Our World: Lyrical laser light shows in Southwest Florida

People of all ages fill the planetarium, many with their 3D glasses in hand, trying to find the best seats in the dome-shaped house. The lights slowly dim from pale yellow to red and then turn off completely.

A bell tolls.

It begins.

One minute, bats are flying across the sky and the next you’re spiraling down a rainbow-colored circle. From the center of the room, lasers continue to project pictorial and geometric shapes in time with the lyrics and notes to “For Whom the Bell Tolls” by Metallica. This sensory experience lasts for 52 minutes and 6 seconds or the equivalent of nine Metallica songs.

Of course, heavy metal may not be everyone’s cup of tea. Calusa Nature Preserve & Planetarium, which hosts the shows in Fort Myers, understands that. They offer a variety of other bands like Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and the Beatles, as well as shows curated by genre like Laser Vinyl, Laser Dance and Laser Pop. If there’s something missing from the scheduled lineup, Planetarium Director Heather Preston is open for feedback.

“If you want to see Laser Spirit or Laser Country, I'm willing to do it,” she says. “Bring me people and I will show you your lasers!”

Laser light shows aren’t anything new. As Preston points out, people have been doing them to Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon since it came out in the 1970s. Nowadays, you may see some fancy laser displays at live concerts, but there’s something different about the total immersion you feel under the dome. The expanse of the screen, the rhythm of the room — it provides an opportunity to lose yourself in an unusual experience with some of your favorite songs.

How we listen to music evolves as technology advances. Vinyl. Cassette Tapes. CDs. iPods. Spotify. Yet, regardless of how you listen, music is a social activity that brings people together. Calusa hopes that holds true as they continue the laser light shows.

“Ideally, we're not just going to cover the rental fee,” Preston says. “Eventually, we're hoping to do these shows as a fundraiser because there are so many things we need to redo, including the seating, ceilings and carpeting. There are so many things on the list. We're hoping eventually that the lasers will save us and our dome!”

If you go

What: Laser Light Shows

When: Shows at 7, 8, 9 and 10 p.m., June 23, 24 and 25

Where: Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium, 3450 Ortiz Ave., Fort Myers

Ticket prices: $10 per seat per show

More information: http://calusanature.org/laser-shows

Note: Shows are held quarterly in March, June, September and December. The exact dates, times and shows vary. Check their website for more information.