Final call out for young creatives to apply for Birmingham 2022 – a fantastic opportunity to generate alternative vision for the future of arts and culture in Birmingham and learn real skills in journalism. In partnership with Fused Magazine and IdeasTap, this project will feed into the Capsule curated opening season for Library of Birmingham.

This brief closes on Friday 1 March at 5pm and is open to IdeasTap members aged 16 to 24 and living in the West Midlands.

The group of 20 young creatives will produce and create all of the following:
• Content for a new website for young people by young people
• A real-time capsule, which will be placed in the new Library of Birmingham and unearthed in 10 years time
• A professional standard print magazine-style brochure for the Library of Birmingham opening season with a distribution of 50,000

If you win, you will also receive:
• A unique personal development opportunity
• The chance to develop both your artistic and employment skills
• Careers development within the creative and cultural industries
• An opportunity to share your views with cultural organisations and other young people
• £50 – to cover initial expenses
• The opportunity to meet and work with industry folks and mentors

For more information and details on how to apply visit IdeasTap

Best of luck!

Capsule and Vivid Projects co-commission Sonic Graffiti led to many exciting opportunities for artist Sam Underwood, including a residency at Bristol’s Ished. The residency programme offered artists the rare opportunity to experiment with new technologies to create cutting edge new artworks.

Whilst in residence, Sam, along with composer Timothy X Atack, rescued an ancient rotting harmonium and transformed it into a worldwide sound installation that will play for a hundred years.The artists plan to scatter encased reeds from the instrument through flea markets and junk stalls in the hope that they will find themselves around the globe. In an age where everything is based on fast results, Geiger-Muller Sound System hope the joy of this project

will live far longer than the originators themselves. Read more about the project here or read the artists’ blog entries.

You can watch a video of the project here

A playlist of tracks we’re currently enjoying, including Barn Owl, Lee Gamble and Drunk in Hell

You can now listen online to Adam Beckley’s performance at St Paul’s church in May last year, supporting Esmerine. Physical copies of the recording have now sold out but you can stream online or buy a digital copy. Click through to listen.

“This record came out of a recording where I was lucky enough to support Esmerine (featuring members of Godspeed! You Black Emperor, Set Fire To Flames, Silver Mt Zion). It was made extra special by being able to play in the beautiful St Paul’s Church in Birmingham. Thank-you to Capsule for asking me to play, and all who came to the show!”

Our next event at the lovely St Paul’s church takes place Saturday 27th April and features Barn Owl, Grumbling Fur and Ex Easter Island Head. Tickets are available via www.theticketsellers.co.uk

Grumbling Fur artwork by Alexander Tucker

In advance of our special event in April at St Paul’s church, check out Grumbling Fur who will be performing along with Barn Owl and Ex Easter Island Head.

The duo of Daniel O’Sullivan and Alexander Tucker will be familiar to any Supersonic fans, Tucker performed to a packed out Theatre space in 2011 and also performed in 2006 and 2008 (watch). O’Sullivan  has performed at the festival under various guises including Miasma and the Carousel of Headless Horses (watch), Guapo and Mothlite.

“The dual vocals of O’Sullivan and Tucker are a defining feature, but the masterful, metamorphosing fluidity of their instrumental play is just staggeringly attuned and requires your attention at the nearest possible opportunity if you’re into anything from Barn Owl to Æthenor or The Haxan Cloak.” Boomkat

Saturday 27th April
Supersonic Festival presents:
Barn Owl + Grumbling Fur + Ex Easter Island Head
St Paul’s Church, Birmingham
Tickets are £14 advance via www.theticketsellers.co.uk

In addition to pushing the genres of drone and ambient guitar further than most, the Barn Owl guys seem to have pretty good taste when it comes to selecting records. Check out their playlist for Self Titled mag featuring Swans, Les Rallizes Denudes and Fushitsusha.

You can purchase advance tickets for their show in Birmingham on Saturday 27th April at St Paul’s Church with Grumbling Fur and Ex Easter Island Head via www.theticketsellers.co.uk

Capsule are delighted to embark upon a new partnership with the University of Birmingham, supporting an artist to make and display work in response to the university’s fascinating and varied collections.

Sound artist Sarah Farmer will be working with both the Lapworth Museum of Geology and the Winterbourne botanical collection through spring 2013. Farmer will explore the collections, spend time with the curators and staff, and will create sound based works in response to her time there.

This a new artistic venture for the university, and an exciting opportunity for Capsule to further our artist support programme.

Read more about the project here

For the Heavy Metal of course!

In its recent UK city culture guides, the Guardian highlighted the city’s Heavy Metal heritage as the key cultural highlight of Birmingham. With a nod to Capsule’s Home of Metal project and 2011 programme, they recommend a visit to Brum to check out the current heavy music scene.