We caught up with Elrow’s Music Director to talk DJ’s, Theme’s and more

Experience the electrifying atmosphere of Elrow Australia!

Hello Victor (Victor de la Serna), thank you for taking the time for answer our questions. How are things going down at Elrow HQ?
Thanks for having me! Right now is a very busy period as we are finalizing budgets for 2019 and I am booking all the summer festivals, Ibiza, our club in Barcelona + all the tour dates, so yes, pretty hectic hehe…
Can you tell our readers who aren’t familiar a bit about you came up with the concept for Elrow?
Elrow as you know it has been going for almost 9 years now, but it started before that as a night club called Row 14. We have a techno club in Fraga, Huesca, called Florida 135 that has been operating for 76 years and when the Arnau family moved to Barcelona they decided to open a club in Barcelona. This was first in the city but after a while, Juan snr found a venue outside Barcelona, opposite the airport, that needed a lot of work but had a lot of potential. The venue opened as Row14 but it didn’t really work and lost a lot of money. When it was about to be closed, they started opening as an after party and buying toys from the Chinese shops to give to the public so they could interact and then, there was something there. Still was not full, but you could see that a spark had been lit and then the party evolved with actors, stilt walkers, decorations, confetti etc… into what it is today! ☺
Do you have any particularly fond memories from the early days? It all must have changed so much from then?
I remember coming as a customer about 8 years ago and Richie Hawtin was playing the terrace, his parents were at the VIP having a drink with Juan and Cruz Snr so the family vibe was also there, but I remember not long ago finding a video from that morning during Sonar week and while the terrace was a little busy with Richie, the other rooms were empty with also headline DJs playing. I compare it to where we are now and it seems eons ago!
Last year saw Elrow finally come to Australia. I was at the Melbourne event and it was amazing!  Last year was held in a Warehouse on the Docklands, whereas this year you’ve gone for The Melbourne Showground. What was the thought process behind the venue change?
We liked the first venue and the event went great, but we decided for year two we wanted to move venues and our local partner recommended this one and we think it will better the experience for everyone, so let’s see what you think of this edition! 😉
What have you guys got in store for this year? How can you possibly top last year?
Hahaha, tricky question. Is a different theme, different Djs, but should be the same amount of fun! As you know we tour different themes, so this time we are bringing the Sambodrowmo de brasil, that is one of the longest running themes weve had and without a doubt one of the most populars we have, so hopefully the experience will be even better than the last!
Elrow events are arguably the most successful party events in the world right now; did you ever expect it to get so big?
Not in a million years! You can never expect this kind of success and is something we all have had to get used to, specially in terms of growth of the company and the growth of work load, but we are all extremely grateful for all that is happening and specially to our fans worldwide. Is just amazing to travel the world with elrow and see the same smiling faces everywhere we go.
Which city produced the most surprising crowds? Did you ever throw a party unsure of whether it will work and it turned out to be a huge success?
The good thing about elrow is that is all about having fun and I believe that’s the most international thing ever. Who doesn’t like to have fun?? I would say a few years back they approached us to switch on the Christmas lights in Carnaby St in London, something that previously has been done by HUGE british and international talent and definitely not by a spanish club brand, so we were excited but thinking how it was all going to work. In the end was a HUGE success and we couldn’t be happier we were asked to do something like that.
Is there a particular country Elrow hasn’t been to yet that you are planning to visit?
Next year we are ging to India for the first time and Asia, even though we have done some events already there, is still a big area of interest for us as the possibilities are endless!  
How much creative planning goes into your parties? There is so much to cover; music, lights, visuals, inflatables etc.
A lot!! We have a very big creative team that work relentlessly to create new shows, improve the old ones, create new characters, new games… its one of the most creative environments I have ever worked in, is amazing. Also we cannot forget all the people that work at the workshop creating all the decos, costumes, etc… as all is done by hand in Barcelona!
Does your booking strategy with artists vary depending on the country you are in?
Yes, of course. There are some acts I would like to book in Barcelona or UK that don’t work here but are big in Australia or Asia. Or even artists that work really well for me in Barcelona, Ibiza, London and then don’t work in Zurich. For the tour we need to listen to the local partners but without losing our party identity.
What do you feel makes Elrow stand out from the rest?
It’s a crazy party. We leave the seriousness and the chin stroking outside, we don’t plan on educating anyone, just come, have fun and loose yourself in all the colours!
Can you describe a night in Elrow in 3 words?
Fun, crazy, colorful
What is the plan for Elrow in 2019? How do you even expand what it already is?
I heard we already reached Mars, right? Haha
Interview by Paraic Walker

Movin’ Melvin Brown: SWEET SOUL MUSIC