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When Capsule announced that Supersonic festival would be coming back this year, at the end of this month in fact, we were all very happy. It's probably best festival in the world, blah blah blah, you've heard all this before. I did an excitable preview of it (https://www.echoesanddust.com/2014/04/o-festival-preview-supersonic) because it had a fantastic line-up from the off.
A few weeks went by and everything was great. We were all getting on with our lives, killing time before the festival. Then suddenly, out of nowhere, they revealed that the opening of Alfie Birds (a new venue at the Custard Factory) meant that there would now be two stages, a shitload more bands, and an extra 200 tickets released. No biggie. But it is nearly sold out so if you fancy going, you'd better get yourself a ticket. I've already got mine so, if nothing else, you'll can take comfort in the fact that I'll be there.
Here's a quick run through the new additions, along with a few extra-curricular activities.
Khunnt
I don't even know what you'd call Khunnt without resorting to staid cliche. Vague music journo terms might include experimental doom, or noise doom, but that doesn't really express what they do at all. They've perfected their brand of minimalist, barely controlled percussive heaviness over the last eight years and have picked up a surprising cohort in Geordie experimental folk hero Richard Dawson, Supersonic's bard in residence and all-round megadude. They'll be making a shameful racket that both arouses and disgusts.
Sly and the Family Drone
They've gotten a lot of attention over the past few years, partly because of their brilliant name and partly because of the quality of their output. Theirs is a bizarre, yet rather effective set up. The classic "two drummers, two vocalists, cassettes and FX pedals". My favourite acts at Supersonic are always ones that require a table and a shitload of wires, and Sly and the Family Drone are one of those. Their racket is one that is sorely lacking in most music, and joyous to watch - they actually put on a visual show or, at least, jump about a bit on stage. Expect high volume, with lots of screaming, percussion, and knob twiddling.
Opium Lord
I'd personally say that Opium Lord are the new kings of Brummie heaviness. That's me, personally, speaking as a person. Sludge is booming at the moment - fuck the B-Town indie bullshit, the leaders of the new Birmingham music frontier are this avant-sludge fivesome. Opium Lord's members are veterans of bands like Mothertrucker, Stinky Wizzleteat, and History of the Hawk. Their fantastic EP "The Calendrical Cycle - Prologue: The Healer" was, well, fantastic. They're currently recording their full-length debut and yeah, I'm a fan.
ANTA
Bristol-based Anta are a space rock/psychedelic unit, exploring the outer limits of consciousness through unique, synthy prog. Their debut 'The Tree That Bears The Equine Fruit' is essential listening for connoissuers of the UK scene. And while they never fail to bring the jams, they are also much heavier than people give them credit for. Last year's 'Centurionaut' ploughed much the same field as their debut, but also pushed the envelope of what the band is all about. They are unpredictable, funky, laid back and sexy, like me.
Evil Blizzard
Evil Blizzard are an aggresively masked, multi-bass funk machine whose shocking image and technical set-up belies actual good songs that are actually good. They look scary and they wear masks and stuff but they are closer to Frank Zappa than GWAR in attitude and intent. They've managed to build up a sizeable following on the back of various live performances and some great music videos, one of which is shown below.
Chris Brokaw
A big coup for the festival this year has been in securing Chris Brokaw. Like Sir Stephen Bishop (who played last time) he specialises in pieces for electric guitar. He is influenced by alternative rock while not strictly adhering to it, taking it in more imaginative and contemplative directions. He came to prominence as part of Codeine, and later Come, before diving in movie soundtracks. Both bands recently reunited but that doesn't mean Chris Brokaw can't come and have a bit of fun in Birmingham.
Alien Whale
Another band bringing the psychedelic jams are space rock trio Alien Whale. You know the score - pounding rhythms, humongous riffs, and a total pain in the ass to search for on Google. That shouldn't detract from the live experience, however, and Alien Whale should be great for fans of previous Supersonickers Mothertrucker (2011), Earthless (2009), and Gnod (2012). All of those bands should be in your mind when you're listening to them. Soon every band offering slab after slab of endless stratospheric riffs will have played the Supersonic.
Rattle
Two drummers a guitarist, and that's it. That's Rattle. Three great musicians (Theresa Wrigley of Fists with Katharine Brown and Mark Spivey of Kogumaza) making a danceable racket from percussion and voices. It's almost monastic in its sparsity, using repetition to gradually expand outwards and build towards a big, sweaty, drummy orgasm.
Youth Man
Youth Man have been making inroads at the heavier end of the NME-promoted B-Town movement, providing a punk inflected nineties sound reminiscent of the muscularity of early Manics with the frantic energy of X-Ray Spex. They're not afraid of sharp left turns in their music, occasionally devolving into abstract noodling or surprising progressions, which marks them out from their less imaginative peers.
Backwards
All you need to know about Backwards is that they feature ex-members of Beestung Lips, Una Corda and Napalm Death. Combining creaking sludge with chugging noise, they sound like a dying robot struggling for air. They describe themselves as "the fag end of No Wave meets the ugly monotone of Hate Sludge. Two basses, drums, voice and electronics." They're like early Swans, if Swans were a bit more depressed and came from the Black Country.
Karen Gwyer
The junk synth stylings of Karen Gwyer have made her a big draw across electronic venues throughout Europe. She's on Opal Tapes, also home to fellow act Basic House. And while her style is more rhythmic and, dare I say, pop than his, that doesn't make it any less entertaining or worthwhile. She's an extremely talented musician and composer, with a great ear for atmospheric beats. She takes influence from chiptune and 8-bit themes alongside traditional EDM to create her own unique style.
Besides all the music, there's also a few extra-curricular activities:
Death Waltz Records and The Duke Mitchell Film Club at the Theatre Space
Fuck knows what this will be, given the two outfits that are putting it on. Death Waltz specialise in obscure, rare-to-find soundtracks, while Duke Mitchell do the same with weird old films. Whatever it is, it'll be worth seeing - a bizarre mixture of film and music that will take over the cinema tent on Saturday night.
Run What Ya Brung
Morton/Underwood's monthly meet up If Wet - their experimental audio night in the local village hall recently featured in The Wire magazine - are doing a special Supersonic version of their Run What Ya Brung feature, in collaboration with local art agency Stryx. Basically, people are asked to bring whatever weird stuff they like/have found/invented, as long as it makes a noise. A friendly exploration of audio art, by nice people, for interested audiences.
The Quietus At Leisure
Hit music blog The Quietus are showing a few short films, as part of a series that investigates what a few chosen musicians get up to in their spare time which editor Luke Taylor has been completing over the past two years. Included is one featuring Steve Ignorant of Crass, who - when not bending minds as part of Crass - is involved in manning RNLI lifeboats. Another features Alan Sparhawk and his obsession with American Football. Cosey Fanni Tutti (COUM, Throbbing Gristle, Carter Tutti) features in another demonstrating her work in organic vegetable gardening, and Stephen Morris (Joy Division and New Order) showing off his collection of military artifacts.
Swoomptheeng Disco
They all wear costumes and make fucked up disco music filtered through rave and rock, until it becomes something different, better, unique, and they'll be in Alfie Birds from 12am till 2am, hoovering up everyone who isn't at Swans. Good luck guys!
Quite a weekend, right? I think there's a handful of tickets left so if you haven't got one yet then, well, buy one.
