PREVIEW: Bluedot Festival

PREVIEW: Bluedot Festival

When: 7-9 July 2017
Where: Jodrell Bank Observatory, Cheshire

The much anticipated follow-up to last year’s inaugural Bluedot Festival is about to take place, once again with the dramatic, utopian backdrop of Cheshire’s Jodrell Bank Observation Centre. After bagging the Best New Festival on the Block award at 2016’s Association of Independent Festival Awards, Bluedot finds itself at the centre of a whirlwind of hype and expectations. So what is on offer at this year’s instalment?

Well, the bottom line is it is the same heady mix of music and science, with particular celebration of artists and thinkers that are finding the grey area between the two. Saturday night headliners Orbital embody the spirit of exploration and discovery that defines Bluedot, with over a quarter of a century of pushing at the boundaries of electronic music under their belts. They join fellow headliners Pixies and alt-J on the festival’s main stage, named after Sir Bernard Lovell, whose moniker is also adopted by the festival’s iconic 250ft telescope.

As important as the music is the dazzling array of speakers that they have once again managed to secure. Amongst them, Nobel Prize winner Sir Kostya Novoselov will be discussing his work in isolating graphene at the University of Manchester; Professor Mike Garrett will hold a talk about the search for extra-terrestrial intelligence; and there will be a special celebration of 50 years since the discovery of pulsars, in which Jodrell Bank itself played a major part.

Elsewhere, the focus on cutting edge electronic music continues, with sets from Leftfield, Soulwax, Jane Weaver, Vitalic, Goldfrapp, Anna Meredith and Andrew Weatherall across the weekend. DJ Yoda will spearhead a 90 minute History of Gaming DJ set, whilst Andy Votel will preside over a 2 –hour History of Space Rock set. Guitar music is well represented too, with Warpaint, Hawkwind, The Moonlandingz, Meilyr Jones, Dream Wife and Flamingods just a selection of the goods on offer.

Richard Herring and John Robertson lead the way at the Comedy Stage, whilst the usual array of gastronomic (or, G-Astronomic, if you will) delights will return. In other words, whatever your taste, if you have a curious, inquisitive disposition, Bluedot is the festival for you.

Tickets are available here: http://www.discoverthebluedot.com/tickets.php

God is in the TV is an online music and culture fanzine founded in Cardiff by the editor Bill Cummings in 2003. GIITTV Bill has developed the site with the aid of a team of sub-editors and writers from across Britain, covering a wide range of music from unsigned and independent artists to major releases.