Category archive for: Uncategorized

Photographer Steve Gerrard has revamped his website with a fully integrated blog. Looking good!

Lovely cityscape photo from Brett Wilde with the Custard Factory complex in the middle.

Full size here.

• Digbeth Graffiti - No Smearcats Here - A visitor explores the seedier corners of Digbeth and takes photos.
• Len Lye at Ikon Eastside - “Includes 16mm screenings of a full range of Lye’s film works from early experiments for the GPO Film Unit to the masterly Free Radicals (1959) and is accompanied by a talk with Tyler Cann, Curator of the Len Lye Collection at the Govett-Brewster Gallery in New Plymouth, New Zealand. There is also a rare screening of Lye’s first film Tusalava (1929) with specially-commissioned live score by acclaimed young jazz pianist Alcyona.” 6th September, 7pm - Midnight, free (booking required).
• Ltd Edition Art Market - Blogger visits the art mart at the Sunday Flea and blogs their purchases.
• Penguin abuse caught on film - Dave Peebles is the new Lynndie England, aparently..
• New book from Tindal Street Press - Never Never by David Gaffney published on September 25th. Amazon link.
• Birmingham Flamenco Classes taking place in the Custard Factory on Wednesdays from September 10th. Times and contact details at the link.

The huge advertising hoarding covering Devonshire House during its refurbishment is leased to a 3rd party so the Custard Factory has no control (within reason) over what’s on there, so when a giant photo of Billy Piper in her undies suddenly appeared it seemed noteworthy.

Rest assured should Calvin Kline cover the space with a buff bloke in his kecks I’ll be sure and post a photo of that too.

Amanda Palmer, one half of The Dresden Dolls, is touring her solo album Who Killed Amanda Palmer, and comes to the rather apt Space2 warehouse venue at the Custard Factory on October 3rd.

via Lauren Dasuberdog who’s about as excited about this as I am. Squ to the motherfucking ee indeed.

Tickets are £12 plus the usual and here’s a handy Ticketweb link.

From the Jibbering Art blog:

“Over 30 heavyweight, cutting edge and internationally recognised artists were unleashed, live, on to the Shambala Festival site 2008. From the Shambala Art Boards surrounding the dome; to the superb fort structure painted by the likes of Feek, Mr Jago, Paris, Will Barras, Yakka & more; to the boards surrounding the mainstage painted by the Outcrowd Collective.

“Parts of the ply boards & canvas that totaled over 2000 sqft, along with other donated pieces will be available to buy through closed bids at the two exhibitions in London and Birmingham.”

The London exhibition starts on September 19th with the Birmingham leg happening in the Autumn, date to be confirmed, on Floodgate Street. Artists featured include: Dicy, Dora, Faith 47, Feek, Fluid, Glenn Anderson, Juice 126, Junc, LL Brainwashed, Lucy McLauchlan, Mac 1, Mark 2, Matt Watkins, Milk, Motorboy, Mr Jago, Newso, Outcrowd Collective, Paris, Plimsoul, Ponk, Rowdy, Semor & Co, Sickboy, Sweet Toof, Will Barras & Yakka. More info…

Ian and Pippa of 7 Inch Cinema have taken up residency in unit 118 of Scott House in the Custard Factory which is great for me as I can use their rather smart blog as fodder for this blog.

I understand they have big projects lined up for the next year, hence the move from the attic. Looking forward to reading about them. On their blog.

Did you get the “get a blog” hint there?

Ideal are hosting one of 5 UK premiers of Ride The Sky, the skate movie currently doing a world tour, on Tuesday 9th September. Entrance is £2 with funds going towards the “rent fund” for the ramp.

It’s not unusual, when watching a touring band who involve guitars in their act, for said band to mention how thrilled they are to be in Birmingham. I remember Kelly Deal of The Breeders saying “you guys must just walk around all day going ‘fuck!’” and bemoaning that she couldn’t buy a Black Sabbath t-shirt on a Sunday. Birmingham is known around the world as the birthplace of heavy metal yet we don’t celebrate it in the same way Nashville celebrates their heritage. Capsule have noticed this and have decided to do something about it.

From the Home of Metal page:

“Heavy Metal was born in the West Midlands and has developed a global following matched only in Hip-Hop. Its time to stop sneering and celebrate this proud cultural heritage…” Daniel Trilling – New Statesman, 2007

This project follows on from our ‘Metal’ symposium held as part of Supersonic Festival in 2007 at New Art Gallery Walsall. Capsule carried out further research that found that there was very little info or objects held by museums based in the West Midlands on the subject of ‘Heavy Metal’ as a result we have developed this project: HOME OF METAL.

Home of Metal aims to build an online digital archive that actively engages its audience in the creation and shape of the project. The project will start with a series of open days at the galleries inviting people to bring along memorabilia, photographs and great stories which will be digitised to help us create an online digital archive of memories, images and pictures to tell the story of this unique moment of Midlands’ musical heritage. The bands we are focusing on are Judas Priest, Napalm Death, Godflesh, Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin.

The Couture Company “specialises in custom made bespoke bridalwear, designed and made with the understanding that each bride is unique and an individual. We work with our clients to create the gown of their dreams, and our aim is to make them look breath-takingly stunning for their special day.”

Based in studio 209 they can be contacted on 0121 608 4445 or via their website.