Pussy Riot, ‘Archer’ Composer & More Confirmed For Supersense 2017

Contemporary performing arts festival Supersense has unveiled a mind-blowing 2017 line-up, featuring highly anticipated shows from controversial Russian activists Pussy Riot and Australian-born cult punk musician and composer JG Thirlwell alongside Spiritualized, Blonde Redhead and more.

The eclectic line-up will take over Arts Centre Melbourne for three days in August, kicking off Friday 18, with 14 Australian exclusives, 13 Australian premieres and four world premieres accompanying a handful of Supersense commissioned events.

In an Australian premiere, Pussy Riot will bring their electronic punk opera Riot Days to Supersense as a festival exclusive and New York-based industrial post-punk icon JG Thirlwell will return to his hometown for a headline show.

Thirlwell’s accomplishments cover a number of platforms and include a brief collaboration with Nick Cave and more in the early ‘80s as The Immaculate Consumptive to more recently weaving his magic behind the scenes of Adult Swim hits The Venture Bros. and Archer.

Visionary UK space-rockers Spiritualized will perform a major orchestral concert, while similarly, US art-rock outfit Blonde Redhead will revisit their acclaimed Misery Is A Butterfly LP with a string ensemble.

The music, dance, film, visual art and design event enters its second year in 2017, and is once again curated by Melbourne inter-disciplinary performer-turned New York superstar Sophia Brous, who has pieced together an array of artists who will deliver a “confluence of ritual, expression and transformation”.

“Supersense is devoted to exploring the many plains of perspectives of ecstatic experience,” Brous said.

“How do we achieve and seek out ecstatic states of being in a diverse and contemporary society? The means through which we do this – through punk, devotional music, free improvisation, dance, movement and extremity - is what Supersense is all about… seeking out experiences of ecstatic wonder.”

Brous’ show with Leo Abrahams and David Coulter, Lullaby Movement, will also make its Australian premiere at Supersense.

One of five Supersense commissioned events will feature the world premiere of Memory Field, produced by Bangarra Dance Theatre’s Waangenga Blanco and PVT drummer Laurence Pike.

The festival has also confirmed New York large ensemble collective EXO-TECH (led by Kimbra and Brous), Japanese psych-prog rock legends band Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso UFO, doom super-trio Nazoranai (featuring Sunn O)))’s Stephen O’Malley), Oliver Coates and more.

Tickets are on sale from tomorrow, May 25, with headliner passes available from June 15. There’ll be a number of different ticketing option available, including whole festival passes, day passes and single performance tickets for headline acts.

Check out the Supersense website for the weekend schedule and more info.