Culture / Entertainment

Inside the Pyramid — Your Complete Guide to PY1

Wonders and Multiple Experiences Await in North Texas — a U.S. Debut to Believe In

BY // 01.11.20

The ancient pharaohs of Egypt had their wondrous, towering pyramids. In Paris, the Louvre has its awe-inspiring, I.M. Pei–designed glass pyramid. And now, a new kind of eye-popping pyramid has emerged in Texas. Enter PY1.

This innovative pyramid-shaped venue plays host to a bevy of unique entertainment experiences. There are two shows, one is a participatory  family show featuring music, dancing and stunning visuals and the other for ages 12-and-up is a unique multimedia experience, a technological odyssey through space and time. For ages 21-and-up there is a late-night, immersive dance scene fit for the adventurous, art-and-music-seeking crowd.

At 81-feet tall, PY1 is a can’t miss pyramid — quite literally. PY1 first made headlines with its debut in Montreal this summer, where La Presse, one of Montreal’s leading newspapers, called it “a phantasmagorical voyage.”

Anticipation has grown since then for United States debut — and of all places, North Texas was selected for PY1’s U.S. entree. Here, we go inside PY1’s magical experience, rounding up the reasons PY1’s Arlington locale is a must-see attraction for 2020.

PY1’s Creative Force

PY1 was imagined and conceived by visionary entrepreneur and co-founder of Cirque du Soleil, One Drop Foundation and Lune Rouge, Guy Laliberté. With such a keen eye for state-of-the-art technology, entertainment and multimedia art, we can think of few better to spearhead a production with the creative scope of PY1.

Size Matters

Before diving into the various shows and experiences offered inside PY1’s Arlington space, one must understand the pyramid’s mind-boggling numbers.

The venue stands tall at 81-feet. Its surface is a staggering 12,544 square feet, with exterior dimensions weighing in at 125 square feet.

To create a colorful, textural lighting experience complete with the sensation of continuous movement and the effect that the space is expanding and dividing, more than 500 state-of-the-art pieces of LED lighting equipment are used.

Inside PY1
Inside PY1

A 744,000-lumen screen is a central focal point of PY1, with 32 three-chip DLP laser projectors used throughout each experience.

More than 25 lasers — a never-before-seen number in the world of performance venues and clubs — are used to create a totally supernatural environment.

What’s That Sound?

PY1 employs a unique audio system for the presentation of its multimedia shows and performances from artists and DJs. The result is an immersive, static-sound experience generated by pulses in an interactive EDM system.

In other words: One listen inside PY1 is utterly breathtaking.

Different Worlds

PY1 offers myriad different experiences, suitable to a range of ages and interests.

“Through The Echoes” features lasers, 360-degree projections, kinetic stage elements and grandiose light-scapes in a 50-minute multimedia show that transports you on a technological odyssey through space and time.

Fit for all audiences, ages 12 and up, the show has been called, “a dream-like experience.” We couldn’t agree more: The show begins with a campfire scene, before you are transported through a portal and into a ship, finally ending in a pristine forest.

Showings are held Thursdays through Sundays.

“Through The Echoes” at PY1
“Through The Echoes” at PY1

Tickets for “Through the Echoes” are available at PY1.com and Ticketmaster and start at $40.50 including tax.

Next up is the 40-minute, new participatory show for families using some incredible images and awe-inspiring music from the show “Through the Echoes” (PY1 suggests children ages 3 and up), dubbed “Stella: The Time Machine Journey,” which goes live on Saturdays and Sundays.

Imagined by Canadian artist Annie Brocoli, the experience begins with all guests being scanned for stardust — because, after all, one can’t time travel without stardust.

Once inside, Stella, a state-of-the-art AI and the brain of the time machine, along with three human guides, take you through the Timestellar Flux, which transports guests to the beginning of the universe.

Families are asked to work together to make the machine work. That means dancing to new beats and interacting within the show.

Tickets for “Stella: The Time Machine Journey” are available at PY1.com and Ticketmaster and start at $23.50 including tax.

Party Pyramid

For adults 21 and older, there is PY1 Nights, an engaging experience that includes stunning visuals, live DJs and plenty of creative surprises.

Each night takes on a theme and guests are asked to dress in costumes to match: Follow the mood boards provided by PY1, as your look for the evening is part of the experience.

Themes change on a nightly basis, and range from Candy World (a giant candy store come to life, complete with happy house music and sweets) to Pop (think of a graffiti wonderland, afro beats and a celebration of urban art), plus the awe-inspiring Eye Wonder, which offers a visit to the beginning of the universe accompanied by deep house music.

The PYI Difference

PY1 is a bit like Alice’s modern-day Wonderland. Each experience, be it family friendly or late-night, tickles all senses with a nod to artistic brilliance. As many of us are putting our cellphones away this month in an effort to be more present (at least that was one of my New Year resolutions), we can think of few better places that will hold our attention longer — or better — than PY1.

There is nothing quite like the pyramid.

For more information and tickets, click here or visit PY1 on social, @py1experience and @py1nights on Facebook and Instagram.

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