Each year we receive lots of emails asking lots of questions, so to make life easier, we’ve collated all of the information here into the Supersonic Festival Frequently Asked Questions List. If you do have a question, check the list. If it definitely isn’t answered here, info[at]capsule.org.uk is where you can send it.
Accommodation: “Where can I live for the weekend?”
Alcohol: “Can I bring my own alcohol?”
Unfortunately not, you maybe searched on arrival and if you are found to be carrying drinks, these will be confiscated. There will be at least three licensed bars on the festival site. If you look under 21, please bring some photo ID along.
We have a number of lovely drinks available on site including a selection of Purity Ales & The Kraken Rum
Food
We have a food court on site, which will cater for vegetarians and vegans alike as well as meat eaters. There is also Yumm cafe and Bay Leaf restaurant on site.
Cash Points
There are only a few ATM machines in Digbeth, so you might want to take out money prior to arriving at the festival site. There is one cash machine on site at H&S News – this machine will charge you £1.78 per withdrawal.
There are also cash machines located near-by at:
Nisa | Digbeth High Street | B5 5NR (about a 3 minute walk from the Custard Factory)
Free cash machine(!)
The Forge Tavern | 129 Great Barr Street | B9 4AY (it’s on the corner of Fazeley Street, at the top of Heath Mill Lane) Charge of £1.75 per withdrawal
Children
Children can come along, but it is essential that you contact us beforehand and they usually have to leave the festival site by 9pm. (info[at]capsule.org.uk or 0121-248-2252).
Directions: “How do I get to Supersonic Festival?”
Supersonic Festival is held at the Custard Factory | Gibb Street | Birmingham | B9 4AA
Box office is located on Floodgate Street
BY TRAIN
The Custard Factory is a 10 minute walk from both New Street and Moor Street Stations.
1. Exit New Street Station via the main doors (signposted taxi rank)
2. As you approach Debenhams, turn left and walk through the tunnel (under the USC store)
3. When you emerge, Moor Street Station will be ahead of you.
4. Continue with Moor Street on your left, toward Selfridges Car Park.
5. At the crossing, turn right towards The Bull Ring Tavern.
6. Turn left onto Digbeth High Street
7. Walking down the high street, you’ll pass The Fancy Fabric Store, The HMV Institute and South Birmingham College.
8. Keep walking, and you’ll come to the Custard Factory, you can’t miss us.
9. If you reach The Rainbow, you’ve gone too far.
BY PLANE
Birmingham International Airport (BHX) has a number of budget flights from Europe and further a field. It is located less than 30 minutes by taxi from the Custard Factory, or there is a train from Birmingham International to Birmingham New Street Station which takes about 15 minutes.
BY COACH
(Please note that since Supersonic last year, a shiny new coach station has opened in Birmingham.)
1. Exit the coach station and head towards Rea Street.
2. Turn Left at Rea Street.
3. After 120 metres, you’ll emerge onto Digbeth High Street opposite The HMV Institute.
4. Turn right and walk up Digbeth High Street.
5. You’ll pass South Birmingham College on your left, The Irish Centre on your right and the Custard Factory itself on your left again.
6. Cross the road at the lights by The Old Crown.
7. You’ve arrived!
BY CAR
B9 4AA is the postcode you’ll need for your Sat Nav.
The Custard Factory is easily accessible from the M6, M5 and M42.
1. Whichever direction you’re coming from to get to Birmingham follow signs for the A41.
2. Once you’re on the A41, follow signs for the City Centre.
3. You’ll find yourself heading towards town, along Digbeth High Street.
4. Pass through a couple of sets of traffic lights before you see a Renault garage on your left.
5. Get into the right hand filter lane at the next set of lights, where there’s an old Tudor building on your right (that’s Birmingham’s oldest pub, The Old Crown, established in 1368).
6. Turn right onto Heath Mill Lane.
7. A few hundred yards along and on your right, just past Air nightclub, is the entrance to the Custard Factory car park (its gates are made up of cubes of squished cars).
Lost Property: Lost something at the festival?
Any lost property found by Supersonic staff will be safely stored in the production office; lost property found by Custard Factory or Factory Club staff will be stored in their office.
If you lose something over the weekend, contact a member of Supersonic / Security Staff. If you realise you’re missing something after the festival contact info[at]capsule.org.uk
Playing at Supersonic – can my band play at Supersonic
Capsule HQ receive tonnes of emails from bands wishing to play the festival, we wholeheartedly wish to encourage new artists and bands and work hard to ensure that the festival features plenty of new talent, however at this point in the proceedings we’re already fully booked so please refrain from emailing us, we welcome suggestions via our recommendations blog post and refer to these when programming the festival so please use this as your first point of call.
Performance Times
Stage times for each artist will be posted a week before the festival.
Festival Times
FRIDAY Doors 9pm – 2.30am (Box office closed at midnight)
SATURDAY Doors 4pm – 1.30am (Box office closed at 11pm)
SUNDAY Doors 2pm – 1.30am (Box office closed at 10.30)
NB. times will be fully confirmed closer to the festival
Smoking
Normal smoking rules apply: you can smoke in any outdoor area on site, you cannot smoke inside any enclosed public buildings, tents, portacabins, or near a fuel source.
Taxis
There are loads of taxi firms in Birmingham – Here’s numbers for a couple of them:
Atlas Cars 0121-643-8888
Ambassador Cars 0121-449-8888
T.O.A. 0121-444-8888
Royal Cars 0121-444-8888
