Performing at a Rooftop Corporate Event in Barcelona
One of the most surreal parts of working as a professional mentalist is occasionally finding yourself standing in places you never imagined work would take you.
For me, Barcelona was one of those moments.
I had been flown out to perform for Alight Solutions during an international corporate conference taking place at the stunning Purobeach rooftop venue inside the Hilton Diagonal Mar.
It was my first time visiting the city.
And from the moment I arrived, the entire trip felt exciting.
Barcelona at Sunset
The event itself took place across a rooftop terrace overlooking the city as the sun slowly disappeared into the evening skyline.
The atmosphere was exactly what you would hope a Barcelona rooftop event would feel like:
- warm air
- a slight Mediterranean breeze
- deep house music playing quietly in the background
- cocktails flowing
- relaxed conversation everywhere
- and a genuinely international crowd enjoying themselves
The venue struck a perfect balance between luxury and informality.
Stylish without feeling pretentious.
Modern without losing atmosphere.
As guests arrived throughout the evening, the rooftop gradually transformed into this incredibly relaxed but energetic social environment.
An International Audience
One of the things I enjoy most about international corporate events is the variety of people you meet within a single evening.
Throughout the reception I performed for delegates from all over the world:
- American
- French
- German
- Spanish
- English
- and many others
The crowd ranged from younger delegates in their twenties through to senior executives and management teams, yet the atmosphere throughout remained warm, welcoming and playful.
That’s one of the fascinating things about psychological entertainment:
it crosses language barriers remarkably well.
You quickly realise that surprise, curiosity and laughter are universal reactions no matter where people come from.
Three Hours of Mix & Mingle
Originally, I had been booked to provide mix and mingle entertainment during the drinks reception.
Typically, performances like this last around two hours.
However, because the event had such a large number of delegates attending, the evening naturally evolved into something much longer.
As the rooftop party continued into the night, I stayed moving between groups for well over three hours performing demonstrations of thought reading, influence and psychological illusion.
One of my favourite things to observe at events like this is when guests begin actively bringing their colleagues over to experience the performance themselves.
That happened repeatedly throughout the evening.
Entire groups would stop conversations mid-drink simply to pull somebody else across the terrace saying:
“You HAVE to see this.”
Those moments always tell you the event is connecting properly.
Staying Beyond the Clock
One thing I remember particularly clearly from that evening was the client later mentioning how much they appreciated the fact I stayed.
Other acts performing at the event, including musicians and additional entertainment, had gradually disappeared earlier into the evening after their scheduled performances finished.
But I was very aware there were still large numbers of delegates who hadn’t yet experienced what I did.
So I kept going.
Not because anybody asked me to.
Because it felt like the right thing to do.
When clients fly you internationally to represent part of their event experience, you naturally want to give everything you can to the evening.
Thankfully, the response from both the delegates and organisers throughout the night was incredibly strong.
More Than Just the Performance
Looking back now, what I probably remember most isn’t actually the performance itself.
It’s the feeling of the trip as a whole.
Flying alone to another country for work still carried a strange sense of excitement and novelty for me at the time. Even simple moments like arriving at the hotel, walking through the city streets or sitting quietly observing the architecture felt memorable.
Barcelona immediately felt vibrant.
I remember spotting incredible graffiti artwork around the city, enjoying the local food and wishing I had more time to properly experience the culture beyond the event itself.
Unfortunately, the trip itself was a whirlwind visit.
But it absolutely left me wanting to return one day and explore the city properly.
Why International Corporate Events Feel Different
There’s something uniquely rewarding about performing internationally for corporate audiences.
You realise very quickly that while cultures, languages and backgrounds may differ, people ultimately respond to shared experiences in remarkably similar ways.
Astonishment.
Laughter.
Curiosity.
Connection.
Those reactions travel well.
And standing on a rooftop in Barcelona performing for people from all over the world while deep house music drifted through the warm evening air remains one of the most memorable corporate events I’ve ever had the privilege of being part of.
