Have a listen to Stans Cafe – The Commentators who are in residence in the Discovery Pavilion for the opening week of the Library of Birmingham – there is an archive of their last few days commentary via Sound Cloud.
https://soundcloud.com/the-commentators/sets/the-library-of-birmingham-1

and you can listen to a live stream from 10am tomorrow via http://www.stanscafe.co.uk/?p=2891

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.

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

We are delighted to announce that tickets are now on sale for our Discover New Music series for the opening of the Library of Birmingham.
Tickets can be purchased via the Box office www.birmingham-box.co.uk 0121 245 4455

Our adventure with the role and function of the Library of Birmingham continues with a series of cutting edge live music performances. The breadth of performances on offer showcase some of the most exciting music around, from internationally renowned artists to young Birmingham bands making a real impact on the independent music scene.

Leftfoot presents Omar
Friday 6 September 2013
Venue Studio Theatre Library of Birmingham
Ticket price £15
Box office www.birmingham-box.co.uk 0121 245 4455

A British soul singer, songwriter and musician, Omar learned his craft classically, playing the trumpet, piano and percussion. Making albums since the early 1990s, his work is often compared to Stevie Wonder’s work of the 1970s. He is described by some as the father of British neo soul.
www.omarmusic.co.uk

Leftfoot was founded back in 2000 by Adam Regan and Richard Whittingham, and has evolved into one of the most important left-of-centre, soul- based projects in the UK. Voted the best Club Night by Gilles Peterson in 2003, the intervening decade has witnessed Leftfoot’s pioneering progression, hosting guests across a vibrant palette covering house, hip-hop, disco, jazz, funk, soul, reggae, electronic drums & bass, techno, Afrobeat, Latin and more.

Rise of Birmingham
Wednesday 2 October 2013
Venue Studio Theatre Library of Birmingham
Ticket price £5
Box office www.birmingham-box.co.uk 0121 245 4455

The city’s music scene has been making an impressive impact on the national indie scene in recent years. Last year, NME celebrated the ‘Rise of Birmingham’ and the diverse indie music scene here. This night will see some performances from some of the best emerging bands in the region including:

Free School
Bringing the sunny Balearic sounds of summer and the icy kosmische sounds of winter, Free School are maximalist and minimalist all at once. wearefreeschool.com

Victories At Sea
Victories At Sea are an experimental three piece, citing influences as wide and diverse as Slowdive, Boards of Canada, and M83 through to more unadulterated alternatives such as Echo and The Bunnymen. victoriesatsea.co.uk

Victor
Noise quintet whose diverse influences blend to create a mash up of genres, creating a new sound that has something for every alternative pallet.
 facebook.com/ victortheverbose

Youth Man
They generate an infectious energy during their intense live show as three individuals grapple with their instruments to whip up a reckless tornado of sound, flailing limbs and musical angst that is a feast for the senses.

Bring To Light Weekend
Friday –Sunday 25-27 October
Venue Rainbow Warehouse + Studio Theatre Library of Birmingham
Ticket price £40 weekend ticket
Box office www.theticketsellers.co.uk
0844 870 0000

Capsule will curate a weekend of adventurous music, celebrating the very best in new music and performance. Producing extraordinary events for adventurous audiences, Capsule have a keen eye and ear for the most exciting music and performance around.

Over the last 10 years Capsule’s Supersonic Festival has gained a reputation as one of the best experimental music festivals in the world, at its heart a passion for genre bending sound and performance. The festival will return in 2014 at a brand new city centre based location.

A Supersonic Festival inspired weekend, Bring to Light’s varied programme will combine electronic music, folk, black metal, electro acoustic composition, hip hop and more.
Friday’s programme will see performances in the industrial space of the Rainbow Warehouse in Digbeth, for the rest of the weekend dynamic new music will invade the Library of Birmingham.

This weekend of dynamic and innovative sound will include:
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

Rhys Chatham & Charlemagne Palestine
+ special guests Ex Easter Island Head
Saturday 2 November 2013
Studio Theatre Library of Birmingham
Ticket price £12
Box office www.birmingham-box.co.uk
0121 245 4455

Charlemagne Palestine is an American composer, performer, and visual artist. A contemporary of Philip Glass, Terry Riley, Phill Niblock, and Steve Reich. Rhys Chatham is a composer, guitarist and trumpet player from Manhattan, currently living in Paris, who altered the DNA of rock.
Chatham and Palestine first met in the late 60s in New York, at the end of 2012; they decided to revisit their collaboration. This will be a UK exclusive and an incredible opportunity to see two giants in contemporary composition perform together.

Ex-Easter Island Head are a Liverpool-based ensemble composing and performing for solid body electric guitar, percussion and other instruments. Their music – played on horizontally mounted mallet-struck guitars alongside a battery of unusual percussion – has been compared to the likes of Steve Reich, Balinese Gamelan and Claude Debussy.

Large Electric Ensemble was commissioned for the inaugural World Event Young Artists (WEYA) festival, held in Nottingham 2012. Utilising an ensemble of experienced local musicians the piece sees an ensemble of 12 guitarists playing modified ‘third bridge’ guitars from a unique graphic score to create a unique shimmering soundworld, rich in heavenly drones, overtones and repetition.

