The lovely people at Creative Review have published this beautiful spread of Supersonic artwork over the years. January’s ‘music’ edition of the publication also features an interview with Capsule’s

Lisa Meyer about the festival’s visual approach in its piece on festival design entitled ‘Less Mud, More Art’.

Lisa says “By considering your identity , taking the time to produce good quality material you convey the love that you’ll be paying to all elements of the festival; that’s what we’ve built our reputation on’.

The artwork shows designs and illustrations by Heavy Object, Stuart Kolakovich, Karoline Rerrie and Savage Pencil

Thanks to BeanTownHandmade
for this wonderful image – Frank might just get one for Christmas if he’s a lucky boy.

2011 has been an incredible year for Capsule with tons of wonderful events and unforgettable moments. Feel free to let us know what your highlights were from our 2011 program and let us know what you’re keen to see more of in 2012.

Just released: LTD heavy weight vinyl recording of Tweak Bird at Supersonic 2010 – BUY NOW

Long standing fans of the brothers Tweak, we at Capsule were thrilled to invite TWEAK BIRD for their debut Supersonic Festival performance. Heavy rock has never felt so fun, or so sugar soaked! They joined a bill we were immensely proud of, with Swans joining us on the tour no one thought would ever happen and Godflesh performing a rare and much anticipated home coming show, along with new and exciting discoveries. So here we’ve captured one of our favorite performances of the weekend in our series of live releases, whether reminiscing or hearing it for the first time, enjoy this little piece of Supersonic history.

TWEAK BIRD is Caleb and Ashton Bird on vocals, guitar, drums, and all other intentional or unintentional instrumentation, and featuring Rene Everts on saxophone. Engineered live by Taylor Spray. Recording mixed and edited by Toshi “Gold Glove” Kasai at Nephews Closet in Los Angeles.

Photo by JWRobinson

Also a handful left of  Iron Lung live at Supersonic 09, Harvey Milk live at Supersonic 08 clear vinyl

With just under a week until this years festival and with such a packed programme we thought we’d assist you in the digestion of it all. In this mailout we’ve highlighted just some of the lovely stuff you can check out the over the weekend.

For all the latest news & further details about the line up relating to SUPERSONIC see our website http://www.supersonicfestival.com

SUPERSONIC KIDS GIGS

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There are still spaces available for families to join in with the Supersonic Kids Gigs, big sounds for little people. Two special performances will be taking place at the mac, introducing little ones to experimental sounds. On Saturday 22nd families can catch Lucky Dragons and on Sunday 23rd, The Berg Sans Nipple will bring their nimble fingered electronica wizardry. Tickets can be bought directly from mac.

http://www.supersonicfestival.com/line-up/special-events/supersonic-kids-gigs-2

WORKSHOPS

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There are still limited places available for our various workshops, which include building the Mute Synth and a large group performance with DIRTY ELECTRONICS

GET A GRIP screen printing workshop and make a unique festival T-shirt

IMPERCT CINEMA – a workshop to contribute to an alternative documentation of the festival using endangered media technologies!

* you must sign up in advance of the festival.

http://www.supersonicfestival.com/line-up/workshops

SONIC GRAFFITI

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Sound artist Sam Underwood has become quite a favourite at Supersonic, last year playing in the fantastic Lash Frenzy vs KK Null, delivering a Noisebox workshop and playing as Glatze in 2009. This year, as well as performing the tuba doom group ORE which promises to be very special indeed. Sam will be giving tours of his recent work ‘SONIC GRAFFITI’. Throughout industrial Digbeth, Sam has installed sound pieces for you to tap into the dark, decayed world around you. Meet Sam for a pre festival tour on Friday 21st October at 8pm outside VIVID, or if you can’t make that, there is another opportunity on Sunday 23rd October, same time and place.

