This is it. The Ex hit up Birmingham’s Hare & Hounds this Friday for our all-nighter consisting of 2 stages and 7 bands, as well as late night DJ sets. It’s going to be a Good Friday after all!

Advance tickets are available for just a tenner here.

If you don’t know what to expect from The Ex, then you might be interested to hear what’s been said about them…

” guitars played with screwdrivers from stalwarts of the Dutch power-improv scene the Ex, who’ve played more than 1,800 shows in their time. Spearheaded by axe-wielders

Terrie Hessels and Andy Moor, along with Katherina Bornefeld on drums and Arnold De Boer on vocals, the group started out in the late 70s as a punk outfit. They still do everything themselves, from roadying to releases, and have racked up an eclectic list of regular collaborators, from Ethiopian musician Getatchew Mekuria through power-jazz trio the Thing to jazz drummer Han Bennink.”

– The Guardian

“They are the most interesting musical unit in the world today…Go and see the Ex and you will hear rhythms you have never heard before…a sweaty seething party, an uplifting, joyful celebration.” – The Quietus

You can also listen to Capsule’s April playlist to sample some of the artists playing this Friday.

Get your tickets here.

This Friday, current WIRE cover-stars The

Ex will be headlining our Hare & Hounds showcase in Kings Heath which will see 7 bands perform across two stages, followed by late night DJ sets that will keep things going well into the night. This is one gig you don’t want to miss and best of all advance tickets are just a tenner! Buy here.

We’ve already given you plenty of good reasons to see The Ex, a band with legendary status established both at home and abroad. But now we turn your attention to the acts on the second stage programmed by our friends at Milque & Muhle. This will be an exciting opportunity to check out several emerging home grown bands that have been creating a buzz over the past year. Here’s a taster on what to expect…

GHOLD

If you like doom, if you like sludge, if you like it heavy, Ghold may very well be for you. Ghold are a drum and bass duo who’ve been getting rave reviews over the past 2 years. It’s rare to hear a band who feel like they’re doing something genuinely new within the genres they manage to effortlessly straddle. Comparisons have been drawn to The Melvins, Karp and even High On Fire, but Ghold are definitely carving out a distinctive path all of their own.

“…there’s a malevolent groove at work, they work a kind of hypno-sludge, trance wizardry around you, vocals shouted and chanted like a part of some ritual in a cavernous hall illuminated by flickering candlelight.” – tighttothenail.com

MOB RULES

Mob Rules are one of the best hardcore bands in the UK right now. Hailing from Leeds, Conor Rickford, who drums for Mob Rules points out that “If you’re living in Leeds you’re not going to make music that says that the world is a wonderful place and the sun is always shining,” he explains. “The anger that you hear in the music stems from what we see every day.”

SUMP

Formed in 2008, Sump is a Yorkshire two-piece consisting of George Proctor (guitar) and Gareth Howells (drums and vocals). In the short time they’ve been together they’ve managed to release numerous 7″ splits and demos as well as cassettes on their own labels, Dead Tapes and Turgid Animal. Sump is a glorious fusion of Black Metal and Punk, this isn’t the first time the two have come together, yet somehow Sump achieve a unique and

exciting sound.

BAYONNEBLEEDER

This will be the second show from local Hardcore outfit Bayonnebleeder, who have spent over a year refining their tight and rapid sound; They take influence from bands such as Rorschach, Septic Death and His Hero Is Gone. Originally one drummer, guitarist, bass and vocalist they’ve recently made the addition of a second guitarist, to reach their heaviest potential. Expect a short and intense set of 10 tracks lasting 20 minutes.

Running Order (subject to change):

Room 1
Rattle 8.30 – 9.15
Health & Efficiency 9.45 – 10.30
The Ex 11.00 – 12.00
DJs 12.00 – 2.00 am

For tickets visit The Ticket Sellers here.

Capsule’s April playlist is now ready for you to enjoy and features artists performing in our fast approaching upcoming shows. Here’s a round-up of what we’ve got coming up prior to our calender biggie, Supersonic Festival. Scroll down for our playlist.

