SUPERSONIC FESTIVAL 2024 first names revealed

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★★★★★ – The Guardian

“Britain’s very best underground festival.” – The Quietus

“Supersonic Festival, Britain’s premier celebration of adventurous and mind-blowing sounds.” – Stuart Maconie’s Freak Zone BBC Radio 6 Music

FIRST NAMES REVEALED…

Agriculture | The Body & Dis Fig | Bonnie “Prince” Billy | 
Brìghde Chaimbeul | Emma Ruth Rundle | Gazelle Twin |
John Francis Flynn | Mary Lattimore | MC Yallah x Debmaster |
Melt-Banana | Mohammad Syfkhan | One Leg One Eye | ØXN | Senyawa | Smote | The None | The Shits | Upchuck

TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY 1ST MARCH @ 10AM
Line up info

Following a sell-out 20th anniversary edition in 2023, lauded by press, fans and performers alike, we’ve been spurred on by last year’s triumphs. Today, we make our initial lineup announcement, offering a weekend of phenomenal experimental and DIY music, welcoming some artists for the first time, as well as the return of festival favourites bringing new work to the stages.

“We were blown away by the love and recognition we received last year when we celebrated 20 years since the inception of Supersonic festival. More so than ever, in these challenging and uncertain times, we are motivated with an urgency to seek out and champion the most important artists from the underground and to create opportunities for shared experiences with a program that can bring joy and unite us.”

– Lisa Meyer, Artistic Director and Festival co-founder 

TICKET INFO
We have 2 weekend ticket options available which includes our solidarity ticket, we are working to create an inclusive space which is accessible to all, regardless of their financial situation. This year, we’ll be working with partners to give away a % of free tickets to people in our music community who are on low wages or are unemployed. For those of you that can afford to support this scheme through purchasing our solidarity ticket we salute you!


Bonnie “Prince” Billy

Supersonic Festival has always held Bonnie “Prince” Billy close to our hearts, and so it is a dream come true to host a set from him during the 2024 edition of the festival. He’s been at the forefront of DIY indie, folk and alt-country since the early 90s and has a consistently brilliant and prolific output. His work radiates with such emotional depth, no two performances are ever the same – and we predict there won’t be a dry eye in the venue.


ØXN 

Following Lankum’s incredible performance at Supersonic’s 2023 edition and a shared mutual admiration for each other, we just had to invite them back with in other guises; ØXN and One Leg One Eye will both be performing. ØXN (bringing together Radie Peat of Lankum, John ‘Spud’ Murphy and Eleanor Myler of Percolator and Katie Kim) digs deep into the earth and retrieves evocative tales of love, loss, longing, revenge and ritual. Add to that the other-worldly sonic textures that beckon you to peer behind the curtain, with your heart in your mouth. One Leg One Eye is the project of Ian Lynch (Lankum) that explores submerged leylines of music and song, drawing on the raw aesthetics of black metal, noise and drone, while also being deeply imbued with a sense of Irish history and myth.


One Leg One Eye 

“Last year I had the great honour of (finally) playing and attending Supersonic Festival for the first time. From the get go I felt an amazing energy and sense of community. Environments like that don’t happen by accident and I left the festival with a huge sense of awe and respect for the organisers in making such an event possible. In the following days I told myself that I would come back every year as a punter no matter what, so imagine how delighted I was to be asked to come back this year and perform as One Leg One Eye! I can’t wait and already know that it’s going to be a highlight of my year.”

– Ian Lynch, Lankum, One Leg One Eye


Mary Lattimore

The Supersonic 2024 edition explores a fascinating range of folk artists upending the traditions of the genre, including Scottish small pipes player and native Gaelic speaker Brìghde Chaimbeul who has carved a sonic space where tradition and minimalism meet. Capturing live, the dense and wild landscape of her home through hypnotic drones and the ethereal drawl of her chosen instrument. One of the leading figures in Ireland’s burgeoning folk music renaissance known for his unconventional approach, John Francis Flynn masterfully unpicks traditional songs and rearranges them with an emotional force that sometimes leaves them unanchored. LA based harpist and composer, and one of today’s preeminent instrumental storytellers Mary Lattimore invites us intoa musical universe rich with memories, scenes, and split-second impressions.


Emma Ruth Rundle

Emma Ruth Rundle is an artist who creates delicate atmospheres which are imbued with an unparalleled emotional heft. She will return to her roots at this year’s festival, performing her debut album, Some Heavy Ocean, 10 years after its release. Some Heavy Ocean is a collection of impassioned, cathartic songs, exorcising the ghosts of one of life’s dark detours. Melancholic, but equally hopeful and devastatingly human, the album wears its emotions on its sleeve.

“I am delighted that I will finally be playing Supersonic fest this year; and in honour of the 10 year anniversary of Some Heavy Ocean, will be performing an intimate solo set that includes most of the album’s material. I love the supersonic community and am so thrilled to be part of this year’s most excellent line up.” – Emma Ruth Rundle


The Body & Dis Fig

Performing their debut collaborative music for the first time are The Body & Dis Fig – the perfect synthesis of two forces, twisting melodicism and intoxicating rhythms, layering a dense miasma of distortion with intense beats and a soaring voice clawing its way towards absolution.


Senyawa

Senyawa who powerfully combines Indonesian tribal and primitive sounds with industrial music. They will be performing in support of their latest album release ‘Vajranala’ being released on State 51,  Senyawa explore how, over centuries, the natural world has shaped our society, the knowledge systems from which power derives.


Gazelle Twin

Gazelle Twin makes a return to Supersonic in support of the new album, Black Dog – her new live show is a plunge into darkness. Memories and dreams electrified by fear. Rooted in the theatrics of the séance and the phenomena of ghosts.

Supersonic relishes in presenting opportunities for communal catharsis through joyous, raucous metal and punk, and bringing high energy to this year’s edition are Melt-Banana with their unorthodox, unclassifiable, and utterly brilliant speed-of-light grindcore.


Agriculture

Agriculture (signed to The Flenser) whose sublime subversion of the black metal tropes evokes awe-inspiring sublimity,  a powerful mode of expression for these feelings of absolute bliss, and overwhelming love.


THE NONE

The None are a band comprising members of Blue Ruth, Youth Man, Bloc Party, Young Legionnaire, Cassels and Frauds, their uncompromising vision of noise rock with melody at its heart, channels the spirit of The Jesus Lizard, Silverfish and Unwound.


Upchuck

Atlanta five-piece Upchuck are a kinetic force of youth and enthusiasm, churning out brutally honest, boisterous tracks that blur the lines between psych rock, punk, and hardcore.

What would Supersonic be without some down right dirge? This will be bought to audiences in the 2024 edition by The Shits with their sludgy amalgamation of guitar grit, trashy drums and UK82 era street punk growls.


Mohammad Syfkhan

Exploring ecstatic sounds of different proportions are Irish based Kurdish/Syrian singer and Bouzouki player Mohammad Syfkhan‘s music takes elements from Middle Eastern and North African music to create an atmosphere of joy, love and happiness. Newcastle-Upon-Tyne’s Smote’s flute-and-drum-driven music conjures up a feeling of bleak magick, reaching for transcendence through repetition, opening up uncanny new psychic pathways.


