$100 and a T-shirt- a film about zines

‘$100 and a T-shirt’ is a cultural analysis of what causes zine makers to tick; what the hell zines are, why people make zines, the origin of zines, the resources and community available for zine makers, and the future of zines. The film interviews around 70 zine makers, ex-zine makers, and readers from the northwest USA. Four years in the making, the film features footage of the Portland Zine Symposium, a zine bicycle tour of Portland, and activities bringing zine culture to life. If you’ve ever wanted to know more about zine history and about what writers are doing right now to make their publications relevant to the 21st Century, this film may give you some clues.

Also, look out for our zine panel discussion that follows the film, and make sure you take a look at the Birmingham Zine Festival exhibition and stalls.

microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/title/1011

$100 & A T-Shirt from Cantankerous Titles on Vimeo.

To make your weekend with us whole, we’ve got an excellent programme of films, exhibitions, talks and workshops. Particularly exciting is the news that Whitehouse/Cut Hands front man William Bennett will be talking about his new project, his West African musical influences and his music’s inclusion on the Vice Guide to Liberia. This talk will then be followed with a screening of the Vice film that examines the dark history of the war torn country and the fate of its people today.

We’ll also be screening an exciting selection of film shorts from the exceptional label, Fonal. The Finnish label includes artists Es, Islaja (pictured), Lau Nau and of course Circle, who will be performing at the festival this year.

Conny Prantera is an artist and illustrator who lives and works in London. Through her intricately detailed drawings, she tells us a story of disquieting and disturbed beauty. Here at Supersonic she will be showing a new piece titled Kore Kosmou, a video installation consisting of photomontage and drawings, meticolously put together frame by frame, animated and synced to a series of purposely created audio loops and drones

Other screenings include a package of late night horror, programmed by Psychotronic Cinema. Responsible for he legendary “All Night Horror  Madness” event and the upcoming “All Night Bad Movie Experience” they’ll be bringing ‘Flesh for Frankenstein‘ and ‘Suspiria‘ to the festival as a late night treat.

Birmingham experimental artists and producers SOUNDkitchen will be in residency at the festival, presenting their ‘Cinema for the Ears’. Working in collaboration with BEAST (Birmingham ElectroAcoustic Sound Theatre), they promise a concoction of installations and performances in a site-specific immersive sound sculpture. They will also be contributing the sonic element to the Imperfect Cinema performance on Sunday – creating an alternative documentation of the festival.

Other fantastic local folk getting involved are the Birmingham Zine Festival. Celebrating alternative publications for Supersonic 2011, the festival organisers have invited some of their favourite small press publishers to sell  their books, comics and zines, along with an exhibition of zine artwork. Continuing the zine celebrations, there will be ascreening of ‘$100 and a t-shirt’, Joe Biel’s documentary exploring the thoughts and experiences of zine-makers in North America. Also a  panel, From a to Zine,  featuring Alex Zamora, Nic Bullen and Charlie Woolley will discuss the history of zines, their inspirations and how this feeds into modern DIY creativity and publishing.

Go here for weekend and day ticket info.

Fonal Records is an independent record label from Finland that has been releasing experimental music since 1995. Initially established by Sami Sänpäkkilä to release his own recordings under the name Es, Fonal is a truly independent record label in every sense and now has over 80 releases to its name, This music video screening presents a variety of techniques ranging from animation to live action. Videos have been shot with mobile phones, super 8, 16mm film and Red One cameras, and all have been made with a zero budget. This special programme includes work from such label luminaries as Lau Nau, Kemialliset Ystävät, Paavoharju, Islaja and Shogun Kunitoki.

fonal.com

Eleanoora Rosenholm: Valo kaasumeren hämärässä from Sami Sänpäkkilä on Vimeo.

SOUNDkitchen

SOUNDkitchen is a collective of sound artists and composers bringing new and experimental sounds to Birmingham through exciting line-ups, eclectic electronic performances and collaborations with various local and national organisations. SOUNDkitchen aims to present anything and everything that’s experimental and electronic, crossing genres from electroacoustic to soundscapes to noise to ambient drones to Afrobeat, Dubstep, Balkan music and many more.

