Bluedot to host free virtual festival with live music, science and cosmic culture

Bluedot has postponed its 2020 festival until next summer, with this year’s headliners Bjork, Groove Armada and Metronomy already confirmed for July 2021 at Cheshire’s Jodrell Bank Observatory.

But you don’t need to wait that long to get your fix of live music and science talks.

The festival has just unveiled the line-up for A Weekend In Outer Space, a special free-to-view online festival taking place this weekend.

The will bring the Bluedot experience online with live music, science talks, culture and family shows as well as album listening parties courtesy of Tim Burgess’ Tim’s Twitter Listening Parties.

Music highlights include exclusive live sets from Orbital, Daniel Avery, Roni Size, BCUC and Anna Matronic’s Deep Space Disco, finishing off with a Sunday evening broadcast of Elbow’s legendary Jodrell Bank show from 2013.

On Sunday New Order, Metronomy, Ibibio Sound Machine and others will join live as part of an afternoon of album listen-alongs with Tim Burgess.

Live science talks over the weekend will include Ann Druyan in conversation with Brian Cox and Robin Ince, Jim al-Khalili and Jill Tarter, and family friendly shows including Clangers and Nordoff Robins.

And the weekend will be bookended by immersive ‘journey to outer space’ and ‘return to Earth’ shows hosted by Henge.

A Weekend In Outer Space will be raising money for Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre, the award-winning science centre at the observatory, which has been closed in recent months.

The Discovery Centre is part of The University of Manchester and is a registered charity, which since 2011 has inspired over 1.3million visitors, including many families and school children.

Over 85% of its income is generated from admissions, educational visits, group bookings, and sales in their café and gift shop, all of which rely on their doors being open.

A Weekend In Outer Space will take place on Friday 24th – Sunday 26th July 2020 at aweekendinouterspace.com. It is free to view.

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