April 18th, Hare & Hounds (1 ticket gains you entry to watch 7 bands across 2 stages):

THE EX plus supports Health & Efficiency and Rattle (Stage 1). Stage 2 curated by Milque + Muhle features Ghold, Mob Rules, Sump and Bayonnebleeder. The Ex may have started as a punk band but their numerous collaborations and sonic explorations over a 30+ year career has seen them experiment with the exotic and unexpected, making their hefty musical back catalogue now difficult to confine to any one genre.

May 27th, Rainbow Warehouse:

Melt Banana plus supports Glatze and Thrilling Headgear. Melt Banana are a well respected Japanese noise rock band championed by the likes of John Peel who was an avid fan. The band incorporate elements of punk and psycho-pop into their fast and furious performances.

Tickets for both these events can be purchased at advance pricing here.

Liked that? For more tunes listen to our previous playlist. Tickets to either of these shows go here.

Image: Caffaknitted, Flikr

Later this month The Ex rock up on our shores bringing with them a sound which continues look forward and embrace DIY experimentation across multiple genres whilst steering clear of ever being pretentious. To describe The Ex as just a punk band would be “obsolete” by their own admission. Their guitarist Andy Moor recently spoke to Brum Notes about the band’s adventurous 30+ year career which has seen them rub shoulders

with artists like Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth) and Shellac through to Ethiopean and Iraqi-Kurdish musicians. See them play Friday April 18th alongside another 6 bands: Health & Efficiency, Rattle, Ghold, Mob Rules, Sump and Bayonnebleeder. Tickets are available for this show here.

“We’re not so interested in giving something a name. If you name something you limit it.”

You can read this article from Brum Notes here.

And listen to a little something to get you in the mood whilst you are at it…

The Ex are the cover stars of the latest issue of The Wire (April, 2014).

Pick up a copy and read about Daniel Spicer travels to Amsterdam to talk DIY survival strategies with the Dutch ethno-improv-punk collective.

Don’t forget you can catch The Ex right here in Birmingham at Hare & Hounds on April 18th for just £10 (adv.). That’s a bargain all by itself, but we’ve teamed up with Milque & Muhle to put on 6 more up and coming bands for you to check out too. That’s right, two stages, 7 bands, all for a tenner. Investigate the full line-up below. Tickets here.

THE EX

Formed back in 1979, Terrie (guitar), Sok (vocals), Geurt (drums), and René (bass) choose their instruments by drawing straws to decide who would play what, starting from scratch. The name was chosen based on the fact that it could be sprayed on a wall in two seconds flat! Since those early days the band have worked across so many musical styles and with so many artists that categorizing their sound to any one genre seems almost unfair . For more band history read here.

“They are the most interesting musical unit in the world today…Go and see the Ex and you will hear rhythms you have never heard before…a sweaty seething party, an uplifting, joyful celebration.” – The Quietus

RATTLE

If the idea of a band consisting of just 2 drummers brings to mind a hippy bongo nightmare then you’ve obviously never heard RATTLE. Comprising of 2 of Nottingham’s most unique and recognisable drummers (Theresa Wrigley of Fists and Katharine Brown of KOGUMAZA) and aided by Kogumaza’s Mark Spivey they create a hypnotic and danceable music form that recalls This Heat or ESG even whilst remaining completely their own.

HEALTH & EFFICIENCY

H&E thrive on an instinctive and experimental approach to the creation and composition of their music. Eschewing traditional songwriting and structural techniques in favour of a process of improvisation, editing, refinement and distillation of their sound working together as a democratic unit. Proponents of self-sufficiency and independence, their recordings to this point have been engineered and mixed by friends and more recently by the band themselves at their practice space, then released via the internet. Unhindered by a desire, or need, to be restricted to a specific genre, HEALTH & EFFICIENCY create a sound of unrestrained eclecticism.

GHOLD

Drums and bass sludge rock duo, GHOLD, have already gained recognition in their short time together, starting in 2012 in Brixton. With a heavy bass line and percussive drums, they pay homage to the early days of Sludge with bands like the Melvins, Karp and Godheadsilo. They’ve already got a

string of releases under their belt, which considering their 2 years together, is pretty impressive.

