On 07/07/07 at 7:07pm, Japanese group Boredoms, orchestrated a performance by 77 drummers at Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park in Brooklyn, NYC.  Hisham Akira Bharoocha put out an email inviting drummers to apply for a place in the performance and out of the 3000 replies, 77 were chosen, including Andrew WK (drummer no 57), David Grubbs (drummer no 23) and Lightning Bolt’s Brian Chippendale (drummer no 77).  The players were positioned in a spiral that trailed from a circular stage where the principal Boredoms members – Yozoro (drummer no 1), Yoshimi (drummer no 2), Sen (drummer no 3) were situated together with Eye (0) playing electronics, a seven-necked guitar and conducting the ensemble.  This is the screening of Jun Kawaguchi’s simply shot but effective documentary of the performance, complete with behind the scenes rehearsal footage, interviews, and, of course, lots of footage of the performance itself.  Come and experience the power of this momentous musical landmark.

There are also a series of shorts from the Thrill Jockey discography, which will feature new videos from Pontiak, Future Islands, Oval, Imbogodom and Dustin Wong.

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One of the highlights from Supersonic 2009 was all female Japanese trio Nisennenmondai, we loved them so much they’re back again this year. Enjoy this film footage taken of their relentless set, we can’t wait to see them perform again.

Another aural delight for your listening pleasure from the ever enigmatic Little Chris responsible for Brum Cast.

Playlist as follows
1. PCM – Hafgee (4:58)
2. Gum takes tooth – Tannkjøtt (7:20)
3. Zeni Geva – Sweetheart (5:45)
4. Voice Of The Seven Thunders – Out Of The Smoke (2:16)
5. Swans – I am the Sun (3:23)
6. Peter Broderick – Bad Song (1:31)
7. Peter Broderick – Three Cats (0:43)
8. Stinky Wizzleteat – megtilda (2:32)
9. Barn Owl – Voice Of The Other (5:02)
10. Eagle Twin – 10,000 Birds of Black Hot Fire (9:02)
11. Blue Sabbath Black Fiji – Six Fingers For California (3:50)
12. Melt Banana – Spider Snipe (2:12)
13. Melt Banana – Stick Out (0:48)
14. Cave – High, I Am (4:35)
15. NEU! – HERO (7:11)
16. Dosh – yer face (3:22)
17. Lash Frenzy – C (25:44)

Don’t forget if you haven’t got your tickets yet they are available from HERE

A special sound piece will be performed at this year’s festival by Nicholas Bullen (Napalm Death, Scorn, Black Galaxy).

The ‘Breach’ project is a series of live performances for voice and prepared sound.

‘Developed as a demonstrative companion to a text piece focused on strategies for ‘silencing’ language, the live performances utilise the human voice as a medium for exploring ways in which the voice itself can be used to undermine the codes which govern discourse.Multiple microphones, live sampling and electronic processing are used to capture, layer and transform the voice: breath, whispers, glottal tics, snarls, growls, wails and cries become a shifting soundfield of immersive drones, radiator vibrations, rhythmic pulses and shards of noise denuded of linguistic content.’ Nicholas Bullen

This piece will be performed in the Theatre Space.

The ‘Breach’ project is a series of live performances for voice and prepared sound.

One of the founding members of Napalm Death, and Scorn Nicholas Bullen was responsible for the invention of the Grindcores throat-shredding growls, Developed as a demonstrative companion to a text piece focused on strategies for ‘silencing’ language, the live performances utilise the human voice as a medium for exploring ways in which the voice itself can be used to undermine the codes which govern discourse.Multiple microphones, live sampling and electronic processing are used to capture, layer and transform the voice: breath, whispers, glottal tics, snarls, growls, wails and cries become a shifting soundfield of immersive drones, radiator vibrations, rhythmic pulses and shards of noise denuded of linguistic content.

