The latest from Meow Wolf: Dark Palace
Meow Wolf, the Santa Febased art company that’s become a brand name in the Instagram-friendly, “immersive” economy, is planning yet another Denver-based event in advance of the opening of a multimillion-dollar new building west of downtown.
Last week, the company announced Dark Palace, a threeday, Dj-driven music and art event that will take over the National Western Complex from Nov .22-24. Billed by the a “dance obs cur a ,” the lineup features sets from DJS and producers including Claude Vonstroke, MK, Guy Gerber, Lauren Lane, Charles the first, Shlomo, Dirty Monkey and Shades, as well as on-site installations from local artists, which will be announced later.
Meow Wolf is no stranger to the concert business, having just wrapped its inaugural Taos Vortex festival in Taos, N.M., and hosted live music from local and touring acts at its Santa Fe home base for the past several years.
“We’re looking forward to bringing the same sense of community we experienced at Taos Vortex to Denver,” Vince Kadlubek, CEO of Meow Wolf, said in a press statement. “We’re excited to share this Meow Wolf event and hope people will join us for the ride as we expand and create our permanent location in the city.”
Even without a permanent installation in Denver, Meow Wolf has already invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in the city’s arts and culture scene by sponsoring events, publications, gallery shows and more. In April, it opened a trippy, “dark ride” attraction called Kaleidoscape at Elitch Gardens theme park. The idea is to get Denver residents accustomed to seeing Meow Wolf in their backyard as the fast-growing company follows through on the $60 million, 20-year lease it signed for its new building at 1338 1st St.
The 90,000 square-foot, fourstory complex at Interstate 25, Colfax Avenue and Auraria Parkway viaducts promises to be at least three times bigger and many more times elaborate than its tourist-magnet Santa Fe location. The Denver location is slated to open in 2021, and Meow Wolf is already selling $50 “firstweek” tickets at denver.meowwolf.com.
Tickets to Dark Palace are $20-$40 per day, or $75 for the weekend, and available via events.meowwolf.com. The 18and-up Dark Palace runs 8 p.m.-2 a.m. Nov. 22 and 23 and 7 p.m.-1 a.m. on Nov. 24 at 4665 Humboldt St.
“Meow Wolf and Dark Palace is about fun, exploration and things that go bump in the night,” Event Director Max B.K. said in a press statement. “That’s what it’s all about: from the DJS who play it, the lighting designers who illuminate it, to the artists who will install their art for it. The National Western Complex is a gorgeous and fitting venue for Dark Palace — it’s an ancient, concrete, voluminous maze that we’re thrilled to get to know for the weekend.”
The Dark Palace announcement arrives as Meow Wolf is battling negative publicity in the form of a lawsuit and investor revolt.
In July, two former employees filed a gender discrimination and fair-pay lawsuit against the company in New Mexico. Last month, news surfaced that the company was forcing a buyback of shares it sold in 2017 to raise capital.
At least two dozen small investors who supported the company are considering a class-action lawsuit, The Denver Post reported.