Music Among the Stars: How Artists Like Phoebe Bridgers Are Turning Planetariums into Concert Venues

“Much like orchestrating a cinematic music video, there is no singular blueprint for this medium,” explains Andrew Bundas. The planetarium educator at Jersey City’s Liberty Science Center is discussing an increasingly magnetic, sensory-rich platform for contemporary album debuts: the full-dome celestial listening experience.

In recent years, Bundas has stood at the crossroads of modern music and astrophysics, curating immersive launches ranging from Lil Yachty’s psychedelic journey for Let’s Start Here to Phoebe Bridgers’ introspective album release for Lost Weekend.

Across mid-August, tens of thousands of listeners gathered across 44 planetariums worldwide—spanning from Auckland and Glasgow to Vancouver and Bozeman—to engage with Bridgers’ collaborative release alongside Spotify. Audiences enjoyed tailored visuals featuring custom astrophotography by renowned National Geographic photographer Babak Tafreshi, as well as bespoke laser designs. The standout moment arrived on the eve of the release date, when Bridgers surprised the audience at the Liberty Science Center’s Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium with an acoustic three-song performance inside the dome.

“Her presence in the dome on the exact night of her launch spoke volumes about her dedication to the artistic concept,” Bundas reflects. “It transformed the music into an unforgettable collective moment.”

A Monumental Canvas of Light and Sound

Boasting the largest and most technically sophisticated dome in the Western Hemisphere, the Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium offers an unmatched sensory environment. “In terms of clarity, it rivals the finest ultra-high-definition screens, rendered across an uninterrupted span exceeding 90 feet,” says Paul Hoffman, President and CEO of the Liberty Science Center.

While the dome regularly accommodates cover ensembles, tribute groups, and genre-defying acts, specialized projects featuring bespoke 8K rendering or nature-based astrophotography demand months of meticulous pre-production. Following Bridgers’ intimate showcase, Hoffman and Bundas sat down to explore why modern domes represent the ultimate vanguard for auditory immersion.

What sparked the initiative to merge deep space science with contemporary album releases?

Paul Hoffman: Our primary mission centers on space science education during an era of unprecedented astronomical discoveries. The data and imagery arriving from both orbital and terrestrial telescopes are staggering. Simultaneously, we hold this 88-million-pixel, highly intimate venue holding roughly 400 seats. While mega-arenas provide sheer scale, they lack intimacy. The dome acts as a shared, focused canvas where sonic and visual art enhance one another seamlessly.

Andrew Bundas: Contemporary planetarium technology has evolved far beyond traditional static sky projections. Our infrastructure relies on advanced multi-server graphics pipelines delivering true 8K visuals across 360 degrees. This provides artists with unprecedented creative freedom to develop visuals that envelop their audience.

How varied is the creative trajectory when an artist approaches the dome?

Bundas: It runs the spectrum. Some creators provide finalized sequences that we adapt to the dome’s curvature; others collaborate with us directly to design the environment from scratch. The primary goal is encouraging them to think spherically—guiding the spectator’s focus across the entire space rather than confining it to a singular frontal viewpoint.

Hoffman: Phoebe arrived with a distinct artistic identity, having already secured breathtaking celestial imagery captured by Babak Tafreshi. Our role was refining the physical environment to reflect that tone—illuminating our exterior tower in muted melancholic indigo, introducing atmospheric haze, and aligning the mood of the physical space with the recorded soundscape.

How did Bridgers’ show contrast with previous events, such as Lil Yachty’s launch?

Bundas: They showcased two distinct creative applications of the platform. Lil Yachty’s showcase favored rapid kinetic energy, dynamic movement, and deep-space velocity, accompanied by a surprise appearance from Drake. Phoebe’s aesthetic was contemplative, patient, and atmospheric—characterized by subtle auroras and distant star systems. Both artists took full advantage of the environment to create an experience tailored to the venue.

What advice would you offer musicians interested in producing their own dome events?

Bundas: Connect with your local regional planetarium. Dome specialists are eager to explore creative partnerships and push their technical infrastructure into new territories. Attend a public session first-hand to experience how audio and imagery interact within a spherical space.

Hoffman: The final experience transcends ordinary listening sessions. When done right, sitting inside the dome with 400 fellow listeners creates an emotional, almost meditative experience that stays with people long after the lights come up.

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