The Poetry Club is an intimate bar and performance space housed across two rooms in a previously disused section of SWG3’s sprawling architecture. The story goes that the ever-resourceful Glasgow-based artist Jim Lambie had an upcoming collaborative event with writer and punk-pioneer Richard Hell, but rather than look for a venue he opted to design and build his own in the space of six weeks. The Poetry Club successfully blends the excitement and immediacy of a pop-up venue with the over-arching aesthetic of something more permanent.
The dark, cosy auditorium holds a modest stage, perfect for performances where subtly is everything and attention is paramount – expect spoken word, small-scale theatre, and performance art. Some clever design also allows for parties, projections, and any band with a drummer willing to sit behind a ten-year-old’s miniature kit. Also worth mentioning is The Flying Scotsman smoke machine – partially because it’s a lovely touch, but mainly so that you don’t flee the building in a panic when it gets going.