For Supersonic 2011, SOUNDkitchen will present two works.  They’ll be resident in a special area where they will be serving-up audio delights in their Cinema for the Ears. Working in collaboration with BEAST (Birmingham ElectroAcoustic Sound Theatre), they promise a concoction of installations and performances in a site-specific immersive sound sculpture.  Secondly, they will provide a live soundscape/soundtrack to Imperfect Cinema‘s screening of films made by festival-goers attending the latter’s workshop.

soundkitchenuk.org

For Supersonic 2011, the festival organisers have invited some of their favourite small press publishers to sell  their books, comics and zines, including:

Limited edition Supersonic poster by Cataract Op

Supersonic have commissioned the very talented Simon Fowler of Cataract Op to produce a limited edition print for this year’s festival.  Available in an oversized A2 edition of 120, it comes in eye-catching (and possibly mouth-watering) black and metallic silver on 225gsm manilla archival paper.  And guess what?  It’s only available at the festival, a bargain at £30.  You’ll be needing to purchase a ticket to get your hands on this beauty.

Simon Fowler is a London born artist and printmaker, predominantly working with pen and ink and traditional print-making techniques such as lino and vinyl engraving to achieve images of intense detail and expansive beauty. He’s produced recent artwork for Earth, Sunn O))) and Devilman (DJ Scotch Egg/Dokkebi Q) and has recently started producing an ongoing series of limited edition prints for Cafe OTO’s visiting artist residencies. Simon also co-runs Cataract Publisihing with writer and poet Paolo Chianta.

www.cataract-operation.com/artwork/

The Quietus: Q&A with editor John Doran
The Quietus is one of Capsule’s favourite sites.  Spending a few hours in their company is always a pleasure and mainman John Doran has been involved with Supersonic before, most recently hosting a Q&A with Neu!’s Michael Rother on 2010.  Here, we turn the tables and subject him to our own Q&A, courtesy of Ross Cotton.

How would you describe your relationship with Supersonic Festival?
Head over heels in love. Luckily my girlfriend feels the same way.

Which acts are you looking forward to most in this year’s line-up, and why?
Electric Wizard because they are pure, heavy evil, straight from some kind of black hole of doom. The Skull Defekts (will they find the Higgs Bosun?) will be amazing. Simeon of The Silver Apples is always amazing. WITTR, White Hills and Circle.

What has been your ultimate favourite performance at a previous Supersonic and why?
Probably either Beestung Lips in 2008 just because it was so fucked up, exciting and funny, Arbouretum in 2009 or King Midas Sound last year. Or SunnO))). It’s hard to pare it down to one set.

How would you describe Supersonic to a potential, fresh audience?
The right balance of pancreas bursting harsh noise, frollicking and cake.

What does Supersonic offer differently compared to any other festival?
The compactness of it is a real selling point. There’s always a good vibe there and you’re guaranteed to come away having seen something amazing you weren’t previously aware of.

www.thequietus.com

New Spotify playlist

We’ve announced more new artists since our last Spotify playlist so, to make your listening experience simple and seamless, here’s a link to an updated version.  Now with added Mike Watt, Drum Eyes, Jefre Cantu-Ledesma, Klaus Kinski, DJ Scotch Egg, Drumcunt and Orthodox.  Enjoy!  (But our sincere apologies for those horrible meerkat adverts.)

http://open.spotify.com/user/littleredrabbit/playlist/1G2nW0tTKUmIoANAR4t14a

Rock-a-Rolla: Q&A with editor-in-chief Vuk Valcic
For our 12th Q&A we’re going off-piste and instead of talking to the artists performing at Supersonic 2011, we’re checking in with Vuk Valcic, editor of Rock-a-Rolla magazine. Capsule has a long standing relationship with the magazine and we salute their coverage of independent, progressive music.  Read on to find out Vuk’s fondest Supersonic memories and why he thinks the festival is essential.

