Review — Immersive Nostalgia at Meow Wolf’s Emo Nite Halloween Takeover in Denver – 303 Magazine

On October 26th, Meow Wolf Denver hosted the second night of its Halloween Danceportation series, the theme of which was “Emo Nite Halloween Takeover.” Known for blending interactive art installations with surreal storytelling, Meow Wolf’s venue is a labyrinth of strange landscapes, alien cities, and mind-bending rooms — the perfect setting for a costume party that pulls guests into a night of classic emo hits, immersive art, and live music.

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As the party began, approaching the building felt like stepping into another dimension. In every direction, people dressed as favorite characters and nostalgic icons — from Shrek and Fiona to obscure pop culture figures — gathered, making it feel like a massive costume-themed festival before you even entered the building. With each step, reality started to bend away, preparing visitors for the world awaiting them inside.

Once inside, it was clear this was no ordinary Halloween party. Everywhere you looked, costumed figures roamed in all directions, and the opening chords of Fall Out Boy’s “Sugar, We’re Goin Down” echoed through the main hall. This song would kick off a playlist filled with hits that defined an entire generation and set the tone for the night ahead. Characters on stilts wove through the crowd, interacting with guests, while friends gathered to sing along, laughing and reminiscing over the familiar lyrics. It was surreal but fitting, a sense of nostalgia amplified by the strange, dreamlike surroundings.

One of the early highlights of the evening involved the elevator — but this was no typical ride. Guests were packed shoulder-to-shoulder with figures dressed as both beloved and fearsome characters. As the elevator climbed, the excitement grew, almost like it was transporting everyone to another world. When the doors finally opened, they revealed a fully immersive experience: a gritty, graffiti-covered cityscape filled with interactive games and alien influences. The first sight upon stepping out was a “Rat Battler” arena, where partygoers could face off in a head-to-head showdown controlling their own warrior rats. Fueled by the backdrop of My Chemical Romance, it felt like an edgy, underground competition, the perfect embodiment of the night’s throwback vibe.

Moving beyond this gritty world, guests were drawn deeper into Meow Wolf’s surreal maze, with the angsty emo anthems serving as a siren call. Each room in Meow Wolf has multiple pathways and countless hidden corridors, allowing people to pick their own adventure and discover something new at every turn. For those who followed the sound of music, a spiral walkway led to a stunning area hidden within a giant tree. Emerging into this open room, guests found themselves surrounded by glowing plants and intricately painted walls, with shadowed, alien-like insects crawling along the walls. The surreal environment felt like a dreamscape, perfectly blending eerie Halloween ambiance with emo nostalgia.

Nestled within the forested setting was a DJ stage, where a crowd gathered to shout along to their favorite emo songs. Above them, the venue stretched multiple stories high, with faces peering down from balconies that felt like they had reached the sky. It created a layered, almost otherworldly experience, as if guests wandered through a strange, organic festival within an alien planet. Nearby, friends gathered in cozy, cocooned conversation pits, laughing and taking photos, while others moved between levels, exploring the layered jungle-like room.

Throughout the night, each new corner revealed a different environment, each room its own unique theme and detail. Smaller side rooms held DJs spinning tracks for intimate crowds, and the alien movie theater became a fan favorite. Here, the 2002 Scooby-Doo movie played on a big screen, creating a moment of comfort amidst the night’s high-energy chaos. The dim lighting and quirky atmosphere offered a cozy retreat where people could sit, relax, and relive a childhood favorite before diving back into the party.

Another standout room was the “Glass Church,” an enormous, stained-glass-inspired installation designed to feel like a surreal, cathedral-like dance hall. Here, another DJ took over, creating an ethereal, otherworldly vibe that was mesmerizing and slightly eerie, perfectly fitting the Halloween theme. Each room in Meow Wolf’s labyrinth seemed crafted to resonate with different tastes, and the attention to detail made each environment a visual feast. From cityscapes to alien jungles, there was no shortage of fascinating spaces to wander through and explore.

The night’s music roster was packed with crowd-pleasers. Alongside a lineup of DJs, live performances from bands like Bury Mia, Astral Planes, Caroline Reilly and Thurston provided moments of raw, live energy. The crowd went wild when special guests like Kellin Quinn from Sleeping with Sirens and Forrest Kline from Hellogoodbye created moments of excitement that were all the more amplified by the themed setting. Decadon and High Zombie closed out the evening with “Grave Sets” that served as the night’s final thrill. The music felt like the heartbeat of the night, pulsating throughout the rooms, tying everything together in a festival-like vibe. It was easy to get lost in the art and let the music serve as a soundtrack for the night’s adventure.

The crowd itself was a massive part of the experience. Seeing so many people embrace the immersive atmosphere and come dressed in intricate costumes added an infectious energy to the space. Characters from every genre mingled, laughed and shared drinks, creating a sense of camaraderie that’s hard to find outside such an event. At one point, guests dressed as the “Green Monkeys” from Legends of the Hidden Temple gathered for an emo karaoke session and belted out “Dirty Little Secret” by The All-American Rejects. These spontaneous moments brought the party’s playful energy to life and made it feel like a community gathering as much as a Halloween celebration.

As the night wore on, it became clear that Meow Wolf’s Emo Nite Halloween Takeover was a truly unique experience. Each detail, from the music selection to the intricately designed rooms, created a space where people could lose themselves in the past and present at once. The combination of familiar emo tunes and eerie, surreal surroundings made it a one-of-a-kind Halloween event, perfect for fans of both alternative music and immersive art. For anyone in Denver looking for a Halloween celebration that blends nostalgia, art and otherworldly experiences, Meow Wolf’s Danceportation nights are not to be missed. It’s a place where the strange and familiar meet and where stepping outside reality feels as natural as the music itself.

All photographs courtesy of Zack Hartman