Blue Dot Festival

[frostypaw]

Oops got it wrong - Glasshouse. Only in Bluedot's black and whiteness, maybe with constellation maps on the ceiling for people to try and find in the sky outside

[dingbat2]

16 hours ago, DJL said:

It makes a real dilemma for me to return with the kids (who would love it) or without (as this year) and enjoy the late night stuff. Having that outside the arena with the fire garden and close to several campsites was great for us.

For me that is now a no brainer. Take the kids, they will love it, and trust me you will enjoy it even more, even though you may miss a few bands you would have seen on your own (Vitallic and Soulwax for me and most of Hawkwind) Although I love festivals with my mates but they don't come close to the enjoyment I have experienced seeing my kids enjoy Bluedot, whether that be laughing together watching the hilarious Apollo 11 Campervan and the legendary quote "don't be a dick Buzz" which still has my eldest in stitches, dancing with the kids front row during Goldfrapp, boogeying to Orbital's version of Dr Who, collecting 20+ Bluedot cups, munching Churros together, lazing in the hanging chairs in the Blue Moon bar, putting the tent up, chasing the Alien Bugs in the Arboretum, playing hide and seek in the Galaxy Garden, inserting skewers into balloons without them bursting, being amazed at the 3D printers and the Hydrogen gas guns, seeing the real Darth Vader and sitting in a Delorean car, eating a chocolate and marshmallow toastie with extra squirty cream, lazing around in the Illuminariurm together, being fascinated during the Lovell telescope tour, buying a jumper.... All that stuff is priceless and will stay with me ant the family forever. My kids are always talking about how much fun they had and want to go back next year

I know its a cliche but eldest (11) was truly inspired by last years festival, and really got into music since watching JMJ, so much so he started playing the keyboard, really enjoying it and has become really good at it. So much so that he won an award for Outstanding Musical Achievement at his school leaving assembly this morning! How chuffed and proud am I? It probably wouldn't have happened had we not gone to Bluedot last year

So in summary I would definitely take the kids!

 

[Zoo Music Girl]

2 minutes ago, dingbat2 said:

For me that is now a no brainer. Take the kids, they will love it, and trust me you will enjoy it even more, even though you may miss a few bands you would have seen on your own (Vitallic and Soulwax for me and most of Hawkwind) Although I love festivals with my mates but they don't come close to the enjoyment I have experienced seeing my kids enjoy Bluedot, whether that be laughing together watching the hilarious Apollo 11 Campervan and the legendary quote "don't be a dick Buzz" which still has my eldest in stitches, dancing with the kids front row during Goldfrapp, boogeying to Orbital's version of Dr Who, collecting 20+ Bluedot cups, munching Churros together, lazing in the hanging chairs in the Blue Moon bar, putting the tent up, chasing the Alien Bugs in the Arboretum, playing hide and seek in the Galaxy Garden, inserting skewers into balloons without them bursting, being amazed at the 3D printers and the Hydrogen gas guns, seeing the real Darth Vader and sitting in a Delorean car, eating a chocolate and marshmallow toastie with extra squirty cream, lazing around in the Illuminariurm together, being fascinated during the Lovell telescope tour, buying a jumper.... All that stuff is priceless and will stay with me ant the family forever. My kids are always talking about how much fun they had and want to go back next year

I know its a cliche but eldest (11) was truly inspired by last years festival, and really got into music since watching JMJ, so much so he started playing the keyboard, really enjoying it and has become really good at it. So much so that he won an award for Outstanding Musical Achievement at his school leaving assembly this morning! How chuffed and proud am I? It probably wouldn't have happened had we not gone to Bluedot last year

So in summary I would definitely take the kids!

 

A great argument for having kids right there

[the wonderwhy]

 

Back in school hols then?

[dingbat2]

Absolutely gutted, that's term time again

[the wonderwhy]

That's unlucky, would've thought the Friday would be the last day in most places 

[shoptildrop]

2 hours ago, dingbat2 said:

Absolutely gutted, that's term time again

Really? it's the start of the school holidays this way, that's a shame for you

[DDave]

Decent dates for me. To be fair if the line up is decent enough I'll take the kids our of school regardless

[dingbat2]

8 hours ago, shoptildrop said:

Really? it's the start of the school holidays this way, that's a shame for you

Not where I live (Norfolk), school hols start the Thursday after that weekend. The wife will be teaching next year so theres no chance of us being able to go

[Memory Man]

Yeah you would think that most schools would break up on that Friday, although its never going to be across the board.

So late in the term surely the kids would not miss anything of real value by not being there for one or two days.

[dingbat2]

6 minutes ago, Memory Man said:

Yeah you would think that most schools would break up on that Friday, although its never going to be across the board.

So late in the term surely the kids would not miss anything of real value by not being there for one or two days.

Yeah, we're just unlucky to live in an area where the kids break up later than other places. I would have probably taken the kids out of school next year to go again, but the main reason who wouldn't be able to go is because the missus will be teaching next year so would not be able to get the time off work

We will look elsewhere next year, we are looking for a festival which is particularly kid friendly where the kids can run around places, have a laugh, learn stuff and not feel intimidated by large crowds of people off their heads. Interestingly this year I added Bluedot to the small list of festivals I would go to without any knowledge of who was playing (Glasto being the only other one) This years Bluedot there were only really two must sees for me (Orbital and Goldfrapp) but we all had an even better time than last year, mainly away from the music stages. 

[shoptildrop]

Pre-sale prices released £159!! whilst I do want to go a £30 hike is a bit steep god knows how much that will make the final tier

[DDave]

14 minutes ago, shoptildrop said:

Pre-sale prices released £159!! whilst I do want to go a £30 hike is a bit steep god knows how much that will make the final tier

Yeah not great is it. Especially when festivals like BBK in Bilbao are doing their early birds for 75 euros.