MC Yallah

Unable to perform last year, we are beyond delighted to invite MC Yallah x Debmaster back to the festival, bringing high energy performance and delivering her rapid and tightly controlled flow alongside futuristic hip-hop, grime, punk and trap with Debmaster.

There are only a limited number of  weekend tickets.
TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY 1ST MARCH @ 10AM

To get to know our 2024 line up have a listen to our Supersonic Festival Playlist HERE

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Supersonic presents… Bohren & Der Club of Gore in 2024

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Supersonic Festival are delighted to welcome back Bohren & Der Club of Gore to Birmingham on Saturday 9 November at the stunning Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, the first time they have graced these Midlands shores since our last rendezvous with them back in 2012.

 

SATURDAY 9 NOVEMBER 2024
Royal Birmingham Conservatoire

| TICKETS |

 

The self-styled “doom jazz” masters were spawned in 1992 out of a mutual love of all things heavy and unholy but channelled their impulses into inspiration not influence.  Bohren’s ineffable skill at lulling listeners into richly hypnagogic states. As they prize a deep sense of cool yearning that hearkens back to the slow burn atmospheres of classic film noir as much as David Lynch and Angelo Badalamenti’s soundtracks, dark ambient and the bluest jazz, plus the doom metal of Black Sabbath, Gore, and their dusty echoes in Earth. It’s a velvet cloak for the senses; essentially a heavily tranquillising sound, but one fraught with an existential angst that’s won them a cult audience over the years.

Special guests to be announced soon…

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Supersonic presents… Godspeed You! Black Emperor in 2024

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It is an honour for us to once again play host to Godspeed’s legendary live performances; a harnessing of raw sonic power, spittle and grit amongst the backdrop of 16mm analog film projections.

 

THURSDAY 3 OCTOBER 2024
hmv Empire, Coventry

| TICKETS |

 

Since 1997, the Canadian collective have been pulling at the threads of late capitalism. A quarter of a century later, they continue crafting their cinematic instrumentals to conjure a world on the very brink of apocalypse – a soundtrack for our times. Between searing melodies that ricochet and converge amidst violin and bassline counterpoint, their noise-drenched, widescreen, post-rock sound is an all encompassing live experience. Expect field recordings and semi-improvised passages that frame the fervent epics they forge.

Special guests to be announced soon…

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Supersonic presents… SUNN O))) in 2024

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Christmas has come early! We couldn’t resist having one last exciting announcement before the year is out… we’re delighted to be hosting the mighty SUNN O))) for not one, but TWO shows in 2024! Tickets on sale now, see below for more details.

 

Sat 30 March . De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill-on-SeaMORE INFO | TICKETS |Tues 2 April . hmv Empire, CoventryMORE INFO |  TICKETS |

SUNN O))) returns to the live aspect in its core, original raw form. Founders / guitarists Stephen O’Malley & Greg Anderson will perform as a duo immersed in profound valve amplification, spectral harmonics, distortion and volume. Pure and primeval riffs of temporality, massively heavy structures of sound pressure. Witness a live experience of physical sound, fog and glacial maximalism like no other.Singer-songwriter Jesse Sykes, and Sweet Hereafter guitarist Phil Wandscher (Whiskeytown), along with bassist Bill Herzog (Earth), will support SUNN O))) as the Shosin duo, on a special run of UK and French performances.

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SAVE THE DATE – Supersonic Festival 2024

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DRUM ROLL PLEASE! Supersonic Festival will be returning on 30 Aug – 1 Sept 2024 bringing you the best in experimental and DIY music, art, workshops, talks and exhibitions!

 

So grab your diaries, and book your earlybird tickets! The team are working hard behind the scenes prepping a jaw-dropping line-up for our wonderful audiences worldwide.

First line-up announcement, hotel deals and tickets will be going on sale end of February – keep those eyes peeled!

 

A super limited number of Early Bird tickets will be released at 12:00 on Thursday 7 December.

 

| TICKETS

 

We’ve thought carefully about ticket pricing, and we want to make sure the festival remains accessible. We recognise that not everyone has equal access to live events and that the cost of entry is a barrier to some people. We are working to create an inclusive space which is accessible to all, regardless of their financial situation. This year, we’ll be working with partners to give away a % of free tickets to people in our music community who are on low wages or are unemployed, supported by our Solidarity ticket scheme.

SOLIDARITY TICKET – We know that some of our long-standing fans could afford to pay more. Inspired by the global “solidarity ticket” movement, we are also introducing a new voluntary tier ticket. So if you are able to invest in Supersonic through a solidarity ticket, you’ll be subsidising a % of free tickets for others, whilst also ensuring the good ship Supersonic keeps sailing for many future festival editions. 

 

In the meantime, here’s a very happy reminder of what happened last time we all met under the rumbling roofs of Digbeth…

 

 

 

 

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Supersonic Festival 2023 reviews

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Wowzers we are blown away by the amazing press we’ve been receiving for this years edition of Supersonic, which saw us celebrate 2 decades of the festival. The response from artists, audiences and press has really warmed our hearts.

 

“the care and community at this independent festival of outer-reaches sounds is evident in every single detail as it celebrates its 20th anniversary.”
★★★★★
The Guardian, read full review

 


photo by Cat Dineley

 

“Britain’s very best underground festival… Lankum might be riding high off the back of a universally lauded, Mercury-nominated masterpiece of a new album (tQ’s number one of the year so far, no less), yet the awe with which they speak about Supersonic is testament to the event’s oversized influence in the underground, a status earned over two decades hard graft. It’s not only the best festival they’ve ever played, Lynch, says, but the best they’ve ever been to.”
The Quietus, read full review

 


photo by Snaprockpop

 

 “it’s clear that this is a festival that genuinely cultivates community, both through its carefully considered programme of bands, talks and workshops, and the unparalleled warmth of its atmosphere” 
– The Wire 

 

“Supersonic is full of these wild adventures. It’s one of the best festivals out there that defines the core of these gatherings – places that change your life and send you down a myriad of new rabbit holes. It takes chances, creates culture and disrupts culture in a true visionary style that makes it one of the key calender events.”
Louder Than War, read full review

 

Backxwash by Snaprockpop

 

“Supersonic Festival has long boasted the talents of the most unique sounds in music from metal and beyond, so it feels fitting that in its 20th anniversary edition it would host an artist who so brazenly embodies the spirit of heaviness whilst sounding worlds away from traditional metal. That such a joyous and undeniably heavy artist has made her debut in the heart of the Home Of Metal only further cements the notion that Backxwash is representative of where heavy music in 2023, no longer defined by riffs and horror movie aesthetics alone.”