http://www.supersonicfestival.com/line-up/special-events/sonic-graffiti-2

SUPERSONIC QUIZ

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Think you know your Electric Funeral from your Electric Wizard? Well put your music trivia knowledge to the test with Club Unlikely infamous QUIZ. It’s free to enter, just come on down to bar 70eights on Sunday 23rd and register your team by 2.15pm.
http://www.supersonicfestival.com/line-up/special-events/club-unlikely

EXHIBITIONS/INSTALLATIONS

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Home of Metal has been a huge focus for Capsule of the past couple of years, and we were thrilled with the reception of our exhibition at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, celebrating 40 years of Heavy Metal and its unique birthplace. We’ll be bringing an element of this exhibition to Supersonic this year, to celebrate Birmingham and the Black Country as the birthplace of Heavy Metal. Grindcore CUT N PASTE is an exhibition that will explore the formation of Grindcore, Napalm Death’s early years and the cut n paste aesthetic and DIY approach at the heart of the music.

After the success of the Gods White Noise event last year, VELZUVIAL will extend the concept to see a 24 hour improvised performance. This new performance is commissioned by Supersonic and Eastside Projects and is a collaboration between artists Christian Jendreiko and Andrew Moscardo-Parker (aka Lash Frenzy). It will take place at Eastside Projects from Sat 22nd 9pm til Sun 23rd 9pm. The performance will feature a core team of players as well as a number of special guests.

http://www.supersonicfestival.com/line-up/exhibitions

MARKET PLACE

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We’ve now announced the numerous stallholders you can meet at this year’s MARKET PLACE. Go along and check out their wares, and put a face to that awesome label/distributor. Stallholders include Southern Records, Burning World, Cold Spring, Bad Egg, Future Noise and many more.

http://www.supersonicfestival.com/info/market-place/

PODCAST

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The third installment of Brumcast’s Supersonic podcast is now online where you can check out Nathan Bell, Barn Owl, Drunk in Hell and many more.

http://www.supersonicfestival.com/news/supersonic-podcast-no-3-2/2011/

LINE UP & TICKETS

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Weekend Tickets £75 + booking fee BUY NOW

Friday tickets are £20 + booking fee BUY NOW

FRIDAY Doors 9pm  – 2.30am (Box office closes at midnight)
APPAT/CLOAKS/DRUMCUNT/MIKE WATT + THE MISSINGMEN/PART CHIMP/SCORN/SCOTCH EGG/SECRET CHIEFS 3/SLABDRAGGER/

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Saturday tickets are £35 + booking fee BUY NOW

SATURDAY Doors 4pm – 1.30am (Box Office closes at 11pm)

– AGATHE MAX/ALEXANDER TUCKER/ANTILLES/BACKWARDS/BARDO POND/BERG SANS NIPPLE/ELECTRIC WIZARD/KLAUS KINSKI/KOGUMAZA/LUCKY DRAGONS/MONARCH/MUTE SYNTH/NATHAN BELL/ORTHODOX/PHAROAH OVERLORD/SKULL DEFEKTS/TEETH OF THE SEA/WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM/ZOMBI/

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Sunday tickets are £35 + booking fee BUY NOW

SUNDAY Doors 2pm  – 1.30am (box office closes at 10.30pm)

– ALVA NOTO/ASTRO/BARN OWL/BYETONE/CIRCLE/CUT HANDS/DRUNK IN HELL/DRUM EYES/ENVY/ETERNAL TAPESTRY/FIRE!/ICONACLASS/MODULATE/ORE/PEKKO KAPPI/SELFLESS/SILVER APPLES/TONY CONRAD/TURBONEGRO/WHITE HILLS/

Tomorrow will see the launch of an exciting new commission between VIVID and Capsule:

MR. UNDERWOOD
SONIC GRAFFITI 2011

Walking the streets near to VIVID and Supersonic Festival, the ubiquitous signs of
neglect passing you by, your attention is captured by a symbol you’ve seen somewhere
else before…

Set into a decaying wall there is a headphone socket. You unplug from your own music
and plug yourself into the city. The sounds you hear are of and from this place, dark
and decayed. As you listen you examine the surface before you more closely. You’ve never
paused here in this way before. What beauty you have missed.

