Jodrell bank has announced plans for a brand new festival which combines the study of science with the art of music.
Bluedot will be a three day festival within the grounds of Jodrell Bank, near Macclesfield, boasting a range of performances alongside lectures, comedy, art installations, a planetarium and even robot workshops.
Electronic music legend Jean-Michel Jarre has been announced as headliner, and Professor Brian Cox, former keyboard player with D:Ream, will also be recording his science-based Radio 4 Show The Infinite Monkey Cage during the event.
It’s not the first time the science hub has hosted musical acts, with Elbow, Sigur Rós and the Halle Orchestra all performing under the iconic Lovell telescope.
But it is being hailed as the first festival which combines science lectures and music, taking its name from an image of earth captured by the space probe 20 years ago.
Professor Tim O’Brien, associate director of Jodrell Bank and one of the festival’s science directors, said: “Bluedot is going to be special. We want to blow people’s minds with some amazing music and some incredible ideas – from the Big Bang to black holes, AI to climate change, and loads more.
“A nod to Carl Sagan’s pale blue dot, the festival will celebrate our planet in the vast cosmos, showcasing humanity’s creative achievements in arts, science, technology and the exploration of space.”
The event, which will run from July 22 - 24th, is run by From the Fields – the team behind Kendal Calling and Live from Jodrell Bank.
Ben Robinson, festival director, said: “Bluedot is a brand new festival with a mandate to deliver a festival like nothing else on earth with a stellar programme of music, science, art, film and technology.
“We have a lot more still to announce including our full science and culture programme and some more big name acts that we feel will really fit the ethos of what we are trying to achieve with bluedot – a forum where music, science and the arts can really come together.”
Bands Caribou and Underworld will headline the other two nights.
Also on the live music line up are Everything Everything, Public Service Broadcasting, British Sea Power, Mercury Rev, spacey Californians Moon Duo, and Steve Mason.
Full weekend camping and day tickets go on sale on Wednesday, March 16, at 9am.
Weekend tickets cost £119 and day tickets start from £35.
For more go to discoverthebluedot.com.
