SUPERSONIC FESTIVAL, DIGBETH
Digbeth, Birmingham home to many colourful murals, a smattering of indie shops and, more recently, a burgeoning foodie scene that has made its way very successfully despite being outside the main shopping area. Big rent prices and rates, alongside landlords who won’t give independent businesses the time of day, have put pay to dreams of high footfall high street locations, but the city centre’s loss has been Digbeth’s gain.
It’s been a long slog for those who have been part of the cultural Eastside scene (2 decades for many) and even walking down the quarter of a mile from the Bullring you might wonder what all the fuss is about – but like anything interesting, unusual and share-worthy it’s for those in the know – check out the numerous art galleries in the back street factory spaces, or head to the lively Digbeth Dining Club that is on an ever-increasing goal of expansion. If you’re heading to Digbeth you’ve got to do the prep work to find out what is going on in which alley or under which archway.
Quite apt then for the past 15 years the area has been home to Supersonic Festival. Searching for experimentation in music and art the team bring people together a weekend of live sounds and art interventions with 2018 seeing the festival return to its spiritual home of the Custard Factory. After a short hiatus trying out other venues the return to the multi-use site is sure to bring back fond memories to those who have been before, as well as offering an exciting new space to first-timers.
The Supersonic Festival 2018 line up this year includes artist DENNIS MCNETT’s first major project in the UK as artist-in-residence at the festival. In collaboration with a number of the musicians and audience members at the festival, Dennis McNett will create a large-scale procession, where the art will become performance as the event unfolds.
Supersonic will play host to the first UK premier of a brand new GAZELLE TWIN album, and welcomes the debut UK performance Toronto based film composer MARK KORVEN (The Witch) on a new instrument creating horrifying sounds called The Apprehension Engine. ROBERT AIKI AUBREY LOWE will be guest curator, performing YUNOHANA VARIATIONS (along with SUSIE IBARRA and YOSHIMIO of Boredoms/OOIOO) for the first time in the UK.
MOOR MOTHER and NIK VOID (FACTORY FLOOR) will not only perform at Supersonic this year but will also be the artists-in-residence in the MOOG SOUNDLAB the festival welcome veteran musicians SHIRLEY COLLINS and THE EX to perform, the latter will also be leading the SUPERSONIC KID’S GIG this year.
Don’t expect the ordinary in Digbeth – you just won’t find it.
SUPERSONIC LINE-UP
Friday
Croww / Goat (Jp) / Housewives / Moor Mother / The Ex / Wetware
+ Ideas of Noise stage featuring a feast of experimental sounds from the Midlands and beyond
Saturday
Gazelle Twin UK premier of new material
Angel-Ho / Andrea Belfi / Cattle / Connected Devices – Sam Underwood + Graham Dunning / Deaf Kids / Faka / Jennifer Walshe / Joasihno / Mario Batkovic / Nik Void / Terminal Cheesecake / The Dwarfs of East Agouza Vanishing Twin / Yerba Mansa / Youth Man / Yves Tumor
Sunday
Shirley Collins
Yunohana Variations – YoshimiO (Boredoms, OOIOO) + Susie Ibarra + Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe (Lichens)
Daniel Higgs / Gnod / Group A / Mark Korven – composer of The Witch / Mésange / Modern Ritual – Laura Cannell + Charles Hayward / Olanza
Tomaga live soundtrack to Kenneth Angers ‘Lucifer Rising’ / Trikilatops / Wolves In The Throne Rooms / UKAEA
Dennis McNett procession
+ talks/workshops/installations + much more throughout the weekend
