Bluedot festival is finally set to make a return in 2022, with headline performances from Bjork, Groove Armada, Mogwai and Metronomy.
The popular festival at the Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire has revealed the first wave of its line-up for this July’s event.
Bluedot marries the worlds of music, science and culture in a family-friendly four-day extravaganza.
Both its 2020 and 2021 festivals had to be cancelled, with organisers saying a ‘lack of government support around insurance’ had forced them to call it off.
Bluedot will return in 2022. Credit: Lucas Sinclair
But Bluedot will be back between 21 and 24 July for its fifth instalment.
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There’ll be huge performances beneath the 76-metre-wide Lovell Telescope, which will be lit up with projections as a huge digital artwork for the first time.
Bjork will close this year’s Bluedot in a UK festival exclusive, with a uniquely commissioned performance with the Halle Orchestra.
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Bluedot has revealed its 2022 headliners. Credit: George Harrison
On Friday night, dance act Groove Armada will headline as part of the band’s final live tour.
Scottish post-rockers Mogwai are set to headline the Saturday night, following the release of their Mercury Prize-nominated As The Love Continues.
They’ll be joined on the Saturday evening by Metronomy, who’ll perform tracks from their upcoming seventh album, Small World.
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Bluedot’s now-traditional opening concert on the Thursday evening will see Mercury-nominated Hannah Peel and Paraochestra take to the stage.
Bluedot Festival. Credit: Lucas Sinclair
Bluedot Festival. Credit: George Harrison
Also confirmed on the bill are psychedelic space rockers Spiritualized, current chart-toppers Yard Act, Warp Records mainstay Squarepusher, multi-instrumentalist composer Anna Meredith, the legendary likes of A Certain Ratio and Tim Burgess, and techno producer and creator of the official theme for the 2023 Women’s World Cup Kelly Lee Owens.
Bluedot 2022’s science programme will welcome key speakers including Radio 4’s Jam Al-Khalili, British filmmaker David Olusoga, space scientist Monica Grady, and many more.
Comedians such as Desiree Burch, Olga Koch, Robin Ince and Ahir Shah will also be making appearances as part of the culture programme.
The family-friendly festival will also have curations from Wallace & Gromit creators Aardman Animations and Clangers, and an enormous range of science-focused activities, workshops and live experiments across the Star Fields.
Festival director Ben Robinson said: “After two years away we are thrilled to be able to return with such a unique and diverse line up to the iconic Jodrell Bank for the fifth instalment of bluedot.
“We can’t wait for people to join us beneath the Lovell Telescope in July to experience four days of cosmic adventures which will close with a very special orchestral performance from Björk and The Hallé.”
Metalcore favourites Motionless in White are heading to Manchester for a massive arena show
Danny Jones
Heavy metal and metalcore band Motionless in White are returning to Manchester for a massive arena show in 2026.
The provocative and Gothic-inspired outfit has been going for more than two decades now, becoming increasing favourites within the passionate sub-culture over the years.
Known for thrashing guitars and drums, striking visuals and plenty of eye makeup, Motionless in White have a die-hard following all over the globe.
Led by charismatic lead singer and frontman Chris ‘Motionless’ Cerulli, the in-your-face five-piece are coming back to Manchester for a huge show
Although you’d be forgiven for mistaking their dark aesthetic for something out of Transylvania, Motionless in White are from Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Close enough.
It’s fair to say their genre is a far cry away from the familiar upbeat jingle of The Office US theme song too, as they mix heavy, industrial and nu-metal influences to create what is sometimes labelled as a contemporary ‘gothcore’ sound.
Best known for tracks such as ‘Another Life’, ‘Thoughts & Prayers’, ‘Masterpiece’ and ‘Sign Of Life’, it’s punchy, raw and aggressive.
You’d expect nothing less from a world-renowned metal artist.
While the band have cycled through various lineups at this point, the current Motionless in White formation is just as ferocious as ever, and fans will get to see them on their biggest stage in Manchester yet as they arrive at the legendary AO Arena early next year.
The band will be playing the iconic Manchester music venue on Saturday, 7 February 2026, with support acts scheduled to be confirmed in June, along with additional UK tour dates.
If you’re a metalhead interested in going along, you’ll have two shots are early access, with Three+ pre-sale tickets going live from 10am this Wednesday, 23 April, with AO’s own pre-sale available from the same time on Thursday (24 April).
As for general admission, they’ll be up for grabs from 10am on Friday, 25 April. You can get ready to secure yours HERE.
