Be Excellent To Each Other

Hello. Mr Grimm and a few others have been batting this idea around like oh so playful kittens for a few days now. On the 11th-13th July there's a music thing happening at The Custard Factory in Brumingum with some rather nice bands attending. And they wondered if it might be a nice opportunity for a little get together.

Webshite

People who have expressed interest in attending so far include:
Davvyydy Grimm
CUS
Myoptika
Steve of Northern Darkness
pupil (with entourage)
Mr Fuckin Marsh!
(gl)Arse Museum
Possibly Pundy
Ar Uncle
Robbajon
and Mr Nitwit Periwinkle.

Anybody else fancy it?

Hmmmm. I may come to this. I don't recognise a single band, but...

What sort of music do you like, jonny?

Ummmm. I like The Strokes a lot. Also The Velvet Underground and all of the usual 60s/70s stuff. Radiohead, errr. Beck. Arcade Fire. I dunno!

I love you, because you mentioned Arcade Fire.

You should come along robby, I think you will have an interesting time.

Do you have any kind of hearing problems or sensitivities?

I'm going to be soft and order some ear protection if we do this.

Do we have any idea when tickets go on sale and how much yet?

A sensible decision. I always wear ear protection when DJing at bigger clubs, and I'm certainly not alone.

I'm going to buy big yellow ear defenders like workmen have.

"Tickets will be on sale in mid March so keep your eyes posted.
There will be weekend tickets as well as day tickets."

Well, that's bollocks. Don't worry, I'm checking every day.

And yes, ear defenders might be an idea; some of the noise artists I've seen there have played at piss-taking volume.

You big girls! I'm even more tempted to go now _without_ ear protection, just to show how much like big girls you all are.

Yep.

At least forever after we'll be able to call you names and you won't be able to hear us.

The people on stage will be wearing ear protection, do you want to go and call them big girls too?

Yeah! I called my mate a big girl for buying £100+ moulded ear plugs, too. He's a drummer, you see?

To say I'm jealous is an understatement.

Harmonia - Best unsung Krautrock act ever. Can't believe they've come out of retirement or whatever.
Julian Cope - God.
Harvey Milk - The best band on the planet. Saw them two weeks ago. Crushing.
Earth - Legends.
Orthodox - Best Avant-Garde Doom Band In The Multiverse.
Guapo - Fucking Amazing.

And they're just the highlights, I own records by just about all of those I think.

Edit: And I don't think Harvey Milk have ever done a gig outside of the US.

With Gravetemple. It's going to be a bit good, that.

have to say I said i was interested even though i hadnt heard any bands except battles but I went on a bit great music heist yesterday and stole lots of albums from soulseek and I will definetly go. Website says tickets on sale in early april.

I'm definitely going, if Mrs Fuckin Marsh doesn't object (I'm owed a night or three out, so she can't. Winner!). As a bonus, anyone who I deem worthy can snag an inivite to The Mr and Mrs Marsh wedding in October.

I'm going to have to get round to listening to some of that thar music, so at least can say I've heard some of the bands.

I'd go for DJ Scotch Egg alone. Except I won't because it's in Birmingham Too far away and too scary.

My mate put DJ Scotch Egg on an all-day mainly local bands gig, I went and being an all-day gig I cant remember the last 3 acts at all so would be good to actually see him and remember something this time. Just to promote him some more he owns a small record label here.

http://www.distractionrecords.com/

Im not sure theres myspace links on that or music on the site but you shoud check out

Dr_Radio for spacemen 3 ambient-esque lovely music
Blackflower for great catchy pop songs
and big oaks just for daft funny lyrics such as 'Nicholas Lyndhurst, time travelling bigamist.'

Krautrock?

What the hell am I getting myself in for?

Now that you've said this in public, there will be no getting out of it!

Mr & Mrs Fucking-Marsh. Will that be your new compromise surname when you get married since all your lot refuse to be Marsh's?

It's ok, Harmonia are more ambient electronica with the occasional spacey guitars. Virtually impossible to dislike. In their day they included members of Cluster, Neu, Kraftwerk and Can. A total Germanic supergroup. Sit back and soak up the sonics.

