Om's latest addition

OM - Emil Amos (also of Grails/Holy Sons)

Al Cisneros of OM

SUNN 0)))

Greg Anderson of SUNN 0)))

Attila Csihar

Attila Csihar in one of his many terrifying costumes

An absolutely stunning show by both OM & SUNN O))) last night at the Asylum, the low end rumblings set car alarms off throughout the neighbourhood. Not to mention the low level fog that covered Birmingham after the show – incredible!
The security at the venue were none to0 impressed 😉

Photos by Katja Ogrin

Tonight further theatrics in the form of PRAM accompanied by visuals by Film Ficciones and support from LIGHT TRAP
doors are at 8pm at VIVID, Heath Mill Lane in Digbeth. Just £6 and with a tasty selection of Purity Ale & Barefoot Sines on offer in our bar.
Advanced Tickets http://www.theticketsellers.co.uk

Tomorrow Lightning Bolt perform as part of our 10th birthday celebrations, an intimate gig at VIVID – this is sure to be a special one! Taking us back to when we first put them on in what is now the Theatre Space at the Custard Factory back in 2004, that show was unforgettable and we’re sure that this one will be too. Support comes from Tweak Bird + Pete Prescription.
The show has completely SOLD OUT!

The birthday celebrations continue on Thursday with a double doom whammy featuring the mighty SUNN O))) + OM, this takes place at The Asylum in Hockley, there are still tickets available online and there will be a limited number on the door. Ear plugs are adviced 🙂

“Ten years on from Sunn 0)))’s first recorded output, The Grimmrobe Demos, the group’s patented style of supersonic slurry has transmuted and transmogrified into a new oozing beast, which despite having the same genetic makeup, has modified its DNA and absorbed any unsuspecting musical modalities it’s found useful. Monoliths & Dimensions, their seventh studio album, sees an amalgamation of the plate tectonics of drone metal with the inner and outer worlds explored in the free jazz of the 1970s, while also exhibiting a bent towards modern minimalism and classical music of the 20th century and earlier.” (from Tiny Mix Tapes)

Friday PRAM perform accompanied by visuals by Film Ficciones at VIVID, incorporating the techniques of early cinema, Filmficciones dark collages are stalked by a live performance by Pram, creating an eerie musical nightmare – think creepy Victoriana, tropical analogue and tumbledown funk. With support from LIGHT TRAP, featuring Nic Bullen (Ex Napalm Death/Scorn), Johnny Doom (ex Sore Throat/Doom) + Dougie of Una Corda fame. They combine blackened and primitive noise rock with progressive and experimental elements.
Tickets are available from www.theticketsellers.co.uk Swordfish + Polar Bear
Doors are at 8.00pm

Little Chris aka Brumcast has put together a podcast show dedicated to celebrating Capsules 10th birthday, it features some of the artists performing over the next few weeks as part of our birthday season. It’s certainly getting us excited about what’s on the horizon.

LISTEN HERE

1. Beestung Lips – Reverse Alchemy (2:14)
2. Pram – Mother of Pearl (3:16)
3. Una Corda – Three (6:54)
4. Lightning Dust – Dreamer (3:46)
5. Modified Toy Orchestra – A Grand Occasion (2:07)
6. Tweak Bird – Whorses (2:29)
7. Einstellung – Tot (4:01)
8. PCM – Davros Dominion (5:05)
9. Six Organs Of Admittance – Shelter From The Ash (3:24)
10. Om – On The Mountain At Dawn (21:18)

Opening Party
Tuesday 1st December 2009
Capsule are 10! launch party
Monotonix + Beestung Lips
Esquilax + Cum Dogs
@ VIVID. Heath Mill Lane . Birmingham
LIMITED CAPACITY
Doors 8.00pm
Advanced Tickets: www.theticketsellers.co.uk

The launch party of Capsule’s 10-year retrospective exhibition features a number of special guests Israel’s garage rockers Monotonix, who certainly know how to start a party, rock you senseless and leave you wanting so much more will be headlining the opening show. In celebration of some of the ground breaking local music Capsule have championed Esquilax will be performing a special one off live performance, alongside Cum Dogs, a new project from Modified Toy Orchestra’s Brian Duffy. Infamous locals Beestung Lips will also be joining the proceedings.
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Wednesday 2nd December 2009
Capsule are 10!
Tunng + Six Organs Of Admittance
Lightning Dust + Bela Emerson
@ Town Hall Birmingham
Doors 7.00pm
Advanced Tickets ONLY from https://tickets.thsh.co.uk/
or phone – 0121 780 3333