Featured Images — Andreas Lawen (via Wikimedia Commons)/Press Images (supplied)
Gigs & Nightlife
Burna Boy at Co-op Live – tickets, times, setlist and more for ‘I Told Them…’ tour
Thomas Melia
Nigerian superstar Burna Boy is heading to Manchester for one night only, performing all the hits right here at the lovely Co-op Live.
Burna Boy, a.k.a Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, has been steadily making a name for himself in the music industry for just over a decade, thanks to the release of his debut LP L.I.F.E back in 2013.
During his time as an artist, he has seen periods of quick-fire growth, with many standout tracks like ‘Last Last’ and ‘We Pray’, as well as a feature on UK rapper Dave’s tune ‘Location’, just to name a few.
Ogulu is a lover of collaborations too. His list of featured tracks is stacked with a roster of UK talents, including R’n’B favourites Jorja Smith and Mahalia, right through to pop powerhouse Ed Sheeran.
His prolific discography – littered with fellow artists and singers known for pushing the envelope – makes perfect sense, as this Nigerian star doesn’t stick to just one genre; instead, his particular brand of music has been dubbed ‘Afro-fusion’.
The contemporary West African icon not only utilises elements of Afrobeats, but he also makes sure to blend R’n’B, hip-hop, dancehall and lots more.
Safe to say we and millions of others around the globe are big fans.
With that in mind, Burna Boy’s latest visit, not just to Manchester but for a Co-op Live debut, is a highly anticipated one. For those of you who are heading to the arena, here’s everything you need to know.
Burna Boy at Co-op Live – all the important info
Credit: Publicity Image (supplied)
Burna Boy UK tour dates
Mon 21 April – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
Fri 11 to Sun 13 July – London, UK – Finsbury Park (Wireless Festival)
That’s right, we’re the lucky ones, as not only is Burna Boy’s Manchester gig just one of two UK shows, but it’s also the only headline date this year, as the 33-year-old will be playing Wireless Fest 2025 this summer down in the capital.
Burna Boy tickets for Co-op Live gig
You’ll be glad to hear that the show isn’t quite sold out just yet. Those who are interested in attending Burna Boy’s only UK arena stop on his ‘I Told Them…’ tour can choose from a range of tickets.
The star has options for standing, lower seating and upper seating all on offer ahead of his exclusive arena gig at Co-op Live, starting from £82.05.
Grab your coveted tickets before it’s too late and see for yourself whether you ‘Want It All’ on the front row or prefer ‘Sittin’ On Top Of The World’ – HERE.
In case you need any more convincing, these were the scenes over Paris way…
Im surprised nobody has shared this Epic moment from Burna’s boys Paris show.
I wonder what it must feel like as an artist to have this amount of people screaming something you created back at you.
There’s no official setlist published, however, these tracks are based on his performance at the Stade de France in the suburb of Saint-Denis last week, as per Setlist-fm:
7 Seconds
(Youssou N’Dour cover)
Level Up (Twice as Tall)
Tested, Approved & Trusted
For My Hand
On the Low
Cheat on Me
Big 7
On Form
Alone
Talibans II
Location (Dave track)
4 kampé II featuring with Joé Dwèt Filé
Laboratoire (WeRenoi cover)
Laho featuring Shallipopi)
Kilometre
City Boys
Bundle By Bundle
It’s Plenty
Update
Ye
Last Last
You can expect to hear his most recent single for sure.
What are the stage times for Burna Boy in Manchester?
Co-op Live has a strict curfew of 11pm, meaning you’ll be able to stay right to the ‘Last Last’ song of the night without welcoming in the next day.
Doors for the ‘I Told Them…’ tour are scheduled for 6:30pm with a kick-off time of 8pm with no confirmed support act, however, DJ Shayne Given will be taking over the arena’s exclusive ‘Backstage Club’ after the show (tickets are required).
You can purchase both after-party tickets and early access HERE.
How to get to Co-op Live
Tram
For those of you heading to Co-op Live, luckily it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.
Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
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Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre and until 01:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.
Bus
You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live. You also get free Bee Network travel with any valid event ticket.
If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue, but this must be pre-booked ahead of time and there are designated drop-off areas.
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The postcode is M11 3DU and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.
Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide come event day – though estimates will obviously vary:
Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.
There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live; be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:
Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces
Walk/cycle
Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly, and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.
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Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes through the Beryl app, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app. There are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.
For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.
Daisy Jackson -
1st February 2022 