On the upside there is an instalment plan this year. Let's hope the extra money is ploughed into the daytime main stage line up.

[Flaminglippy]

Does seem expensive...as you say though, if the money is spent on the main stage line up would be worth it. We were gonna get early birds but might wait and see the first line up announcement before committing

[shoptildrop]

15 hours ago, DiscothequeDave said:

Yeah not great is it. Especially when festivals like BBK in Bilbao are doing their early birds for 75 euros.

On the upside there is an instalment plan this year. Let's hope the extra money is ploughed into the daytime main stage line up.

there was an instalment plan for 2017 festival too as that how I bought my tickets..... I've still bought tickets but charging £30 more just because they can is not great IMO

Comments from Bluedot on FB page

Dear bluedot festival goers, 

Thank you for your comments and feedback.

To deliver a long term sustainable event featuring the wide range of content and high production values requires additional income for bluedot. We're keen not to increase the capacity too much and keep sponsorship at an appropriate level.

In light of that an increase in the adult ticket price is required. We have kept kids tickets & campervans at the same price as 2017. 

Bluedot 2017 sold the majority of its tickets at £159, we think that's a fair price to go on sale with for 2018 so have not offered an early bird discount. The additional tiers will be £169 & £179 which is a £20 difference to 2017.

We hope you come along with us in the journey of bluedot and appreciate the wide cultural and creative offering of the festival.

So basically most people waited until lineup was released and paid the £159, so that's how they have decided the new start price should be  

I do like Bluedot just because of the offering but if they start hiking prices up like this year on year, it won't last too long as they have yet to sell out yet (with exception of Saturday last year)

 

[frostypaw]

I notice their very limited pre-sale hasn't sold out - they've priced it too high with nothing announced. The extraordinarily long slow tease before any line up came out last year was not great and very annoying.... hope they won't do that again.

[dingbat2]

I am not sure presales really work unless you get a discount or the festival is likely to sell out really quickly. The festival didn't sell out this year, not even any of the day tickets, so I wouldn't have thought there was any urgency to bag a ticket this early

[Zoo Music Girl]

1 hour ago, frostypaw said:

I notice their very limited pre-sale hasn't sold out - they've priced it too high with nothing announced. The extraordinarily long slow tease before any line up came out last year was not great and very annoying.... hope they won't do that again.

 

2 minutes ago, dingbat2 said:

I am not sure presales really work unless you get a discount or the festival is likely to sell out really quickly. The festival didn't sell out this year, not even any of the day tickets, so I wouldn't have thought there was any urgency to bag a ticket this early

Yeah, agree with these comments. I'm tempted to go again, but definitely won't be buying a ticket without knowing the line-up or seeing what else is on offer next summer.

[DJL]

Some more feedback for the organiser who was on here - the only negative we had was having paid £35 for showers for the weekend we were less than impressed to find them packed up on Monday morning!

[shoptildrop]

3 hours ago, dingbat2 said:

I am not sure presales really work unless you get a discount or the festival is likely to sell out really quickly. The festival didn't sell out this year, not even any of the day tickets, so I wouldn't have thought there was any urgency to bag a ticket this early

As per comment I posted from Bluedot they decided not to offer discount for pre sale, which is nuts tbh as most people will think what's the point and wait now I reckon 

I've bought tickets so I can spread the cost better and I do like it as a festival, but if it keeps going up year on year I'll most likely stop going

[shoptildrop]

37 minutes ago, DJL said:

Some more feedback for the organiser who was on here - the only negative we had was having paid £35 for showers for the weekend we were less than impressed to find them packed up on Monday morning!

It's like the lockups too, which close about 30 minutes after the headliner on Sunday!!

which is no good for people in weekend camping as have to carry all your keys and stuff from lock up on the Sunday. Why can't they least have them open until Monday morning?

[Flaminglippy]

19 hours ago, shoptildrop said:

We're keen not to increase the capacity too much and keep sponsorship at an appropriate level.

 

To me this suggests the capacity will be increasing. Looks like might be trying to push it on to the next level...bigger capacity & higher ticket prices should in theory mean bigger name bands (during the day & subbing)

Think £159 is quite a lot to fork out (especially as you can't take your own booze in) without knowing who is playing for a festival that isn't that established, unlike a Kendal Calling/Glasto/Latitude etc etc. For a couple of you, especially if you have kids you could be looking at well over £300-£400 which is a fair chunk of loose change to be out of pocket if the line-up isn't to your liking and it doesn't sell out so you can't get your money back from flogging your ticket.

Quite like the approach '2000Trees' have taken...their early birds you can cancel before March and get a full refund. That way they are getting the money in but for the punters its quite low risk.   

[Paul ™]

Yup bit overpriced in my opinion, but it is aimed at the middle class festival goers..

[Memory Man]

it would be a wait and see for the lineup at those prices for me as it would be for most people i expect. even if you do end up liking it they will only be £10 more once the first lineup comes out so why would you buy early? As others have said there is no incentive

[shoptildrop]

3 hours ago, Paul ™ said:

Yup bit overpriced in my opinion, but it is aimed at the middle class festival goers..

Totally in spades!!

What made me laugh we were talking to this obviously middle class couple on the Friday, wife was getting rather merry and husband had to drop the teen kids off back at the tent before coming back for his drink.

He was like I'm not enjoying it as too middle class and not edgy, which we were like what did you really expect?? it was funny as he was the typical target audience - middle class family lol