When: 21st – 24th July
Where: Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, Bomish Lane, Lower Withington, Cheshire.
Jodrell Bank is an inspirational place full of mind-blowing stories of pioneering heritage and cutting-edge science. Part of The University of Manchester, it is – uniquely – both a World Heritage Site and a live scientific research facility. It’s also the stunning backdrop for Bluedot Festival, which returns for the first time in the post-pandemic era.
In the shadow of the Lovell telescope – one of the largest radio telescopes in the UK – the festival takes place during the penultimate weekend of July. The first Bluedot was in 2016, and this year’s instalment has been a long time in the making. Initially booked to headline in 2020, Björk brings a real star quality to the lineup; as illuminating as anything that lights up Cassiopeia. Her set will be part of her Björk Orkestral tour, which sees the Icelandic icon backed by The Hallé. It’s a U.K festival exclusive for Bluedot and sure to be an out of this world spectacle.
The rest of the bill is a eclectic mix of some of the finest artists the UK has produced, with bands and artists from all over the world. Other headline sets come from dance titans Groove Armada and Post Rock heroes Mogwai and throughout the weekend plenty of highlights will come from the likes of Spiritualized, Yard Act, Metronomy, Squarepusher, Kelly Lee Owens, Kojey Radical, Warmduscher, Peaness, Working Men’s Club, Jane Weaver, Tim Burgess and many, many more.
Beyond the music, there is plenty more to Bluedot that has made it an award-winning Medium Festival in 2019. There is comedy and chat with Stewart Lee talking about his King Rocker documentary about Post Punks The Nightingales; Desiree Burch and Adam Buxton bringing his ‘The Best of Bug!’ show amongst many others.
Nebula is a cutting-edge dance area that promises to “envelop you in a pulsating cloud of experimental sounds and performances designed to stimulate your body and expand your mind.” Dot Talks promises another mind-expanding programme of talks and panel discussions with leading scholars in science from around the globe. Open only after dark, the Outer Space area is the place to discover unique artworks in a wooded cornucopia of fire, light, and ambient sound. The family friendly vibe of the festival is also serviced brilliantly by BASE CAMP, an area for the young and young at heart.
The last remaining tickets for what proves to be a great weekend can be purchased now from https://discoverthebluedot.com/tickets/
