“a celebration of the expressive, challenging and generally out there” The Times
“Birmingham’s Supersonic Festival occupies an exalted position at the vanguard of the festival circuit. And rightly so. Since its inception over ten years ago, it has maintained a staggeringly focused and intelligent curatorial policy, transcending the music and art worlds to present a programme teeming with invention, audience participation and a certain amount of unpredictability. It’s also a bloody good knees up.” The Skinny
Since the inception of Supersonic Festival in 2003, Capsule have firmly established the event as one of the UK’s premier experimental music and arts festival. With an undeniably vibrant atmosphere, always presenting a variety of performers – the inaugural event featured the bewildering blend of Coil, DJ Food, LCD Soundsystem, The Bug and more – and where the film programme, workshops and exhibitions are as paramount to the event’s atmosphere as the live performances.
Capsule’s programme has a sense of spectacle at the very heart of it, always aiming to capture the imagination of our audience, and with a friendly, bustling atmosphere to boot, there is little wonder why the festival draws fans, performers and industry folks from across the globe.
Some of what makes Supersonic so unique – the emphasis on a multidisciplinary programme , and our curatorial approach – which has become a blueprint for others, yet we, continue to re-imagine the event to ensure that it remains an inviting prospect for long-standing supporters as well as welcoming new fans.
The question is, what makes Supersonic Festival a thrilling prospect after 13 years of existence? Fundamentally, the answer is, we truly understand our audience’s thirst for new discovery and desire to stimulate all senses. Capsule are also fearless when it comes to putting together the musical line up, always opting for variety, never relying on the same pool of headliners which other events are vying for and importantly, embracing the local music scene, and homegrown talent, as well as drawing in an array of international artists. Of course, the location in the city of Birmingham is an important factor, Capsule take pleasure in sharing the city’s post industrial spaces with Supersonic Festival attendees, and through our eyes, introducing emerging cultural spaces via a cocktail of music, film, art installations, food and more. In Supersonic Festival, we have created a truly enticing event that nurtures a real sense of adventure for curious audiences.
“The most consistently brilliant and forward-looking festival in the UK, if not the world.” Vice Magazine
“Narnia. Wonderland. Birmingham’s Supersonic Festival. What do these places have in common? Answer: they’re pure magic. What’s the sad difference between them? Answer: only one of them is real. (Which one is up to you.) You might not be able to step into an amazing otherworld through a large piece of furniture, but you can go to England to experience the finest in musical festival lineups.” Tiny Mix Tapes
