Watch Foster the People’s Paste DJ Session up in the Goodyear Blimp

Fresh off an electrifying set at Lollapalooza, Foster the People made an impressive pivot, trading the roar of thousands for the serenity of the skies. They leaned into the odd magic of it all with ease, delivering a dynamic DJ set aboard the Goodyear Blimp for an audience of seven. It was the kind of surreal setup most artists will never get to experience, and they made it feel effortless.

The cabin of the blimp was surprisingly quiet, just a low, ambient hum from the engine, very different from an airplane and more meditative than mechanical. A few seats lined the windows, some of which were partially open to the air, letting in a breeze. Below us, neighborhoods, towns, and fields stretched out like a painting. As the set began and music pulsed through the cabin, it hit me: nobody else has ever done this, the pilots said it themselves. This wasn’t a gimmick or promo stunt; it was a once-in-a-lifetime performance that may well set a precedent for anyone else brave and adventurous enough to try recording music aboard a blimp. We joked that, as we had technically done more blimp recording than anyone else, we were now the de facto authorities.Through seamless transitions between bursts of high-energy electronic music, Foster the People delivered a tightly crafted half-hour set that seemed to be over in mere minutes. A standout moment came with the pulsing groove of “See You in the Afterlife,” one of their newer originals, which featured live vocals layered over the mix, a moment that felt particularly intimate as we drifted over the landscape below. Each track blended into the next effortlessly, creating an entrancing soundscape that suited the dreamlike environment we were in.

Of course, no session like this would be complete without a small amount of chaos. At one point, the blimp angled itself steeply enough that our wide camera capturing the duo fell over onto the DJ equipment. What could have been a troublesome moment instead became a funny bit of blimp-specific misadventure. The band laughed through it and helped our crew quickly fix the setup, all without missing a beat. It was a reminder that this wasn’t just a performance, it was an experience, shaped in part by its unpredictability.

By the end of the set, I was left with a sense of gratitude that’s hard to describe. Foster the People didn’t just deliver a great set, they helped us achieve something that nobody else has attempted: a music session in a blimp. And not just any blimp, but one flying its centennial colors, celebrating a hundred years since Goodyear’s first airship took to the skies. In an industry where so much has already been done, we’re proud to have worked with them to achieve something truly unique.

Big thanks to Foster the People and their team, and to the Goodyear team for helping bring a new meaning to Paste Studio “On the Road,” proving that even in 2025, there are still ways to make live music feel like magic again.