We’re very excited to announce that electronica pioneers Alva Noto and Byetone will be playing at this year’s Supersonic Festival. Two wizards of  experimental audio visual performance, the German artists will be play at the festival as part of their 15 year anniversary tour. Alva Noto makes rhythms and harmonies using clicks and glitches and is also known for his work with Ryoji Ikeda. Byetone, aka Olaf Benders is the label boss of Raster Noto record label and as Byetone manipulates abstract animations in realtime to support abstract, complex pieces of music that mange to be  danceable at the same time.

Also joining the bill this year is Cut Hands, aka William Bennett of Whitehouse, and his afro noise project. Alexander Tucker will be presenting an intimate performance of his new record of minimalist string arrangements and electronic manipulations and The Berg Sans Nipple will bring their incredible live show to the festival.  Part Chimp, legendary for the volume of their live hows will bring their noise rock to the stage, along with psych sleazers Teeth of the Sea, Sabbath worshippers Slabdragger and Nottingham’s finest, Kogumaza.

As ever, we like you to get you involved in the festival too, a bit of audience participation never goes amiss and we’re pleased to announce an exciting workshop from Supersonic friend John Richards. After the success of his Dirty Electronics Ensemble in 2009, he’ll back with a new noise making workshop, Mute Synth,  where participants can also show off their hard work at the live performance at the festival.

We’re also very pleased to announce the return of Supersonic Kids Gigs – big sounds for little people. Lucky Dragons, as well as performing at the main festival site for us grown ups, will be doing a special performance for children and their families.

For up to date festival news go to www.supersonicfestival.com

Tickets for the festival are only £75 for three days of music, film, art and cake and are available from:

www.theticketsellers.co.uk

www.seetickets.com

Plugs Records, Cork

Polar Bear Records, Birmingham

Swordfish Records, Birmingham

Supersonic Festival individual day line up

Friday 22nd October 9pm – 2.30am
Tickets £20 BUY NOW
Headlined by Napalm Death
with Dead Fader, Demons (feat Sick Llama), Devil Man (feat DJ Scotch Egg), Drumcorps, Fukpig, Gum Takes Tooth, Necro Deathmort, PCM

Saturday 23rd October 4pm – 1.30am
Tickets £35 BUY NOW
Headlined by Godflesh + Melt Banana
with Blue Sabbath Black Fiji, Cave, Cloaks (DJ set), Dosh, Eagle Twin, Gnaw, Gnod, King Midas Sound, Lash Frenzy vs KK Null, Lichens, Melt Banana, oVo, Part Wild Horses Mane On Both Sides, People Like Us, Steve Troman & Dan Nicholls Duo, Stinky Wizzleteat, Tweak Bird
+ talks, films, workshops, market place, tea room

Sunday 24th October 2pm – 12.30am
Tickets £35 BUY NOW
Headlined by Swans + Hallogallo
with Barn Owl, Black Sun Drum Corps, Bong, Factory Floor, Jailbreak feat. Chris Corsano + Heather Leigh, James Blackshaw, Master Musicians of Bukkake + Khyam Allami, Mugstar, Nisennenmondai, Peter Broderick, Pierre Bastien & Male Instrumenty, Voice Of The Seven Thunders, Zeni Geva
+ talks, films, workshops, market place, tea room

Weekend tickets £75 BUY NOW

* line up maybe subject to change

Capsule zine no.4 – this time put together by Mark Murphy
Containing interviews with Nicholas Bullen about Zine culture and sound artist Jony Easterby.

Independent Culture for Independent Students: ENGAGING NEW AUDIENCES IN BIRMINGHAM

Arguably, one of the biggest influxes of new people to the city of Birmingham is the thousands upon thousands of new students arriving here every September. In September 2007, I was one of them.

Upon arrival, I had very little knowledge of the city and what happens here apart from the events the student union were relentlessly promoting during freshers week. With loans providing a new found, short term wealth, the general consensus suggests to quickly consume as many £1 pints and 2 for 1 shots you can whilst vertical, and then pay a visit to the nauseating glamour of broad street (amongst others) to waste some more of that cash you’ll long for a few months down the line. Sure, the big night out, club culture clearly appeals to many and seems to do well at catering for much of the student population. However, I soon found myself becoming quickly disillusioned with a student lifestyle that I wasn’t interested in being a part of, yet seemingly was all that was presented to me. Something that I now understand to be a fallacy, but why didn’t I then?

