Supersonic Festival divulge some exceptional additions to their tenth year anniversary festivities
Aug 11, 2012 | Comments 0
2012 marks the ten year anniversary of this dynamic, experimental, multi-disciplinary arts festival, which identifies the otherwise indescribable connections between contemporary music, art, performance and film. To commemorate this impressive and very special milestone this year, Capsule propose to work with Supersonic alumni and emerging artists to celebrate the achievements of the festival thus far whilst also focusing firmly on the contemporary. Because as well as giving a warm welcome to many influential, era-defining artists over the years, Supersonic always has an uncanny knack for highlighting new acts before everyone else is talking about them.
As previously stated, Capsule’s programme has a sense of spectacle at the very heart of it, always aiming to capture the imagination of the audience, and given that they are celebrating a decade of innovative festival curation, there is no wonder that Supersonic continues to thrive and draw in fans, performers and industry folks from across the globe.
In today’s announcement, the festival programme dynamically evolves as we focus on the addition of more live performances, announce the first panel discussion and some of the films that will be shown, as well as some extra special events which should be the icing on the cake for anyone still debating over whether or not to buy a ticket!
Capsule are totally committed to inviting back festival alumni to perform at Supersonic and are devising unique performances that are far from typical and promise to be absolutely spectacular. One such performance we are proud to present is Oxbow Orchestra. Expect strings, woodwinds, brass, operatic backing vocals and classically contained renderings of the Oxbow song book, featuring Eugene S Robinson and Niko Wenner from Oxbow and an Orchestra who will deliver songs new and old in a format unaccustomed to the blood and sweat of a typical Oxbow outing. The textbook definition – ONCE IN A LIFETIME. This ties in very nicely with the first film announcement which will be Oxbow – The Luxury Of Empire, a very intimate portrait of a band at the peak of their artistic maturity, candid interviews and live footage reveals the trials and tribulations of this band, all told in director Mariexxme’s dark compositional style.
From one large scale event to another (well it is their tenth birthday after all!) Capsule have also invited, Lash Frenzy who will perform ‘Vir Heroicus Sublimis’ as an improvised noise collective, featuring members of Anaal Nathrackh, Beestung Lips, Benediction, Sally and Einstellung. As with all things improvised, nothing is certain, all we know for sure is that there’s more than one person involved and less than 1000. If you weren’t able to get in to the Lash Frenzy vs KK Null performance at Supersonic 2010, then make sure you don’t miss out twice! Speaking of collaborations, Capsule have gone and done it again, putting together another distinctive pairing especially for the anniversary festivities which includes the aforementioned KK Null and Birmingham’s own ORE. In many ways, KK NULL’s collaboration with Lash Frenzy at Supersonic 2010 acted as a proof of concept for the amplified tuba sound of ORE, so it’s entirely fitting for Capsule to bring the two entities together this year. Better still, KK NULL and ORE have gelled so well in the early stages of working on this collaboration that they have also decided to release a limited split CD-R single together, which will be available at the festival.
They will be performing a specially-written twenty minute piece together, culminating in a vast cacophony of sound. Be afraid, be very afraid.