Louder Sound, read full review

 

 

“a diverse crowd of musical eccentrics young and old, from all over the UK and far beyond were already there in droves.”
★★★★★
The Arts Desk, read full review

 

 

“Supersonic was ahead of the game on many fronts. The female-founded festival was up on gender representation long before the Keychange initiative drew attention to ways of trying to achieve gender parity in the music industry. Gender and sexuality find a safe space here. Even such things as metal being taken seriously by electronic musicians, and electronics coming to rock, and the now preponderant but still under-regarded creative economy of solo artists and DJs using electronics to create a huge sound. For organisational problems arising from gentrification, Supersonic is the test case for how to deal with it, and how to do it right. In society and culture, the ongoing backlash against progressivism has made us all suffer. But before the backlash even began, the backlash to the backlash started here— and it started in Birmingham.”

– London Jazz News, read full review

 

 

“On the Sunday afternoon there’s a ‘Supersonic Mass’ to mark the anniversary, part Pagan ritual, part local precinct ribbon cutting that ends with an unveiling of a spectacular banner, listing every artist that has played the festival in its 20 years. It is a truly remarkable list of names, from LCD Soundsystem and Kim Gordon to Max Tundra and Hype Williams. It shows not just the sonic breadth that Supersonic brings to the table, but, with how many people played early shows here before going on to be wildly influential, their eye for talent. You get the sense they’ve given a few people their new favourite artist over the weekend. A truly vital festival, long may it continue.”

The Skinny, read full review

 

 

Taqbir by John Convery

 

“The success of this summer’s Outbreak and Supersonic festivals mean a line has now been drawn in the sand: no longer can heavy music festival bookers utter the lie “We would book more women/people of colour, but there aren’t any”
Metal Hammer, read full article

 

“As the dust settles, it’s clear to me that Supersonic is not just a festival. It’s a love letter to experimental and hardcore music; a place of sharing, learning, and breaking down whatever limitations people may have about music. It’s even clearer to me that Supersonic is a space for everyone, intricately curated in a way to highlight artists I don’t know how I would find even if I wanted to. Over this extra special weekend, my ears have heard things I’ve never heard before.” 

– Birmingham Review, read their reviews of Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

 

Supersonic is all about being part of something. It’s where the seeds for this website were sewn in the beginning, it’s where I’ve found music I’ve never even heard of and loved.” 
– Fighting Boredom, read full article
“Supersonic draws a crowd of the curious, they respect each other and the artists which means that even a first-on-the-bill, largely unknown local band still plays to a decent crowd and not an empty hall.” 
– Echoes & Dust, read full article

 

Stuart Maconie’s Freak Zone Supersonic Special | Listen Here 

Stuart presents a special show recorded at Birmingham’s Supersonic Festival, Britain’s premier celebration of adventurous and mind-blowing sounds. There will be interviews and highlights from across the weekend, including Silver Moth and Mercury nominated Lankum.

 

 

 

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Super Sonic Mass – We Need You!

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Installation: Super Sonic Mass
Saturday 12:00 – 16:00 // Sunday 12:00 – 15:30
Eastside Projects | 86 Heath Mill Ln | B9 4AR

FESTIVAL PROCESSION //
SUNDAY // 16:40 – 17:10
Festival site

Join us for a mass celebration and a sonic ritual, devised by Haress and friends. We’re celebrating 20 years of Supersonic Festival and its community and delighting in the magic of festivals.

Whether it’s pagan ceremonies or showcases of art and music, festivals offer a fleeting, precious, coming together, beyond the everyday. At festivals we celebrate each other, share stories and create connection as we’re part of something bigger than ourselves.

Join your fellow adventurous music fans, make noise, and lean into the extraordinary.

 

We Need You!
Call for participants
We’re looking for 30 participants to take part in the procession on Sunday
If you want to join, please sign up here.
Join us and be part of the Super Sonic Mass ! We need bellringers / noise makers

Sign up to join Haress & friends in creating this special happening which will celebrate 20 years of Supersonic Festival, make noise, and lean into the extraordinary

You would need to be available
Sunday for both
15:45 – 16:30 dressing + briefing at Eastside Projects
16:40 – 17:10 Super Sonic Mass

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SUPERSONIC 2023 TIMETABLE REVEALED!

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Here’s the bit you’ve all been waiting for… the Supersonic 2023 timetable! Grab a pen and get circling, cause you won’t want to miss any of the mind-blowing music, workshops, films and talks we have in store for you!

 

| DOWNLOAD TIMETABLE 

* please note timetable may be subject to change *

 

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Rooftop Line-up Revealed!

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The leafy, covered rooftop bar is being taken over all weekend by a host of our pals. A counterpoint to our main stages this is a space to rest your weary festival feet, mingle and take in the breath-taking view of Digbeth. There will be a plethora of guest artist DJ slots, karaoke, and some very special intimate live sets. Let’s all pray to the weather gods!

 

Take a gander at this wonderful line-up…

 


Blue Ruth

FRIDAY

Tropical Wreck DJs 18:00 – 19:30
A secret J G Ballard novel set on a cruise ship. The music’s wild; everyone’s louche; everyone’s wrecked.

Blue Ruth – live 19:30 – 20:00
Utilising second-hand hardware, Blue Ruth’s musical ingenuity layers, upon layers of distortion pedals stacked on cheap keyboards, glitchy club beats and semi-improvised melodies transport us to a dystopian party that never ends.

Fat Out’s rooftop doom disco 20:00 – 23:00
Join the Fat Out crew on the Supersonic rooftop for 3 rowdy hours of queer ass fun. Expect makeovers, heavy karaoke, noisy live performances and the Fat Clams shaking their perfectly glittered asses!

 

 


Pocket Signs


SATURDAY

Decolonise Fest Takeover 16:00 – 19:00
Come and meet members of the Decolonise Fest team, the DIY punk festival collectively organised by and for punx of colour and find out more about their work.

Demystifying Zine Publication Workshop 16:00 – 17:10
DJ sets by Stephanie Phillips (Big Joanie + co-founder of Decolonise Fest), special guest artists from the Supersonic line up joined by members of the collective.

Tropical Wreck DJs 19:00 – 19:40
A secret J G Ballard novel set on a cruise ship. The music’s wild; everyone’s louche; everyone’s wrecked.

Agathe Max – live 19:40 – 20:20
Working to create textures, layers and electronic boundaries with 4 strings on a piece of wood.

Algiers DJ set – 20:20 – 21:20
Find the true spirit of rock ‘n’ roll with Algiers Franklin James Fisher and Ryan Mahan.

Pocket Signs – live 21:20 – 22:00
Matt Cargill and Dan Jones are variously current and dormant members of Sly & the Family Drone and UKAEA, groups that exist in and around noise, improvisation, chaos, flux and catharsis.

Nowhereness DJs 22:00 – 23:00
Nowhereness is a liminal space where borders and barriers dissolve; the old structures have no power here. Meet me nowhere and we will dance the world away.

 

 


The Seer

 

SUNDAY

Freak Zone Take over 15:20 – 19:20
Join Stuart Maconie and a host of guest artists including Valentina Magaletti, Stuart Braithwaite + Elisabeth Elektra and Lankum for a deep dive into music they love. 

Tropical Wreck DJs 19:20 – 20:10
A secret J G Ballard novel set on a cruise ship. The music’s wild; everyone’s louche; everyone’s wrecked.

