Spanish outfit elrow are the reigning champs of experiential parties. Think fully themed rave meets Cirque du solei with a splash of performance art. Juan and Cruz Arnau are the newest generation of a family entertainment dynasty dating back over 100 years. The brother-sister duo wanted to build a unique experience for Barcelona’s dance music community. In a city overrun by clubs, Row 14 was a unique offering where spectacle took center stage, and the fan became the headliner. It was an experiment in world-building that almost bankrupted them but has grown to be a global phenomenon encompassing over 100 mind-bending events annually.
“It’s more about balancing the experience of the customer. So, it's not all about the music. The experience, meeting people, decorations, actors, you know, all of that,” Juan Arneau told Festival Insider in an interview in 2021.
When they first conceptualized elrow Arneau lived in Cape Town, South Africa. His parent called him and asked him to get as many handcrafted decorations as possible. He ended up filling four containers in a month to transform Row 14 into an African-themed club.
The elrow team has carried on crafting intricate worlds for each show. Over a decade since their inception, they’ve created over 20 captivating concepts. All of them are replete with intricately crafted DJ booths, performers in full costume, full-on audience participation, and their anthropomorphic feathered mascot Rowgelia. When you add on the hourly confetti blasts and inflatables that float atop the crowd, you quickly realize that elrow is a singular experience. Elrow doesn't just encourage radical self-expression. They embody it.
This year, the traveling circus returns to the States for stops in Vegas, Miami, Chicago, and New York (for two days!). To get you primed and ready, we’ve broken down elrow’s top 10 themes.
Sambowdromo Do Brasil
This season, the prevailing theme for elrow’s three tour stops in Miami, Chicago, and Miami. This theme is all about Brasil’s best party Carnival. Venues transform into thick tropical jungles. As a Brazillian street party breaks out, Samba dancers shimmy to the thumping beats. Carnival floats drift by as drummers and footballers hype up the party.
Tickets are available for elrow Chicago on April 2, 2022 at Radius
Tickets are available for elrow New York on April 9-10, 2022 at Avante Gardner
Psychrowdelic Trip
Eric Cunningham
Last year's touring theme was a trip back to the storied hippie era, kind of perfect for the year that saw remixes of Jefferson Airplane and The Mamas & the Papas destroy the dancefloor. The focal point is a giant VW bus behind the DJ booth. Technicolor neon is set alight with psychedelic blacklights. And, of course, a band of hippies roams the crowd while far-out music smacks the subs.
Rows Attacks
Elrow
Space themes are perfect for the rave, and this one comes with a story. As the lore goes, all life forms everywhere have perished from boredom brought on by the evil planet sensible. Every day was Monday, and everyone hated it. However, the wildest survived the monotonous apocalypse escaping to planet elrow where they party non-stop, survive on never-ending confetti blasts, and relish in the absurdity.
From Lost to the River
Rowgelia is elrow’s feathered mascot. She is often seen in the DJ booth cutting a rug. Elrow decided that since she’s been with the family since the beginning, it was high time for a promotion. And as the new community manager, she also gets to throw her own party. She’s invited all of her party animal friends, including her sister Rowberta. This theme sees you walking onto the set of a Looney Tunes short, as Rowgelia has always been obsessed with American cartoons. Remember, what happens in the barn, stays in the barn.
Catch this theme in Las Vegas at Art Of The Wild on Saturday, March 19. Tickets are available now.
Elrow Town
Elrow Town isn’t necessarily a theme. Instead, it's what would happen if you threw all the elrow shows in a blender and added some pre-workout.
The elrow festival concept where multiple themes come together for a multi-stage experience. It’s a chance to take world-building to the next level by showing you what it would look like if elrow ran the world. The stages are bigger, the colors are brighter, the confetti blasts are stronger (and so are the drinks), and there is more to do and see. The first elrowtown was in 2015, and it’s since traveled to London, Antwerp, Amsterdam, and Edinburgh.
Visit elrow Town Spain on Friday, April 15 in Madrid. Tickets are avialable now
The Rowmuda Triangle
And undersea adventure awaits at El Triángulo de las Bermudas. On stage, a giant pirate ship is embroiled in a battle with the mythical Cracken. While in the crowd, mermaids, old-time scuba divers, pirates, and gods and goddesses of the sea float over the dancefloor and roam the crowd. The bright colors of a world beyond the waves surround you as inflatable starfish, crabs, and sea turtles swim through the crowd.
Dive into El Triangulo de las Rowmudas Sunday, June 19th in Barcelona. Tickets are available now.
Rowlympic Games
Alive Coverge
Julius Caesar presides over the most absurd version of the Olympics in history. Watch as the good people of elrowia and the Roman gladiators battle it out to see who is the most fabulous party animal of all. The stage is set with the DJ amidst a massive Roman temple. And of course, you’ll find all the typical Olympic gear vaulting poles, torches, rings, and as elrow says, “and a whole lot of weird stuff your average athlete goes wild for.” Rowlympic games was the first open air elrow concept to arrive stateside at the Brooklyn Mirage in 2018.
Compete in the Rowlympic Games on Friday, April 15 on Tenerife, Spain. Tickets are available now.
El Bowsque Encantado
Elrow resident Bastian Bux told Gray Area that this is one of his favorite themes. Translated as the Enchanted Forest, you’ll dive deep into a fantasy world as only the elrow crew could create. Set amongst a grove of mystical trees, you can dance with elves, fairies, glittering butterflies, and have a chat with the enchanted trees. No need to fear the trolls or witches. They only wish to spread peace and joy. Elrow takes the storybook world-building into the stratosphere.