Earlier this month Modified Toy Orchestra premiered their new album Plastic Planet at the Birmingham Town Hall. On Sunday / 10 / October this performance will travel to Bridgewater Hall, Manchester.

Modified Toy Orchestra make experimental electronic music. But, unlike most experimental electronic music there are no laptops, no midi, no samplers and no synthesisers. In fact, no conventional instruments are used at all. Instead, a series of children’s electronic toys, rescued from car boot sales, have been modified to utilise new connections within each toy, liberating the previously disregarded, surplus value always held within their circuits.

Here’s some pictures from the Birmingham show, which was really fantastic::

And a review from The Times::

And here’s a video of Brian Duffy on BBC News demonstrating some of the toys that make up the orchestra. To watch the video follow this link.

Tickets are £13, and are available from here.

Don’t forget the first lady of avant-folk Josephine Foster, and Victor Herrero are playing at the Hare and Hounds this Wednesday (29/september/2010). They’re doing their interpretation of Federico Garcia Lorca’s “Las Canciones Populares Espanolas”, a collection of popular Spanish folk songs that had been banned during General Franco’s dictatorship in the 1940’s.

Foster’s voice is probably best described as sounding a bit like a 1930’s Kate Bush. You could also liken it to Bjork and Joanna Newsom, but it’s so eccentric, it’s really difficult to compare. Josephine describes The Victor Herrero Band as being like “a Andalusian jug band playing very energetic and animated music”, so the combination of Josephine and Victor creates a sound like very little else out there.

To give you some idea of what to expect, here’s Josephine and Victor performing ‘Los Contrabandistas De Ronda’::

Josephine Foster and the Victor Herrero Band play the Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath, Birmingham on Wednesday / 29 / September 2010. Advance tickets cost £10, and are available from here, or by popping into Polar Bear (York Road, Kings Heath) / Swordfish Records (Temple Street, Birmingham).

Following the news that the 2010 edition of Birmingham’s acclaimed annual Supersonic Festival will be headlined by NAPALM DEATH, SWANS, GODFLESH, HALLOGALLO and MELT BANANA, Capsule are excited to announce the final few acts who will be appearing at this year’s festival, as well as reveal highlights from the incredible film, talks and visual arts programme.

Latest additions to the Supersonic line-up include the awesome live orchestra, Chrome Hoof, experimental hardcore band Ruins, the heavy riffage of Dethscalator and the melancholic pop sounds of Daniel O’Sullivan’s new project, Mothlite. Also, a special AV set from the hugely evocative Barn Owl, the psych/folk/electronic sounds of Health & Efficiency, regular jazz meets free improv in the form of Steve Tromans & Dan Nicholls Duo and Black Sun Drum Corps presenting a percussion parade through the festival, which will combine Supersonic Festival performers and audience members to create a visceral and live massed drumming experience. From metal to avant garde 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.

Tickets on sale now
Friday: £20, Sat/Sun: £35, Weekend: £75

FRIDAY 22ND OCTOBER
NAPALM DEATH
DEAD FADER / DEMONS (W/SICK LLAMA) / DEVILMAN (W/DJ SCOTCH EGG) / DRUMCORPS / FUKPIG / GUM TAKES TOOTH / NECRO DEATHMORT / PCM

SATURDAY 23RD OCTOBER
GODFLESH + MELT BANANA
BLUE SABBATH BLACK FIJI / CAVE / CLOAKS (exclusive solo DJ set) / DOSH / EAGLE TWIN / GNAW / GNOD / KING MIDAS SOUND / LASH FRENZY vs KK NULL / LICHENS / OvO / PART WILD HORSES MANE ON BOTH SIDES / PEOPLE LIKE US / STEVE TROMAN & DAN NICHOLLS DUO / STINKY WIZZLETEAT /  TWEAK BIRD