The Seer – Live 20:10 – 20:40
The creative output of artist Conny Prantera echoing of Homeric myth, traditional folksong and dreamlike memories.

Nowhereness DJs 20:40 – 21:40
Nowhereness is a liminal space where borders and barriers dissolve; the old structures have no power here. Meet me nowhere and we will dance the world away.

Mark Wagner & Blanc Sceol – Live 21:40 – 22:10
Together they will create a ritual-celebration and party-ceremony. As a love, So be Love!

 

 

 

 

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SUPERSONIC 2023 TALKS & PRESENTATIONS

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With Supersonic 2023 just around the corner, we are so proud to announce the amazing and varied Talks and Presentations taking place over the festival weekend.

RHYTHMS OF REVOLUTION: Art + Music as Social and Political Resistance
| SATURDAY | MORE INFO |

Chaired by Professor Lina Khatib, co-founder of the World Metal Congress and the director of the SOAS Middle East Institute. She is an Associate Fellow at and former director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House.

Guest speakers include:
Franklin James Fisher and Ryan Mahan  (Algiers)Maria and Nicole (Ragana), CJ (Black Lodge Press), Neo (an Arab music fan who will share first hand her struggles and why punk music is important to them)

Join us for a panel discussion that delves into the powerful and transformative role of music as a tool of social and political resistance. The speakers harness lyrics, music and creative practice to challenge the status quo, critique marginalization and shape a new narrative of artistic rebellion.


OUTLANDS PRESENTS: A Utopia Briefly Made Real

| SATURDAY | MORE INFO |

Chaired by Derek Walmsley (Editor, The Wire)
guest speakers include:
Caleb Madden (Director, Outlands Network), Fielding Hope (Cafe OTO/Counterflows Festival), Lisa Meyer (Supersonic Festival) and Stephanie Phillips (Decolonise Festival)

Starting out from reflections of Jennifer Lucy Allan’s Guardian review of last year’s Supersonic festival, which stated “ Supersonic is not just a music festival, but a site for resistance and community, a utopia made briefly real”, members of UK non-mainstream music communities discuss the ways that moments of collective expression and togetherness are socially valuable and become ever more important in the hostile environment of Tory cuts and their cynical and politicised notion of Culture Wars.


EUGENE S ROBINSON: A Walk Across Dirty Water and Straight Into Murderer’s Row
In conversation with Jasmine Ketibuah-Foley
| SATURDAY | MORE INFO |

A rollicking no-holds barred memoir from journalist and musician Eugene S. Robinson (Oxbow) that takes us along through the story of his life.


JOHN ROBB: The Art Of Darkness – The History of Goth
In Conversation with Julie Weir
| SUNDAY | MORE INFO |

The first major and the only comprehensive overview of Goth music and culture and its lasting legacy. John Robb discusses his new book The Art Of Darkness with lifelong goth, Julie Weir.

Please note, entry to these talks and presentations is included in a Supersonic Festival ticket – a festival ticket for the relevant day (or the full weekend) is required!
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Supersonic Festival 2023 – ONE MONTH TO GO!

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We can’t quite believe it, but it’s now only ONE MONTH TO GO until Supersonic Festival 2023! The team are rapidly ramping up to bring you an extraordinary weekend of experimental music, workshops, talks, DJs, food, exhibitions and more!

 

Recently, we’ve announced that the mighty ALGIERS will be joining the lineup alongside GODFLESH, DEERHOOF, LANKUM, BACKXWASH and so much more.

There’s only 100 weekend tickets left – so if you haven’t already, grab yours here. 

 

This year marks 20 years since the first incarnation of Supersonic Festival, celebrating two decades of championing experimental and adventurous music and creating an inclusive and joyful space where all are welcome. 

Here at Supersonic Festival we have cultivated a forward-thinking, one-of-a-kind experience, showing immense resilience against the odds in the 20 years since our inception. The team are so excited to welcome loyal fans and curious new audiences to Digbeth, in the heart of post-industrial Birmingham on the 1-3 September.

“Over the last 20 years our aim has been to provide a means for unity, for escapism, camaraderie; for belonging and most importantly for unrestrained joy.” Lisa Meyer, Artistic Director/co-founder, Supersonic Festival

 

With only one month to go before we opens our doors, this year we welcome homecoming heroes Godflesh, whose origins are deeply entrenched in the backdrop of Birmingham, and Zambian-Canadian rapper & producer Backxwash, performing her first and only UK performance as a Supersonic Festival exclusive. Known for their captivating live performance are the widely acclaimed Irish quartet Lankum, and Deerhoof, one of indie music’s most influential bands. Just announced and joining them are Algiers who shall perform as a duo, presenting their anti-fascist dystopian grooves.

FRIDAY 

Deerhoof | Ex Easter Island Head | Hey Colossus | Infinity Knives x Brian Ennals | MC Yallah + Debmaster | Ondata Rossa | Total Luck | un. procedure

 

SATURDAY

Ashenspire | Backxwash | Blacks’ Myths | Blind Eye | Divide & Dissolve | Elvin Brandhi | Godflesh | Horse Lords | Oxbow | Ragana | Taqbir | DJ Bus Replacement Service 

SUNDAY

75 Dollar Bill | Algiers | Avalanche Kaito | Big Brave with Jessica Moss | Jessica Moss | Josephine Foster | Lankum | Matana Roberts | Shovel Dance Collective |Silver Moth | Širom

“The Supersonic festival is Britain’s premier celebration of both adventurous, heavy and mind – blowing sounds and the spirit of England’s second city. The Freak Zone is proud to be its friend and partner’” – Stuart Maconie, the Freak Zone on BBC 6 Music

★★★★★ – The Guardian

★★★★★ – The Arts Desk

The mother of all British underground festivals” – The Quietus

“Supersonic is ahead of the curve again.” – The Wire

 

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“British underground’s best-loved annual event” – one month away!

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photo AJA at Supersonic Festival 2019 photo by Joseph Singh

 

Two decades of eclectic programming, a staunch DIY ethos and forward-thinking and inclusive politics have made it the British underground’s best-loved annual event.

Read the article via The Quietus HERE

Huge thanks to Kez Whelan at The Quietus for this amazing feature which charts 20 years of Supersonic Festival as we are a month out from the 20th anniversary edition.

