Strangers Stopping Strangers, Jersey City’s premier Grateful Dead tribute band, returned to the Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium at Liberty Science Center for an immersive Psychedelic Solstice celebration that rivaled the Sphere itself.

Before the show, fans gathered in the museum’s futuristic atrium to explore a lively assortment of Shakedown-style vendors and festive activities. On the ground level, guests could tie-dye their own bandanas, craft flower crowns, and sip bubbling, Grateful Dead-themed cocktails made smoky with dry ice. One floor up, a DJ spun danceable tracks from the Dead, Phish, and more as attendees enjoyed pre-show eats and 3D nature documentaries. On the upper level, they got hands-on with the interactive exhibits typically reserved for the children who visit the museum during the day.

The vibe was oddly reminiscent of the sci-fi ambience of the Las Vegas Sphere—but with more to do. The festive, carnival-like environment may have been worth the price of admission on its own, but of course, everyone was there for the main attraction: Strangers Stopping Strangers’ immersive performance in North America’s largest planetarium.

With a capacity of around 400—roughly 1/50th the size of the Sphere—the planetarium offered a spellbinding sensory experience comparable to the Sphere but on a much smaller, more intimate scale. If the Sphere is like an arena, this was a small theater. Instead of LED screens, Liquid Light Lab (Steve Pavlovsky) used the planetarium’s projector to cast a psychedelic liquid light show that swirled overhead alongside celestial and nature-themed imagery to fit the Psychedelic Solstice theme. The visuals evoked the retro feel of ’60s light shows, elevated by modern digital technology.

And the band? They were phenomenal, too.

Led by guitarist Jeff Greenspan, the five-piece delivered energetic, exploratory takes on classic Grateful Dead jams. Their fresh interpretations made it delightfully difficult to guess which song was unfolding until the main melody or lyrics kicked in—a refreshing twist for seasoned Deadheads used to more predictable cover bands.

Each musician demonstrated individual skill, but it was their cohesive improvisation—blending the acuity of a seasoned jazz or bluegrass ensemble with the raw power of a young rock band—that made them shine. The crowd, many of whom had followed the band’s rise from open mic nights to regular headlining gigs at Jersey City’s White Eagle Hall, cheered when Greenspan passed the spotlight to his bandmates, though it was his charismatic presence that made the group especially enjoyable to watch.

Because the venue could only host concerts on Thursdays, the band split their two-set performance into an early and a late show, at 6:00 and 8:30 p.m., respectively. Both shows drew sizable crowds, with the late performance selling out entirely. Fans packed the seats to soak in the stunning visuals, while others filled the aisles to dance under the stars.

The success of the planetarium shows proved that you don’t have to fly to Las Vegas to enjoy an immersive, Sphere-like concert. In fact, the experience at Liberty Science Center was superior in some ways. Even the worst seat in the house was closer to the stage than the 100-level at the actual Sphere. The event also highlighted the potential of scaled-down Sphere-like venues, or mini-Spheres, which are reportedly in the works, while showing that you don’t necessarily need a billion-dollar LED screen—just a round room, a projector, and a killer band.

Strangers Stopping Strangers – Liberty Science Center – 6/26/25

[Video: Cosmic Howie]