Friday 22nd October 9pm – 2.30am
Tickets £20 BUY NOW
Headlined by Napalm Death
with Dead Fader, Demons (feat Sick Llama), Devil Man (feat DJ Scotch Egg), Drumcorps, Fukpig, Gum Takes Tooth, Necro Deathmort, PCM

Saturday 23rd October 4pm – 1.30am
Tickets £35 BUY NOW
Headlined by Godflesh + Melt Banana
with Blue Sabbath Black Fiji, Cave, Cloaks (DJ set), Dosh, Eagle Twin, Gnaw, Gnod, King Midas Sound, Lash Frenzy vs KK Null, Lichens, Melt Banana, oVo, Part Wild Horses Mane On Both Sides, People Like Us, Steve Troman & Dan Nicholls Duo, Stinky Wizzleteat, Tweak Bird
+ talks, films, workshops, market place, tea room

Sunday 24th October 2pm – 12.30am
Tickets £35 BUY NOW
Headlined by Swans + Hallogallo
with Barn Owl, Black Sun Drum Corps, Bong, Factory Floor, Jailbreak feat. Chris Corsano + Heather Leigh, James Blackshaw, Master Musicians of Bukkake + Khyam Allami, Mugstar, Nisennenmondai, Peter Broderick, Pierre Bastien & Male Instrumenty, Voice Of The Seven Thunders, Zeni Geva
+ talks, films, workshops, market place, tea room

Weekend tickets £75 BUY NOW

A very special performance has been announced for the intimate Theatre Space.

Barn Owl will be performing a special AV set, using experimental film pieces to add an extra visual layer to the performance.

About the band:

Evan Caminiti (guitars, vocals) and Jon Porras (guitars, vocals, drums, harmonium) met in San Francisco in 2006 and immediately started playing music together. Over the next four years, the two gradually sculpted a vast collection of hazy desert sky meditations – ominous, barren expanses of music for desert walks at dusk, and dark, pastoral passages embellished with psychedelic and atmospheric wash. Engaging throughout, every moment contributes to an overall feeling of mysterious desert expanse and a sonic narrative that unfurls like a cinematic metaphysical western.

Several releases on labels such as Root Strata, Digitalis, Not Not Fun, Blackest Rainbow and Important Records with a new album “Ancestral Star” coming out on Thrill Jockey.

http://www.myspace.com/barnowlband

Tickets on sale online:
www.theticketsellers.co.uk
www.seetickets.com

Or locals can get them from

Polar Bear – York Road, Kings Heath

or

Swordfish – Temple Street, City Centre

Supersonic needs YOU!

Capsule’s internationally renowned festival runs 22nd to 24th October 2010 and there’s plenty of opportunities to get involved as a volunteer. The festival is small enough for everyone involved to gain not just an overview of how the festival works, but to give real value and be part of a dynamic team.

We need a team of volunteers to help deliver the festival over the weekend of the event itself – we are looking for people to work over the festival weekend 22nd -24th October and in the run up to Supersonic from early October onwards. We expect a minimum of 12 hrs over the festival period in exchange for a weekend wristband.

In addition we are looking for professional quality photographers to help us document the festival

How to apply:
To apply send an email to volunteer[at]capsule.org.uk
Mark in the SUBJECT of the email VOLUNTEER or PHOTOGRAPHER

We will send you an application form, which you need to fill out and email back to us before the deadline which is the 21st September. There will then be a meeting on the evening of the 22nd of September to find out more about the festival and to meet the team.

Please note, unfortunately we can only receive applications from people over 18 years of age.

For further info about the festival check: http://www.supersonicfestival.com

Please feel free to spread the word.

We asked Birminghams very own answer to John Peel, Little Chris of Brum Cast fame to put together three podcasts featuring a taster of bands performing at this years Supersonic Festival to give you an insight to what’s on offer. This is the first one featuring a great selection for your aural delight, enjoy!

