bluedot – the award-winning festival that fuses music, science and culture at Cheshire’s iconic Jodrell Bank Observatory – has announced a third wave of artists including Britpop hero Jarvis Cocker.

Renowned as the legendary frontman of Pulp, Cocker was a figurehead of music in the mid-90s with hits including Common People, Sorted For E's and Whizz and Babies before later cementing himself as a hugely successful solo artist in his own right.

Following the successes of their 2018 world tour, Sons of Kemet also joins the eclectic bill. With a kinetic, earth-shaking sound the MOBO award-winning four-piece promises an electrifying performance and are guaranteed to be a festival highlight.

Also topping the bill is Derrick Carter’s Cosmic Disco – a sublime mix of futuristic tribal house and tech-disco, hosted by the UK’s most exciting disco party La Discotèque.

bluedot has also announced the first names on this year’s comedy line-up as part of the festival’s art and culture programme. Highlights include award-winning comedian John Robins. Billed as “One of the most naturally gifted comedians” by The Telegraph, John has gained a devoted following for his podcast The Elis James and John Robins Show receiving over 25 million downloads and a regular fixture in the podcast charts.

Other additions include Knightmare Live – the critically acclaimed stage adaptation of the cult TV show, Knightmare, Irish freestyle rapper and comedian Abandoman, Keri Pritchard-Mclean, The Dark Room, Paul Foot, Ivo Graham, Elf Lyons, Andrew O’Neill, John Luke Roberts, David Trent, Joey Page, Manchester's finest tech comedy duo Foxdog Studios, Ben Target and rising star Micky Overman.

Elsewhere on the line-up are Kinshasan collective KOKOKO!, experimental space voyagers Golden Dawn Arkestra, God Colony, Binkbeats, Oshun, Werkha, Self Esteem, Leifur James and Emma-Jean Thackray.

Also featured is South-London foursome Another Sky, Squid Working Men’s Club, Spill Gold, singer-songwriter Francis Lung, Bradford on Avon favourites Wasuremono, See Thru Hands, Grace Lightman, six-piece indie-rockers Talkboy, SPQR and Deep Water.

Late night parties include Nyege Nyege Tapes presenting an exclusive line-up including Otim Alpha, Slickback and electro Acholi pioneer Leo P-Layeng, while Mixmag will host genre-blending DJ Josey Rebelle and energetic party mixer Peach. Other additions include Manchester DJ and producer Willow and sets from award-winning DJ Ralph Lawson, both hosted by Inner City Electronic, plus Daniel Miller DJ Sets and Fleetmac Wood – a Fleetwood Mac mash-up of exclusive remixes and edits crafted for the dance floor.

As well as its live and electronic programme, bluedot has also announced the first names from its science and culture programme that this year will be centred around the 50th anniversary of the moon landing. Key speakers include Dr Helen Sharman the UK’s first astronaut and the first woman on the Mir space station, veteran broadcaster and science historian James Burke, the UK Space Agency’s human spaceflight expert Libby Jackson, Dr Katherine Joy, Dr Simeon Barber and broadcaster Dallas Campbell presenting an in-depth examination of returning to the Moon and establishing a permanent human presence on its surface. There will be further talks from world-class scientists and thinkers, combined with an opportunity to ask the Big Questions of leading researchers. All backed up by a full family-friendly programme of hands-on science experiments and interactive shows.

Day tickets are now on sale, priced £59.75 per person. Full weekend camping tickets start from £169. For tickets and details please visit: discoverthebluedot.com