---Friday---
Arriving straight from work, there wasn't much time for band watching, but
Public Service Broadcasting were, as usual, great fun even if some of the performances are a little familiar by now - There's photos on here from a previous Blue Dot which are pretty similar, but I did manage to catch them on the phone. Nice to hear J. Willgoose, Esq. speaking as well as using his pre-recorded voices.
Headlining were the Flaming Lips. Probably the worst
Flaming Lips gig I've been to! Given that the previous 4 or 5 have been 10/10 gigs, that's not a surprise. This was a mere 8/10 - a fantastic spectacle. My phone had run out of charge, so I didn't get any photos, but I did take this picture two days later, showing the aftermath of the confetti cannons.
Other performances not photographed - Mad Professor and UNKLE.
---Saturday---
The Radiophonic Workshop, promoted from last year's Orbit Stage to the Lovell Stage, were the perfect start to the day - I forgot to take any photos as I was too busy sitting there with a huge grin on my face. Later on, hampered by a murky sound, Hookworms still managed to impress at times, particulary with recent album highlight, Ullswater.
Best gig of the weekend by far was
Gary Numan, with many people questioning why he was not headlining instead of Future Islands. Some people have expressed surprise at how good Savage, his most recent album, is. These people seem to be forgetting (or haven't heard) previous album, Splinter, which is at least as good. Anyway, half of this set is given over to three songs apiece from those albums, but there was still time for old classics Metal, Cars and Are 'Friends' Electric. Other highlights included the tearjearking classic Prayer To The Unborn and his daughter, Persia, joining him onstage for My Name Is Ruin.
Late night entertainment was provided by
Cassetteboy's disco - many of their classic cut and paste moments interspersed with music and dragged along at a frantic pace by their Maestro collaborator,
DJ Rubbish. Not that I approve, but there's something envigorating about seeing a 10 year old girl in the crowd being encouraged to tell Theresa May where to go.
---Sunday---
Starting the day off slowly with the
Roberts Bakery Band's take on some pop classics.
Warm Digits could've been a weekend highlight, but their set was hampered by technical problems at the start, a quiet sound and being far too short - their set finishing just as they were hitting their stride. Bring them back next year, give them a later slot in one of the tents and they'll blow everyone away. Then onto the two highlights of the day, starting with another excellent live performance by
Vessels. Note to future self: Yes, I did dance to them again - not bad for someone who doesn't dance.
Then the band with my least favourite name, Snapped Ankles, who put on a great show, peaking with them motorik post punk of Johnny Guitar Calling Gosta Berlin
God knows what this is supposed to be, but this child went past me during Snapped Ankles' pagan rock set.
Ending the weekend on a visual and audio overload was the
Chemical Brothers, packing in as many of their songs as possible into two hours. The Dancing Robots were clumsy but brilliant.
Other moments: Fragments of Little Dragon, Boy Azooga and Henge