Playlist as follows!
1. Necro Deathmort – I fought the law and the law won because fighting is against the law (4:01)
2. Melt Banana – Mind Thief (1:44)
3. Dead Fader – Autumn Rot (3:46)
4. Fukpig – Die Bastard (0:59)
5. Neu! – Hallo Gallo (10:07)
6. Nisennenmondai – Pop Group (6:21)
7. Khyam Allami – Taqsim Nahawand (4:40)
8. Tweak Bird – Spaceships (3:30)
9. Pierre Bastien – L’Orchestre Thermo-Dynamique (4:57)
10. Godflesh – Like Rats (4:27)
11. Swans – New Mind (5:13)
12. Lichens – Kirilian Auras (11:33)
13. Factory Floor – Lying (5:07)
14. Napalm Death – Continuing War on Stupidity (3:10)
15. Bong – Wizards Of Krull (Excerpt) (6:21)
16. People Like Us – The Doody Waltz (5:54)

Tickets are available from www.theticketsellers.co.uk

During this year’s Supersonic you are invited to enter the tiny musical world of Pierre Bastien & Male Instrumenty, bringing together the French composer and surrealist inventor together with the Polish toy orchestra for a very special performance entitled ‘Toy Music’.

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Pierre Bastien has been building musical machinery since the 1970s and  has an expansive practice as a musician, composer and sound artist. Male Instrumenty is a five piece orchestra of toys and small instruments from Wrocław, Poland.    Founded in 2006, Małe Instrumenty (meaning Small Instruments) explore  an exciting and diverse sound world through their huge collection of  small instruments.

[jwplayer config=”video mainpage” playlistid=”1406″]

http://www.maleinstrumenty.pl

http://www.pierrebastien.com

Supersonic Festival 2010:
Friday: £20, Sat/Sun: £35, Weekend: £75 (+ booking fee)

Available from:
www.theticketsellers.co.uk

Weekend Tickets from:
www.seetickets.com

Michael Rother speaks about the formation and inspiration behind the incredible music of NEU! in this great documentary “Krautrock: The rebirth of Germany”. He will  performing live at this years SUPERSONIC FESTIVAL, Birmingham as HALLOGALLO 2010 with Steve Shelley (Sonic Youth) & Aaron Mullan (Tall Firs) on SUNDAY 24th October.
Tickets can be purchased from:

Friday: £20, Sat/Sun: £35, Weekend: £75 (+ booking fee)

Available from:
www.theticketsellers.co.uk

Weekend Tickets from:
www.seetickets.com

Today’s an awesome day, because, despite being a Monday, today’s the day we launch our Supersonic Last.FM radio channel.

Follow the link below and press play to let Supersonic Festival sound track your afternoon.

http://www.last.fm/listen/event/1487762

Welcome to Capsule zine no. 5, this edition has been designed by our brand new intern Tom J Hughes, a mighty fine illustrator who has done us proud. As ever you’ll find some info about all things Capsule, as well as Supersonic Festival news and how it feels to be a quiz show champion. We’ve got some great pieces from local illustrators and a spot of colouring in too plus another great cake recipe. Enjoy!

We’re always looking for submissions, so feel free to get in touch via admin[at]capsule.org.uk with your articles, rants and doodles.

DAY TICKETS RELEASED FOR
SUPERSONIC FESTIVAL 2010

FINAL ACTS ADDED TO LINE-UP

KING MIDAS SOUND / ZENI GEVA / CLOAKS (exclusive solo DJ set) /
FACTORY FLOOR / NISENNENMONDAI / MUGSTAR /  DEVILMAN / PETER BRODERICK PIERRE BASTIEN + MALE INSTRUMENTY / FUKPIG  / LASH FRENZY vs KK NULL /
KHYAM ALLAMI AND MASTER MUSICIANS OF BUKKAKE PRESENT: BOSPHOREAN  / MONARCH/ DEAD FADER / STINKY WIZZLETEAT

Joining confirmed acts including:
NAPALM DEATH / GODFLESH / SWANS
HALLOGALLO – Michael Rother + Friends present the music of NEU!

