What’s it like at a One Direction party where attendees greet cardboard dolls?

After camping at some shows and traveling to other states and attending the performances of the members of One Direction in their solo careers, I felt that I still needed to cross one item off the list: going to a themed party for my favorite band, of which I have been a fan since 2012. .

The idea of ​​having a welcoming environment to scream and dance, the way I did as a child and teenager, with people who would understand me as an adult, always seemed very appealing. On TikTok and Instagram, as a good representative of generation Z, I have spent hours and hours watching videos of events with similar proposals in the United States and Europe and I really wanted to live a similar experience.

In fact, I lived. Not just once, but four or five times. I attended the group’s themed parties, which announced a hiatus in 2016 for a period of 18 months and never resumed activities.

At these meetings, a curious scene was repeated every time: enthusiastic fans greeted and interacted with life-size cardboard dolls representing the singers. In some ways, it felt like a cult. Alongside the DJs, it was as if Niall, Liam, Louis, Harry and Zayn were performing on stage in a possible revival of the boyband’s career.

The first time I was at the party, one of the organizers wore an LED mask, which allowed the boys’ faces to be projected. Afterwards, he danced and performed the group’s songs, such as “Kiss You”, “No Control” and “Little Things”, when fans turned on their cell phone flashlights. Again, it was as if Niall, Liam, Louis, Harry and Zayn were there, in the middle of Rua Augusta, in São Paulo.

The party, organized by Fandom Experience, promises “a journey through the universe of fans” and an “immersive experience”. At these events it is common to find shops with personalized t-shirts and bracelets, while the bar offers drinks with the names of the group members.

Some nightclubs, such as Estação Marquês, in Barra Funda, have screens for projecting videos and vignettes shown on old tours, such as “Where We Are”, which had all its shows sold out during its visit to Latin America 10 years ago.

The events take place on Fridays and Saturdays, lasting more than six hours, and have already taken place in Curitiba, Porto Alegre, Brasília, Recife and Rio de Janeiro. In the program, there are songs by solo members and pop artists, such as Olivia Rodrigo, Demi Lovato and Taylor Swift, who have specific sets.

Tickets are sold in advance on online platforms and vary between R$25, at the track, and R$90, in the box with an open bar. Jonas Brothers, Justin Bieber, RBD and McFly have also had themed editions. Information and dates are published on social media.

Next, discover fan-organized parties dedicated to pop music artists.

Ari’s party

Augusta Hi-Fi hosts a listening party, an event in which fans will play singer Ariana Grande’s new album in full, on Friday (26/4). Released in March 2024, “Eternal Sunshine” is the artist’s seventh studio album.

Augusta Hi-Fi – R. Augusta, 591, Consolação, central region. Friday (26/4), R$30 to R$35, @festadaag

Olivia’s Party

Olivia Rodrigo, who starred in Disney’s “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series”, wins a party dedicated to her discography in SP. The public can expect the hits “Vampire” and “Bad Idea Right?”, from the album “Guts”, throughout the night.

KatKlub – R. Augusta, 609, Consolação, central region. Friday (26/4), from R$30, @festadaolivia

Taylor’s party

“The Tortured Poets Department”, an album announced on the Grammy 2024 stage by Taylor Swift, arrives on streaming services in April. In the capital of São Paulo, the “swifties”, as the singer’s fans are called, organize a listening party to celebrate the release of the new songs.

Augusta Hi-Fi – R. Augusta, 591, Consolação, central region. Friday (10/5), from R$13, @festadataylor

1D Party

The party allows entry to the event until 2:30 am and is an after-hours program for the show by Louis Tomlinson, ex-One Direction who arrives in Brazil and performs at Allianz Parque with the “Faith in The Future” tour on Saturday (11/ 5). The program features hits from the singer’s solo career and the boy band. It is possible to purchase tickets with access to the box and open bar (R$ 90).

Augusta Hi-Fi – R. Augusta, 591, Consolação, central region. Saturday (11/5), from R$30 to R$90, @1dpartybrasil

Anitta’s party

The party, dedicated to the Brazilian Anitta, has already passed through Fortaleza and Rio de Janeiro and arrives in the capital of São Paulo in May. The sets feature pop, funk and reggaeton and should also include the releases of “Funk Generation”, the first album under the contract signed by the artist with Republic Records, scheduled for release on April 26th.

KatKlub – R. Augusta, 609, Consolação, central region. Friday (17/5), from R$ 15, @festadaanitta

TS Party

The releases of “The Tortured Poets Department” will be on the TS Party setlist, which will also feature songs from the “The Eras” tour. Some pop artists, such as Sabrina Carpenter, Dua Lipa, Lorde, Miley Cyrus, Billie Eilish and the band One Direction will have specific songs on the schedule.

Marquês Station – Av. Marquês de São Vicente, 412, Várzea da Barra Funda, western region. Saturday (25/5), from R$ 20, @tspartybr

Taylor’s party

On the weekend that the LGBT+ Pride Parade takes place in the capital of São Paulo, there is a commemorative edition on the date. The program will feature a performance by 11 drag queens, inspired by the eras and discography of Taylor Swift, and a pocket show by singer Clarissa, who has already been nominated for a Latin Grammy.

Cine Joia – Pç. Carlos Gomes, 82. Liberdade, central region. Saturday (1st/6), from R$30, @festadataylor