How would you describe your relationship with Supersonic Festival?
Rock-A-Rolla has been Supersonic’s media partner since the very early days of the mag – in fact going all the way back to our first year of existence. Capsule have always had a knack for selecting interesting and vital artists, and the line-up has always been spot-on in terms of what we cover in the magazine. We’re also friends and fans.

Which acts are you looking forward to most in this year’s line-up, and why?
As always, pretty much all of them, but for my part Secret Chiefs 3, Zombi, Zu93, WITTR, White Hills, Circle, Fire!, Barn Owl and The Skull Defekts are all particularly unmissable. Secret Chiefs 3 should be every festivalgoer’s top priority.

What has been your ultimate favourite performance at a previous Supersonic and why?
Tough question. There’s no way I can choose just one, but let’s go with Oxbow Duo and Wolf Eyes in 2007, Asva and Dälek in 2008, and SunnO))) and Thorr’s Hammer in 2009, all of which were memorable for various reasons. And of course Zu a couple of years back – one of the best live bands out there.

How would you describe Supersonic to a potential, fresh audience?
In one word: essential. It’s the only festival that keeps getting it right year in, year out. For crucial, cutting-edge underground rock, metal and experimental music, there’s simply no other festival quite like it in the UK. On a more personal note, it’s like getting all the bands you read about in Rock-A-Rolla together in one place for an awesome weekend.

What does Supersonic offer differently compared to any other festival?
The line-up is just plain different to any other UK festival you can think of, and it’s always outstanding. It speaks for itself, really. Other than the band selection, the Custard Factory setting makes this a completely different beast to the outdoor festivals doing the rounds – no mud and Portaloos here, just great music and a great atmosphere.

What impact does Supersonic have on Birmingham’s music scene?
I think it goes beyond Birmingham – and the UK for that matter. It undoubtedly plays a major part in putting Birmingham on the map and of course brings festivalgoers to the city, which can only be a good thing, but more importantly Supersonic has far-reaching impact on underground music worldwide.

Interview by Ross Cotton

www.rock-a-rolla.com

Imperfect Cinema Q&A
For the last day of our film programme week, we spoke to Dan Paolantonio from the DIY film collective Imperfect Cinema to get the low-down on what to expect at Supersonic 2011.

1. Which five words describe what you know about Supersonic?
Eclectic, adventurous, surprising, engaging, cake!

2. What can people expect of Imperfect Cinema at the festival?
A combustible collision of DIY punk ethics and car boot sale film cameras! We hope that our  event will not only inspire new context for endangered imaging technologies, but also a form a unique audio-visual documentation of Supersonic,  founded in collaboration, and the creative risk of improvised performance! We are absolutely delighted to be working in partnership with Sound Kitchen this year & to continuing Imperfect Cinema’s close working relationship with the inimitable Nicholas Bullen!

3. Why do you explore filmmaking as a medium – what does it do for you that nothing else does?
This is of course the burning question and one which I feel has a real relevance to our appearance at Supersonic this year! Filmmaking for me is actually very much a musical experience, in that it conjures those feelings that I am only otherwise able to experience when listening to music (and as I play the guitar with all the grace & dexterity of a chimp wearing boxing gloves, everyone should actually be incredibly relieved that i am most often found behind a camera rather than in front of a Marshall stack!).

4. Who or what else on the bill are you hoping to see?  (And why?)
Where do I start! Barn Owl for their expansive sonic vistas, Wolves in The Throne Room for their unique blend of grim meets green, Drunk in Hell for their single riff bludgeoning, Scorn for that singular low-end, Mike Watt because the old punk in me needs to get over Minutemen, Ore out of sheer curiosity, Silver Apples because I never thought I ever would, and of course Backwards (if only to confirm that this experience will be as utterly dreadful as Nic Bullen’s boasts!).

