Quite literally the dark side of the moon.
On April 20, eight lucky Pink Floyd fans will attend a listening party like no other. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the release of Dark Side of the Moon, the band is inviting a selected group of Australian fans to travel to Ningaloo Marine Park (Nyinggulu) in Exmouth to witness a solar eclipse as the album plays through.
At around 11:30 in the morning, the sun will block the moon in Ningaloo for just over a minute. If all goes to plan, the eclipse will be synched up with the music so it is perfectly aligned with the closing bars of the album’s song of the same name, where Roger Waters utters the line “But the sun is eclipsed by the moon”.
Dark Side of the Moon Listening Party
- Eight Pink Floyd fans will be invited to Ningaloo, Exmouth on April 20 to celebrate the 50th birthday of Dark Side of the Moon
- The winners, called Astronomy Domine 8, will witness a solar eclipse as the album plays
- The competition closes on April 7
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The event will be run by Pink Floyd’s longtime creative consultant Aubrey Powell, who co-founded the art collective Hipgnosis which designed many of the band’s iconic album covers. To enter the competition, applicants must submit a 30-second video explaining “with or without words” why they should be chosen for one of the coveted spots. Entry will be closed at the end of the day on April 7.
The Western Australian destination was specifically chosen for the event as it’s said to be the best place to experience the rare phenomenon. The remote UNESCO world heritage site is roughly 1200 km north of Perth and is known for its rugged coastline, undisturbed bushland and coral reefs.
The winners, who will collectively be referred to as Astronomy Domine 8, will receive private round-trip flights to Ningaloo, accommodation, meals and a specialised outfit to wear during the event. Public tickets will not be made available and the event will be exclusive to the chosen group.
“I couldn’t think of a more fitting way to commemorate [the Dark Side of the Moon] release than with this rare and beautiful phenomenon that visually symbolises so much of what the album explores,” says Powell.
To enter the Dark Side of the Moon listening party competition, closing on April 7, head here.
