With just under 2 weeks until the Library of Birmingham opens we are well underway with all of our installs for The Discovery Season. The Pavilion created by Morag Myserscough and Luke Morgan is now complete and looks amazing. Studio Myerscough have created a structure that will act as a billboard for the entire Discovery Programme. Situated in the Library foyer, The Pavilion will house an 18-week rolling programme of creative residencies focused around the theme of Discovery.
Entirely hand–crafted and hand-painted The Pavilion is a bold and engaging structure reflecting the diverse, and often radical, offerings of the Discovery Season. A neon crown of signs uses words that originated from discussions and workshops with the Birmingham 2022 group.

Still Walking is a one of a kind festival, it covers a wide range of experiences, with no set remit, as long as it involves walking! And their Kickstarter project is currently live, they’re looking for support for the edition of the festival and there’s lots of tempting rewards for your generosity, from historic maps to personalised events.

Ben Waddington is a local historian, with a list of interests longer than anyone’s arm I’ve seen. He created Still Walking to showcase different people’s pockets of enthusiasm and expertise. Previous tours have focused on subjects from brutalist architecture to typography to Black Sabbath and moss growing on buildings.

Read more about their fundraising campaign at www.kickstarter.com/projects/stillwalking/still-walking-festival

Here is another sneak preview of the work we’ve commissioned for the Discovery Trail which is being installed over the next week or so. The Juneau Projects commission is a site specific piece in response to the vegetable beds located on the 3rd floor garden terrace at the Library of Birmingham, Vegetable Quest is a series of vegetable family dioramas sheltered within the vegetable beds, exploring the idea of self- sufficiency and how people and communities might survive following an imagined global disaster. The artists have devised a folklore that explores the diverse origins of each species and link this with the idea of settlement. Migration is one of our key themes within the Discovery Season.





All photos courtesy of Juneau Projects

The Library of Birmingham opens on the 3rd of September and the Discovery Season runs until the end of December.

As part of the Bring To Light weekend. we’ll be paying homage to one of the pioneers of electronic music, Delia Derbyshire. The Delia Darlings exist to pay sonic homage to Derbyshire via her archive held at University of Manchester. Currently, Delia Darlings are experimental electronic Caro C and contemporary classical Ailís Ní Ríain. After Delia Derbyshire Day in Manchester in Jan 2013, the darlings have an info-show that spreads the magic of the fascinating archive.

The aim of this project is to increase the profile and honour the legacy of the late great Delia Derbyshire, as well as championing female experimental composers past and present.

www.deliaderbyshireday.wordpress.com

At Bring To Light, Delia Darlings will present:

Caro C – live performance of ‘Audient, My Dear’ and Ailís Ní Ríain – live performance of “The Consquences of Falling” for trumpet and double bass . Both performances will be creative response to interacting with the archive of Delia Derbyshire.

Both performances will be preceded by an intro sharing insights into Delia’s archive and working methods and playing extracts from the archive which have rarely been heard in public. There’ll also be a Q&A with the artists.

Plus screening of Kara Blake’s award-winning documentary “The Delian Mode”

There’s a lovely interview with Delia Derbyshire on soundcloud, where she discusses working at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, and her famous work on the Doctor Who theme.

Full line up :

Dinos Chapman / Shangaan Electro / Josephine Foster / Clipping / Deafheaven / Masaki Batoh / Robedoor / Zomes / High Wolf / Kogumaza / Richard Dawson / Sleaford Mods / Sarah Angliss / Delia Darlings / Laurence Hunt / Hordes

Weekend tickets are limited make sure you get them in advance from theticketsellers.co.uk

We’re pleased to announce that OM will return to Birmingham on Tuesday 26th November at the Rainbow Warehouse.

Tickets are available from www.theticketsellers.co.uk

OM is a duo from San Francisco, California, United States, formed in 2003 by the rhythm section of the disbanded stoner metal band Sleep. The band’s first three albums feature Al Cisneros on vocals and bass and Chris Hakius on drums.
The band’s music is similar in structure to Tibetan and Byzantine chant and is rich in rhythm and melody. Their music and lyrics lift off at the beginning and slowly mutate giving a feeling of evolution inside each song. The vocals have a monotone quality, producing, on some tracks, a noticeable hypnotic effect of the sort that tends to be appealing to the devotees of the many various genres of druggishly-bent, “space” music – but which not all music calling itself stoner rock necessarily is able to cause.
On January 2008, Hakius left the band and was replaced by drummer Emil Amos, of Grails. In 2011 Robert Lowe (Lichens) joined the group.

Members:
Al Cisneros – bass guitar, vocals
Emil Amos – drums
Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe – Vocal, Keyboards, Percussion, Tambura

Click through to hear our August playlist, with a Bring To Light focus, it features Kogumaza, Shangaan Electro, Sleaford Mods, Josephine Foster, High Wolf and more.

soundcloud.com/supersonic-festival/sets/capsule-playlist-august-2013

Full line up :

Dinos Chapman / Shangaan Electro / Josephine Foster / Clipping / Deafheaven / Masaki Batoh / Robedoor / Zomes / High Wolf / Kogumaza / Richard Dawson / Sleaford Mods / Sarah Angliss / Delia Darlings / Laurence Hunt / Hordes

Weekend tickets are limited make

sure you get them in advance from theticketsellers.co.uk

Here’s a little sneak preview of the work we’ve commissioned by artist Lucy  McLauchlan for the Library of Birmingham Discovery Trail.  Lucy  McLauchlan’s  site  specific artwork sits within the spectacular  surrounds  of  the   Book  Rotunda. Yesterday Joe and team began the complex task of installing the work, and they’re doing an amazing job, we can’t wait to see the finished piece it’s going to be really stunning. Each block is being carefully placed on the book shelves in this massive space.
The Library opens on the 3rd of September and the work will be on display until the end of December.

Lucy describes her process “I spent some time in John Madin’s library making sketches, rubbings and photographs documenting the architectural features and absorbing Madin’s style and use of materials. This research material has influenced my final artwork (which was important to me to include some of the old into the new, a nod of respect) as has the new library been my other source, with it’s constant circles, ever connecting.”

With thanks to Katja Ogrin for the photographs