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 supersonic 07
 to access audio and video on collective you need real player.Once upon a time in the Midlands. Confined to the complex of galleries, cafes and small venues which occupy the ex-industrial units of The Custard Factory, watching a band at SuperSonic can feel like you've stumbled upon the private and possibly forbidden activities of a secret society – a very different experience to standing in a field, squinting at figures on a distant stage. Now in its fifth year, Birmingham's SuperSonic festival has gradually increased in size and scope, boasting a roster that combines some of the most notorious international performers with exciting local talent.  Sun o))) and Chrome Hoof. The emphasis at SuperSonic is on discovering new music, and celebrating the creative freedom of artists who are expressing themselves with little regard for the commercial viability of their output. These experimental acts, though diverse, have some traits in common – often pushing a concept to an extreme, stripping a sound down to its core, and doing it all with a certain theatrical flourish. It's this sense of adventure which brings together the likes of Andrew Dymond (aka Duracell), the human chiptune machine whose customised drum kit allows him to cover videogame soundtracks, with Oxbow Duo, who delivered an astonishingly powerful acoustic set accompanied by rousing electric drones in a one-off performance of You Pay First.  Shit and Shine and Modified Toy Orchestra. SuperSonic is the brainchild of Lisa Meyer and Jenny Moore, who as Capsule have been holding experimental music and art events in the West Midlands since 1999. The festival's eclectic line-up directly reflects their own taste - chosen for themselves in the hope of reaching an audience who feel the same way about music. "Because we've been to a lot of these things," explains Lisa, "we were clear about how we didn't want to do a festival, and we didn't want one type of music". The shared enthusiasm of artists and audience at SuperSonic 07 demonstrated that Capsule have struck a (lung-vibrating and low frequency) chord with the community they have brought together. This hunger for the unknown and sonically forbidden, leads us to wonder: what surprises could the next SuperSonic bring?
David Thair
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see also
 chrome hoofreview  sunn o)))interview  tunngreview  tunngreview  mogwaisession  mogwaireview  mogwaireview  kling klangreview  mark titchnerturner prize
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