Bluedot 2022 Friday pictures and review: Groove Armada, Kojey Radical and Public Service Broadcasting

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Bluedot - a festival where music, science and comedy collide under the shadow of one of the world’s largest telescopes - made its grand return on Friday following a three-year hiatus.

Over the course of three days - four days if you nab early access - this truly unique festival brings together a eclectic mix of UK-based artists and global talent, interspersed with science talks from the like of talks Tim Peake, plus workshops, stargazing and plenty of laughs courtesy of this year’s comedy lineup.

It might also be one of the few festivals in existence where one minute you find yourself wandering through a fire-lit passage of artworks, guided by Luke Jarman’s astonishing Floating Earth sculpture, and the next you're listening to legendary dance duo Groove Armada drop At The River at sunset.

READ MORE:Bluedot Festival 2022 - food and drink prices as festival gets underway in Cheshire

Despite the slightly wet start to Friday’s proceedings, the atmosphere at Jodrell Bank was electric even at early doors, perhaps a testament to Thursday nights opening act Hannah Peel and Paraorchestra, a mesmerising classical-electronic crossover.

Soweto seven-piece BantU Continua Uhuru Consciousness, better known as BCUC, brought their afro-psychedelic future pop rock to The Lovell stage late afternoon and quickly had the audience entranced. The band, which formed in 2003 and sings in all 11 of the official languages of South Africa did not hold back, taking their distinctive sound - think soulful and chanting vocals, a dash or drums and bass, and plenty of percussion - to the next level.

The crowds might have been a bit patchy at this point, on account of the science talks, podcasts and Jedi training taking place, but those in attendance