Meow Wolf’s Convergence Station in Denver blows you away even before you go inside with its new building constructed between two viaducts for Colfax Ave. A gleaming white triangular structure that bears the iconic neon MEOW WOLF moniker entices onlookers to what’s inside this craziness. Yes, when you fully digest it, it seems absolutely bonkers to build a building between two raised overpasses, but that’s the Meow Wolf way, and it’s a testament to the collective’s vision.
Originating in Santa Fe, New Mexico, this rag-tag group of artists, musicians, and storytellers has grown into a global phenomenon. With a mind-blowing exhibit in Las Vegas called Omega Mart and now Denver’s Convergence station, which might be or at least should be considered their crown jewel.
You can watch the Meow Wolf Origin documentary HERE, which will help you wrap your head around it all.
So let’s talk about what you can expect at Convergence Station [CS]. The exterior of the building is quite stark in comparison to what lies within its belly. You are greeted with a standard security line, mask check, and timed entry line where they let in eager attendees that run the gamut from raver to comic book types to curious mainstreamers in 20-minute increments.
Once inside the lobby of CS, you start to feel something coming on, something weird, maybe supernatural and cosmic. An alien statue stands before the lift that will take you into the first part of your Meow Wolf journey, promising you that something truly transformative is about to happen to you; you are about to converge.
The narrative is as straightforward as it is complex, with fragments of a storyline dashed throughout the experience, accessed through a card that you can tap on little terminals filled with digital breadcrumbs – the same scenario also plays out in their Las Vegas Omega Mart exhibit.
The elevator opens into what feels a bit like Blade Runner had a love child with Avatar, strange and wonderous orbs hang from the ceiling, alien creatures are tucked everywhere, and citizens of CS wander around freely, happy to have a chat with you. You are immediately overwhelmed in the best of ways; sounds beckon you to little pods, nooks, and secret rooms.
So, where does one start? There is no flow at CS, you are the master of your destiny and experience, and everyone’s experience will be different. You wander into what catches your attention, and eventually, you might find your way to most of it – but you will definitely not soak it all in your first time, so don’t even try.
The details are detailed, with art pieces everywhere you look. The hallway that features micro dioramas alone could take up an hour of your time, with their wild scenes of model airplanes flying through clouds, tornados, and warped aquatic life.
Have we lost you yet? Don’t worry; that’s part of the fun of the Meow Wolf experience; the pure neon, pulsing chaos of it all is what sets your imagination into a tailspin. It’s not just the visuals that are impressive; the sound design will tickle your brain equally as well if you let it sneak in there.
The sound moves with intent, everywhere you go, from the automated space band to little soothing chillout pods that you could disappear into for hours of meditational bliss. The sound is alive, and the creation and thoughtful placement is a feat in and of itself.
We could throw more adjectives at you, more details of our experience. Still, We will stop there – because the experience you will have will be completely different than anyone else, what you see, what you hear, and how you interpret it is entirely personal – and precisely the reason why Meow Wolf has changed the way we experience art, sound, and experience.
We will be back, that’s for sure.
Along with the exhibit, there is also a music venue where the Meow Wolf crew celebrate their love of music. They book everything from indie to electronic and everything in between, so not only does Denver get a fantastic new art experience, we get a dope new venue to see our favorite acts.
Learn More Here.
David Ireland is a professional strategist, creative, and marketer. He began his career in 1995 as creator and publisher of BPM Magazine. In August 2000, BPM Magazine merged with djmixed.com LLC, an online media company based in Los Angeles, which later evolved into the Overamerica Media Group [OMG] in 2003. In 2009, Ireland left Overamerica Media Group to serve as the VP of Marketing at Diesel. In 2011, he returned to his roots in media and cofounded the online electronic music publication Magnetic Magazine and created The Magnetic Agency Group. In June 2018, Ireland joined Winter Music Conference (now owned by Ultra Music Festival) as the Director to lead the reboot for 2019 and usher in a new era for the iconic brand. He served as Chief Marketing Officer at Victrola for three years, guiding product innovation and brand growth. He currently serves on the advisory board of Audiopool, a new music tech startup focused on AI-generated music licensing and artist revenue models.