“Birmingham’s Supersonic Festival celebrates its twentieth anniversary this year, and looking back over the last two decades of its existence, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that organisers Capsule have laid down the groundwork for all the specialised, boutique UK festivals that have sprung up in its wake. It’s easy to take such events for granted these days, but it’s worth remembering just how ground-breaking Supersonic has been, and what an anomaly it was when it first appeared. A staunchly DIY, female-founded festival in an extremely corporate, male dominated industry, Supersonic revolutionised the idea of a music festival in the early 2000s and has been going strong ever since……

This combination of inclusive politics, diverse representation, experimental art and unpredictable atmosphere is what has kept Supersonic so fresh, unique and resilient for the last twenty years. This year is no exception, with a line-up boasting old favourites like Godflesh, Deerhoof and Oxbow alongside a host of exciting new acts from across the world, such as Zambian-Canadian rapper Backxwash, Irish avant-folk collective Lankum, Moroccan feminist punk band Taqbir and anti-colonial drone-doom duo Divide And Dissolve. Whilst other festivals may come and go, Supersonic’s continued existence stands in defiance of industry norms and proves that so called “challenging” music can be for everyone.”

| TICKETS HERE |

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FOOD & DRINK AT SUPERSONIC 2023

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(c) http://www.waynefoxphotography.com All rights reserved


Here at Supersonic HQ,
unashamedly, we get very excited about the delicious range of food & drink that will be served across the festival site! Here’s who will be joining us this year…

 

Multiple bars can be found across the site, including in the market place; an array of real ale, cider and spirits to aid your weekend enjoyment. We have a team of energetic and hardworking volunteers supporting us across the Festival Site including on our bars. Don’t forget to give them a smile and please treat them with love and respect. 

 

PURITY BREWING CO

We are proud to have Purity supplying Supersonic bars once again. Continuing a long standing partnership that builds upon shared values and principles. Purity Brewing beers are crafted with a conscience in the heart of the Warwickshire countryside, each one of their award-winning beers embodies a love of great beer with real character – brewed responsibly to leave an even better taste in your mouth.  

We’re delighted to let you know that Longhorn IPA and Lawless Lager are both vegan friendly as accredited by the vegan society.

 

BEET THE SYSTEM

Beet the System are a Vegan Worker Co-operative from Birmingham. They make the best Organic #FreshTempeh you’ve ever tasted and they are chuffed to be fuelling Supersonic Festival again with some amazing gastronomic delights!  

beetthesystem.com  

 

BLOW WATER

A female-led enterprise based in Birmingham, Blow Water is passionate about introducing people to the spirit of Hong Kong through authentic East Asian cuisine. You can find Sabrina serving her take on healthy home cooked flavours from Hong Kong, including delicious Heavy Metal Dumplings, throughout the weekend at Supersonic Festival.  

blowwater.co 

  

NEWDLEZ & CO  

Since 2008, founder Watcharanuch Wollweber has been on a mission to recreate and share her favourite childhood dish for others to experience. She has perfected the homemade sauce (vegan & gluten free) made with traditional ingredients that highlight the unique flavours of Thai cuisine. This is an immersive street food experience just like in Bangkok.  

newdlez.com 

  

REALLY AWESOME COFFEE VAN

Join our mobile barista, Phil Short who can offer a selection of bean-to-cup gourmet coffees, delicious hot chocolates and made-to-order smoothies, frappes and iced coffees.  

reallyawesomecoffee.co.uk 

  

SRI-LICIOUS

Combining fresh ingredients with tasty spices, Sri-Licious prepare every element of their dishes lovingly from scratch. From the roti bread in their Kothu Roti, to the Short Eats and tasty Sambols, Sri-Licious is passionate about bringing the unique and amazing flavours of Sri Lanka to you. There’s something for everyone with vegan and gluten-free options available!   

srilicious.co.uk 

 

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SUPERSONIC 2023 WORKSHOPS ARE HERE!

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With Supersonic 2023 fast approaching, we are proud to announce the workshops taking place over the festival weekend. There’s something for everyone and LOTS to get involved with!

Our audiences are at the heart of what we do. That’s why we strive to give them experiences which get them closest to the things they love. So if you fancy having a hands-on start to your day, or taking a breather between our stonking live acts – we have some exceptional workshops planned for you to get involved with!

 

BUNNY BISSOUX: HEAVY METAL DECO [SATURDAY]
MORE INFO | DROP-IN WORKSHOP

Create a one-of-a-kind ‘deco’ photocard case and celebrate your rock & metal heroes!

 

DECOLONISE FEST: DEMYSTIFYING ZINE PUBLICATION [SATURDAY]
MORE INFO | DROP-IN WORKSHOP

Decolonise fest is an annual London-based, volunteer-run, non-profit DIY punk festival collectively organised by and for punx of colour. This workshop will explore the history, practical use, and creative process of making zines and allow participants the opportunity to explore several themes of self and of creation in their output.  

OUTCAST STOMP: EXPERIMENTAL LIFE DRAWING [SUNDAY]
MORE INFO | DROP-IN WORKSHOP

Along The Lines is an experimental life drawing workshop ran by the queer collective Outcast Stomp who create spaces and a community for queer, alternative, and politically driven people in Birmingham.

 

 

MELANIE WHEELER: Folk-Inspired Costume Making [SATURDAY]
MORE INFO | DROP-IN WORKSHOP

For this two-part Cyanotype printing and costume making workshop, Melanie invites participants to print designs on fabrics and create wearable costumes.

SHOVEL DANCE COLLECTIVE: Writing ‘The Ballad of Digbeth’ [SUNDAY]
MORE INFO | SIGN UP WORKSHOP

Take part in a collaborative ballad-writing workshop where attendees will be invited to help write verses for a new original folk song ‘The Ballad of Digbeth’, folklorising the history of the area and Supersonic Festival.

 

 

FARMER GLITCH: Pint Mug Soundsystem [SATURDAY]
NOW FULLY BOOKED, WAITING LIST ONLY
MORE INFO | SIGN UP WORKSHOP

Attendees will be able to build a hand-held amplifier/speaker sound system in their own plastic festival pint mug with either Bluetooth or mini-jack connection. Soldering boards, switches and speakers into place will create a unique and useful souvenir to take home with you! 

SHELANU: Crafting Collective [SUNDAY]
MORE INFO | DROP IN WORKSHOP

A collective of migrant and refugee women working with Craftspace, Shelanu will be running a pop-up workshop at their market stall throughout the festival. Expect a variety of opportunities for crafting on the Sunday. Please swing by and get involved!

 

 

For our two sign-up workshops, places are limited, so don’t delay – sign up now to secure your place.
Please note, entry to these workshops is included in a Supersonic Festival ticket – a festival ticket for the relevant day (or the full weekend) is required!

 

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NEW PODCAST! Saturday at Supersonic 2023

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We’re back with a new episode of the Supersonic Podcast celebrating our 20th anniversary edition and 2023 line-up!

 

This podcast is the perfect introduction to the artists performing at this year’s festival! Join Team Supersonic as they take you on a wild journey through the sounds of Saturday at Supersonic Festival 2023. With so much stellar line-up to get through, we’re splitting up this edition into three parts, so welcome to part two!!

It’s an absolute stonker of a programme with music from Godflesh, Backxwash, Taqbir, Horse Lords, Blacks’ Myths, DJ Bus Replacement Service, Oxbow and more. Tune on in!

