Open House @ Space & Faders 5/1

Charles Thorpe’s Anchor Stage Management is a 350+ shows-per-year stage-setting juggernaut, and the pandemic punched it in the throat. Thorpe’s management company normally produces shows for Red Butte, Sandy Amphitheatre, Union Event Center, Commonwealth Room, The Complex and The Peppermill in Wendover. All that on-stage activity stopped in March 2020. At an open house on Sunday, May 1, Thorpe entertained his guests and showed them Space & Faders—what he’s been working on since 2020.

Thorpe took an industry-crushing blow in stride as he pivoted from producing shows to building Space & Faders in South Salt Lake. He’d been planning this move for years, and he’d just signed a lease in February 2020. Enough said, right? His contractor left as the virus spread, so Thorpe decided to spend hundreds of hours retrofitting a sewing factory into a collection of rehearsal and recording rooms. In September 2021, he purchased the entire building to protect his substantial investment in Space & Faders.

Thorpe kept what he could as he built walls and treated rooms, and now he’s ready to share the wealth—Space & Faders is a temple raised to honor the local music scene. That small, four-piece band that can split $70 for two hours of practice in a room with an amp and PA is now ready to go. A drummer would need snares and cymbals, but the drums are already in place. Plug and play! There’s also a streamable performance space room for performances that includes a green room in back. Thorpe’s Space & Faders offers a surprise around every corner. Concert posters line the halls, and there’s even an audio repair station where tube amps get the careful attention they deserve.

The music spaces are ready to rent, but there’s more to come. A 20×20 white box is built out with photo backdrops and a green screen ready to drop. Tunable LED bulbs and tubes in the ceiling make creative lighting easy for photoshoots, pop-ups or gallery shows. In addition to the big, open space, there’s a dedicated dressing room, a waiting room and a handy touch-up station for make-up. There’s a two-hour minimum at $50/hour, and it’ll be ready for use by May 9.

The May 1 open house delivered more than a mere Space & Faders tour. Performances included poets Monica Lissette and Natalie Toutai plus music by The Witch and The Burro. Red Iguana handled the catering, and Soul City Bread offered delicious samples. South Salt Lake is lucky to have Thorpe swinging his hammers and carving out space as he continues to add features to this boutique rental experience. –John Barkiple

Photos: John Barkiple