The university I attend, without naming names (although I’m sure you can guess) has campuses across the city and whilst it offers a wide range of courses, it’s probably fair to say that many come under the general brackets of the creative arts and media. The students of which are exactly the sorts of creative types you’d expect to see filling live music events and engaging with the local cultural community. So why don’t they? Why do the West Midlands have much lower attendance for cultural events than other regions?

Well, there is the lack of late night public transport in the city, the actual geography and location of many of the better independent venues, making getting to and from particularly difficult for some (for piss poor students, a taxi fare is usually out of the question). What about the potential apathy of Birmingham audiences? This is something particularly noticeable in my fellow students, but perhaps, through no fault of their own.

It’s taken me the best part of three years here in Birmingham to fully discover and become involved in its vibrant, yet hidden underbelly of music, art and creative culture and I love it. Prompting discussion among peers however often results in blank faces; they don’t know it exists, just like I didn’t. Its not the fault of the city’s independent promoters or venues, they do the best they can with what resources they have, and in most cases they do a bloody good job that goes unnoticed. But Birmingham’s creative sector needs help with the students. Universities – open up the gates for access; let non-union posters go up around campuses, allow flyer distribution and evangelise about the city’s creative networks and many events. It’s no surprise that attendance figures in the union are dropping when all that’s offered is a spotty DJ with the latest Kaiser Chiefs record. Unions need programming and promoters need audiences. Opportunity knocks? We also need a council that does the same. Instead of attracting kids to Birmingham because they can spend their money in the same clubs, bars, restaurants and shops as any other large town in the country, sell Birmingham because it’s offering things that are unique to here.

So, to all the higher education establishments of Birmingham and to BCC, lend us a hand will you? Let’s grab these new audiences before they get lost in the chaff and show them all the real reasons to stay in Birmingham on completing their studies.
David Breese

Taken from our latest Capsule Zine
What are your thoughts?

Supersonic Festival needs YOU! Capsule’s internationally renowned festival runs 22nd – 24th October 2010 and there are 3 Internship opportunities Production, Design & Marketing Intern. You will receive valuable work experience and be credited as part of the core team that deliver Supersonic Festival.

NB this is not a full time position and would require some remote working, further details of the intern schedule can be supplied upon application.

Production Intern
Duration of the Internship: 4 Months August – November
Deadline for application: 21st May 2010
Interviews to be held on: 15th & 16th June 2010
Intern start date: August 2010

Job Description:
The Production Intern will work closely with the Logistics Director and Operations Manager assisting them in all of the production before, during and after the festival, and undertake other tasks as necessary and directed by Festival staff.

We are looking for someone who has:
– Excellent communication skills – both oral and written
–    Excellent personal skills
–    Excellent team player happy to get involved in all areas as and when required.
–    Attention to detail.
–    Able to work long hours before, during and after the festival if is required.
–    Excellent organisational and time management skills.
–    IT skills – Word, Excel, Internet,
–    Design skills will be a plus.

Please note, unfortunately we can only receive applications from people over 18 years of age. For further information & full job spec on the Production Internship for Supersonic, please contact us by email: admin[at]capsule.org.uk with ‘Production Internship‘ as the subject field.

Marketing Intern
Duration of the Internship: 6 Months. June – November 2010
Deadline for application: 21st May 2010
Interviews to be held on: 2nd& 3rd June 2010
Intern start date: June 2010

Job Description:
The Marketing Intern will work closely with the Festival & Communications Director and Marketing Assistant, assisting with the promotion & documentation of the festival and undertake other tasks as necessary and directed by Festival staff.