5. Finally, your essential ‘surviving-Supersonic’ items are…
An open mind, earplugs, optrex, funds for cake, and a calm & discerning eye when considering everything on offer this year!

http://imperfectcinema.com

Blood, Sweat & Vinyl: DIY in the 21st Century

Blood, Sweat & Vinyl is a documentary film by Kenneth Thomas focussing on the artist-run record labels Hydra Head, Neurot, and Constellation, and their many associated bands. Thomas considers the film to be, in part at least, an answer to those who question where the spirit of punk rock is today. Including the thoughts and experiences of artists like Neurosis, ISIS, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Pelican, Oxbow and Evangelista, the film promises to be an in-depth and illuminating look at the connections and networks built up by artists committed to uncompromised work and self-expression.

Scott Kelly (Neurosis/Neurot): “It’s not just a business we’ve started, it reflects on our entire adult life.”
Seldon Hunt: “It’s a strange thing that metal has a strange image of being kind of childish and kind of stupid.  In a sense, it’s the 21st and late 20th century equivalent of classical music.”
Aaron Turner (Hydra-Head/ISIS): “It’s part of this larger extended network.  To me that’s one of the most satisfying parts, just making connections and being involved with the really active, progressive, interesting community of musicians, labels and artists.”

Kenneth Thomas has spent the last 15 years capturing and displaying a unique vision via his multi-disciplinary skills in shooting, directing, editing, and photography. His primary interest is in documentary work which focuses on capturing authentic experiences. Thomas’ previous work includes directing music videos and filming for The Residents, X, The Chameleons UK, Queens of the Stone Age, ISIS, Neurosis, Yanni, Bruce LaBruce, William Shatner and many other artists.

www.bloodsweatvinyl.com

Blood, Sweat + Vinyl – Hydra Head Records clip from kenneth thomas on Vimeo.

Tomorrow will see the launch of an exciting new commission between VIVID and Capsule:

MR. UNDERWOOD
SONIC GRAFFITI 2011

Walking the streets near to VIVID and Supersonic Festival, the ubiquitous signs of
neglect passing you by, your attention is captured by a symbol you’ve seen somewhere
else before…

Set into a decaying wall there is a headphone socket. You unplug from your own music
and plug yourself into the city. The sounds you hear are of and from this place, dark
and decayed. As you listen you examine the surface before you more closely. You’ve never
paused here in this way before. What beauty you have missed.

A special “Crash EP” featuring four compositions by Mr.Underwood will be
contained within the installations. Each piece is based on a field recording taken
close to the site in which you find it. The EP will be available for download but you
are encouraged to listen to the pieces in situ, as the chance sounds that surround
you at the time of listening are considered part of the compositions. The pieces
will require you to interact with them in a variety of ways to trigger or manipulate
the sound. Go explore! Headphones are available from VIVID during exhibition
opening hours for a small deposit.

Join Mr. Underwood for a special tour, leaving from VIVID on Friday 23
September, 6pm. Meet at VIVID reception at 6pm. Bring your own headphones.

Film week, day 3:  ‘Still Before’, a film about Oxbow

‘Still Before’, a film by Manuel Liebeskind, draws the most intimate tour portrait of this exceptional band from San Francisco and is perhaps as close as one can come to the exhaustion of everyday tour life.  Here at Capsule HQ we’ve only seen the trailer, but, believe us, that was more than enough to whet our appetites.  ‘Still Before’ is also highly notable for being filmed entirely on an iPhone with a 640×480 pixel resolution, probably the first feature-length to be so.

We can’t imagine it would be easy to get close to a band like Oxbow, so how did Liebeskind do it?  Turns out he’s their former booking agent, soundman and general man-Friday and thus the band gave him unprecedented access.  Through his film, Liebeskind attempts to uncover the obsessions, machinations and thought processes behind making, playing and touring music that embraces art as though its life depended on it.  Across five countries, over a dozen shows, and in front of rapt audiences, ‘Still Before’ explore the whys of art creation, the touring life and the motivations for continuing the process over two decades.

http://www.stillbefore.com

STILL BEFORE from Manuel Liebeskind on Vimeo.

