By Daniel Broadley
The Saturday at Blue Dot marked the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 and mankind taking its first steps on the moon.
We marked the occasion by starting the day with a vegan katsu curry for breakfast, catching some incredible musical acts, and watching a special screening of Apollo 11, all under the shadow of the Lovell Telescope, which captured that historical event half a century ago.
A highlight of the day included Henge, whose midday set on the Lovell Stage introduced festival goers to a new genre of music ‘cosmic dross’, the apocalypse of Venus, and a demand to stop the manufacturing of weapons of war and, instead, colonise space. You couldn’t pick a more perfect setting for them.
Other top performers on Saturday include Easy Star All Stars with their collection of dub covers, Henge’s DJ set at the Deep Space Disco, and Jarvis Cocker’s latest project, Jarv Is. Jarvis had an awkward dad-like quality to his performance, asking members of the crowd what their greatest fears were only to be met with on-the-spot bemusement.
However, his final track Cunts Are Still Running The World was a comical reminder of the dire state of British and global politics.
Without a doubt, the absolute crown jewel of the weekend: Kraftwerk. The German electro pioneers could not have been a more fitting headliner. 3D glasses were scrambled out so everyone could appreciate their full 3D show, which attracted what seemed to be Bluedot’s largest ever crowd.
We found ourselves in a good position, but anyone far back enough would have had a poor view and a less immersive audio-visual experience.
Following the iconic act, which was made all the more magical with the Lovell Telescope’s projections syncing up with the set, late night boogying was provided by 808 State and David Attenborough’s Jungle Boogie on the Orbit Stage and Deep Space Disco respectively.
Saturday was closed of with a very special screening of Apollo 11 (and another big portion of cheesy chips), which was introduced by the composer of the film, Matt Morton.
The film was made entirely of archived footage and newly-found 70mm film from 1969. It featured no narration or interviews, and was a truly awe-inspiring way to see out the Saturday night and mark Apollo 11’s 50th anniversary.
Featured image and gallery: Jack Oliver After eight packed out performances across Europe Kaytranada arrives at Co-Op Live for his largest show on the European leg of his ‘Timeless Tour’. The 23,000 capacity venue is filled with excited fans who eagerly anticipate the start of the show after energetic performances from Pomo, Lou Phelps and…
Featured image: Olivia Taberner and Adomas Lukas Petrauskas From Arc’teryx raincoats to mud-clogged Salomons, we explore how outdoor garments have evolved from fashion trends to functional wear – bringing together communities of young men in the process. What began as a Patagonia jacket and a sunrise ambition soon turned into getting “battered at 3am by…
Featured image: Yas Lucia Mascarenhas and Adomas Lukas Petrauskas Manchester’s inner-city neighbourhood of Moss Side is often portrayed in the media as a dangerous area, plagued by knife crime and shootings. However, one resident and Manchester Met student – Baka Bah – believes this one-sided story doesn’t reflect the true spirit of his community. While…
Featured image: Molly Goble and Nicola Henry In the last five years, hate crimes against LGBTQ+ people have risen by 112%, underscoring the critical need for safe, inclusive spaces where queer individuals can find a sense of belonging. Amid this crisis, Queer Lit has emerged as a sanctuary in the form of a literary refuge…
Leave a reply