A special “Crash EP” featuring four compositions by Mr.Underwood will be
contained within the installations. Each piece is based on a field recording taken
close to the site in which you find it. The EP will be available for download but you
are encouraged to listen to the pieces in situ, as the chance sounds that surround
you at the time of listening are considered part of the compositions. The pieces
will require you to interact with them in a variety of ways to trigger or manipulate
the sound. Go explore! Headphones are available from VIVID during exhibition
opening hours for a small deposit.

Join Mr. Underwood for a special tour, leaving from VIVID on Friday 23
September, 6pm. Meet at VIVID reception at 6pm. Bring your own headphones.

“I volunteered at Supersonic as it seemed a great way to meet people & see plenty of the bands on the roster.

I had a cracking time working with the other volunteers, and meeting some lovely people (Michael Rother was a treat). Plus, Capsule really deserves our help as they consistently puts on some of the best live shows around.”
Ben Martin – volunteer 2010

SUPERSONIC NEEDS YOU!

Capsule’s internationally renowned festival runs 21-23 October 2011 and there are plenty of opportunities to get involved as a volunteer.

We need a dedicated team of volunteers to help deliver Supersonic over the festival weekend (21-23 October) and also in the run up to the festival (early October onwards).

The festival is small enough for everyone involved as a volunteer to gain an overview of how the festival works, and to give real input and value. We expect a minimum of 12 hours over the festival period in exchange for a weekend wristband.

In addition to festival volunteers, we are also seeking a small team of professional quality photographers to help us document the festival.

HOW TO APPLY:

If you are interested in volunteering for Supersonic Festival, please click here to download the application form.

Completed application forms should be emailed to volunteer[at]capsule.org.uk before Friday 23 September 2011. Please mark in the subject line of the email VOLUNTEER or PHOTOGRAPHER.

The first volunteer meeting will take place on Monday 26 September, 7pm where you will be able to find out more about the festival and meet the team.

NB/ unfortunately we can only consider applicants who are 18 years old and over.

Supersonic Festival info – www.supersonicfestival.com

 

Some more exciting announcements for this year’s Supersonic Festival, including music, exhibitions, workshops and films.

Supersonic favourite DJ Scotch Egg will be returning to the fest with his gabba/glitch/gameboy core. Scotch Egg will also be performing with Drum Eyes, memories of their amazing performance at Supersonic 2009 meant we had to invite them back. DrumCunt will join the bill with their noisy grime/dub infused electronica.

UK electronica outfit Modulate will be bringing an audio visual set whilst Jefre Cantu-Ledesma will perform his own brand of shoegaze. We’re very pleased to announce that Spanish doom band Orthodox will be joining the bill, they merge their love for Sabbath with jazz and folk influences to create an intriguing sound.

We do like things to get a bit filthy at Supersonic hence why we’ve invited Klaus Kinski, a Welsh Arab on Radar who won’t let you stand still and Birmingham’s Backwards, whose double bass attack is punctuated with free sax improv. Pther bands to add to this agenda are Drunk in Hell, they’re pretty horrible, and that’s a good thing and Selfless, a crusty grindcore band in the true Brummie tradition.

Of course, we want our audience to get their own hands dirty and get involved – which you can do by joining one of this year’s workshops. Imperfect Cinema invite you to take part in a Super-8 workshop and document your time at the festival, recordings will then be included in a performance/screening encompassing film, field recordings and an opportunity to share your personal festival experience. Details have also been announced for the Dirty Electronics workshop ‘Mute Synth‘ – The Mute Synth is a noise based device that utilises feedback and explores the relationship between artwork and circuit board. Participants will begin on the workbench, devising the instrument, and move to the stage to explore the instrument and perform through it. Spaces for both workshops are limited, book your place by contacting [email protected].