Supersonic film week, day 2: Man With A Video Camera

Supersonic 2011 are pleased to present ‘Man With A Video Camera’, a documentary about the Finnish band Circle.  Happily, Circle themselves are also performing this year, thus squaring the, um, circle.  In fact, although we say ‘documentary’, ‘Man With A Video Camera’ is closer to an anti-documentary.  As with, say, ‘Lost In La Mancha’, Terry Gilliam’s film-about-making-a-film-of-Don-Quixote, the actual story appears to be somewhere else, somewhere unplaceable.  Perhaps that’s because filmmaker Esko Lönnberg himself has come from elsewhere, into Circle’s world…

Lönnberg left his middle-class job in Sweden and returned to his hometown of Pori, Finland to pursue his artistic desires.  The shooting for the film mostly takes place in the countryside where the band is recording their next album. The circumstances turn out to be chaotic and most of the band appear totally uninterested and unengaged.  But, Esko tries to keep the crowd together, even though he does not know himself if he is going to end up with fiction or non-fiction.  Throughout, Esko captures everything essential and unessential on video while the band plays.

In the end, this unique film tells you all you need to know about documentary-making, its perils and its rewards.

http://www.fonal.com/shop/petrihagner_manwithavideocamera_dvd

We’re delighted to let you know that we’ve been nominated for an AIM Indie Champion award, for our work with Home Of Metal and Supersonic Festival.

We’re up against some pretty outstanding folks including our goods friends John & Luke at The Quietus ( but do feel free to vote for us !)- more details here http://www.musicindie.com/awards/indiechampion

Film week, day 1 : Kill All Redneck Pricks: KARP LIVES! 1990-1998

All this week at Supersonic we’re going to be previewing this year’s fantastic film programme.  Day 1 is the turn of ‘KARP LIVES! 1990-1998’.

This film is a biography of a friendship. Set in the indie rock utopia of an evergreen forested Olympia Washington of the early 90’s, this film chronicles the journey of the love of three friends from childhood to adulthood over a span of 20 years. Nestled in the mythology of bands such as Beat Happening, Bikini Kill, Unwound, and the Melvins, the story of KARP is the story of a childhood love forced to make adult changes in order to survive an adult world and how the choices we face as we follow our dreams affect those whom we love most. It is the story of how so often the thing that frees you can become your largest obstacle.

This is how a forum poster recalls it:
“Karp played a show in my living room in Columbus, Ohio in 1995 or 1996 (the years start to blend together). We had held dozens and dozens of shows there with no real incident. These were loud and sometimes crazy shows. When Karp played the police came. With all of the doors and windows closed you could still hear it blacks and blocks away. One of the loudest bands i have ever seen and i mean that as a high compliment. I am quite excited to see this.”

Don’t forget too that bassist Jared Warren will be playing in The Melvins at their Capsule-promoted show at the Institute on 1st November.

http://karplives.com

Alexander Tucker – live video session for Spine TV

Alexander Tucker will be performing his new song-cycle ‘Dorwytch‘ at Supersonic 2011.  ‘Dorwytch‘ greatly expands his sound into a larger ensemble, featuring lushly layered strings and subtle use of synths. The suite revolves around themes of “human/plant matter transcendence” and manifested in the meditative purity of Tucker’s tones and drones. This live session also catches sight of the hairy being we’re expecting to see at Supersonic.

www.spinetv.net/video/studio-session-alexander-tucker

Three excellent workshops have been announced for the festival, giving you plenty of opportunity to get involved this year.

GET A GRIP Screenprinting

For anyone interested in screenprinting and DIY production we are bringing you a screenprinting workshop in collaboration with GET A GRIP. You can design and print your very own Supersonic T-shirt to keep, a perfect festival memento. Using elements created by an independent illustrator, the aim of the workshop is to get you printing the multiple coloured images wherever you choose over a T-shirt. Open to weekend ticket holders for £25. To book a place, email [email protected] with the subject SCREENPRINT.

