The first of what might become a regular thing, Knowing Me, Knowing You was fun last week. As part of Capsule’s longest birthday party… ever, we got together and invited a bunch of interesting people along to introduce themselves and say (for the sake of getting a conversation going) what they might do if they were to get their hands on VIVID for a little while.
The kind participants were:
All ably compered by Jon Bounds with half-time entertainment provided by Charlie Pinder‘s cake orchestra.
Truth be told, we weren’t sure what people would come back with or what sort of direction the evening might take. As it turned out, ideas included:
- Social spaces
- Turning the place into a massive ball pool/packing it floor to ceiling with jelly
- Setting up a swapshop
- Using it as a place for realising unfinished ideas
- Creating an edgeless, white room and projecting images through hung pieces of perspex
- Kipple Live
- Artist talks
And some other things that escape me just at the moment. To be honest, the suggestions themselves weren’t the most crucial part of the evening. The point was really to get people out, meeting each other and sharing thoughts and ideas. As far as that goes I think the evening was a success.
Capsule have written up the event here with lots of lovely photos. Thanks to them, to everyone who took part and to those who came along to watch.
If you’re free this afternoon then VIVID is the place to be (or one of them, at least) from 2-6pm for Afternoon Delight, another Capsule birthday bash event:
Almost since day one, 7 Inch Cinema have been crouching in a corner at Capsule gigs with a video projector gaffa-taped to a stool showing films of hairy men shouting and small dogs in space. To celebrate the grannies’ remarkable and unexpected longevity we shall be gathering up some filmic highlights from the last decade and showing them at Vivid, alongside the customary mix of light snacks and word-searches
Outer Sight will be there too, bringing “disco sci-fi and noisy puppets”.
Also, if you’re in the area then pop into The Funeral of The Site which closes today.
While we’re on the topic of films, here’s the next few listings for the Birmingham International Film Society:
The latter being a five-screen installation with HD plasma screens combining film, poetry, music and dance. Which sounds pretty cool.
All films are shown in the Library Theatre.
For the next CiB Project we’ve been asked to take part in Capsule‘s 10th birthday celebrations. We’re getting together a bunch of Birmingham creative types, putting them on a stage for 3 minutes and asking them ‘What would you do if you were given the run of a space like Vivid?’
Featured folks will include:
ATTA Girl, Scott Johnson aka Film Ficciones, Stephen Earl Rogers, James Yarker of Stans Cafe, local historian Ben Waddington, illustrator extraordinaire Ben Javens to name but a few
That list is from Capsule’s website.
There are 20 places left for spectators, so if you want to come along then please admin@capsule.org.uk. If it goes well it might be the first of many such events.
There’ll be full reporting back after the event, so if you can’t make it down then don’t worry.
The good ship Capsule sails into double figures in December and they’re putting on a succession of parties to celebrate that fact.
- 1 December – Monotonix + Beestung Lips + Cum Dogs + Esquilax (VIVID)
- 2 December – Tunng + Six Organs of Admittance + Lightning Dust + Bela Emerson (Town Hall)
- 8 December – Lightning Bolt + Tweak Bird + Pete Prescription (VIVID) SOLD OUT
- 10 December – Sunn 0))) + Om (The Asylum)
- 13 December – Capsule and 7inch Cinema present: Afternoon Tea – a light buffet with a healthy serving of films (VIVID). FREE Event
- 16 December – Beak> (Geoff Barrow – Portishead) + Einstellung + Thought Forms (VIVID)
- 19 December – Closing Party: Modified Toy Orchestra + PCM + Calvados Beam Trio + Una Corda + Stinky Wizzleteat, plus a selection of special guests (VIVID)
The line-up’s on More Canals Than Venice too, with links to each band’s MySpace profile. Tickets are available here.
But there’s more. As the ladies say:
Not only will we be hosting a series of live shows… we’re also producing an exhibition which delves deep into our archive. This will feature 10 years worth of flyers, photos and related ephemera
If you’ve got anything that can be added to that archive then get in touch with them at info@capsule.org.uk.
Finally, we’re lining up a joint Capsule/Created in Birmingham event for 17 December which will be an excuse to celebrate some of Birmingham’s rising independent talent. More details on this to come…
How can I not post something about someone going by the name of rainbow_donkeys?
I was in Cybercandy (a sweet shop on Bull St, the same street John Cadbury opened his first grocery) on Saturday when I spied a flyer for Teeth’s upcoming gig at the Sunflower Lounge on 28 October. This is the one:
If I’ve got this right, rainbow_donkeys is Kris Jones who describes himself as “a freelance illustrator / doodler / designer based in the West Midlands”, specifically Birmingham, according to his Twitter account. He’s available for commissions, should you be interested.
He’s notched work for Fused and Area Magazines, has a T-shirt for sale via www.cutoutshop.com and Mouldy Loaf’s shop, featured in the recent Inkygoodness Exhibition and, as seen above, has a nice line in gig posters. Heres’s the one for Capsule’s upcoming Efterklang gig (29 Oct at The Asylum – ):
(PS – I’m not entirely certain whether that underscore is meant to be in there or what the deal is with capitalisation. Or whether it matters. I’d be happy to correct what I’ve gone with if someone wants to put me right).
The Capsule ladies have another big year ahead of them. After receiving huge national success with the Home of Metal project last year they are now in the planning stages of what will be the 7th Supersonic Festival.
Here is the line up:
When running any project/ festival/ organisation one of the most difficult things to get right (and one of the most important) is the visual identity or dare I say it, ‘brand’. When putting any publicity together: flyers, posters, website etc. it is so important that the visual elements speak to your intended audience and tell something of the ethos of the organiser. When I have put together publicity for projects in the past I have found that the finished artwork is sometimes missing that magic ingredient, which for me is illustration.