PEOPLE LIKE US / DEMONS (W/SICK LLAMA) / OvO / PART WILD HORSES MANE ON BOTH SIDES / DOSH / TWEAK BIRD / DRUMCORPS / CAVE / PCM / JAILBREAK FEAT. CHRIS CORSANO + HEATHER LEIGH / MELT BANANA / JAMES BLACKSHAW / LICHENS / BONG / GNOD / VOICE OF THE SEVEN THUNDERS / NECRO DEATHMORT / GNAW / EAGLE TWIN / BLUE SABBATH BLACK FIJI

Tickets on sale now from:
www.theticketsellers.co.uk
www.seetickets.com

Friday: £20, Sat/Sun: £35, Weekend: £75

Following the news that the 2010 edition of Birmingham’s acclaimed annual Supersonic Festival will be headlined by NAPALM DEATH, SWANS, GODFLESH and HALLOGALLO, Capsule are pleased to announce that a limited number of individual day tickets are now on sale, priced £20 (Friday) and £35 (Saturday/Sunday), with weekend tickets on sale at £75.

Friday night will be headlined by Birmingham extreme metallers Napalm Death, Saturday by Godflesh, for their first UK appearance in over 10 years, and Sunday by two equally unmissable acts, Swans and Hallogallo 2010 – Michael Rother + friends play the music of NEU!

Supersonic are also excited to reveal the final round of incredible artists who will be appearing at this year’s festival. From Doom to dun step and folk, Supersonic 2010 is set to cement the festival’s reputation as one of the most original and eclectic music festivals in the UK.

Regarded as pioneers of experimental music by the likes of Sonic Youth and Merzbow, KK Null’s incredible collective Zeni Geva will be bringing their prog-hardcore to the Supersonic stage, and KK will also be appearing alongside Birmingham sound artist, Lash Frenzy, in a truly unmissable performance. Also confirmed, Kevin Martin, creator of experimental dancehall project The Bug, with his incredible, critically acclaimed new project, King Midas Sound.

Aggressive, noisy and hailed by many as the successor to Napalm Death, Fukpig will be playing their new breed of Birmingham grindcore, along with heavy, heavy dub from Devilman aka DJ Scotch Egg and Dokkebi Q. Also confirmed, Monarch, with the demonic, throat-shredding shrieks of Emilie, whose petite appearance belies one of the harshest throats in the underground Doom spectrum.
Following a knock-out 2009 performance, Nisennenmondai return, bringing their driving rhythm section and metallic guitar sound, along with Mugstar, who will be playing their unique underground mix of psychedelia and krautrock.  Also confirmed, the most exciting new band to come out of London, Factory Floor, who will also be putting in one of their legendary brutal, live performances, and there will be an unmissable Cloaks DJ set from Steve Cloaks, who will be playing strictly Cloaks material only, in an exclusive performance for Supersonic 2010. There will also be heaviness, good times and volume a-plenty from Birmingham’s very own Stinky Weezleteet and distorto-death groves from Brighton’s Dead Fader.
World music meets psychedelic rock in a unique performance from Khyam Allami and Master Musicians of Bukkake, combining the sublime Oud playing of Iraqi musician Khyam Allami with the 7-piece out rock unit, Master Musicians of Bukkake. French composer and surrealist inventor Pierre Bastien will also be bringing his musical machinery, which he has been making since the 1970s, and will share the bill with Male Instrumenty, the fantastic five-piece orchestra of toys and small instruments from Poland. Also, the “painfully young and unnervingly talented” American multi-instrumentalist Peter Broderick, who will be exploring minimalism and instrumentalism with tinges of folk.

Michael Gira has reactivated his No Wave/industrial/apocalyptic folk project SWANS for the first time in 13-years, The Quietus asks him for a track-by-track review.
Read full article + listen to tracks here

Probably the most unique interview I’ve ever done and least flattering photo at that for covertmag

Last weekend I was relaxing in my Moscow Police Cell when I spotted, across the balcony, Capsule co-founder and Supersonic Festival curator Lisa Meyer, and took the opportunity to ask a few questions about what’s been going on with the Birmingham Experimental scene, Capsule, and their Supersonic Festival.