Imperfect Cinema

Plymouth DIY Punk Cinema collective Imperfect Cinema will be inviting attendees at Supersonic Festival 2011 to contribute to an alternative documentation of the festival using endangered media technologies! Participants will receive a workshop, both practical and theoretical, introducing them to Super-8 cinema and lo-fi modes of recording. Participants will then obtain their own recordings of the festival, documenting their experience of the event. Recordings will then be processed and edited to form a screening and performance of the work created. Spaces are free to weekend ticket holders. To book a place, email [email protected] with the subject IMPERFECT CINEMA.

Dirty Electronics: Mute Synth

Take part in building the Mute Synth and a large group performance with Dirty Electronics. The Dirty Electronics Mute Synth is a hand-held touch and tilt instrument with copper etched artwork and contoured printed circuit board that was designed in collaboration with Mute and graphic designer Adrian Shaughnessy. The instrument brings together many Dirty Electronics aesthetics and instrument designs into one device in particular creating an instrument of the hand (in terms of both playing and building), a noise-based device that utilises feedback, and exploring the relationship between artwork and circuit board. Open to weekend ticket holders for £15. To book a place, email [email protected] with the subject MUTE SYNTH.

Some exciting additions to the line up are announced today, along with a screenprinting workshop for those of you who don’t mind getting your hands dirty. Day tickets are also on sale from today and can be found HERE.

First of all, some sad news. Due to illness within the band ZU93 are forced to cancel their appearance at this year’s Supersonic. This is indeed, really sad news and we wish a speedy recovery.

In happier news, we are utterly thrilled to announce two very special performances at the fest this year. Mike Watt will be joining the festival line up with his Missingmen. A hero to many, Mike Watt has most known for his work in the Minutemen, fIREHOSE and his current work with Iggy and the Stooges. MC Will Brooks of Dalek will be bringing his new solo project iconAclass to the festival this year, his new material sees him maintaining the gritty view of boom-bap he is know for, while returning to his roots.

For anyone interested in screenprinting and DIY production we are bringing you a screenprinting workshop in collaboration with GET A GRIP. You can design and print your very own Supersonic T-shirt to keep, a perfect festival memento.  Spaces are very limited for this workshop, so sign up quickly by emailing [email protected] with the subject SCREENPRINT.

Day tickets are now on sale:

Friday 21st October – £20

Saturday 22nd October – £35

Sunday 23rd October – £35

There are still weekend tickets available for only £75, giving you three days of exciting music, art, film and of course cake.

FRIDAY – APPAT/CLOAKS/DRUMCUNT/MIKE WATT + THE MISSINGMEN/PART CHIMP/SCORN/SCOTCH EGG/SECRET CHIEFS 3/SLABDRAGGER/

SATURDAY – AGATHE MAX/ALEXANDER TUCKER/ANTILLES/BACKWARDS/BARDO POND/BERG SANS NIPPLE/ELECTRIC WIZARD/KLAUS KINSKI/KOGUMAZA/LUCKY DRAGONS/MONARCH/MUTE SYNTH/NATHAN BELL/ORTHODOX/PHAROAH OVERLORD/SKULL DEFEKTS/TEETH OF THE SEA/WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM/ZOMBI/

SUNDAY – ALVA NOTO/ASTRO/BARN OWL/BYETONE/CIRCLE/CUT HANDS/DRUNK IN HELL/DRUM EYES/ENVY/ETERNAL TAPESTRY/FIRE!/ICONACLASS/JEFRE CANTU-LEDESMA/MODULATE/ORE/PEKKO KAPPI/SELFLESS/SILVER APPLES/TONY CONRAD/TURBONEGRO/WHITE HILLS/

Barn Owl present ‘Turiya’

We all know that Supersonic have got a Barn Owl exclusive this year don’t we?  Well indeed we have – the festival will be their only UK date on this trip.  To add to our Barn Owl excitement, the band have just unveiled a brand new video for the song ‘Turiya‘ from the current ‘Lost in the Glare‘ album.  Have a look below.  Directed by their regular film collaborator John Davis, the film features some really nice light diffusion and complements the slow-burn of ‘Turiya‘ perfectly.

www.electrictotem.com

Barn Owl – Turiya from Thrill Jockey Records on Vimeo.