An extraordinary night of entertainment at the spectacular Town Hall Birmingham. Special guests include old friends Tunng who combine a perfect mixture of skewed electronica and pastoral English Folk music. Six Organs of Admittance, psych-folk-pop, hippie jams updated for the kids of today. Lightning Dust, the side project of Amber Webber and Joshua Wells, both members of Canadian band Black Mountain. Complimented by the bewitching Bela Emerson, an innovative and prolific performer of electric cello, electronics, tenor viol and musical saw.
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Tuesday 8th December 2009
Capsule are 10!
Lightning Bolt + Tweak Bird +Pete Prescription
@ Vivid . Heath Mill Lane . Birmingham
SOLD OUT
Doors 8.00pm

The mighty Lightning Bolt will be performing an intimate gig in Vivid art gallery as part of Capsule’s 10th birthday celebrations. This strictly limited capacity show re-lives the first time Lightning Bolt played for Capsule back in 2004 in what is now the theatre space of the Custard Factory. Nothing less than a thrill to witness, Tweak Bird’s heavy, progressive psychedelia has earned them a reputation as an exciting new live act.  The man behind the world’s only and best Happy Hardcore covers band, Pete_Prescription completes the line up, expect Krautrock, melody, Noise or something else entirely.
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Thursday 10th December
Sunn 0))) + Om
The Asylum, Hockley, Birmingham B19 3LS
Advanced Tickets: www.theticketsellers.co.uk
Polar Bear/Swordfish

Capsule’s favourite cult doom outfit Sunn 0))) will be performing their ‘Monoliths and Dimensions’ album, illusory, beautiful and not entirely linear Sunn 0))) have become one of the most important experimental acts in the world. Om provide support to create what should be a show rich in darkness and intensity.
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Friday 11th December
Pram with Visuals by Film Ficciones + Light Trap
@ Vivid . Heath Mill Lane . Birmingham
LIMITED CAPACITY
Doors 8.00pm
Advanced Tickets: www.theticketsellers.co.uk
Polar Bear / Swordfish

Members of Haxan, Una Corda and sound artist Nicholas Bullen collaborate to create a progressive, experimental adventure in sound, Light Trap. Following this will be an eerie Victoriana inspired Pram performance alongside Film Ficciones in the warehouse space of Vivid.
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Sunday 13th December
Capsule and 7 Inch Cinema present:
Afternoon Tea – a light buffet with a healthy serving of films
Vivid, 140 Heath Mill Lane, Birmingham B9 4AR FREE EVENT
2pm – 6pm

Almost since day one, 7 Inch Cinema have been crouching in a corner at Capsule gigs with a video projector gaffa-taped to a stool showing films of hairy men shouting and small dogs in space. To celebrate the grannies’ remarkable and unexpected longevity they shall be gathering up some filmic highlights from the last decade and showing them at Vivid, alongside the customary mix of light snacks and word-searches.
FEEL FREE TO BRING CAKE TO SHARE
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Wednesday 16th December
Beak> (Geoff Barrow – PORTISHEAD)
Einstellung + Thought Forms
Vivid, 140 Heath Mill Lane, Birmingham B9 4AR
Advanced Tickets: www.theticketsellers.co.uk
Polar Bear/Swordfish

BEAK> were formed in January 2009 by three Bristol musicians, Billy Fuller, Matt Williams and Geoff Barrow. Geoff Barrow is a musician and producer best known for forming and producing music group Portishead and part owner of the independent record label Invada Records . Einstellung blend glorious monotonous Krautrock with melodic tones and heavy slabs of Sabbath riffage, whilst finding time to declare sonic warfare on those tinnitus victims who have passed the point of no return.
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Thursday 17th December
Capsule & Created In Birmingham present:
Knowing Me Knowing You
FREE EVENT with complimentary wine from Barefoot Wines
6.30pm – 9.00pm
Wouldn’t it be lovely if we all just talked a bit more? If you’re doing something super awesome, got some plans under your creative sleeves, putting on interesting gigs, exhibitions and the like then tell people about it at this little talky talky chit chat in association with Created In Birmingham. Or if you’re just interested in meeting some like minded folks feel free to come along.
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Saturday 19th December
Capsule 10th Birthday Closing Party
Modified Toy Orchestra
PCM + Calvados Beam Trio
Una Corda + Stinky Wizzleteat
Plus a selection of special guests DJs
Vivid, 140 Heath Mill Lane, Birmingham B9 4AR
Advanced Tickets: www.theticketsellers.co.uk