For the first panel discussion, Capsule have chosen a very interesting topic that is at the heart of their own personal ethos when it comes to festival curation – creating art in challenging times. The discussion is called ‘You Can Be You‘ and will feature an array of maverick artists, who, like Capsule/Supersonic Festival, never compromise their integrity and ethos when creating art, or curating an event, or performing. These are; Penny Rimbaud, Jarboe and Eugene Robinson. Offering an insight into some of the hows and whys of maintaining an independent spirit whilst on the very edge of the avant-garde, the panel will debate such topics as, how is the drive to make art sustained under sometimes-difficult circumstances? and after many years of writing and touring music, will the desire to create ever be satiated? Supersonic Festival,now in its 10th year, began as a one-day event and has blossomed into an internationally renowned weekend of music, art and much much more. The panellists have hugely influenced the festival producers, as well as many other artists performing at Supersonic. ‘You Can Be You’ will offer a fascinating insight into the drive and motivation behind some of the most prolific experimental artists around.From maverick musicians to maverick film directors, another documentary that will be screened at the festival is ‘The Bruce Lacey Experience’ by Jeremy Deller and Nick Abrahams. For his new documentary the Turner Prize-winning artist Jeremy Deller and his sometime accomplice Nick Abrahams turn their attention to fellow film pioneer and iconic performance artist Bruce Lacey. Three years in the making the film examines Lacey’s remarkable legacy as a painter and sculptor (creating extraordinary mechanical devices in the 1960s), an avant-garde filmmaker (alongside Dick Lester and Bob Godfrey) and as an all-round cultural chameleon, working with The Goons, The Beatles and even folk-rock super-group Fairport Convention. An intimate portrait of a self confessed ‘silly bugger’ and true visionary artist who, at the age of 85, still lives the bohemian dream; creating art and magic in a farmhouse near Norwich.
Now onto some exciting news about a workshop event that Capsule are arranging. Given the success of Imperfect Cinema last year, Capsule have invited the team back to host a free workshop exploring DIY modes of filming and cinema only this time, the footage people gather using Super 8 cameras will be edited and used as visuals for Drunk in Hell’s performance. All in all, an exciting opportunity for festival goers to be part of the performance and for them to utilise the unique industrial backdrop in a highly creative way. Imperfect Cinema will also be screening the film ‘Bullshit Detector’ – their film about the Crass compilations, which ties in nicely with Penny Rimbaud’s guest appearance. More about that soon!
Finally, further proof that Supersonic Festival wish to unite everyone in their tenth birthday celebrations and to create a fun, memorable 
event, they have confirmed the presence of Vinyl Rally, a large-scale installation combining sound art, video art and kinetic sculpture into every kid and kidult’s dream-hybrid; an immersive participatory play-set playing off vinyl fetishism, video arcade mystique and the machismo of motor sports in a video game played within a real world setting! Classic first person video racing is simulated as remote control cars with styli attached, race across a track constructed from a mass of disused vinyl records. Transmitting sound (produced as the styli skim along the vinyl surface) and vision (from wireless spy cameras mounted to the front of each car) to re-engineered old school racing consoles with immersive 50inch flat screens. Here players navigate the course from the vehicles point of view, not only controlling the cars movements, but also the parameters of the resulting sounds they create via a series of unique audio effects mounted onto the dashboard giving each car its own distinct aural flavour. These sounds are emitted from speakers built into the seats causing them to vibrate in correspondence with the movements on screen, producing a personally immersive experience aurally, visually and physically that can only be truly appreciated seated at the controls. I don’t know about you but I for one cannot wait to get behind this mean machine!
event, they have confirmed the presence of Vinyl Rally, a large-scale installation combining sound art, video art and kinetic sculpture into every kid and kidult’s dream-hybrid; an immersive participatory play-set playing off vinyl fetishism, video arcade mystique and the machismo of motor sports in a video game played within a real world setting! Classic first person video racing is simulated as remote control cars with styli attached, race across a track constructed from a mass of disused vinyl records. Transmitting sound (produced as the styli skim along the vinyl surface) and vision (from wireless spy cameras mounted to the front of each car) to re-engineered old school racing consoles with immersive 50inch flat screens. Here players navigate the course from the vehicles point of view, not only controlling the cars movements, but also the parameters of the resulting sounds they create via a series of unique audio effects mounted onto the dashboard giving each car its own distinct aural flavour. These sounds are emitted from speakers built into the seats causing them to vibrate in correspondence with the movements on screen, producing a personally immersive experience aurally, visually and physically that can only be truly appreciated seated at the controls. I don’t know about you but I for one cannot wait to get behind this mean machine!Believe it or not, there is still plenty more to announce as well as a breakdown of the day scheduling so stay tuned for more news very soon! And don’t forget that the final Supersonic teaser show in London featuring King Midas Sound System, JK Flesh and Glatze commences on Thursday 9 August at Corsica Studios, so any last minute plugs you can give that would be much appreciated.
