Parkland Planetarium is once again offering full video light shows of Pink Floyd’s iconic albums on the first Friday of every month. On the first weekend of February, Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon debuted and it was an astounding comeback.
Produced by Starlight Productions, Dark Side of the Moon is a one-hour show that holds your attention throughout the whole experience. The show dives deep into the music with entrancing visuals of space, organic images, and more. Although the production does have a couple of cheesy parts, overall, the show allows the audience to escape from reality. Long with the production company, Parkland pulls its weight in providing this show by supplying its advanced projection system.
The William M. Staerkel Planetarium is located in the M-wing of the Parkland College campus. The Parkland College website says, “The planetarium now boasts a Digistar 6 digital projection system and the first Carl Zeiss M1015 opto-mechanical star projector installed in the western hemisphere.”
Upon entering the Planetarium lobby, the ticket booth is stationed to the left of the entryway. Dark Side of the Moon had a cheap $6.00 ticket price and the Planetarium accepts cash or card.
An attendee of February’s first showing of Dark Side of the Moon, Wyatt Rouland said, “I recommend arriving early, especially if you are with a couple of people. These shows attract a big audience and we were one of the last people to get tickets before they sold out.”
After getting tickets, audience members are then directed to the Planetarium. The audience can pick their own seats and view the show from wherever is available There is a brief two-minute introduction from a staff member, and then the show begins.
The show pulled the audience into the scenery and made the viewer feel as if they are a part of the experience. Take advantage of these shows, Parkland’s planetarium is the second-largest planetarium in Illinois.
The show ran without interruption which allowed the audience to feel immersed in the music and stay focused on the visuals.
Overall, this was a well-put-together show with smooth transitions between songs and images. Proving this point, the show was packed full of people. I recommend attending a show if you are new to campus, looking for a fun date idea, or want to lean into your love for Pink Floyd.
Those interested could attend the Planetarium on Friday, March 3rd at 9 pm, in order to watch the next Pink Floyd show.
For more information on Parkland Planetarium showings visit Parkland’s website HERE.