MOB RULES

‘Cesstone music to try the patience of the Hardcore’, MOB RULES are arguably one of best bands on the UK Hardcore scene at the moment, Leeds anger-fuelled Powerviolence at its best. Formed in 2008, this four-piece are practically Leeds’ answer to Black Flag; Largely influenced by the band, vocalist Thomas Campbell come up with MOB RULES as its said to be ‘Gregg Ginn’s seventh favourite Black Sabbath record’. Sticking to their guns for the last six years, these guys have very little internet presence, nevertheless they’ve gained a prominent presence on the scene in the UK, with an acclaimed reputation

SUMP

Formed in 2008, SUMP is a Yorkshire two-piece consisting of George Proctor (guitar) and Gareth Howells (drums and vocals). In the short time they’ve been together they’ve managed to release numerous 7″ splits and demos as well as cassettes on their own labels, Dead Tapes and Turgid Animal. SUMP is a glorious fusion of Black Metal and Punk, this isn’t the first time the two have come together, yet somehow SUMP achieve a unique and exciting sound.

BAYONNEBLEEDER

This will be the second show from local Hardcore outfit BAYONNEBLEEDER, who have spent over a year

refining their tight and rapid sound; They take influence from bands such as Rorschach, Septic Death and His Hero Is Gone. Originally one drummer, guitarist, bass and vocalist they’ve recently made the addition of a second guitarist, to reach their heaviest potential. Expect a short and intense set of 10 tracks lasting 20 minutes.

+ DJ SETS FROM LUKE YOUNGER & CHRIS BRESS

For tickets go here, you know you want to.

The Ex have just finished a 5 day festival in their native land (The Netherlands) to celebrate their 30+ years as a band. The Ex Festival was designed not as a retrospective, but was instead a forward-looking and adventurous celebration with friends and like-minded artists. Reviews have been coming in thick and fast for the Ex’s performance at their headline festival and we think you’ll agree they went down pretty well. You can read a few quotes from reviews of the The Ex’s recent performances below as well as take a peek

at a recent radio performance.

For your own chance to catch the band live, get your ticket to their Birmingham show on April 18th. Tickets cost just £10 and include a line-up of 7 bands across two stages. An absolute deal! Tickets here.

“The Ex, laying down the law; righting the rule book. People groove; or gawp at the way Kat, Terrie, Andy and Arnold construct their sound. The Ex are like some weird machine, constantly being deconstructed and reassembled; a vehicle that never breaks, one that travels vast distances to create its own hinterland…” – The Quietus (Read more here)

“My word, the energy of the band is quite remarkable – and for a group some 25 albums into a career, that’s a badge to be proud of. They were, at times, quite exhilarating here and when they weren’t they were still bloody good. The Ex are one of the most honest, down-to-earth bands I’ve ever come across because you can tell there’s no bullshit with them. They just get up there and play and when they do, you’d better stand back if you’re not prepared to go with them because they kick up quite a fuss when they get going. They are, in the truest sense of the word, exceptional.” – Incendiary Magazine (Read more here)

“Frankly they were unstoppable on this night; a mad charge into the valley, clanking and rattling around like a washing machine that’s suddenly torn up its ASBO, escaped from the local electrics shop and chuntered down the road in search of a suitable mate. Tonight the slow burners were extra good; their cosmic, baked-earth rumble somehow allowing serene, zen-like moments in the heady atmosphere, allowing people breathing space.” – Louderthanwar.com (Read more here)

Tickets for April 18th are available here. For full info on the line-up go here.

March’s playlist brings together tracks from some of the artists performing at Capsule’s upcoming events this Spring.

On April 18^th Capsule partners up with purveyors of fine records and good buddies MILQUE & MUHLE to curate an evening of musical activity held across two stages at Hare & Hounds. Topping the main stage are Dutch punk rock legends, THE EX, who are supported by percussion heavy RATTLE & rock experimentalists HEALTH & EFFICIENCY.

The second stage programmed by M+M takes things on a doomier route with GHOLD tipping their hat to the godfathers of sludge whilst continuing to forge their own unique sound. Hardcore will also be well represented on the bill with MOB RULES and BAYONNEBLEEDER both promising to punish ears and minds. Lastly SUMP will deliver their own hybrid of black metal and punk.

Tickets for THE EX on April 18^th are available now & grant access to both stages making this one all-nighter you don’t want to miss out on. Buy tickets HERE.

