Donning an eccentric array of wigs, costumes, and theatrical flair, the acclaimed trippy-pop band Rawayana lit up Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on Saturday night, October 31, delivering an unforgettable, sold-out Halloween spectacle as part of their ambitious ¿Dónde Es El After? World Tour.
Bringing a vibrant slice of Venezuelan culture straight to New York City, the group entertained a crowd of nearly 12,000 enthusiastic fans with an immersive performance of fan favorites including “Uber,” “Feriado,” and “Hora Loca.” The band members fully embraced the holiday spirit with their own distinct costumes: frontman Beto Montenegro rocked his signature dreadlocks alongside spirited thematic elements, Fofo wore a short and sleek bob wig, Abeja sported an energetic 1980s-style hair-metal wig, and Tony took the stage dressed as a woman, setting a playful and unpredictable tone for the evening.
The concert began on the main stage, featuring an expansive backdrop screen that dynamically alternated between tropical visual aesthetics and imagery directly inspired by the songs being performed. The visual feast was further heightened by dramatic smoke columns and cascading confetti showers that swept across the arena. Mid-set, the band transitioned to a secondary stage positioned squarely in the middle of the audience, instantly elevating the venue’s party atmosphere to new heights.
From this intimate vantage point, they launched into high-energy tracks such as “Si Te Pica Es Porque Eres Tú,” “Que Rico PR,” and “Veneka,” which easily ranked among the most passionately sung-along tracks of the night. During the performance of “Veneka,” alongside collaborator Akapellah, Beto proudly hoisted the Latin Grammy for best Latin electronic music performance, an accolade the group won in 2025.
The audience was treated to two major surprises courtesy of special guests who joined the band on stage. First, Cheo Pardo—a former member of Los Amigos Invisibles whom Beto reverently introduced to the crowd as “one of our great heroes, great influencers in our musical history”—delivered a masterful DJ set while dressed as a priest. Pardo kept the arena’s energy peaking by dropping timeless Latin classics like “Qué Es Lo Que Tiene Esa Nena” by El General and “El Tiburón” by Proyecto Uno. Later in the set, Yorghaki initially maintained anonymity by wearing a Spider-Man costume before unmasking to reveal his identity, immediately diving into a performance of his collaborative hit with Beéle, “abusadOra.”
The Barclays Center was a sea of cultural pride, with close to 12,000 attendees proudly waving Venezuelan flags and donning apparel that paid homage to the South American nation. Fans sported jerseys from the Leones del Caracas baseball team as well as from the national soccer team, affectionately known as La Vinotinto. Alongside the prominent Venezuelan colors, flags representing Mexico, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and various other Latin American nations fluttered throughout the arena, reflecting the diverse and inclusive appeal of Rawayana’s musical movement.
Yet, despite the festive and celebratory nature of the Halloween gathering, the night also carried a profound humanitarian message. In a poignant, stripped-down moment, Beto stepped away from the main production to sit among the crowd with his acoustic guitar, delivering a moving rendition of “Tonada Por Ella.” He dedicated the performance to those who continue to suffer the lingering impacts of the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela last June.
Utilizing the massive platform of the arena tour, Beto invited concertgoers to contribute to Fundación El After, a nonprofit organization established by Rawayana specifically to spearhead long-term recovery and educational initiatives in their homeland. Bright QR codes illuminated the venue’s main screens, directing fans directly to the foundation’s official website. Accompanying the digital call to action were powerful messages reading, “Donate with El After. Your donation will help bring kids back to school,” paired with stark, evocative imagery of empty school desks to underscore the urgency of the cause.
Saturday night’s spectacular event served as a major highlight of Rawayana’s ongoing ¿Dónde Es El After? World Tour, launched in support of their critically acclaimed studio album of the same name, which dropped on January 1. The record proved to be a massive commercial milestone, earning the group their first-ever No. 1 spots on the Billboard charts with the infectious hit “Inglés en Miami.” That track, a major collaboration with Manuel Turizo, dominated both the Latin Airplay and Latin Rhythm Airplay rankings last May after going viral across social media platforms on the back of a widespread dance challenge.
The triumphant New York City stop arrived on the heels of another extraordinary civic honor. Just one day prior, the state of Massachusetts officially proclaimed October 30, 2026, as “Rawayana Day,” celebrating the band’s cultural impact following their triumphant sold-out performance at the MGM Music Hall at Fenway in Boston.
Promoted by Live Nation, the fiercely anticipated U.S. leg of the ¿Dónde Es El After? World Tour pressed forward immediately following the Brooklyn engagement. The itinerary included a Sunday night show in Philadelphia on November 1, with subsequent scheduled stops in major metropolitan markets including Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Los Angeles, before the extensive North American run officially wraps up on December 6 in Miami.
The group’s current wave of success follows a busy period of media and industry engagement. Rawayana was recently featured on the cover of Billboard Español and participated in a high-profile panel discussion during Billboard Latin Music Week in Miami Beach. They shared the stage with Hans Schafer of Live Nation, who was notably recognized as Billboard’s Latin Power Players 2026 Executive of the Year.
