Indiana University’s Tinydorm concerts team are taking a unique approach to showcasing musical talent, and it’s giving practical experience to lots of IU students. Attending a Tinydorm concert in action, you gain a new appreciation for the work behind-the-scenes. Here’s what happened in my day with the Tinydorm concert team.

It takes a lot of setup to turn Sophomore Natalia Almanza’s single dorm room in Briscoe into a recording studio, but the team make sure to put in the effort. The walls are covered with posters and art, and and all floor space is taken up. The fridge goes into the bathroom.

“It’s kind of a feat”, says Almanza, the perennial host of the Tinydorm concerts.

Chicago’s Kacie Sweirk usually performs with up to a dozen musicians, but when playing in a dorm room, adjustments have to be made. Thanks to the efforts of the crew, five musicians can squeeze into the space, including a full drum set and cello.

Cellist Shuzo Hamada has his worries prior to recording, “It’s pretty tiny!” he says. Desperate for space, a weary crew member tries to remove the cellist’s stool, which is quickly shot down. “I’m tethered to earthly limitations,” says Hamada.

The hallway outside the dorm is also full with extra lighting equipment, instrument bags and camera setup. Talking to the crew in the hallway, their passion for the project is clear to see.

It’s not just passion though. It’s also about experience. There are dozens of people getting real practical experience as part of the Tinydorm team: Audio engineers, video editors, musicians, and marketing majors. They are getting experience that builds skills that they can use for they future careers.

So how big is the Tinydorm team? According to Sophomore CJ Duffey, there are about 30-40 ‘active members’, but he’s quick to stress that the extended team covers around “80 to 90 people.” Duffey says that it’s, “just awesome to see, like, the mixing of so many different students”.

The Tinydorm team has been perfecting their process for a few months now, and while it’s doesn’t quite run like clockwork, it’s still impressive to see the setup in progress. The biggest change to the Tinydorm setup since its inception is lighting. Colors are now used to create a mood for the recording, a big change and one that provides great results, according to Sophomore Sam Arvin, who is behind the camera for today’s recording.

Once the concert begins, all the little problems and setup headaches fade as the band is in full swing. It’s crowded and hot in the back of the room, but the show is so good that you don’t even notice. After the show, the musicians rush off to their next gigs, and the cleanup process begins, at least until they do it all again next week.

You can check out all Tinydorm concerts on their YouTube page, or follow them on twitter to get the latest updates and see the shows.