 

| LISTEN HERE |

 

 

And if you missed part one with all the music from Friday night, no fear! Tune on in here…

| LISTEN HERE |

 

 

BUY SUPERSONIC TICKETS | 

 

If you’re in a position to support the artists in this podcast too, we suggest heading to their Bandcamp. Here’s the tracklist…

Tracklist

  • Taqbir – Sma 3
  • Godflesh – Nero
  • Backxwash – Wail of the Banshee
  • Blacks Myths – The Big House & Free Land
  • Horse Lords – Rundling
  • Blind Eye – Breakdown (decomposed)
  • Ashenspire – The Law of Asbestos
  • Divide & Dissolve – Blood Quantum
  • Elvin Brandhi – I Said If
  • Ragana & Thou – The Void
  • DJ Bus Replacement Service – “The Donk That Should Not Be”
  • Oxbow – Dead Ahead
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Steve Von Till + Haress

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|BUY TICKETS|

Supersonic Festival are delighted to welcome Steve Von Till (of Neurosis) to Birmingham for a special concert with full band at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, supported by Haress.

Tickets are available now for this August 5th show at our website. Steve Von Till shall be bringing his lush ambient performance of No Wilderness Deep Enough and previous work to the UK for the first time. Set in the stunning acoustics of a world-class Recital Hall, this extra special seated show will be an intimate, limited capacity affair.

A swirling and iridescent blend of ambient, neo-classical, gothic Americana and rural psychedelia, this music is his deep exploration into previously uncharted territory. Steve will also weave a few old tracks as well as spoken word readings from his first book 23 Untitled Poems and Collected Lyrics into extended instrumental passages by his ensemble of musicians.

His band for this tour consists of Dave French (of YOB and Brothers of the Sonic Cloth) on synths, guitars and percussion, Braden Diotte (touring member of Faust, EXO//ENDO, Pinback and Tarantula Hawk) on organ and modular synths, and PJ Van Assche (who performs on his own as Innerwoud) on double bass handling the string parts. Steve will also be performing on the piano, electric, and acoustic guitars.

Von Till has achieved a sense of mass resonance through his restless artistic exploration—providing art that journeys into the heart of fear and uncertainty in a world where we’ve often known little else.

|Buy Tickets|

SHOW FAQS

Venue: Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Recital Hall, 200 Jennens Rd, Birmingham B4 7XR

Parking: Millennium Point Car Park, Birmingham, B4 7AP

Tickets: https://supersonicfestival.com/product/steve-von-till/

Accessibility: The venue is fully accessible, there is a lift on the ground floor. This is a seated show.

Timings: Doors – 19:00, set times TBC

Age Restrictions: 14+ only, under 18s must be accompanied by an adult.

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MARKET PLACE STALLS ANNOUNCED FOR 2023!

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With the Supersonic 2023 site opening in just over a month, we’re proud to share with you our Market Place traders!

 

The Market Place has been a vibrant part of Supersonic Festival for many years now. It’s a space for independent distributors, record labels, poster artists and pedlars of all kinds of curiosities to sell their wares, network and meet audiences & likeminded folks face to face.  

 

This year, the Market Place will be situated once again at our Festival hub, The Mill, taking place on the weekend of 1 – 3 Sept 2023. We’re bringing our global community back together with an ambitious programme of mind bending music, sense shifting art and life altering experiences.  

 

Here’s who you’ll find peddling their wares…

 

From Birmingham to Tokyo and back! Bunny Bissoux will be selling original zines, prints & goods exploring pop culture and desire through a queer gaze – plus vintage trading card packs, select music mags & ephemera. 

 

Boswellian Artifacts will be returning with an array of of weirdo wares for infernal freaks. Original screen printed t shirts, zines, limited edition books and prints.

 

Alongside his sold out workshop at Supersonic, Farmer Glitch will be bringing a range of sonic devices, electronics project kits and audio releases from Yeovil’s Eastville Project Space, along with one-off artworks and vintage vinyl.

 

 

For all you crate diggers we’ll have offerings from Edgeworld Records, Wrong Speed Records, State 51 and Thrill Jockey selling new and second hand records and tapes for curious ears.

 

Anti-profit publisher Dog Section Press will be stocked with anarchist books, pamphlets and zines, as well as their quarterly newspaper DOPE Magazine. They’ll also be selling publications on behalf of Exitstencil Press, including Dial House, a new work by Lucy McLauchlan.

 

Shelanu: Women’s Craft Collective (supported by Craftspace) – Shelanu, a collective of migrant and refugee women working with Craftspace, will be offering high quality jewellery and objects for sale inspired by the city, cross cultures and shared experiences of migration.

 

Finally, Another Realm promises a curiosity cabinet of handmade trinkets, art and adornments, from lasercut jewellery to giclée prints, cards, zines, mugs and coasters.

 

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Win 2 x weekend tickets to Supersonic 2023 with a stay at Staying Cool Rotunda

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We have partnered with Staying Cool at the Rotunda to run a very special competition for two lucky people who will win 2 x Supersonic Festival Weekend Tickets and accommodation for the weekend at Staying Cool Rotunda.

To enter this free competition, head over to our facebook or instagram and tag the person you will bring with you if you’re our lucky winner, tell us why you love Supersonic Festival and what you’re looking forward to the most. Not sure who you’re most excited for? Find the full line up here!

Competition closes midday Tuesday 25 July 2023 – the winning entry will be drawn randomly and announced ahead of the festival.

Staying Cool is a design-led boutique serviced apartment operator in Birmingham.

Staying Cool opened atop the Rotunda (a Grade II listed building) in Birmingham in 2008. The 35 apartments are stylishly designed and range from studios to 2-bed penthouses. The collections larger apartments represent the only 5* (Visit England assessed) accommodation in the city a decade after opening.

Since launch Staying Cool’s mission has been to offer guests chic serviced apartments that combine all the style of a boutique hotel with the space

The business has a strong ethical streak with a focus on working with other local independent companies.

Our studio apartment is named after the famous British car built at Longbridge in its sixties heyday. The Mini gives you 370 square feet of city-centre living to enjoy. Floor-to-ceiling windows that open to deliver the perfect city vista while bespoke interiors bring the wow factor inside. All of our studio apartments are on levels 16-19 so great views are guaranteed. If you have a preferred view then let us know when you check-in and we’ll do our best to accommodate.

Each apartment has a fully-equipped kitchen, dining area and lounge area as well as the bedroom which is separated from the living areas by a low divider. The bathroom has a rainfall shower. Fluffy towels and bathrobes come as standard. You’ll find complimentary oranges for the juicer and Fairtrade teas as well as locally ground coffee.

We have a special code “SS23” giving 10% off on bookings made for the dates of the festival (valid Thursday 30th to Monday 4th Sept), so you can guarantee a luxury experience for Supersonic 2023!

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NEW PODCAST! Friday at Supersonic 2023

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We’re back with a new episode of the Supersonic Podcast celebrating our 20th anniversary edition and 2023 line-up!

 

This podcast is the perfect introduction to the artists performing at this year’s festival! Join Team Supersonic as they take you on a wild journey through the sounds of Friday night at Supersonic Festival 2023. With so much stellar line-up to get through, we’re splitting up this edition into three parts, so welcome to part one!!

 

It’s an absolute stonker of a programme with music and conversation from Deerhoof, Hey Colossus, Ex Easter Island Head, Ondata Rossa, Total Luck, Un.procedure, Infinity Knives & Brian Ennals and MC Yallah with Debmaster. Tune on in!

