Running from Friday 27th June to Saturday 5th July, Sonic Arts Week returns to Middlesbrough for its fifth edition, with local cassette label Industrial Coast presenting two major headline performances as part of the programme.
The work Industrial Coast has done in placing Middlesbrough firmly on the map for noise, industrial and experimental music has been nothing short of remarkable. Having previously welcomed the likes of Russell Haswell and Wolf Eyes to the town, this year sees them raise the bar again, with the phenomenal Cut Hands and JK Flesh each headlining their own shows on Friday 27th and Saturday 28th June respectively.
Cut Hands is the current project of William Bennett, best known as the driving force behind the legendary power electronics group Whitehouse. With this project, Bennett explores his deep passion for percussion, drawing inspiration from African and Haitian Vodou drumming. Cut Hands fuses diverse percussive rhythms with elements of his noise and power electronics heritage, resulting in a hypnotic and immersive live experience that blurs the line between ritual and performance.
JK Flesh is the brainchild of the ever-prolific Justin Broadrick. Having first emerged on the extreme music scene as guitarist on Napalm Death’s seminal LP Scum, Broadrick later founded the influential industrial metal outfit Godflesh. Under the JK Flesh moniker, he explores heavy, mutant techno, drawing on Berlin-style industrial, drum ’n’ bass and deep dub. His past collaborations in projects such as Techno Animal with Kevin Martin (of The Bug) further inform the uncompromising sonic palette. Expect an unrelenting wall of pulsing, primal sound that, frankly, could level that pointless cycle lane without Ben Houchen or Chris Cooke lifting a finger.
It’s hard to capture the scale and ambition of the full SAW25 programme in one go, so head to sonicartsweek.com to explore it in full. Accessibility remains key to the festival’s ethos: events are either free or affordably priced, making it open to all – from curious first-timers to seasoned noise veterans.
Whether you’re discovering roaming experimental sound artists, building your own sonic contraptions in a hands-on workshop, or getting your ears obliterated at The Auxiliary by Cut Hands or JK Flesh – SAW25 invites you to come join the racket.
For further information and tickets, head to sonicartsweek.com.