Later on May 27^th we welcome back Japan’s unequivocal answer to grindcore-noise rock, MELT BANANA, who are

touring in support of their latest album Fetch. Support comes from sound artist and instrument maker Sam Underwood who returns with GLATZE, his solo outlet for his broader musical endeavours. The line-up is completed with local sonic deviants THRILLING HEADGEAR, born out of the ashes of Stinky Wizzleteat and ready to pummel with their bleeted, transcendent take on punk-rock. Tickets for MELT BANANA can be purchased HERE.

Image: 15Question.net

Capsule welcomes adventurous, innovative Dutch band The Ex to Birmingham this April 27th. The band will headline an extraordinary night of music at Hare & Hounds on April 18th which will include two stages and a multitude of bands (for more info on the line-up go here). Tickets are available now from here.

15Questions.net recently conducted a – you guessed it – 15 question interview with The Ex’s guitarist Andy Moor. A guitar play for 27 years, Moor has experimented with numerous genres and seemingly has no intention of stopping now, choosing instead to expand his musical repertoire even further through his various collaborations and work within sound art. We’ve picked out a few titbits for you below but this interesting interview can be read in its entirety here

When did you start playing your instrument, and what or who were your early passions or influences?
I began playing guitar in my bedroom. When I was about 17… learning chords from a ‘tune a day’ book and playing along with records. My mother gave me her classical guitar because she was about to become an acupuncturist and sensitive

finger tips are needed for reading pulses and guitar playing is a no-no. My first influences were the giant rock bands like Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix and later I discovered Gang of Four, Sonic youth, The Fall and a lot of African music and this became a much stronger influence on my playing once I started playing ‘live”. But the biggest influences have come from other musicians I have played with, particularly Dog Faced Hermans, The Ex, Kletka Red, and many individual musicians with whom I have collaborated.

What do you personally consider to be the incisive moments in your artistic work and/or career?
Forming the band Volunteer Slavery & Dog Faced Hermans in Edinburgh in 1986 and in 1988 seeing The Ex live for the first time in a pub in Sheffield in 1988 and joining the Ex in 1990.
Playing with Tom Cora and The Ex was also a great shifting moment for all of us. Equally when we started a project with Ethiopian saxophonist Getachew Mekuria. Hearing and seeing Big Flame, Sonic Youth, Don Cherry, Art Ensemble of Chicago, the Birthday Party, Han Bennink, Konono No 1, DJ Rupture, John Butcher, Anne-James, Chaton. All of these concerts changed me fundamentally – on a musical level anyway. Discovering Ethiopian, Ugandan and Algerian music and Rebetika from Greece were also big moments in my musical life and working with Yannis Kyriakides was a big change in direction for me.

What are currently your main artistic challenges?

In the Ex I’m trying to learn how to play the baritone guitar using it as both a bass instrument and a chord instrument. It’s a big challenge and I have a long way to go, but I love the sound. It’s always a challenge with The Ex because we don’t have a formula. We create new songs using a combination of collective improvisation and collective arrangement. Working collectively is always a challenge. Working with Yannis Kyriakides, Colin Mclean and Anne-James is also a big challenge as I am working with primarily electronic sounds (especially with Yannis and Colin) and trying to find a way to fuse my analogue electric guitar sound with these incredible sounds they produce. With Chaton it’s more of an adventure because I’m working with someone who does not see himself at all as a musician … though I hear many musical aspects in his poetry.

How do you see the relationship between sound, space and performance?
They are all extremely important, each one effecting the other. Awareness of the acoustic space, especially during free improvisation, is vital. I particularly like how John Butcher approaches this. He is hyper-aware of the resonant frequencies in the room and works with them in relation to his own sound but also to the other musicians he is playing with. When I improvise I focus a lot on sound. Sometimes I try to blend a sound or create a texture with another other musician and I am thinking more in terms of rhythm or frequencies than notes or chords or melodies. To me, this is all musical and of course performance is vital, how one’s body moves and relates to the music is very telling and revealing. I don’t feel I need to act in anyway on stage but I am very aware of the audience and the fact that they are watching as well as listening.
Finish reading the interview in full here.

Tickets for The Ex plus support from Rattle + Health & Efficiency can be bought here. This also includes entry into a second stage programmed by our friends and co-hosts Milque & Muhle who have lined up acts including Ghold, Bayonnebleeder, Mob Rules, & Sump.