Supersonic Festival confirms the first names for its 2020 edition

Building on the success of last year’s sell-out edition, Supersonic Festival organisers Capsule continue their voyage of discovery – now twenty years strong -, celebrating heaviness in a variety of forms and adapting in order to stay relevant. Their evolution continues with an exciting move to a new home in the outer edges of Digbeth, Birmingham. Over the past sixteen years, Supersonic has been driven by the fundamental principles that remain at the heart of the festival today: curating diverse line-ups, re-imagining post-industrial spaces and encouraging freedom of expression of both the performers and audiences alike.

Supersonic are pleased to reveal the initial names for 2020, which include powerful solo musician A.A. Williams (on the photo above), outspoken and unpredictable Atlanta group Algiers, Sweden’s black noise psych rock collective Bada, led by the singular composer Anna Von Hausswolff, the snarling electronics of Blanck Mass, Harrga’s border-crushing music, NYC-based multi-instrumentalist KA Baird, visionary producer Klein, Dublin musical alchemists Lankum, Chicago riffers Oozing Wound, the brilliant Orchestra of Constant Distress – featuring an assemblage of members of The Skull Defekts, Brainbombs and No Balls -, Danish sound artist Puce Mary, and the post-punk witchcraft of São Paulo’s Rakta. Supersonic are also thrilled to be inviting Richard Dawson back as a headliner, having long championed his compelling performances.

Switching up the format, Supersonic invited Curl to do a stage takeover – the London-based collective features Mica Levi, Coby Sey and Brother May. Last but by no means least, Rocket Recordings, who have been releasing uncompromising sounds from some of the great underground bands from Europe and beyond since 1998, will host a label showcase over the weekend with GNOD & João Pais Filipe‘s FACĄ DE FOGO, J.Zunz, Petbrick and Sex Swing, as well as a very special guest still to be confirmed.  Rocket have always been a label striving to push music forward and not stand still – a philosophy that is a testament to their 22-year independent existence, which is very much shared by Supersonic. More names will be confirmed soon, so keep your eyes peeled for further announcements.

Supersonic Festival 2020 takes place in Digbeth, Birmingham, on July 17th-19th. Tickets for the festival will be made available tomorrow at 10am via the festival’s website.

Photo credit: Marc Trojanowski