Adrian Utley’s Guitar Orchestra performs Terry Riley’s in ‘C’
 + special guests Pram
Sunday 24 November 2013
Studio Theatre Library of Birmingham
Ticket price £15
Box office www.birmingham-box.co.uk 0121 245 4455

Adrian Utley is devoted to breaking new ground and exploring the potential of the guitar. As a member of the experimental electronic band, Portishead, Utley is jazz trained, with a passion for the minimalist approach to playing. To celebrate his love of experimental techniques, Utley’s task for the Discovery Season is to spearhead a guitar orchestra that will be re-interpret Terry Riley’s ‘In C’, which although written in 1964, is one of the most influential music pieces of the 20th century.
The audience will witness fifty three different ways of the playing the C note which will form an unforgettable performance, supported by organ music and percussionists. To commemorate this unique concert, Invada Records will release a recorded live version in the Autumn of 2013.

Birmingham’s Pram craft fairytales from concrete reality. The second city’s spin cycle of perpetual renovation, from the slum clearances to its current cosmetic upgrade, is etched in Pram’s restless groove, an endearing and gently refusenik mix encircling early Rough Trade innovators The Raincoats, astro jazz, sci-fi soundtracks, creepy Victoriana, tropical analogue and tumbledown funk.

We’re very pleased to announce that tuba duo ORE will support OM at their gig at the Rainbow Warehouse on Tuesday 25 September, adding to the abstract doom theme of the night. Tickets are selling fast, don’t miss out – https://www.theticketsellers.co.uk

They have recently released their first EP ‘Beyond Tree and Stone’, which can be purchased digitally via http://oretubadoom.bandcamp.com/

You can also catch ORE in a special collaboration with Japanese noise maestro KK Null at this year’s Supersonic Festival. Read more about that here http://www.supersonicfestival.com/line-up/special-performances/ore-and-kk-null

Day tickets are available now via https://www.theticketsellers.co.uk and of course weekend tickets can still be purchased for £80. Not bad for three days of adventurous music, art, film, workshops, talks and more!

And here’s a reminder of some events that are free to weekend ticket holders, but require booking.

Counting In: The Art of Listening

In partnership with Sound and Music, we are presenting an intriguing panel exploring contexts for the presentation of sound works and performances and approaches to listening. The panel will include artist Lucas Abela (aka Justice Yeldham and creator of the Vinyl Rally), music writer Frances Morgan, Curator Irene Revell (Electra) and composer Dr Simon Hall. An excellent way to start the weekend, the event will take place Friday 19 October, 1.30pm-5.00pm at Birmingham City University’s School of Art. This event is free to weekend ticket holders, but you do need to book a place by emailing [email protected] with ‘Listening’ in the title. Otherwise, tickets can be purchased for £10 via https://www.theticketsellers.co.uk

Imperfect Cinema: Hallide Oxide

An amazing opportunity to learn DIY cinema techniques, participants will also contribute visuals to Drunk in Hell’s set. Imperfect Cinema will be joined by renowned sonic and visual artist Nicholas Bullen to discuss Imperfect Cinema and its influences, including the seminal Crass Records ‘Bullshit Detector’ compilation albums which featured the first vinyl appearance of Napalm Death. The workshop is free to weekend ticket holders but capacity is limited, to book a place email [email protected],uk with ‘Imperfect Cinema’ in the subject line.

Supersonic audience by Mark R Rhodes

Want to feature in our Zine…well Supersonic is doing a call out for all previous festival attendees to share their memories of the festival with us. The question we have chosen is “How would you describe your favourite Supersonic experience in a tweet of no more than 140 characters?”

In those 140 characters, we want you to sum up your experiences of previous festivals, highlighting key moments and memorable performances. You could even comment on your experiences in the legendary Supersonic tea room, marketplace or elsewhere!

Send your posts to either [email protected] or [email protected] by the 14th September and we will do our best to print as many as possible. We look forward to hearing from you! And of course feel free to tweet us your response @supersonicfest

We Are Eastside presents Birmingham – The Magic City as part of ‘City States’ at the 7th Liverpool Biennial – welcome to the hidden undergrounds, blushing civic pride and future visions of our ‘magic’ city.

‘The Magic City’ is borrowed from a proposed artwork by BAZ, inspired by the sign that originally welcomed visitors to Birmingham, Alabama, USA. BAZ want to build a new version of the sign next to the planned hi-speed rail station destined for Eastside, Birmingham, UK. BAZ believe everything Birmingham does is magic.

As part of the exhibition, Capsule will present a collage of 1980s Grindcore fanzines from the birthplace of Heavy Metal and a snapashot of the formation of the one of the most extreme bands in the genre’s history – Napalm Death.

We Are Eastside is a consortium of Birmingham based arts organisations, flying the flag for the very outer edges of the city’s culture.

The Liverpool Biennial runs 15 September – 25 November and Birmingham – the Magic City can be found at Liverpool John Moore University Copperas Hill Building. More info here