We are looking for someone who has:
–    Excellent communication skills – both oral and written
–    Good understanding of the music, ethos of the festival and the bands
–    Interest in music press. magazines, blogs, etc.
–    Self motivated
–    Excellent understanding of the online communications such as: Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Last F.M., WordPress.
–    Excellent team player happy to get involved in all areas as and when required.
–    Able to work long hours before, during and after the festival if required.
–    Excellent organisational and time management skills.
–    Attention to detail.
–    IT skills – Word, Internet,
–    Design skills will be a plus, or basic understanding of image file formats for web and print.

Please note, unfortunately we can only receive applications from people over 18 years of age. For further information & full job spec on the Marketing Internship for Supersonic, please contact us by email: admin[at]capsule.org.uk with ‘Marketing Internship‘ as the subject field.

Design Intern
Duration of the Internship: 2 Months September / October 2010
Deadline for application: 21st May 2010
Interviews to be held on: 15th & 16th June 2010
Intern start date: September 2010

Job Description:
The Design Intern will work closely with Ian Richards of Heavy Object as well as the Festival Communications Director. And undertake other tasks as necessary and directed by Festival staff.

We are looking for someone who has:
–    Excellent design and illustration skills
–    Enthusiasm for unusual and non traditional design approaches
–    Excellent communication skills – both oral and written
–    An understanding and affinity to the Supersonic / Capsule ethos and brand
–    An ability to use design computer packages (illustrator/ photoshop / indesign / Flash / animations packages)
–    Attention to detail.
–    Excellent personal skills
–    Self motivated
–    Excellent team player happy to get involved in all areas as and when required.
–    Able to work long hours before, during and after the festival if is required.
–    Excellent organisational and time management skills.
–    IT skills – Word, Excel, Internet,
–    Your own computer or access to a computer will be essential as you will be expected to work remotely at some points in the internship.

Please note, unfortunately we can only receive applications from people over 18 years of age. For further information & full job spec on the Design Internship for Supersonic, please contact us by email: admin[at]capsule.org.uk with ‘Design Internship‘ as the subject field.

Early bird tix for Supersonic Festival have sold out in just 3 weeks! This years festival takes place from the 22nd – 24th October with special guests SWANS.
More line up announcements + selection of cakes coming soon.

Advanced weekend tickets are available from www.theticketsellers.co.uk
+ www.seetickets.com
For recommended hotels/travel/volunteers etc check www.supersonicfestival.com

Efterklang – Cutting Ice To Snow from Rumraket on Vimeo.
It is directed by Jeremiah Zagar and produced by Herzliya Films

Efterklang play in Birmingham on Thursday 29th of October at The Asylum in Hockley, support from Nancy Elizabeth.
Advanced tickets from www.thetisketsellers.co.uk Polar Bear in Kings Heath + Swordfish Birmingham city Centre

Join Ikon and the Bloors in Eastside to launch Hey for Lubberland!, their specially adapted canal boat, utilising geodesic design and dazzle camouflage. Music by Khyam Allami.

As part of the Supersonic Festival Simon & Tom Bloor’s boat will be moored near Ikon Eastside. Visitors can make short journeys, accompanied by soundtracks selected by artists performing at the Festival.

To reserve a place call Ikon on 0121 248 0708

14 albums, more than 1000 concerts, one really doesn’t know what to say about this trio from Rome, Italy. One more record to come by the hand of Dälek, more than 1000 concerts all around the globe, a collaborations list from here to Mars (King Buzzo and Mike Patton from Melvins to mention a sample). That deep sound to their music that goes down to the abyss and further is what makes them so special.

The bass lines maintain a deep, hard structure, over that is chaotic rhythm looking for freedom until it becomes totally lost. These guys don’t waste their time smiling.

Influenced by everything natural, ancestral and imaginary, they never seem to find time to centre on human emotions. Isolated landscapes, remote geological ages, astral forces are part of the compositions that become more obscure each time a new album is released. They are far removed now from the innocent grunge from records like the self-titled Zu, now closer to abyssal and chaotic atmospheres.

While keeping their original line-up since 1999 (drums, bass, saxophone) they have been touring with Mike Patton and King Buzzo from Melvins whom they share a record label with.

By Nicolás Gómez

Zu will play the Saturday of Supersonic Festival

24th-26th July

Tickets for Supersonic Festival are available from www.theticketsellers.co.uk