Adler Planetarium launching 'Dark Side of the Moon' show for 50th anniversary of classic Pink Floyd album
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Long you'll live and high you'll fly at the Adler Planetarium – and you don't have to run to catch up with the sun when it's sinking.
The iconic Pink Floyd album "Dark Side of the Moon" is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, and the album will play for the last show of the day at the Grainger Sky Theater at the Adler from this coming March 31 through March 31, 2024.
The last show of the day at the theater is at 3:15 p.m. Friday through Monday, and 9:10 p.m. Wednesday nights.
The event is part of the Planetarium Project – which combines "Dark Side of the Moon" with a planetarium light show, in a throwback to an EMI Records news conference for the debut of the album at the London Planetarium on Feb. 27, 1973. Pink Floyd – then composed of Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Nick Mason, and the late Rick Wright – were expected to make an appearance despite being famous for shunning publicity, which heightened the anticipation, graphic designer Aubrey Powell wrote.
The planetarium was deemed the perfect backdrop for the playback of Britain's number one psychedelic space rock band – though Pink Floyd did not like being called a psychedelic space rock band, and few today would likely call anything on "Dark Side of the Moon" psychedelic space rock.
The only member of Pink Floyd who showed up was keyboardist Wright, who had not received a message that the band was defying EMI and turned around and left when he realized he was the only member there, Powell wrote.
Regardless, Powell wrote, "The event was an unmitigated success and the album went on to sell over 50 million copies to date."
Fifty years later, a revised "Dark Side of the Moon" show is being staged at 100 planetariums around the world – including the Adler.
"The show itself will be divided between the 10 tracks off the album, in chronological order, each having a different theme; some futuristically looking forward and some a retro acknowledgment to Pink Floyd's visual history, all relating to a time and space experience, embracing up to the minute technology that only a Planetarium can offer," Powell wrote. "It promises to be immersive; an all-encompassing surround sound and visual treat that will transcend reality and take you way beyond the realms of 2D experience."
Tickets to the show at the Adler are $20 – and may be purchased in addition to a Museum Entry ticket or as an add-on to any museum package.