 

| LISTEN HERE |

 

BUY SUPERSONIC TICKETS | 

 

 

If you’re in a position to support the artists in this podcast too, we suggest heading to their Bandcamp. Here’s the tracklist…

Tracklist

  • Deerhoof – My Lovely Cat
  • Hey Colossus – My Name In Blood (new single) & Hey Dead Eyes Up 
  • Ex Easter Island Head – Live at Supersonic 2014
  • Ondata Rossa – exerpt from 63 
  • Total Luck – Ramble
  • Procedure – You Stepped Into A Hole
  • Infinity Knives x Brian Ennals – Death of a Constable & Coke Jaw
  • MC Yallah + Debmaster – Sikwebela 

 

 

 

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Workshops Call Out 2023

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We are on the lookout for some wonderfully creative minds to bring us unusual, imaginative and engaging new workshops that will take place as part of the festival weekend.  

From in-depth sessions to indulgent fun, we want you to craft something extraordinary for our curious audiences. Whether you’re flying solo, a group or an organisation, we want to hear ideas that embrace our passion for collaboration between both artists and audience alike, forging lasting and meaningful connections across art forms.

We are a festival which celebrates expressive, challenging and generally out-there music and art. We remain inclusive, accessible and engaging to varied audiences; new and returning. Workshop proposals should present a singular, innovative idea that encapsulates a clear understanding of what Supersonic is about.

There is a fee of up to £150 available for the workshop (also to include materials), as well as 2 weekend tickets to the festival.

To apply, please complete the online form below. The deadline is 5pm, Monday 26 June, 2023.  

 

| APPLY HERE

For enquiries please contact: [email protected] 

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WE’RE RECRUITING TWO NEW ROLES FOR SUPERSONIC 2023!

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Capsule is looking to recruit two part time, freelance roles to support and deliver Supersonic Festival 2023.

 

Supersonic Festival which takes place 1-3 September in Digbeth, Birmingham will this year be celebrating 20 years since its inception. It has been named as the UK’s premier experimental music festival, with rave reviews from The Independent, Arts Desk and The Quietus to name but a few, and topping The Guardian’s Guide to the best experimental music festivals in Europe.

 

Supersonic Festival Marketing Assistant (Freelance)

This short-term, focused role is designed to assist the Festival Programme Coordinator, working across marketing and programme logistics support. 

Deadline for application: Wednesday 14 June, 2023
Interview date: Tuesday 20 June, 2023
Start date: Tuesday 4 July, 2023
Fee: £2600 / 26 days @ £100 per day

| DOWNLOAD: Festival Marketing Assistant – Person Specification |

| DOWNLOAD: Equal Opportunities Form |

 

Supersonic Festival Operations Assistant (Freelance Position)

This short-term, focused role is designed to assist the Executive Producer, working across all festival operations.  

Deadline for application: Wednesday 14 June, 2023
Interview date: 
Wednesday 21 June 2023
Start date: 
Tuesday 4 July, 2023
Fee: £2600 / 26 days @ £100 per day

| DOWNLOAD: Festival Operations Assistant – Person Specification |

| DOWNLOAD: Equal Opportunities Form |

 

Since 2003, we have been hosting superior weekends for the adventurous audience, taking care to present only the most artistically relevant and irreverent acts from the UK and across the globe, while simultaneously making sure to fill every moment with opportunities to let loose and party, or sit down at engaging talks, discussions and workshops, or take in exclusive screenings and exhibitions. Nowhere else will you find a festival experience quite like ours.

These freelance roles will work closely with Capsule’s Programme Coordinator & Executive Producer. Capsule’s office is in the Zellig building, Digbeth, and whilst some remote working may be required, predominantly these roles will be office-based.

We are a small but ambitious organisation. These roles would be ideal for emerging / early-career, freelance arts professionals, keen to expand their knowledge and enthusiasm and develop their skills in both the promotion and production of live events within a highly creative and dynamic organisation.

We actively encourage applications from practitioners who identify as at least one of the following under-represented in the music industries; Black, Asian or other underserved Ethnicity, female, LGBTQ+, from a low socio-economic background. Since its inception in 1999 Capsule has been female-led, uniquely championing female and Black, Asian or other culturally diverse artists.

 

Application process:

To apply for this opportunity please email the following to [email protected] by Wednesday 14 June 2023 with ‘Marketing Assistant application’ or ‘Operations Assistant application’ in the subject line:

  • A completed equal opportunities form
  • A letter of application outlining how you feel you would fulfil this role to (maximum of 2 sides of A4)
  • Your CV + 2 named references

The deadline for applications is 5pm, Wednesday 14 June, interviews will be taking place on Tuesday 20 & Wednesday 21 June. We will notify candidates that we wish to interview by 5pm, Friday 16 June. If you haven’t heard from us by then please assume your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion. We cannot provide feedback on unsuccessful applications, but we will endeavour to provide feedback to those candidates we interview.

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Market Place Call Out 2023

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The Market Place has been a vibrant part of Supersonic Festival for many years now. It’s a space for independent distributors, record labels, poster artists and pedlars of all kinds of curiosities to sell their wares, network and meet audiences & likeminded folks face to face.  

 

Taking place on the weekend of 1 – 3 September 2023, we’re bringing our global community back together with an ambitious programme of mind bending music, sense shifting art and life altering experiences.

 

We’ve invited old friends and new to join us including… the critically acclaimed Lankum, Birmingham figureheads Godflesh, DeerhoofOxbowElvin Brandhi, the first live show of Silver Moth (inc. Stuart from Mogwai), Matana Roberts, Sirôm, experimental supergroup Ondata Rossa, Infinity Knives & Brian Ennals and Canadian-Zambian rapper Backxwash who is joining us for her debut UK performance. They’ll join the likes of Shovel Dance CollectiveDivide & Dissolve, DJ Bus Replacement Service and Nyege Nyege Tapes affiliates MC Yallah and Debmaster at our celebratory gathering.

 

Want to join us?! A weekend Market Place stall booking costs £160 which will include 2 x Supersonic Festival weekend tickets. To apply for a stall booking please complete the form below by Monday 12 June 2023.  

For enquiries please contact: [email protected] 

APPLY HERE

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Volunteer Call Out 2023!

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Our internationally renowned Supersonic Festival returns to Digbeth 1 – 3 September 2023 and we need a dedicated team of volunteers to help deliver it!
 
| APPLY HERE |

 

Supersonic has secured its experimental reputation with consistently innovative and explosive concoctions of visual installations, films, exhibitions and music. Guaranteed to open eyes and ears to music and art outside the predictable genre labels and familiar performance spaces.

You will be part of an ever growing, friendly community of music and art lovers helping to maintain the values of bringing the extraordinary to curious audiences in an all inclusive way. This is will be an invaluable experience into how our festival runs but not only that, you’ll be contributing to something truly Superspecial whilst making friends along the way!

 

The festival is small enough for every volunteer to give real input and value in the following areas:

  • Artist Liason
  • Box Office
  • Hospitality
  • Site Set up
  • Merch
  • Promotion

 

If you would like to get involved, please complete the application form.

Volunteers must be over 18 years old.

