Phoebe Bridgers Lost Weekend: Planetarium album experience comes to Armagh

What's it like to hear an unreleased album in a planetarium? Image source, Getty Images. Lost Weekend is Phoebe Bridgers' first solo album in six years, and this week, the Armagh Planetarium and Grammy Award-winning artist joined forces for an immersive audio-visual experience. Named after the album, the Lost Weekend Planetarium show combines National Geographic night-sky photographer Babak Tafreshi’s curated nocturnal scenes with the 16-track record. The event is available in 35 countries, with only two UK venues—Glasgow and Armagh—chosen to host it. Four sold-out showings were held at Armagh Planetarium on Tuesday, with four more on Thursday. Attendees had to place their phones in a magnetized pouch during the event. Armagh native and Bridgers fan Cathleen was delighted to see her hometown included. She noted Armagh’s historic nature and the recognition from a younger generation and artist. Speaking before the show, she related to Bridgers’ music, appreciating the acoustic numbers. The Armagh Planetarium hosted four sold-out showings, with attendees like Abbie and Scott from County Waterford, who made a three-and-a-half-hour journey. They found the experience a good preview before Bridgers’ sold-out Dublin shows in November. Tara and Emma also attended, praising the album’s powerful lyrics and emotional connection to their lives. Friends Emma, Bec, and Arron enjoyed the immersive experience, appreciating the lack of distractions like phones. Heather Alexander from Armagh Planetarium highlighted the unprecedented demand for the show, calling it a special honor to host it alongside venues in America, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Critics describe Lost Weekend as a daring exploration of love, grief, and renewal, with themes including Bridgers’ engagement and eventual breakup with Irish actor Paul Mescal, and a dedication to her father, who passed away a few years ago. Fans like Kev appreciated the album’s blend of human and spacey elements, finding it calming and emotive. Sisters Eibhlin and Emma also attended, calling the experience ‘amazing,’ with visuals complementing the music and lyrics. They noted the album’s rockier or folk sound and the potential for deeper analysis once the full release comes out.