As a reminder, here is a list of the line up as it stands; Body/Head/Bohren Und Der Club Of Gore/The Bug/Carlton Melton/Clifford Torus/Dope Body/Drunk In Hell/ Dylan Carlson/Flower-Corsano/Goat/Hey Colossus/Hookworms/Hype Williams/Islaja/Jarboe/JK Flesh/Kevin Drumm/KK Null/KK Null Feat Ore/Lash Frenzy/Lau Lau/Lichens/Merzbow/My Disco/Nicholas Bullen/Oxbow Orchestra/PCM/Rangda/Richard Dawson/Ruins Alone/Sir Richard Bishop/Six Organs Of Admittance/Small But Hard showcase/Stian Westerhus/SWLLWS/Thomas Ankersmit/Tim Hecker/Tomoutonttu/Ufomammut/Warm Digits and Zeni Geva
Below you will find the full listings and extended information about each of the acts already confirmed:
Body/Head KIM GORDON A founding member of Sonic Youth – where she plays bass and guitar and sings, Kim Gordon has also been involved in numerous collaborations with other artists and musicians including Julie Cafritz and Yoshimi in Free Kitten, Mirror/Dash with Thurston Moore and others including Lydia Lunch, Vincent Gallo, and Yoko Ono. With an extensive history in the world of art, both as an artist, writer and curator Gordon has maintained ongoing creative relationships with visual artists such as Dan Graham, Raymond Pettibon, Mike Kelley, Jutta Koether and Richard Prince and exhibited her own installation work across the US, Japan and Europe. BILL NACE Guitarist Bill Nace has ripped a new black hole in the free rock universe as a constant, energising presence in the Boston area performing with Chris Corsano in Vampire Belt (and together with Jessica Rylan as Vampire Can’t), Thurston Moore in Northampton Wools, x.0.4 with Jake Meginsky & John Truscinski and a coruscating duo with free reed player Paul Flaherty. His collaborations even extended to a short-lived association with Brighton noiseniks Dylan Nyoukis & Karen Constance (aka Blood Stereo) under the Ceylon Mange moniker. Nace has released LPs on Ecstatic Peace!, 8mm, Ultra Eczema and more… Bohren & Der Club of Gore If you enjoy it slow and low, Germany’s Bohren & Der Club Of Gore will very likely do the trick. In fact, with each subsequent release the German quartet’s music grows increasingly refined. Playing together since 1988, that band hint at doom, jazz, drone and contemporary classical with an unparalleled restrain. Live shows are few and far between. We are honoured to host them at Supersonic Festival 2012. http://www.bohrenundderclubofgore.de/
The Bug
The Bug’s music draws influence from dancehall, noise grime and hip hop. More subtle influences include dubstep and dubtronica.
The Bug’s first album, Tapping The Conversation, was released in 1997 on the seminal Wordsound label. The album was conceived as an alternative soundtrack to the 1974 Francis Ford Coppola film The Conversation. In this incarnation The Bug consisted of Kevin Martin and DJ Vadim was in more of a downtempo and trip-hop vein. From 2001-2004 The Bug collaborated with UK reggae soundsystem veteran The Rootsman on a number of limited edition 7″ singles, released on the Razor X label. These releases were characterised by their harsh, aggressive nature both musically and vocally (vocal artists including Jamaican MCs such as He-Man and Wayne Lonesome). The Bug’s second album, Pressure was released on Rephlex Records in 2003. It included a number of more ambient, dub-influenced tracks alongside the ragga-tinged onslaughts. The Razor X singles were compiled on the Killing Sound album (along with newer material) which was released by Rephlex in 2006. Bug projects have included collaborations with a number of singers and MCs including Cutty Ranks, Flow Dan, Warrior Queen and Ras B.