“Hey! Lisa!” I hiss through the steel grated window of my cell.

“What are you doing here?” she says, “and how did you recognise me?”.

“Your dogs wearing a vampire costume.” I say, waving at Frank-furtter. “Anyway, I’m a big experimental music fan, but I’ve been stuck in here a year, so tell me what you got going on!”.

Read more of this bizarrely written interview by Ben Phluxm here

Folks the Paragon Hotel has already sold out!
But don’t fret we have negotiated an amazing deal with ARC apartments based only 15 mins walk from the Custard Factory and for a self catering apartment of 5 people it will cost you just £20 each a night – what a deal.

Staybirmingham.com offers high quality self-catering apartments that are ideal for both short stays and long- term rentals, and conveniently located in the heart of Birmingham city centre. Providing a genuine home from home, all apartments are fully furnished with TVs, sofas, fully-equipped kitchens, dining areas, spacious bedrooms and more. The 24-hour receptions are easily accessed on foot from any of our apartments. Complimentary Wi-Fi Access is available in each room and reception lobby. Car parking is available upon request.
2/3 person apartment special rate of £75 per night
4/5 person apartment special rate 0f £100 per night

Quote ‘SUPERSONIC’ to book at special festival rate

T: +44 (0) 871 971 2952
E: sales[at]staybirmingham.com

Photograph by Pascal Bourdon

A statement by Justin Broadrick about their difficult performance at Hellfest, we can assure you that every care will be taken at Supersonic to make sure that Godflesh are properly sound checked and have the correct equipment.
We can’t wait!

GODFLESH @ Hellfest. Okay, if you were in attendance for this then I am sure you are aware of how disappointed we were with what transpired, and we are sure you are / were most likely disappointed too.
I am afraid that it was all utterly beyond our control, we salvaged a performance out of what was a fairly ridiculous set of events. The power generator blowing during the set from The Young Gods, on just prior to us, was the catalyst for the ensuing chaos. At one point, performing at all was even in doubt. We had an hour allocated for both soundcheck and stage set up, since there is no soundcheck prior to the start of the festival, unfortunately, something that we really did need, but we were having to put our trust in the one hour allocated before performance, this one hour then became 20 short and extremely stressful minutes, with the stage management proclaiming that we must start immediately without any check of the sound, disastrous for us – additionally, the backline they hired in for us was not entirely correct or had faults with it, Ben’s bass rig specifically, my guitar amp was not right either, the monitors were awful without the time for us to correct them sufficiently, resulting in not hearing virtually any of the Machine in the monitors for nearly all of our opener ‘Like Rats’, the DVD machine for our films was also somewhat faulty. In short, this was an absolute frustrating catalogue of disasters, presenting the band in, for us, one of the worst ways imaginable. We do though consider that we somewhat forged a performance out of a significantly bad situation.
We played 40 of our intended 60 minutes ; quite literally onstage I managed to turn 30 minutes into 40 due to ongoing arguments, during our set, with the stage management.
We’re really sorry to everyone concerned that all this happened and hopefully this will all be rectified at the forthcoming GODFLESH performance at the Supersonic Festival, details below, for those who can make it, of course.
By Justin Broadrick

FURTHER ACTS ANNOUNCED FOR
SUPERSONIC FESTIVAL 2010

HALLOGALLO 2010 – Michael Rother + Friends present the music of NEU!
NAPALM DEATH / PEOPLE LIKE US / DEMONS (W/SICK LLAMA) / OvO / CAVE / PART WILD HORSES MANE ON BOTH SIDES / DOSH / TWEAK BIRD / DRUMCORPS  / PCM

Joining confirmed acts including:

GODFLESH / SWANS / JAILBREAK FEAT. CHRIS CORSANO + HEATHER LEIGH / MELT BANANA / JAMES BLACKSHAW / LICHENS / BONG / GNOD /VOICE OF THE SEVEN THUNDERS / NECRO DEATHMORT / GNAW / EAGLE TWIN / BLUE SABBATH BLACK FIJI

22 – 24 OCTOBER 2010
Birmingham, UK
www.supersonicfestival.com

Tickets on sale now from:
www.theticketsellers.co.uk
www.seetickets.com

Following the news that the 2010 edition of Birmingham’s acclaimed annual Supersonic Festival will be headlined by SWANS and GODFLESH, Capsule are excited to announce a further round of live acts who will also perform at this year’s festival, including HALLOGALLO 2010 and NAPALM DEATH. Tickets are now on sale!

