Supersonic Festival is back for its 11th annual installment. The festival will once again bring artists from different fields of the extreme experimental spectre under one roof for on 30 and 31 May 2014.
Supersonic Festival began in 2003 and 2014 sees it continuing by popular demand. The festival is headlined by legends Swans. Alongside them Matmos, Ex Easter Island Head, Wolf Eyes, Sleaford Mods, Agathe Max, Basic House and Jenny Hval make the event a most interesting one. The festival will be held at the Custard Factory in Birmingham, “where it all began” as the organisers say. This is a limited event, there are only 400 tickets available and they will be going on sale at 10am on Friday 14 February 2014 (that’s NOW) so grab them while you can via the website: www.supersonicfestival.com
The festival features extra-musical activities as well: an exhibition by Bill Drummond and the If Wet event. ‘The 25 Paintings’ of Bill Drummond, a series of artworks that signpost actions Drummond will perform across Birmingham during his three month stay in the city including, but by no means limited to, giving away bunches of daffodils, discovering Dead Oak Rings, building rafts, hiding in cafes, making beds, sweeping the streets clean and brewing tea. Also on show will be The SIXTY Posters, The 25 Sixty Second Films, an evolving selection of photographs, a globe of the world and a large map of the city.
If Wet, on the other hand is a monthly event of sonic exploration, usually held in a rural Worcestershire village hall; chaired by musical instrument designers MortonUnderwood. Part show and tell, part test bed, part salon. A place for artists to showcase their latest sonic works and research. A place to revel and discuss. After a successful inaugural season MortonUnderwood have decided to extend the reach of If Wet beyond the village hall and it is with great pleasure that they will transport their distinctive event to Supersonic Ltd Edt.
Swans will appear at the festival as part of their tour that includes nine more UK dates. That tour will be preceded by Swans’ mastermind Michael Gira’s solo European tour. Dates are as follows:
Swans:
14-05-2014 Washington, DC – Black Cat Mainstage *
15-05-2014 Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer *
17-05-2014 Boston, MA – Royale Nightclub *
18-05-2014 New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom *
19-05-2014 Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg *
22-05-2014 Manchester, England – Academy 2 *
23-05-2014 Newcastle, England – Hoults Yard *
24-05-2014 Glasgow, Scotland – The Arches *
25-05-2014 Aberdeen, Scotland – The Lemon Tree *
27-05-2014 London, England – Brixton Electric *
28-05-2014 Bristol, England – Trinity Community Arts *
29-05-2014 Reading, England – Sub89 *
31-05-2014 Birmingham, England – Supersonic Festival – Custard Factory *
06-2014 Leeds, England – Cockpit
06-2014 Brighton, England – Concorde 2
Michael Gira solo:
01-03-2014 Lyon, France – Les Abattoirs
04-03-2014 Porto, Portugal – Passos Manuel
06-03-2014 Madrid, Spain – El Sol
07-03-2014 San Sebastian, Spain – Andia Kuxta
08-03-2014 Barcelona, Spain – Sala Apolo
10-03-2014 Paris, France – Église Saint-Merri Church
11-03-2014 Amsterdam, Netherlands – MC Theater
12-03-2014 London, England – Church of St John-at-Hackney
14-03-2014 Copenhagen, Denmark – Hofteatret
15-03-2014 Oslo, Norway – Blå
16-03-2014 Oslo, Norway – Emanuel Vigeland Mausoleum Museum
18-03-2014 Warsaw, Poland – Pardon, To Tu
19-03-2014 Warsaw, Poland – Pardon, To Tu
21-03-2014 St. Petersburg, Russia – Dada
22-03-2014 Moscow, Russia – Teatr Club
24-03-2014 Odessa, Ukraine – Bernardazzi Wine Club
26-03-2014 Bucharest, Romania – Control Club
27-03-2014 Bologna, Italy – Locomotiv
28-03-2014 Milan, Italy – Bloom
29-03-2014 Berlin, Germany – Kantine @ Berghain