inflatable blankets, an acupuncture point detector conducting electrical current through human skin, rock salt crunching underfoot, solid gold coins spinning on bars of solid silver, the sound of a frozen stream thawing in the sun, a five gallon bucket of oatmeal and the vagina, uterus, and reproductive tract of a cow, among other things.

http://brainwashed.com/matmos

Saturday April 9th M.C. Schmidt will have a special screening of his video work at the IKON Gallery.

J Lesser is a musician known for his unrepentant approach to sound creation. Born and raised around California, Lesser began his music career listening to, and playing, black metal and punk. In San Diego, he had a job coloring New Kids on the Block comic books using computers. Lesser became an honorary member of Matmos when they toured with Björk as an opening act in addition to playing as supporting musicians in her band on her Vespertine tour in 2001. Also in 2001, his album Gearhound won an Honorable Mention for Digital Musics in the Prix Ars Electronica.

John Wiese is an artist and composer from Los Angeles, California. His ongoing projects include LHD and Sissy Spacek, but is known for his collaborations with many artists as diverse as Sunn O))), Wolf Eyes, Merzbow, Thurston Moore, No Age, Smegma, Kevin Drumm, Cattle Decapitation, and C. Spencer Yeh as well as his work as a solo artist. He has toured extensively throughout the world, covering Europe, Scandinavia and Australia as a member of Sunn O))), the UK as part of the Free Noise tour (a tentet including Evan Parker, C. Spencer Yeh, Yellow Swans, etc.), the United States alongside Wolf Eyes, and recently performed in the 52nd Venice Biennale with artist Nico Vascellari. While releasing albums on a variety of international labels, Wiese often releases work on his own label, Helicopter.

http://home.earthlink.net/~johnwiese/

Matmos with J Lesser +John Wiese will be playing at The MAC on Sunday 15th May 2011