 

| APPLY HERE |

 


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SUPERSONIC FESTIVAL 2023 – day tickets on sale!

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After lots of planning and prepping behind the scenes, we are delighted to reveal more artists and the day lineups for our latest edition. We’ll be returning to Digbeth, Birmingham from 1-3 September with a lineup championing boundary-pushing acts, exclusive performances and special collaborations.

 

★★★★★ – The Guardian
“Supersonic is ahead of the curve again.” – The Wire

 

| DAY TICKETS & WEEKEND TICKETS |

“My mission is to create a line up that champions the most significant artists from the underground, artists that challenge us to think about injustices of the world we are currently living in and those that are pushing the boundaries of adventurous music. These indescribable links bind the programme together to make a festival which makes a space for those with open ears and hearts. Over the last 20 years our aim has been to provide a means for unity, for escapism, camaraderie; for belonging and most importantly for unrestrained joy.”
 Lisa Meyer, Artistic Director/co-founder, Supersonic Festival

 

GET TO KNOW THE ARTISTS PERFORMING AT SUPERSONIC THIS YEAR…

[Backxwash Photo Credit: Méchant Vaporwave]

 

We are celebrating twenty years with headliners Godflesh whose origins are deeply entrenched in the backdrop of post industrial Birmingham, and who have had a huge impact on heavy music, and the Irish quartet Lankum who have been selling out shows since the release of their critically acclaimed new album in March. Joining them is Zambian-Canadian rapper & producer Backxwash, performing the first and only UK performance as a Supersonic Festival exclusive. Backxwash makes cathartic and expressive music rooted in horrorcore, hip-hop and industrial metal, exploring themes around faith, identity and queerness. Also performing are one of indie music’s most influential bands, the ecstatic quartet Deerhoof who will bring the joy with their unruly avant pop music.

[Lankum Photo Credit: Sorcha Frances Ryder]

We’re also proud to be hosting the debut live performance of Silver Moth, an atmospheric noise-rock collective comprising of Stuart Braithwaite (Mogwai), Elisabeth Elektra, Steven Hill and members of Abrasive Trees, Burning House, Prosthetic Head, and Evi Vine. Alongside Ondata Rossa, a brand-new project from an experimental supergroup of epic proportions, comprising four renowned and wildly experienced musicians and improvisors Valentina Magaletti (Vanishing Twin, Moin, Holy Tongue), Agathe Max, Dali De Saint Paul (HARRGA) and Yoshino Shigihara (Yama Warashi) with 16mm film footage as part of the performance.

We pride ourselves on curating a line-up of forward-thinking musicians with unique approaches to composition, and are proud to announce Matana Roberts, an internationally celebrated composer, performer, band leader, saxophonist, sound experimentalist and mixed-media practitioner.

[Infinity Knives x Brian Ennals]

Baltimore hip-hop/neoclassical experimentalists Infinity Knives & Brian Ennals craft a mighty, omnivorous set, masterfully executed with both ferocity and vibrant joy. DJ Bus Replacement Service provides a head-spinning rush of anything-goes bangers, using techno to form the base layer of her sets, wasting no time criss-crossing Asian hip-hop, yodelling, donk, gqom, spoken word, and more. Elvin Brandhi (Yeah You) is an improvising lyricist, producer and sound artist, who builds aberrant beats from field recordings, tape, vinyl, instrument and voice.

[Elvin Brandhi]

Born of Slovenia’s rural DIY free festival scene, Širom a trio who create vividly textured and mostly imagined folk music, a revelatory mix of improvisatory acoustics, post-jazz and drone, fusing handmade and global instruments with fearless sound exploration, the results are unbound by tradition or geography. Dynamic Birmingham based trio Total Luck who have quickly found their identity in Birmingham’s music scene with their robust sound and forceful audaciousness to create an intense live show.


[Oxbow]

A Supersonic line-up would not be complete without old friends, Oxbow, who have graced the Supersonic stages numerous times before, and last performed in 2012 with the jaw-dropping Oxbow Orchestra. Now in our 20th milestone year, and with their first new album in six years on the horizon, Oxbow will shake things up with their electrifying and visceral embrace of distortion, volume, foreboding emotional timbres, meticulous execution, and tension-baiting restraint.

 

“[Supersonic] have been the sisters in arms everyone should be lucky enough to have. To say I love them is an understatement. To be able to play Supersonic again this year, both a treat AND an honour.” – Eugene S Robinson/OXBOW

 

Returning to the festival following stand-out performances at the 2022 edition are Divide And Dissolve promoting their new album, Systemic, and BIG|BRAVE, who shall perform a special collaboration with fellow Montreal-based violinist Jessica Moss (Thee Silver Mt Zion, Black Ox Orkestar), a collaboration exclusive to Supersonic which we cannot wait to witness.

[Ragana]

Supersonic champions creative subversion from all walks of the underground, celebrates artists who are portents of hope and solidarity like Shovel Dance Collective, who’s modern folk music reclaims the narratives of the working class, people of colour and the queer community, alongside playful storyteller Josephine Foster and Ashenspire who’s music demands attention and argues for change. The queer and antifascist idiosyncratic black metal of Ragana join the bill, as well as the absolutely vital Taqbir, who are working against a culture that deems their music an insult, and instead they create a space for people like themselves to freely express their anger.

[Horse Lords]

This year’s edition promises to bring the stamina of krautrock and math-rock, fused with aspects of jazz in a variety of joyous performances, with the elemental rhythms from 75 Dollar Bill, the airtight grooves of Horse Lords and the frenetic sound world of Avalanche Kaito, both traditional and experimental in nature. Blacks’ Myths will meditate on the history of blackness via their frantic collisions of free jazz, post-rock and dissonant noise. Local to Birmingham, Un.Procedure creates a post-apocalyptic sound through an avant-jazz filter, with 70s rock influenced grooves and heady, sci–fi tinged soundscapes. MC Yallah and Debmaster will bring their high energy performance with rapid flow and rugged beats.

Supersonic is also welcoming back two distinct acts; Ex Easter Island Head, whose live performances have been praised for their hypnotic energy and unique spectacle, and Hey Colossus – who are celebrating their 20 year anniversary and promise to put on a special performance.

 

Alongside all these formidable acts on our line-up, we hope you’ll join us for a weekend of pure escapism. Further programme announcements including workshops, talks and more will be revealed in the coming months.

| DAY TICKETS & WEEKEND TICKETS |
FRIDAY

Deerhoof | Ex Easter Island Head | Hey Colossus | Infinity Knives x Brian Ennals | MC Yallah + Debmaster | Ondata Rossa | Total Luck | un. procedure

SATURDAY

Godflesh | Backxwash | Ashenspire | Divide & Dissolve | Elvin Brandhi | Horse Lords | Oxbow | Ragana | Taqbir | DJ Bus Replacement Service + more TBA

SUNDAY

Lankum | 75 Dollar Bill | Avalanche Kaito | Blacks’ Myths | Big Brave with Jessica Moss | Josephine Foster | Matana Roberts | Shovel Dance Collective |Silver Moth | Širom

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