Cloaks Q&A #11
On the 3by3 label, Cloaks play speaker-shredding blasts of dubstep noise.  Beats skip, jump and judder while all manner of found sounds build up into layers of ambient scree.  Cloaks’ music is a harsh listen but all the more devastating and exciting for that.  Here, mainman Steve Harris answers our Q&A.

1. Which five words describe what you know about Supersonic?
Important, unique, raw, adult, anti-hype (substance)

2. What can people expect of Cloaks at the festival?
You should expect to hear a more experimental, noise-driven approach to our music. We will also be predominantly playing unheard material from our album in progress.

3. Why make music – what does it do for you that nothing else does?
That’s a great question, and one I couldn’t ever answer sufficiently.

4. Who else on the bill are you hoping to see?  (And why?)
Part Chimp, Alva Noto, Scorn, White Hills, The Skull Defekts. Supersonic always has a culture of ‘new’ as well so the point of it for me in terms of seeing other acts is all the names I’ve never heard of. The chief reason the festival is so great is that you discover new things so I’m looking forward to being pleasantly surprised.

5. Finally, your essential ‘surviving-Supersonic’ items are…
Earplugs, a large supply of disposable income for the marketplace, promo materials to hand out, spare bag to store all the new stuff you just bought, spare earplugs.

www.3by3music.com

“I volunteered at Supersonic as it seemed a great way to meet people & see plenty of the bands on the roster.

I had a cracking time working with the other volunteers, and meeting some lovely people (Michael Rother was a treat). Plus, Capsule really deserves our help as they consistently puts on some of the best live shows around.”
Ben Martin – volunteer 2010

SUPERSONIC NEEDS YOU!

Capsule’s internationally renowned festival runs 21-23 October 2011 and there are plenty of opportunities to get involved as a volunteer.

We need a dedicated team of volunteers to help deliver Supersonic over the festival weekend (21-23 October) and also in the run up to the festival (early October onwards).

The festival is small enough for everyone involved as a volunteer to gain an overview of how the festival works, and to give real input and value. We expect a minimum of 12 hours over the festival period in exchange for a weekend wristband.

In addition to festival volunteers, we are also seeking a small team of professional quality photographers to help us document the festival.

HOW TO APPLY:

If you are interested in volunteering for Supersonic Festival, please click here to download the application form.

Completed application forms should be emailed to volunteer[at]capsule.org.uk before Friday 23 September 2011. Please mark in the subject line of the email VOLUNTEER or PHOTOGRAPHER.

The first volunteer meeting will take place on Monday 26 September, 7pm where you will be able to find out more about the festival and meet the team.

NB/ unfortunately we can only consider applicants who are 18 years old and over.

Some more exciting announcements for this year’s Supersonic Festival, including music, exhibitions, workshops and films.

Supersonic favourite DJ Scotch Egg will be returning to the fest with his gabba/glitch/gameboy core. Scotch Egg will also be performing with Drum Eyes, memories of their  amazing performance at Supersonic 2009 meant we had to invite them back. DrumCunt will join the bill with their noisy grime/dub infused electronica.

UK electronica outfit Modulate will be bringing an audio visual set whilst Jefre Cantu-Ledesma will perform his own brand of shoegaze. We’re very pleased to announce that Spanish doom band Orthodox will be joining the bill, they merge their love for Sabbath with jazz and folk influences to create an intriguing sound.

We do like things to get a bit filthy at Supersonic hence why we’ve invited Klaus Kinski, a Welsh Arab on Radar who won’t let you stand still and Birmingham’s Backwards, whose  double bass attack is punctuated with free sax improv. Other bands  to add to this agenda are Drunk in Hell, they’re pretty horrible, and that’s a good thing and Selfless, a crusty grindcore band in the true Brummie tradition.