The closing party to Capsule’s 10th birthday celebrations will see a gathering of some of Birmingham’s most mind blowing experimental live acts – paying tribute to the ten years of exciting, genre pushing music that Capsule have produced and provided a stage for. Modified Toy Orchestra are a collection of abandoned and reconstructed Childrens electronic toys, conducted by a selection of musicians to create electronic music in a league of its own. PCM, the dark lords of drum n bass have long been key figures in the Midlands underground dance scene and firm Capsule favourites.
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Capsule will be 10 years old this December and we very rarely do things by halves, as is the case with this month long celebration which will include live performances from MONOTONIX, TUNNG, SIX ORGANS OF ADMITTANCE, LIGHTNING DUST, BELA EMERSON, LIGHTNING BOLT, TWEAK BIRD, ESQUILAX,  BEESTUNG LIPS,  CUM BEARS, PETE PRESCRIPTION, SUNN O))), OM, MODIFIED TOY ORCHESTRA, PCM + many more!!!

We’ll be starting with a big party to launch an exhibition which delves way back  into our archive, this will be held at Vivid on Tuesday 1st of Dec. With special guests MONOTONIX. These guys absolutely stole the show at this years Supersonic Festival with their acrobatic antics, so it was only right that we have them open proceedings.
Advanced Tickets

Monotonix at Supersonic 09 Photo by Mark Rhodes

Following on Wednesday 2nd Capsule will bring to Town hall an extraordinary night of entertainment. Special guests include old friends TUNNG who combine a perfect mixture of skewed electronica and pastoral English Folk music. SIX ORGANS OF ADMITTANCE, psych-folk-pop, hippie jams updated for the kids of today. LIGHTNING DUST, the side project of Amber Webber and Joshua Wells, both members of Canadian band Black Mountain. Complimented by the bewitching BELA EMERSON, an innovative and prolific performer of electric cello, electronics, tenor viol and musical saw. This is a seated event and tickets can only be purchased directly from Town Hall.
Advanced Tickets – https://tickets.thsh.co.uk/ or phone – 0121 780 3333

Tuesday 8th we’re back at Vivid with the mighty LIGHTNING BOLT, they performed  one of our most memorable shows back in 2004 in what is now the theatre space at the Custard Factory. This will, we hope be as special, with a limited capacity of just 150 people so that we can re-live that  electrifying atmosphere once again. They will be joined by brother duo TWEAK BIRD and the world’s only and best Happy Hardcore covers band PETE PRESCRIPTION.
Advanced Tickets

Followed on Thursday 10th with a double headline show of SUNN O))) + OM at the Asylum in Hockley, the lineup on stage will be Anderson & O’Malley, Attila Csihar and Steve Moore (Stebmo). With special guests Om, their music is made by singer/bassist Al Cisneros (formerly of stoner-metal gods Sleep) and drummer Emil Amos and is as raw, loud, and heavy as that of bands with two or three guitarists among their ranks.
Advanced Tickets

SUNN O))) at Supersonic 2009 by Mark Rhodes

Concluding on Saturday 19th of Dec with an almighty knees up featuring some of the most infamous of locals including MODIFIED TOY ORCHESTRA + PCM to name but a few.|

During our time at Vivid we will also be doing a film & cake afternoon with our friends 7 INCH CINEMA, a show and tell event in collaboration with CREATED IN BIRMINGHAM as well as a night of experimental noise produced by HEAT & LIGHT plus a few more surprises up our sleeve!
We’ll keep you posted with news as more stuff is confirmed.

“It was an incredible experience that was quality throughout – every detail accounted for, every nerve stimulated! Fantastic to spend an entire weekend talking about and listening to music with people who really love it too. And getting to tell the musicians how much you appreciated them was a real bonus. A life changing experience – never been more in love with music- THANK YOU! XXX” Audience feedback

We hope each year people go away from Supersonic having discovered a few gems, often the line up is made up of names that you might not recognise just yet! – but its worth being adventurous as the rewards are well worth it.
Here are  some of the highlights from previous Supersonic Festivals including 2008’s immense performance by the  incredible Harvey Milk featuring the mighty Joe Preston – these guys blew audiences away on the Saturday night – fists in the air, tears in the eyes!!! Supersonic were proud to bring these guys over to Europe for the first time after a few years of gentle persuasion. Other great performances were by Merzbow in collaboration with Keiji Haino as Kikuri, the Danish ensemble Efterklang, comic antics by Fucked Up and the blissful end performance by Krautrock legends Harmonia.

