Supersonic Festival 2024 – Friday
When I think of Birmingham, like many of us here, I think of the music scene and the industrial void that has defined this country’s second-biggest city in post-war Britain. The factories, mostly closed these days, are sometimes refurbished into glitzy hipster gathering points, and the city has been home to an insane number of bands.
I also think of my second-ever Eurovision Song Contest as it took place at the then-National Indoor Arena, not too far from where Supersonic Festival has taken place every year for the past 21 years in the neighbourhood of Digbeth. So, when I was invited to cover this year’s edition for The Sleeping Shaman, there wasn’t much hesitation in my mind. It was a resounding ‘fuck yeah’ that could be heard all over the South of England.
To say that it was an honour to be part of it is an understatement. I mean, have you seen this year’s lineup? Melt-Banana, Emma Ruth Rundle, The Body + Dis Fig, Smote, Senyawa, Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, Agriculture, and the list goes on. But I was not prepared to also be genuinely amazed by acts that I have either only known by name (Matana Roberts) or acts I didn’t know at all (like The None, Mary Lattimore and Gazelle Twin). Here’s a quick recap of what I saw on Day One, also known as Friday ‘Damn, it’s hot innit’, 30th August 2024.
The festival opened its doors to the public at 5pm, but I was able to arrive a little bit early in Birmingham through the life-saving national treasure that is National Express coaches. After a couple of ADHD-filled jump scares, I was able to go through Zellig, which is the coolest-looking business building I’ve seen in my working-class life, to collect my precious weekend pass. It wouldn’t take too long before the first set of the festival, which happens to be Gazelle Twin at the O2 Institute (not the Arena, which is about 20 minutes away).
Gazelle Twin is a name that I have known for quite some time because Elizabeth Bernholz – that’s her real name – studied music in Brighton and lived there for a good decade before leaving for quieter shores. So, even though I hadn’t seen her live before then, it was always on my list and, boy oh boy, wasn’t it worth the wait! Seeing Gazelle Twin perform her most recent album Black Dog was as intense as I imagined, but way more enthralling than I expected.
Playing with outdated instrumental loops, letting her voice go as softly as possible, leaving more space for dark and industrial beats. A pleasant surprise, halfway between Scott Walker, Zola Jesus and JK Flesh. I loved how introspective the set was, whether sat on a comfy sofa chair or swinging on stage like a David Bowie hologram. Some may call it intense, others will just call it hauntingly beautiful, I’m going to stick with the latter.
The None were next at the O2 Institute and all I knew of them was what was on the program leaflet: they’re from Birmingham, they’re a fairly new band and the bassist used to be in Bloc Party. But they are so much more than this. In fact, they blew everybody’s minds away from the moment they entered the stage. By far, one of the most interesting acts to grace Supersonic this year because The None has a little something extra that makes them exciting to hear and see.
Their sound is more reminiscent of The Jesus Lizard than anything else. The singer, Kaila Whyte, was jumping up and down all over the stage, giving me huge Eugene S. Robinson vibes – all eras included and yes, that was a compliment – and the baby-faced guitarist, Jim Beck – who also plays in Cassels, looked like a youthful (and less problematic) incarnation of the late Ian Curtis by the way he was playing and screaming on the mic.
It was a refreshing perspective on noise punk that we didn’t know we needed but glad we found. Kudos to Gordon Moakes and Chris Francombe for the groovy yet gritty rhythm section that made them so enjoyable. If this has piqued your interest, I’m going to tell you that they just released their debut EP, Matter, a few weeks ago, and that if noise punk is your thing, then you will love them.
After taking a quick break for a non-alcoholic drink, it was time for the main event: Melt-Banana. It had been a while since we last saw them play in mainland Europe or the UK, so it was fantastic to see them again, this time as a two-piece. Yasuko Onuki‘s vocals were just as frenzied and whimsical as I remembered, and Ichiro Agata continued to shred on the guitar.
The new twist was that Yako held, what looked like a game controller, serving as drums, and she also added cacophonous chiptune effects, enhancing Melt-Banana‘s signature kookiness. Even though they mostly played their newest material, it seemed like the entire audience at the Institute would have been happy with a two-hour set from Tokyo’s most unorthodox underground noise band.
The performance felt good, but it was too short for our liking. Maybe it was for the best, considering that Saturday, Day Two, would be super hectic. Stay tuned for the next episode to read all about it.
Melt-Banana
The None
Gazelle Twin
Words & Photos by: Nessie Spencer