Anyone thinking of dipping their toes into Harvey Milk, get "The Pleaser" and the latest "Special Wishes". I warn you now, they are not for the faint-hearted and their other albums are a difficult listen. "The Pleaser" is the easiest to dig, a sortof Kiss, ZZ Top, shouty punk mash-up. "Special Wishes" is like glam, drone, sludge and Sabbath all reduced down to a festering boil of psychedelic depression. It's genius, makes Shellac sound like Wham.

tickets are on sale 9.00am tomorrow morning.

whos going?
whats the crack for accomadation?

Reasons I possibly should go :

It's stupidly easy to get to from my house (get on metro - get off metro - really short walk).

They mention cakes on the flyer.

Cakes are given priority over record stalls on said flyer.


Given those excellent reasons, I'm considering it.

I could provide a sofa and pillows for someone, and floor space for another perhaps.

Coo, I didn't realise the Custard Factory was only half a mile away from New Street station. Fantastic. In that case, I'll most super-deffo be going, tickets willing.

Hahahahaha!

On sale tomorrow? Shit.

I'll probably not be going.

can i take this offer please?

excellent bought my ticket. 8 quid odd though for service fee the scamming little monkeys.

Maybe I'm not down with the kids enough to understand, but why would the people on stage play at earsplitting volume and then wear earplugs? And cause most of the audience to wear earplugs? Is it just to annoy the neighbors or something?

Why do people go on holiday and wear sunglasses?

So they get a sun tan without a headache?

Too much loud music has had a pretty-noticeable effect on my hearing, in just 23 years of life. If I do anything involving long periods of noise now, I'll wear earplugs.

I got some custom-made at a bike show I went to, and they're easily one of the best things I've bought. Riding at night with earplugs in is so very relaxing; perhaps a bad thing if you're tired, I guess, but I get home without ringing ears. I wouldn't even think of doing a long journey without them.

I haven't used them at a gig yet. I will take them with me next time, and see how it goes.

Birmingham is a bit too far to see loads of people I haven't met before. I need an easy escape for things like that.

Isn't it against the law to wear earplugs whilst driving/riding? It is if you are driving a car.

Sorry mate, the sofa had already gone before your post. But if that should change, you've got 'seconds' on my sofa. Er.

Hooray! Bought my ticket.

Not on a bike, no.

Besides, my earplugs are designed to soften low-frequency noises, so I can still hear everything I need to. It's just peaceful now.

We all stayed at the Etap hotel about 20 mins walk away form the Custard Factory last year. 35 squid a room per night, can bed three (bunk beds, double bottom, single top), cheap and cheerful and did the trick. I'll be sorting out tickets and hotel for my lot after I get paid in two weeks.

So now they're only selling weekend tickets. Tut.

oh? its a three day festival this year? ok, thats different, and it was £35 for a weekend ticket last time, now it £65... and no single day tickets? Ouch. I can see that as a bad idea.

Errr, so what are the times this year? Is it running just Friday evening, cos we drove down after work from Leeds last time on the Friday night, but I may have to take time off work now, especially if its running all day on the Sunday, going to work straight after a 3day festival won't be advised!

Ahh, there is the information for the Etap hotel on the Capsule website:

HOTEL ETAP BIRMINGHAM CENTRE
Address :
1 Great Colmore Street
B15 2AP BIRMINGHAM
UNITED KINGDOM
Booking Tel : (+44)0121 622 7575 (please mention Supersonic when booking)

£38 per room per night - includes 1 single bed & 1 double bed in each room 1-3 people per room -BARGAIN!!! works out £13 each per night. 5 mins cab ride from venue or 20 minute walk from the venue
rooms book up very quickly! £2.95 for a continental breakfast.
Approx 150 rooms available

can i sleep on the floor if i bring a sleeping bag?

Excitingly, I might be getting a second sofa before July, in which case you can sleep on that. And even if not, sure, my floor welcomes you. I'd bring the sleeping bag still - on the other sofa will be Ddaavvyydd Grimm, and well...

excellent, Ill repay you with many beers.

Hooray! You get the 'A' couch. Davydd just said 'Thank you', so he gets the one the dog gave birth on.

I'm not spending £65 on a weekend ticket. I was hoping to go for a day.

but since you like The Strokes you're deaf already so it won't make any difference

Go halves with someone else who only wants to go for a day.

that's stupidly expensive. Is that a normal price for the UK?