Harvey Milk 2008

2007 saw a unique collaboration by the Oxbow Duo with Stephen O’Malley,  Justin Broadrick, Dave Cochrane & Chipper, the first European show for David Yows Qui, a near riot during Wolf Eyes and a co headline performance by Sunn0))) and Mogwai.

2007 report for Supersonic by BBC

2006 saw the thunderous High on Fire headline the outside stage whilst in the Factory club audiences went berserk for Zombi & Circle.

High On Fire 2006

Zombi 2006

Circle 2006

2005 was the infamous year of the bomb – when the whole of Birmingham city centre was evacuated due to  a bomb scare including our festival – we all had to vacate the Digbeth area but not before having witnessed amazing sets by Battles, Dalek and Tunng amongst a host of others. The much anticipated collaboration by Stephen O’Malley and Merzbow had to be postponed as did a perfromance by PTV.

2005 Supersonic short film
In 2003, our very first Supersonic Festival took place over the water at the Custard Factory, with live performances by Coil and a very early live show by LCD Sound System. Happy days!

Coil Supersonic 2003

Let us know what your highlights have been…

Oh what fun we had and really quite remarkable that even despite the terrible weather the show was a total sell out, with over 1200 people in attendance, all the bands were amazing especially the mighty Shellac – Bob, Steve and Todd how we love you so.

Some amazing photos of the bands by Pete Ashton

Photos of folks in fancy dress by Katja Ogrin

and the highlight of the night for us was when Sara (our latest Capsule Granny) was asked by Steve to have her photo taken with him, separated at birth!!!

* On a more solemn note – Capsule acknowledge that there were problems with the venue in terms of the bar and toilets, and although we have little control over these areas as they are run by the venue itself, we continue to urge them to improve on these matters. Despite this we hope that the event itself was of the highest quality, we appreciate your continued support.

Just a little reminder that this Saturday we are hosting the ATP Release The Bats Halloween party in Space 2 at the Custard Factory, with an unmissable line up (only show outside of London):
SHELLAC / OM / WOODEN SHJIPS / PISSED JEANS / LIGHTNING BOLT + DJ ANDY WEATHERALL
Doors 6.00pm – Lightning Bolt perform at 6.30pm

There are still a handful of tickets available from:
Ideal 18 / 20 Gibb Square, The Custard Factory, Digbeth, Birmingham, B9 4AA
Polar Bear 10 York Rd, Kings Heath, Birmingham, B14 7RZ, 0121 441 5202
Swordfish Cheltenham House, 14-16 Temple St, Birmingham, B2 5BG, 0121 633 4859

Now on to competition time:
ATP invite all Release The Bats ticketholders to dress up for Halloween, either as something traditionally spooky or as something to do with one of the bands. Like last year there will be Best Costume and Best Photo competitions, with prices including ATP Chalets, Polaroid PoGo Cameras and ATP goodies.
•    People wearing costumes should take a picture with either one of our roving photographers or at the Release The Bats Photo Booth. The three best costumes on the night will win prizes including a PoGo. Images of the costumes from all three Bats events will then go onto www.atpfestival.com/releasethebats where people will be able to vote to find the overall chalet winner!

•    The best photo competition will be judged after the events through photos uploaded to Flickr at www.flickr.com/groups/releasethebats2008 and the best photo over all three nights as picked by a professional photographer will win the chalet!

And here are some suggestions of costumes should you be a small dog coming along to the event.

Hours of fun to be had searching for dogs in costumes (clearly a favoured past time of mine)

For those of you based in Birmingham or near by, tickets for ATP Halloween Party with performances by Lightning Bolt, Shellac, OM, Pissed Jeans and Wooden Shjips are on sale at Ideal Skate shop based at the Custard Factory.

Ideal
18 / 20 Gibb Square
The Custard Factory
Digbeth
Birmingham
B9 4AA
Opening Times
10.30 am – 6.00 pm Monday through to Saturday.
12 Noon – 4.00 pm Sundays.

Also selling tickets are
Polar Bear
10 York Rd
Kings Heath, Birmingham, B14 7RZ
0121 441 5202

Swordfish
Cheltenham House
14-16 Temple St, Birmingham, B2 5BG
0121 633 4859