“I´m thrilled to return to Supersonic this year with my new live project Hallogallo 2010. We will present some favourite music by NEU!, Harmonia and from my solo albums. I look forward to Supersonic this year because two great musicians and friends are joining me in Hallogallo 2010: Steve Shelley (drummer of Sonic Youth) and Aaron Mullan (guitar player of Tall Firs). Expect some fast-forward movement!” – Michael Rother, Hallogallo 2010/NEU!

Capsule are also excited to confirm that unquestionably the most influential band in extreme music’s ferocious history NAPALM DEATH will be performing in their hometown to make their first ever Supersonic Festival appearance. Acclaimed as the creators of Grindcore, Napalm Death will be pushing the envelope of metal to new extremes in what is guaranteed to be an unforgettable performance.

“We are very much looking forward to playing Supersonic this year. It’s always great to play a hometown gig, and with this festival being so diverse musically it’s going to be even more fun for us as we rarely get the chance to play such events –  and on the same stage as SWANS, well what can I say?” – Shane Embury, Napalm Death

Also confirmed are an incredible, eclectic mix of music and visual artists, including PART WILD HORSES MANE ON BOTH SIDES with their mesmerizing and unforgettable avant-primitivism,  oVo with their incredible combination of heavy riffage, bombastic drumming and unforgettable vocals, as well as a return from the dark lords of Drum and Bass, PCM. DOSH will be performing, complete with mandatory pots and pans, as well as DRUMCORPS, with their unique, high-energy mix of music production values and the raw power of American hardcore.

TWEAK BIRD are also confirmed, bringing their big drums, fuzzed out baritone guitar and tandem spacey vocal melodies, and also CAVE, with their sickeningly tight drum and bass. There will also be multi-sensory art in the form of DJ and multimedia artist Vicki Bennett, aka PEOPLE LIKE US, and dark visual music trio DEMONS (W/SICK LLAMA).

This latest announcement forms part of a series of line up announcements for Supersonic 2010 with many more exciting acts and artists to be revealed in the coming weeks and months.

Tickets on sale now from:
www.theticketsellers.co.uk
www.seetickets.com

Following the news that the 2010 edition of Birmingham’s acclaimed annual Supersonic Festival will be headlined by SWANS, Capsule are hugely excited to announce the second headlining act, GODFLESH. Acclaimed by many as founders of the industrial metal movement, Godflesh will be returning to their Birmingham roots to play the band’s first UK show in over 10 years. Tickets are now on sale!

Featuring band members Justin Broadrick (ex-Napalm Death and Head of David) and Benny Green (ex-Fall of Because), Godflesh will be bringing their crushing, apocalyptic sound back home to Birmingham in only their second show since they disbanded in 2002.
“We cannot even recall specifically the first Birmingham Godflesh show. Oddly, we think it was supporting Suicide in 1988, just after the release of our first Mini LP on Swordfish, the record label of Birmingham’s best record shop. So it’s only natural that the first Godflesh UK show in its original form in over 10 years, comes home to its birthplace, and for whom better than Supersonic, the organisation responsible for keeping Birmingham on the map with underground music, be it metal or otherwise. It is with great pleasure that Godflesh returns to its roots.” – Justin Broadrick, Godflesh

This rare and exceptional performance by GODFLESH forms part of a series of line up announcements for Supersonic 2010. Also confirmed are with many more exciting acts and artists to be revealed in the coming weeks and months.

Buy tickets: www.theticketsellers.co.uk
www.seetickets.com