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.
Box Office
Box office is located on Floodgate Street, this is where you can exchange your tickets for wristbands or purchase festival tickets. This is also where press and guests should come. You might want to get yourself some great street food from Digbeth Dining Club on Friday before coming to the festival.
Box office opening times are:
Friday – 8.30pm – 11.00pm stage times 9pm – 2am
Saturday – 4pm – 11pm stage times 4pm – 2am
Sunday – we’d recommend XXXXXXXXXXXX with live performances from
Accommodation: “Where can I live for the weekend?”
Alcohol: “Can I bring my own alcohol?”
Unfortunately not, you may be searched on arrival and if you are found to be carrying drinks, these will be confiscated. There will be 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
Food
We have food Vendors on site, which will cater for vegetarians and vegans alike as well as meat eaters. There is also Yumm cafe at the Custard Factory.
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 at H&S News in The Custard Factory – this machine will charge you £1.78 per withdrawal.
There are also two free cash machines located near-by at:
Nisa | Digbeth High Street | B5 5NR (about a minute walk from the site) and across the road at Birmingham Coach Station.
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 The Crossing (at South & City College Birmingham) High Street Deritend Birmingham, West Midlands B5 5SU and Boxxed 104-108 Floodgate Street Birmingham, West Midlands B5 5SR
BY TRAIN
Festival site 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 South and City College on the corner of Floodgate Street you will see the Festival entrance.
9. If you reach The Custard Factory, 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 Digbeth, or there is a train from Birmingham International to Birmingham New Street Station which takes about 15 minutes.
BY COACH
1. Exit the coach station and South Birmingham College is diagonally opposite on your right,
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 can be found at https://supersonicfestival.com/timetable/
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
You can contact the Supersonic team via [email protected]
For any press queries, please speak to Lauren Barley via [email protected] or + 44 208 144 8083
Disclaimer: the above image is of Birmingham, Alabama but that doesn’t mean we’re not magic!
Digbeth
The home of Supersonic Festival is the oldest area of Birmingham. Here’s some other places might frequent during your time here.
The Old Crown – Officially the oldest public house in Digbeth, this beautiful building also houses an intimate restaurant.
188 High Street, Deritend, Birmingham, B12 0LD
The Polish Club – A gem of 60s architecture, inside is a quirky nod to another era complete with school hall type stage and Polish memorabilia adorning the walls. There is a friendly bar (a highlight being the a range of flavoured polish vodka) and cafe downstairs that prides itself on traditional Polish cuisine.
Bordesley Street, Birmingham, B5
Spotted Dog -A good solid Irish boozer like Digbeth used to be. Good ales and the ocassional bit of traditional ceilidh music to boot.
Meriden Street, Digbeth, Birmingham, B5 5LZ
Bay Leaf – With a passion for authentic Bangladeshi food and the arts
Custard Factory, Gibb Street Digbeth B9 4AA
The Big Bulls Head – Proper traditional pub – but not in a newly sanitized way. Comforting pub grub at reasonable prices.
75 Digbeth High Street, Birmingham, B5 6DY
Warehouse Café – Based in the Friends Of The Earth building they serve a range of vegetarian and vegan food.
54-57 Allison Street, Birmingham, B5 5TH
Southside
This is a district of Birmingham city centre that sits within walking distance from New St Station and the Custard Factory, and encompasses Chinatown and the Gay Village.
“Come and enjoy some of Southside’s premium places to chow down, drink and dance the night away.
Head to The Coffee Room for a spot of relaxation, enjoy the charming French Bistro Le Truc or try the delicious cuisine at Malaysian Delight. Whatever your taste, here you’re sure to find a worthy drink or bite to eat.
Sample Southside’s taste of China with restaurants including Jacky’s Kitchen and Chung Ying Garden, before indulging in a spot of comedy at the Glee Club or live music at the O2 Academy.
Finish your night off at any one of Southside’s vibrant bars and clubs, where you can choose from a range of specialist cocktail bars right through to traditional pubs. Wherever you go you’re guaranteed for a lively night out!”
For more information about Southside BID visit www.enjoysouthside.co.uk, like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BIDSouthside or or follow us on Twitter at @EnjoySouthside
