{"document_url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Smalls"}
Live music venue in Pennsylvania, U.S.
Mr. Smalls is a live-music venue in the Millvale neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is an eclectic and innovative indie venue due to its location in a converted church from the early 20th century, its multiple interior event spaces (including four stages, a recording studio, multiple bars, and a restaurant), and its hosting of thousands of national, regional and local artists since its inception as a venue. Mr. Smalls has been the live music venue for many touring national acts over the years including Fall Out Boy, Bill Clinton, Snoop Dogg, Muse, Smashing Pumpkins, Bone Thugs N Harmony, Kesha, Interpol and Metric. It has a capacity of over 1,000 people amongst its various interior event spaces, namely the two performance spaces: the Theatre (800 people) and the Funhouse (175 people).

History

Located in Millvale, Pennsylvania, the building in which Mr. Smalls resides once belonged to the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh as the site of St. Ann's Catholic Church, which was built in 1924 The building was purchased in 2000 by current owners (and married couple) Mike Speranzo and Liz Berlin. Together, they founded Mr. Smalls in 2002. Speranzo is a musician and former competitive skateboarder, and Berlin is a longtime member of Rusted Root, a worldbeat rock band who attained commercial success in the 1990s. The name of the venue was inspired by the childhood nickname of their son, Jordan.

When it was purchased, the building underwent extensive renovations in order to convert it to its new use as a music venue, recording studio and skate park. In addition to those functions, Creative.Life.Support offers services such as artist career development and professional opportunities in conjunction with the venue. Over the years, the venue has grown and evolved to accommodate its audience and demands. It has become one of the only venues in the area that can house large national acts as well as small ones. Professional skateboarder Evan Smith references Mr. Smalls as a venue that had a major influence on the development of his skating and music. Mr. Smalls is an independent venue, event space and recording studio to this day, and is known for supporting the careers of many talented artists and bands.

Interior layout and rooms
Inside the building, there are many spaces each serving various functions:

Notable acts

Notable acts who have performed at Mr. Smalls include the following artists and speakers:

Caught on Sight