The collaborative "scrap materials" project of a group of Salt Lake City artists, Tiny Club is billed as "the most intimate new venue along the Wasatch Front," and delivers tunes and a miniature light show to cozy crowds of up to eight people. The roving party has made appearances at the Utah Pride Festival, Sugar House Park and Liberty Park drum circle, where artist Nate Hansen (pictured above), along with videographer Alonzo Riley, hosted a free ice-cream party while filming a promotional music video.
What is this little hangout, anyway?
It's a tiny club. It's a miniature mobile venue, a dance hall—it's a lot of things. Today he's discovering himself as an ice-cream truck.
Why did you create it?
I like to trip people out in a very positive way, you know? To break down some weird social barriers and give people the chance to have a good time doing something different.
How did this start?
I've built multiple venues. This is my latest. Over the years, I've built underground art spaces, shop spaces, houses, etc. I do construction for a living, so I basically move into places I'm not supposed to and make them kind of interesting and nice for a while until they tell me to leave.
This is your first mobile venue, then?
No, we've been doing mobile shows on and off for a couple years, mostly at Burning Man. This is the first one you can actually get inside, though. It doesn't take much to pack the dance floor. You can comfortably fit seven or eight people in there.
Where are you at in the construction process?
We've been working on it off and on for about six months. Now it's getting down to the end. But it's always being put together, always evolving, changing shape over the course of the day.
How has Salt Lake City responded?
It's been awesome. Everyone is falling in love with this thing, and we just got it started. It's very exciting.
What are the plans for Tiny Club? Is it available for parties/events/bookings?
We're available [Tiny Club's Facebook page: TinyURL.com/TinyClub]. This is really just for fun, but we're thinking about going on a road trip and hitting some festivals. I might take it to Burning Man this year. We'll see. But next year, I think I'll be doing the circuit and cruising the country wherever it takes me.
