Inside The Galactic Cabaret, a Portal to Utah’s Artistic Future

The Galactic Cabaret quickly filled up in the first two hours of the night on Saturday, April 18. Photo: Emily Sorensen.

Image: Emily Sorensen

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Tell me, where do the creatives go? In a city begging for expression, few have successfully maintained environments fit for artists and art lovers alike. SLC Lunatics, an experience design company, has come to bridge that gap with their co-hosts Wasteland Caravan. One of many immersive events they’ve hosted throughout the years, The Galactic Cabaret, held on Saturday, April 19, was especially unique. The cabaret, as well as the Galactic Art Market held hours before, served as a fundraiser for a passion project of these local visionaries: LunaPunk. LunaPunk is planned to be a third space for artists to retreat to, which will only be possible with the support of Utahns. The Galactic Cabaret gave attendees a glimpse into what supporters can expect to come out of a space such as LunaPunk.

Held at Clubhouse on South Temple, the cabaret takes full advantage of the space, filling every nook and cranny of the venue built in 1913. One would usually approach the unassuming building, quietly beautiful with its brick porch, and think of only the history in its walls. Though on this particular night, you approach to find the moon in the front yard, beaming and welcoming all space travelers to step forward. Once inside, you’re introduced to a story behind every curtain and an invitation to play pretend. Giddy, you explore every corner and all three floors that seem to be a never-ending maze. You start in the basement, following a crowd down a black hole, and you emerge in what seems to be a living room from the 1950s. Instead of being met with radio, you join a crowd of space explorers and aliens alike as they witness live music in the most intimate form. As the singer sings, with pianists and guitarists taking turns throughout the night, a projector highlights them. It’s a literal projector that we all came to know and love in elementary school, but this time, the familiar fifth grade math equations are replaced with a liquid light show. It creates a psychedelic and avant-garde effect on all the artists gracing the stage ‘round the clock. You’re lucky enough to witness an accordion being played live for the first time, and by a siren at that — luring you into the space and offering a cozy yet trippy experience at the heart of the venue.

You explore further, as what else is the open space of the galaxy for? You come across a traveler asking you to paint your heart’s desire, as literal or abstract as you must, and step into the void. With a swivel of a faux wall, you’re transported into the void, a black room where you must offer your dreams to the universe, and, with the seed planted, you leave the void, seeing it manifested everywhere as you move forth. As you pass through, there are photo-ops after photo-ops, some in front of an intentional chalkboard to commemorate the experience, and others inside a lava lamp. You hop into groups for photos and have the chance to make new friends.

You’re inspired — the creative energy is starting to ooze out of you, your face painted to commemorate your new persona. More than the common kitten whiskers at a farmers market, this is an opportunity to take advantage of the incredible artists for hire. With your newfound, painted mask that serves as a window to your soul, you receive a poem made especially for you as you inspire the wordsmiths of the night. Your poem inspires the tarot reader — you pick a card and are grounded, the cards blocking out the sound of the party in the Milky Way. They show you the answer: you must create.

And so, readied with a satchel of confidence found amongst creatives like yourself, you step into the belly of the event: the ballroom. Transformed into a market from another planet, tents and flags transport you and leave you in awe. You witness performer after performer both on stage and in the middle of the room. Two acrobats contort their bodies casually as you walk by, adding to the feeling that you’re not in Kansas anymore — I mean, uh, Utah. And with that newfound confidence and thirst for the universe, you step past the radioactive signs and into a tent to find a fragment of a fallen star, unearthed and calling to you with its glow of creativity. It is the final piece you need to fully let go and float, without the gravitational pull of conformity pulling you down.

So, with an actual piece of opalite chiseled in front of you and now in your pocket, you emerge and take your spot to witness the artists who express with their bodies. You’ve finished the final quest, and thus you drift on, weightless and at the mercy of the skills you’re gifted to witness: aerial silks, lyra hoops, dancers with swords and breathtaking stage presence, comedic drag performers and even a singer who takes his microphone into his space helmet to sing. This is more than a cantina; it is a space circus. After one final dance in the middle of the room like the sun that you are, you retreat to a tent filled with pillows and soft conversations. You’re lulled to sleep by images of aliens and shadows dancing together, and you awake as you find yourself walking away. You went to the Galactic Cabaret and left knowing that Earth needs more of you. We need your creativity, your voice and your presence.

If you don’t want to miss another out-of-this-world event by SLC Lunatics and Wasteland Caravan, follow them on their Instagram @slclunatics & @wastelandcaravan or check out their website, slclunatics.com. If you want to see a permanent venue for artists to create as they please, read about the LunaPunk project here.