SUNDAY 24TH OCTOBER
SWANS + HALLOGALLO
BARN OWL / BLACK SUN DRUM CORPS / CHROME HOOF / DETHSCALATOR / BONG / FACTORY FLOOR / HEALTH & EFFICIENCY / JAILBREAK FEAT. CHRIS CORSANO + HEATHER LEIGH / JAMES BLACKSHAW / KHYAM ALLAMI AND MASTER MUSICIANS OF BUKKAKE / MOTH LITE /  MUGSTAR /  NISENNENMONDAI / PETER BRODERICK / PIERRE BASTIEN + MALE INSTRUMENTY / RUINS / VOICE OF THE SEVEN THUNDERS / ZENI GEVA

For more info about the festival see www.supersonicfestival.com

Saturday 23rd October
11am + 2.30pm
mac Cannon Hill Park Birmingham B12 9QH
Tickets £5 Bookings 0121 446 3232 www.macarts.co.uk
For 2 – 7 year olds and their families
A 1 hr workshop & performance exploring experimental music aimed and kids and their families.

Ever since Schoenberg and Kandinsky became pen pals back in 1907, avant-garde art and experimental music has been attempting to find some common ground.  But, it’s not been easy.  While modern art is a mass phenomenon, experimental music is often derided and ignored by the masses.  Here’s our contribution towards a solution: ‘Big Sounds for Little People’.  If you couldn’t guess from the snappy title, it’s a gig, for kids and their families, which aims to introduce children to experimental music at an early age.

Featuring US based, Dosh, a one-man band, a virtuoso, and West Midlands local circuit-bending fiend Glatze.  Glatze uses customised instruments (including: circuit-bent Furby dolls and kids’ toys) that have been specially rewired to create all sorts of musical wizardry. Dosh a multi-instrumentalist; combines a host of instruments into an exciting and unique live experience.  See firsthand how these unlikely instruments are used to make noise / sound / music, and to have a go yourselves.

Produced by Capsule + mac with support from Bright Space + SAM

For info about Supersonic Festival check here

Thanks to all who came to this show at the magnificent Town Hall. It was a sell out show and both MTO and Micronormous were wonderful.

The Times review by Stephen Dalton:

With a rocket that can count up to ten in different languages, a toy guitar, a Speak and Spell and a creepy-looking Hula Barbie, no Orchestra comes anywhere close to being like Modified Toy Orchestra.

Read the full Brum live review here
Pictures: Katja Ogrin, Words: Ross Cotton

Next Capsule show is 29th September at Hare and Hounds – avant folk artist Josephine Foster performing a special collection of traditional Spanish folk songs along with the Victor Herrero band, support from sound artist Swallows.Tickets can be purchased in Polar Bear, Swordfish and here

The first lady of avant-folk Josephine Foster and her partner Victor Herrero present their interpretation of the songs that make up Federico Garcia Lorca’s “Las Canciones Populares Espanolas”, a collection of popular Spanish folk songs that had been banned during General Franco’s dictatorship in the 1940’s.  The songs survive today as part of the Spanish sub-conscious and their reinterpretation, on their album Anda Jaleo, is intended to highlight the persistence of popular music.

Foster’s voice sounds like it’s emerging from some dusty wartime vinyl, with an operatic tone probably best described as sounding a bit like a 1930’s Kate Bush.  You could also liken it with Bjork and Joanna Newsom, but it’s so eccentric, it’s really difficult to compare.

Victor Herrero grew up in a monastery build by Franco just outside Madrid, which ties in nicely with the ‘popular music triumphing over an autocratic dictator’ theme to the album.  He comes with he’s own live band, The Victor Herrero Band, who Josephine describes as being like “a Andalusian jug band playing very energetic and animated music”.  The combination of Josephine and Victor creates a sound like very little else out there.

To give you some idea of what to expect, here’s Josephine and Victor performing ‘Los Contrabandistas De Ronda’::

Josephine Foster and the Victor Herrero Band play the Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath, Birmingham on Wednesday / 29 / September 2010.  Advance tickets cost £10, and you can buy one by clicking on these words, or by popping into Polar Bear (York Road, Kings Heath) / Swordfish Records (Temple Street, Birmingham).

Another Supersonic Festival podcast for your listening pleasure from the ever enigmatic Little Chris responsible for the fantastic  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)

Tickets for the festival are available from HERE
and if you fancy volunteering the deadline is the 21st Sept and you can find out more from HERE