Of course, we want our audience to get their own hands dirty and get involved  – which you can do by joining one of this year’s workshops. Imperfect Cinema invite you to take part in a Super-8 workshop and document your time at the festival, recordings  will then be included in a performance/screening encompassing film, field recordings and an opportunity to share your personal festival experience. Details have also been announced for the Dirty Electronics workshop ‘Mute Synth‘ – The Mute Synth is a noise based device that utilises feedback and explores the relationship between artwork and circuit board. Participants will begin on the workbench, devising the instrument, and move to the stage to explore the instrument and perform through it. Spaces for both workshops are limited, book your place by contacting [email protected].

We’re particularly excited to announce a  very special performance  brought to you by Ore, who merge classical, doom and experimental sounds through the medium of contra bass and depth of brass.

We’ve had exhibitions in sheds before, but never sheds that have been converted into orthodox style churches. Look out for Herman Inclusus and his beautiful illustrations.

Two essential new music documentaries will get exclusive screenings at the festival this year. Still Before is a tour diary of avant rockers Oxbow, exploring  the WHYS of art creation, the touring life and 20 years in, the motivations for continuing the same. Blood, Sweat + Vinyl: DIY in the 21st Century focuses on Hydrahead, Neurot, and Constellation and shows historic documentation of these fiercely independent labels and the bands they support.

You can read more info on these announcements and the rest of the line up HERE

They join the current line up of ALVA NOTO / a.P.A.t.T. /AGATHE MAX /ANTILLES /ASTRO /BARDO POND / BARN OWL / BYETONE/ CIRCLE/ CLOAKS /CUT HANDS /ELECTRIC WIZARD / ENVY / ETERNAL TAPESTRY/ FIRE!/ KOGUMAZA/ LUCKY DRAGONS/ MONARCH/ NATHAN BELL/ PART CHIMP/ PHARAOH OVERLORD/ PEKKO KAPPI/ SCORN/ SECRET CHIEFS / SILVER APPLES / SKULL DEFEKTS / SLABDRAGGER/ TEETH OF THE SEA / THE BERG SANS NIPPLE/ TONY CONRAD/ TURBONEGRO/ WHITE HILLS / WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM / ZOMBI / ZU93

Still more to be announced, including day tickets and volunteer opportunities. Watch this space.

Monarch! Q&A
For our tenth Q&A, we welcome Basque country sludge-metallers Monarch!  With some of the slowest tempos and heaviest dirges around, Monarch! promise to be a revelation at Supersonic 2011.  Read on.

1. Which five words describe what you know about Supersonic?
Rob Shaffer : Respected international experimental music festival.
Michell Bidegain : Criminally loud public address systems.
Shiran Kaidin : Eclectic, surprising, loud, classy and crunchy.
Emilie Bresson : Fun, fucking good loud music

2. What can people expect of Monarch at the festival?
Rob S. : Extreme nothingness.
Michell : A 13bpm black mass.
Shiran : Slow and loud vibrations.
Emilie : A slow motion march to the end of all.

3. Why make music – what does it do for you that nothing else does?
Rob S. : Music forces one to exist in the present moment, and provides the possibility of expressing true emotion which listeners could choose to feel as well .
Michell : Denim and leather. No explanation as to why, just a constant driving need to make music.
Shiran : Music is the way to express what cannot be described.
Emilie: It makes me be myself and, for a moment, it makes me forget about anything else but the music we play.

4. Who else on the bill are you hoping to see? (And why?)
Rob S. : There are many legendary performers playing this festival, i am hoping to see zombi because their music makes me feel good, electric wizard for their crushing rythm and volume, zu3 for david tibet, secret chiefs 3 for their non pretentious technicality. i hope to see as many artists as possible really.
Michell : Zombi, Turbonegro, WITTR, Electric Wizard, Secret Chiefs 3.
Shiran : Electric Wizard, TRBNGR, Wolves in the throne room, Bardo Pond and Secret Chief 3.
Emilie : Same here!

5. Finally, your essential ‘surviving-Supersonic’ items are…
Rob S : Good friends.
Michell : Beer.
Shiran : Ears and eyes will be enough I think.
Emilie : My ear plugs.