In my opinion promoters Capsule utilize the magic of good illustration just right. Each piece of design they commission is executed with full force, and this ballsy, risk taking approach is one reason why they run some of the most well recognised events around.
Ben Javens has created these posters for Capsules Jan / Feb events and they are quite typical of the bold, hand printed style you can see on his weblog, he has some lovely bits for sale in his shop too.
I have two reasons for posting this:
- It amused me that the site talks up ‘free entry to the splendid Birmingham Artsfest’ when entry is free anyway
- It’s good to see Birmingham being talked about as a destination for an arty getaway
There’s a few other items bundled into the package that might make it worth throwing your name into the hat. Link to the competition.
Elsewhere on the site there’s a good profile of Studio 4 and mentions given to the Outcrowd Collective, Them Lot, Capsule, Beat13 and Fluid’s Lee Basford. ‘Log’ Roper from Studio4 ‘paints a rosy picture of a thriving, supportive scene, where musicians and artists intermingle’
The Undercurrent is:
several voices from Birmingham’s Creative Community, with disciplines spanning Music to Design, Photography to Fine Art, collectively exploring the idea of an online magazine in the form of a blog…
Many authors, bringing their own fresh perspectives…
Those authors include 7 Inch Cinema, Capsule, Geoffrey Dolman, Lucy McLauchlan and Surely? At the moment it seems to be aggregating content from their existing blogs (from what I can tell – probably using WP-o-matic, blog fans). It’ll be interesting to see where this goes.
Lisa and Jenny from Capsule gave their thoughts on the Big City Plan to Night Times Newspaper, concentrating on the development of Digbeth. Here’s what they said:
Currently our success has happened in spite of the city rather than because of it, just think what could be achieved if we worked together. Travelling frequently to other cities these are some suggestions to make Digbeth blossom as a cultural quarter:
- Why do people get on planes and trains to come to Supersonic – because we offer them a totally unique experience of the highest quality. There is a real opportunity to acknowledge what makes Birmingham a unique city and invest in independent and niche activity. Steer clear of a homogenised approach – learn from those that do it well and have a track record.
- Lets learn from other cities like Berlin, Glasgow and Manchester and take risks with our empty buildings – an opportunity to invest in content to be housed in these empty spaces to animate the area, lets not be so precious i.e. noise restrictions – creativity is often loud and messy lets embrace and celebrate this.
- Encourage more creative companies to have the opportunity to be able to buy their own buildings rather than be tied to short-term leases.
- Create flexible spaces that can house a variety of activity which changes from week to week, this will keep the area vibrant.
- Don’t just invest in a couple of landlords this creates a monopoly.
- Lets get the basics right – look at infrastructure: cash points, post offices, signage, and streetlights.
- Think about the visitors experience as well as what its like to work in this area, lets make it the highest quality experience – currently feels like quite an intimidating, unfriendly area.
- Creative quarters need to grow organically, invest in supporting growth rather than imposing structured ideas of what you think creativity should be.
- Remember areas develop over time not over night.
Meanwhile, Shona McQuillan (Graphiquillan) has thrown in her 2p on ‘the recent stirrings’ and ends with what she calls ‘The Break Free Manifesto’:
Normally I’d avoid mentioning (or thinking about) the desperate cry-for-attention that is Broad Street’s Walk of Stars, but the Capsule ladies have managed to find a pretty compelling angle to the latest addition.
Tony Iommi – guitarist for Black Sabbath – is the next person to be honoured, which ties in nicely with the Home of Metal project:
Home of Metal encourages fans of Black Sabbath to be photographed wearing their prized band t-shirts. Images will be taken by the Birmingham photographer Steve Gerrard. The photographs will then go on display on the Home Of Metal website and in future exhibitions.
That’s all happening on 23 Nov at 6.30pm, with Kerrang hosting live bands in Centenary Square earlier in the afternoon. More info on the Home of Metal blog.
Capsule are hosting Racebannon + Trencher + Dream Dreams The Dreamer at the Hare & Hounds later that evening. They’ve also got Clinic at the Factory Club tomorrow (Thurs) night.
Last word goes to Tony (from the Walk of Stars website):
It’s great – it’s really an honour – I’m really proud of it … I was shocked! It’s so nice to have things like that! I’ve got one out in LA but I’m not from LA – It’s so nice being recognised in your home townâ€
Although I’ve only dipped into have a look occasionally, Capsule’s Home of Metal project seems to be picking up pace nicely.
This blog is going to be used to keep people going until the archive is launched at the end of the month and will then be used for info around related events, contributions from volunteers, news and all that sort of good stuff.
The next event is an open day (with special guests) at Wolverhampton Art Gallery from 10am to 4.30pm. Entry and refreshments will both be free. It’s part of the Hello Digital thing and I’ll definitely be popping over for a look around at some point.
Halloween might not be my bag but at least it’s an excuse to put some interesting events on.
Aside from the Ikon Eastside closing party there are a fair number of Halloween-themed things going on. These are they (all happening on Friday 31 October, except the last two):
Thanks to the West Mids Life blog for a leg up compiling this. Is there anything good I’ve missed?
Wedding/rock photographer (as well as ex-international DJ, Birmingham Live! creator, etc…) Steve Gerrard has relaunched his website and, put together by Chris Garrett (who also did The Big Picture‘s website), very nice it is too.
Steve’s blogging is sometimes used as an example of how a creative type can use use regular updates to showcase their work effectively. But then why would anyone not want to read a blog that turns out images like this:
