Blue Dot Festival

[Dan R]

Really enjoyed this years festival, though had to leave early so missed most of the Sunday. I was initially sceptical about the whole contactless but other than my first time using it when the top-up hadn't gone through yet, I didn't experience any issues. I liked that the site went all the way around the telescope (unlike the last time I went in 2017), made the site feel more spacious even if the crowd numbers have increased.

Bands and entertainment wise I missed quite a lot due to working on one of the science stalls, but there seemed to be some great content, really gutted I didn't get to see Helen Sharman. Music-wise I was blown away by Hot Chip, Henge, and Sons of Kemet. Kraftwerk were disappointing from what I saw, I knew what to expect from their shows but we were quite far back and just didn't really feel any atmosphere. It feels like it's a festival with great potential for late-night entertainment with some of the light installations, music, and stages for small acts, but it did feel quite disparate in the night time.

The weather wasn't much of an issue other than the slippery walk to the staff campsite and our stand being quiet during the downpours. Would love to be able to go back next year, dreaming that they could get the Cure to headline (never gonna happen though).

[czuk]

Anyone managed to make head or tail of their PlayPass account? 
My bank account says I paid them £160 and £75 (total of £235) - their website says I've paid them £225
Their website says I spent -£189 with £36 to be refunded
I've saved my account history and entered it into Excel and I make it that I've paid them £235 and spent -£197.5 which means they owe me £37.50 back

Edited July 23, 2019 by czuk
pressed enter by mistake

[frostypaw]

Mine was correct with the £2 I had left, just threw it at the charities. 

From the FB posts they've had a fair bit of grief about it all and are determined to make it right and make it work so if you get in touch I'm sure you'll get it sorted.

[kagey]

surely has to be Daft Punk or Justice next, it could only have been The Prodigy...but I think they are MIA for sometime to come

Hot Chip were sublime, really enjoyed Kraftwerk as I knew I would and New Order really delivered, best I've seen them
but lets face it, Henge owned the festival, special mention goes to John Grant, I'm new to the party with him but hat was a proper headline performance

unexpected highlight goes to Radio Science Orchestra who were simply sublime

My wristband was fine and I have to say bloody nora it worked, queue times were great

...I officially hate being back at work and the real world.... can we go back to the telescope now?

 

 

[Vamagus]

unexpected highlight goes to Radio Science Orchestra who were simply sublime

 

This ^^^.  I’d like to vote the Theremin player the coolest dude at the festival. 

[shoptildrop]

2 hours ago, Vamagus said:

unexpected highlight goes to Radio Science Orchestra who were simply sublime

 

This ^^^.  I’d like to vote the Theremin player the coolest dude at the festival. 

Totally agree, that set was something else!!!

[PhilDeFer]

This was my third Bluedot, but sadly possibly my last due to the cashless system. Even though it worked perfectly well, I object on principle to having to give my bank details and agree to privacy terms with some company I've never heard of - by all means offer it, but making it compulsory (or not being able to buy anything) is not cool. I also spent far too much - by the end of each evening, I was lurching around like a drunk zombie holding my wrist out for more beer and chicken!

It's a fantastic festival though - awe-inspiring location, a properly curated eclectic line-up (as opposed to all the usual bands doing that year's fest circuit) and a really friendly atmosphere. Pitched up in the worst storm on Friday, but I'm an old hand at this and soon had the tent mopped out and changed into dry clothes. As always, the campsites were not big enough - If you arrive after midday on Friday it's almost impossible to find a spot. They policed the fire-lanes for the first day, but quickly gave up moving people on as there was nowhere to move them to. Oh and  they need to empty the urinals more often!

Musical highlight was New Order, best non-music show was Rob Newman, and best miscellaneous thing was the Apollo 11 chatter broadcast over the fields between midnight and 3 am with words and lights projected onto the telescope - what a lovely inspiring thing to go to sleep to.

Beer and food was pricey (but what festival isn't?) but a good selection of both. Onsite security wasn't exactly 'ring of steel' - very easy to smuggle booze in if you're sensible and not obvious.

Edited July 25, 2019 by PhilDeFer

[adequate8]

My statement shows the wristband topups went to Viagogo too, are they behind all this? 

[dingbat2]

Woop woop, just booked our tickets for next year, £158.75 (+ £31.90 for Thursday) for release 1 tickets, inc booking fee

kids (11-15) £87 (+£11 for Thursday)

Kids under 11 are free at the moment

 

Chose the payment plan option which was £20 today + 8 monthly instalments of  £18, so £164 in total, so not much different to paying it all up front

[frostypaw]

How much were the tier 1's last/this year, does anyone remember? 

Edited July 27, 2019 by frostypaw

[dingbat2]

On 7/26/2016 at 5:14 PM, dingbat2 said:

This was my first festival taking the wife and kids and we all loved it, especially the kids, the festival had a really chilled out vibe

My musical highlights were PSB, JMJ, Floating Points, (the bits I did see because I was flicking between them and JMJ) Underworld, 65daysofstatic, Lanterns on the Lake and Mercury RevDidn’t manage to catch the end of any of the headliners because the kids began to flag towards the end so we headed back, via the Arboretum, each night

Thought the Luminarium was a wonderful thing (so did my boys) we were really lucky because we went there early Friday night, when there were no queues. After that we would have had to queue for ages to get in so we didn’t bother going again although the kids really wanted to go back

The thing which really made my festival was how good the science stuff and the speakers were. The presenters seemed to be enjoying themselves as much as the audience, and they were all really good and very enthusiastic. I will never forget the look on my youngest son’s face when his little finger got ‘bitten’ by a venus fly trap! And when they saw the night sky projected onto the roof of the Planetarium.

One lesson I did learn about taking my kids to festivals is you don’t have to see something or do something all the time. I think the things my boys enjoyed the most were running around the Arboretum and just sitting on the chairs next to the food outlets sketching the telescope in front of them whilst listening to Everything Everything and Caribou. Happy times

We didn’t experience any of the problems with car parks, we arrived at 2pm on Friday and straight in, I do think they will have issues if the weather gets bad. We went on the heritage tour (which was great, and Tim O’Brien took a photo of our group whilst we were wandering around) The presenter said the site can get really muddy, it has clay soil and had a high water table apparently. I can see the campsites and car parks getting very muddy with prolonged rain.

I thought they could have done with a few more food vendors, especially more for kids, and the back field where the Luminarium needed to have more stuff in it, it was a bit sparse. The family camping area needed to be bigger. Also the mushroom urinals became flooded either side of the main stage. But these are all just teething problems, it was a wonderful festival

My kids are already looking forward to next year already. As am I!

Blimey, 3 years ago I posted this after the first Bluedot. Told the kids this morning that i bought tickets for next year, they are so excited, after missing the last two due them falling during term time,. Watching JMJ that year inspired my eldest to start listening to and then learning music, playing keyboards and now drums, learning JMJ tunes first then onto Queen. He loves playing now and has become really good at it (can play the whole of the piano parts Bohemian Rhapsody from memory) - really proud of him having finally found an interest and talent we never know he had. We have JMJ's (+M83) song Gloryto thank for that that was the song which ignited it all

[Hemster]

Loved reading all your posts, I only went on Thursday this year as a guest but loved it and will be going with the family next time! Thanks 

[vintagelaureate]

Thanks for these posts - I've been looking for a festival to take one of my daughter. This may be on the one. I wanted to do Green Man this year but my wife wasn't sure about us going (she won't go!), and I left it too late!

[danceonfire]

Our first festival with our 1 yo. Been once before. It’s a great festival. Perfect size and very unique compared to pretty much all festivals. Arrived on the Thursday which was a great idea as there were more people there than we expected. Found a space in family camping easy but by Friday am people we’re struggling. The weather wasn’t perfect but I felt they coped well.  I thought the cashless system worked too. Already booked for next year. Can’t wait!!

[dingbat2]

3 hours ago, vintagelaureate said:

Thanks for these posts - I've been looking for a festival to take one of my daughter. This may be on the one. I wanted to do Green Man this year but my wife wasn't sure about us going (she won't go!), and I left it too late!

How old is you daughter, is she interested in a science and space? If so, she will absolutely love it, if not then she will probably still love it!

[vintagelaureate]

2 hours ago, dingbat2 said:

How old is you daughter, is she interested in a science and space? If so, she will absolutely love it, if not then she will probably still love it!

My eldest will be 5 next year. She loves exploring and being 'hands on' - I wouldn't say science as that's probably due to her age! She does like music and has asked me to take her to a festival repeatedly this year - or a music party as she calls it!

[Rebexus]

I would think at that age somewhere like Wychwood Festival or Deershed would be better. I don't think this festival is as family friendly as the other two I mention.

Unless you get there VERY early it is an absolute git to find a camping spot. The main stage arena is very poor if you want to actually SEE the band but have kids. i.e they need space to run round. From the mixing desk backwards you cannot even see the stage. Really poor shaped hill. If you go closer the kids are cramped and bored, further back cannot see a thing. Spoiled the festival this.

The science was brilliant but aimed at older than 5 mainly.

Deershed is fab. Designed for families and has MASSES to do for all ages Inc a huge science tent. I mean huge.

Wychwood has no science but a really good kids' field.

Edited July 28, 2019 by Rebexus
Typos

[dizzymoo]

Did anyone see The Dark Room with John Robertson? We went along after New Order, having no idea what to expect.  Funniest thing I have ever seen. Ended the weekend on a real high.

[Owen4567]

It's very quiet on this thread!!

Any rumours on the headliners for next year? I've just had a quick look at old posts and the three headliners for this year were all mentioned by Nov 2018.

[Owen4567]

24 minutes ago, Owen4567 said:

It's very quiet on this thread!!

Any rumours on the headliners for next year? I've just had a quick look at old posts and the three headliners for this year were all mentioned by Nov 2018.

My wild guess... Pet Shop Boys & Tame Impala. Both look like they have new albums out next year.

Mystery Jets somewhere on the line-up too? 

[zahidf]

I've heard mogwai 

[DDave]

10 hours ago, Owen4567 said:

My wild guess... Pet Shop Boys & Tame Impala. Both look like they have new albums out next year.

Mystery Jets somewhere on the line-up too? 

Doves / LCD Soundsystem / Massive Attack or Bjork

[dingbat2]

On 11/14/2019 at 9:40 AM, DDave said:

Doves / LCD Soundsystem / Massive Attack or Bjork

All of those are a great shout, wouldnt disagree (or be disappointed) with any of them, and they all seem to fit into the vibe of the festival. Maybe a bit strong to have three of those. Might also add Elbow into the frame as well, having payed Jodrell Bank before and also being from Manx

 

Edited November 18, 2019 by dingbat2

[jannybruck]

Bjork I'd say is probably a no, considering she's already on an arena tour at the moment, her last UK festival show wasn't great and didn't sell well and it'll be even further away from an album cycle for her.

Tame Impala are out as their London show is a UK exclusive.

Mogwai would be great but they're definitely subs rather than headliners.

[shoptildrop]

Anyone have any ideas when we are due an announcement? Do we think they have gone back to their earlier March 1st announcement like previous years (last year seemed a one off due to Kraftwerk)