Deorro Takes Over Chuck E. Cheese For “En El Audi”

Imagine… You’re a kid living in the Valley & one night your parents tell you, “Mijo(a), let’s go to Chuck E. Cheese!” You’re surprised to say the least, it’s a school night! You run with it though, you’re just a kid & this is something you’re not going to argue your parents on. You arrive at the Chuck E. Cheese off Reseda in Northridge & see people lined up outside on a purple carpet. It’s surprisingly empty aside from the few people running around inside, no other kids insight. You make your way to the door where a sign reads “PRIVATE EVENT” but it’s not given a second thought...

A few weeks ago I had gotten a call from from my friend Lupe Lleranas asking if I was free Wednesday evening for a Deorro event. I just couldn’t say no! I had become familiar with Deorro as his popularity grew, met him once before & he was so sweet, so there was no second guessing that I’d be there.

I arrived at the Chuck E. Cheese & made my way to the purple carpet that was laid outside the big doors. There were signs that read, “CLOSED FOR A PRIVATE EVENT.” As I waited, I witnessed families pull into the lot, becoming confused by the long line outside as they parked trying to figure out what was going on. Inside, we saw glow sticks, foam batons, & stickers being places on each table. I already knew I was going to snag a sticker or two, & I was hoping we’d be able to buy food too as I was hungry. Plus, I hadn’t had Chuck E. Cheese pizza in a long time.

As we checked in & got our wrist bands, we scoped out the place to make sure we got the best seats in the house. “He’ll be playing around 8pm,” someone from his team reported to us.

Lupe & I claimed our seats next to the animatronics stage & DJ set up, the perks of arriving early! The staff began to bring out pizza, wings, cups, the whole shebang! Even the salad bar was filled & open for us! It was a little kids (& parents) dream!

Having had been to Chuck E. Cheese as a kid, there were always limits…
“We’re only going to be here for an hour.”
“You’re only getting this many coins, share with your brother.”
‘Don’t lose your tickets, I’m not going to hold them for you. If you lose them too bad.’

Damn, now that I read that back it wasn’t really limits… It was more so teaching responsibility, but nobody is thinking that as a kid. To be there as an adult & have everything up for grabs for a good time, unimaginable as a kid. The kids in attendance that evening though! No responsibilities! No worries! Just unlimited eats & fun along with the most bragging rights for at least the next few years! That wasn’t even the icing on the cake! These kids thought they were in for a regular-degular night out… Keyword being thought! Shoot, I thought that too when I had first walked in!

I love when artists & their teams put on dope events like this. It makes the listener feel included & the memories that are created only have the love for the artist grow tenfold. I understand not everyone has the capacity to do so, but the ones that can & do, are much appreciated on my end. And if the artist is humble & just human to all in attendance, *chefs kiss*!

Deorro was off to the side doing interviews with journalists & media outlets. He was calm as he spoke to everyone, wearing a black button up, some Louis Vuitton shades, & a backwards fitted cap. Amongst all the chaos that was growing within the vicinity, he kept his composure, as if he wasn’t the reason for such an eventful evening. As he finished up, he took the time to speak to everyone & say hello. I’m not sure if he had a chance to speak to every single person, but for the most part, I can tell that he tried. He spoke to everyone (including myself) as if he’d known them for years. He made TikTok’s with influencers & journalists, made sure everyone grabbed merch, just great hospitality all around. A few hours had passed & then it was time for the real show.

Deorro was promoting his latest single “En El Audi” with Grupo Marca Registrada which was released on streaming platforms during the event. Around 8pm, just like his people had said, Deorro took over the turntables & turnt up everyone in attendance like never before. Let’s be real here, nobody’s birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese was ever going to reach the vibes that Deorro was about to bring.

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Kids raced to the front of the stage that promptly became a dance floor for everyone, & I mean everyone! All of the parents & Chuck E. Cheese himself! Glow sticks & foam batons were grabbed from each table & handed off to the kids as they were captivated by the music blasting through the speakers. It was about to be an unbelievable evening for these kids, from having the place to themselves, unlimited pizza & drinks, all on a school night! The best part was, they were about to tire themselves out without even realizing it on the dance floor! In my eyes, those parents owe Deorro a huge thank you!

Deorro began to do what he does best as parents watched their kids go crazy. As an attendee without children, I stood on the sidelines of the dance floor doing my best to enjoy the moment. I was stuck between living it & recording! I know, I know, but I couldn’t help it! I was filled with such happiness watching it all unfold that I wanted a few moments to rewatch forever. It was a mixture of a few things really; the environment, the collectiveness, the energy, & all in all the nostalgia of everything. Allow me explain what I mean.

These kids were hearing these songs because their parents played them, and their parents heard those songs because their parents played them. It was a domino effect that most of us experience growing up! The influence of music at home that shapes us, but to watch it happen in real time! Priceless.

Deorro played the classics as parents smiled to themselves as recognized melodies began to be distorted sightly before being spun out as the beat dropped. If my child were to have any type of EDM experience before they were of age, I would’ve wanted it to be something like this. Not only did this event bring kids (& parents) of all ages together (unless these kids were exposed to it already), it showcased a new genre of music alongside a one of a kind experience of it. Being able to watch that introduction happen in real time & know that those kids had a blast was truly a moment that none of us will forget.

I shared footage on my TikTok of the experience & the response was great. Fans stated how they too would love to have their kids experience something like this. Deorro himself ended up commenting stating, “honestly, I acted like that when I went to my first rave too but this set and the whole afternoon was TOO much fun, gonna speak to the team about doing more CEC gigs” I truly hope Deorro & his team can make this happen in other cities. *Fingers crossed, everybody!*