We’re particularly excited to announce a very special performance brought to you by Ore, who merge classical, doom and experimental sounds through the medium of contra bass and depth of brass.

We’ve had exhibitions in sheds before, but never sheds that have been converted into orthodox style churches. Look out for Herman Inclusus and his beautiful illustrations.

Two essential new music documentaries will get exclusive screenings at the festival this year. Still Before is a tour diary of avant rockers Oxbow, exploring the WHYS of art creation, the touring life and 20 years in, the motivations for continuing the same. Blood, Sweat + Vinyl: DIY in the 21st Century focuses on Hydrahead, Neurot, and Constellation and shows historic documentation of these fiercely independent labels and the bands they support.

You can read more info on these announcements and the rest of the line up HERE

They join the current line up of ALVA NOTO / a.P.A.t.T. /AGATHE MAX /ANTILLES /ASTRO /BARDO POND / BARN OWL / BYETONE/ CIRCLE/ CLOAKS /CUT HANDS /ELECTRIC WIZARD / ENVY / ETERNAL TAPESTRY/ FIRE!/ KOGUMAZA/ LUCKY DRAGONS/ MONARCH/ NATHAN BELL/ PART CHIMP/ PHARAOH OVERLORD/ PEKKO KAPPI/ SCORN/ SECRET CHIEFS / SILVER APPLES / SKULL DEFEKTS / SLABDRAGGER/ TEETH OF THE SEA / THE BERG SANS NIPPLE/ TONY CONRAD/ TURBONEGRO/ WHITE HILLS / WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM / ZOMBI / ZU93

Still more to be announced, including day tickets and volunteer opportunities. Watch this space.

TURBONEGRO TO HEADLINE SUPERSONIC

Big news came our way recently when the self-proclaimed “Third-biggest Formula Rock Band in the World” Turbonegro returned with news of a brand new front-man, Tony Sylvester. It has been a whirlwind few weeks ever since, having returned to the stage at the annual Turbojugend Fan Club Convention in Hamburg on Friday July 15, after a two year hiatus to the roaring approval of their denim-clad fans.

Now, Supersonic have ensnared the almighty Kings Of Deathpunk for a UK exclusive headline performance at the festival. Bringing all the glam, good tunes and great vibes (and hopefully hordes of denim-clad followers) we couldn’t be more excited!

The line up includes, Tony Sylvester (Vocals), Happy Tom (Bass), Euroboy (Guitar), Pål Pot Pamparius (Keys/Guitar), Tommy Manboy (Drums/Percussion) and Rune Rebellion (Guitar). Tony Sylvester comments on playing the festival:

“I was so chuffed that Lisa and Jenny asked Turbonegro to headline Supersonic and that the first show with the new line up in the UK will be there. Not only are they the best promoters in the UK, but I’ve been lucky enough to have been involved with the festival itself since its second year: announcing bomb threats, swimming in the fountains, playing Northern Soul, arguing on panels, you name it. This will be the first time I’ve actually played there however!”

ARE YOU READY?

They join the current line up of: ALVA NOTO / a.P.A.t.T. /AGATHE MAX /ANTILLES /ASTRO /BARDO POND / BARN OWL / BYETONE/ CIRCLE/ CLOAKS /CUT HANDS /ELECTRIC WIZARD / ENVY / ETERNAL TAPESTRY/ FIRE!/ KOGUMAZA/ LUCKY DRAGONS/ MONARCH/ NATHAN BELL/ PART CHIMP/ PHARAOH OVERLORD/ PEKKO KAPPI/ SCORN/ SECRET CHIEFS / SILVER APPLES / SKULL DEFEKTS / SLABDRAGGER/ TEETH OF THE SEA / THE BERG SANS NIPPLE/ TONY CONRAD/ WHITE HILLS / WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM / ZOMBI / ZU93

Tickets for the festival are only £75 for three days of music, film, art and cake and are available www.supersonicfestival.com