Fireside Follies #4

1. Eileen Myles reading a joint poem with her GF & feet. 2. Arthur Nersesian & his feet.

Call the firefighters! Fireside Follies, the season finally is here!

It has become a good Bushwick tradition that every third Saturday all the good writing-and-other-arts admirers meet up in Brooklyn Fireproof and enjoy a group placebo effect of a large projected fireplace.

So did we last night, and I swear that during the fourth edition of the Bushwick Finest reading series, I felt the warmth and I could smell the burning wood more than ever. Maybe it was because, as the most wanted duo in the literary Bushwick, Mike Lala and Eric Nelson announced, Fireside Follies came into its finale… (I know, I know… But remember: “Big girls don’t cry!”). Besides, Mike and Eric promised to come up with “something huge” this spring, so let’s see if they can beat their own success. They won’t have an easy job; during its four editions Fireside Follies multiplied its audience several times and had a constantly awesome line up. And, Mike and Eric were simply funny.

1. Tom Oristaglio reciting his poetry & feet. 2. Justin Taylor & feet.

This month’s all-star lineup included a poet (Tom Oristaglio), a novelist (Justin Taylor), a comic artist (Julia Wertz), a poet (Eileen Myles), and finally, another novelist (Arthur Nersesian). Writer Andy Smith (who we saw reading on Fireside Follies #3) came as a DJ this time.

Tom Oristaglio reciting his poetry. And if I were way cornier than I actually am, I’d say: pay attention to this poet, for he’s got the fire in his blood. In the best Fireside Follies’ tradition. But obviously, I am not that corny.

The second to read comes Justin Taylor. The author of Everything Here Is The Best Thing Ever and The Gospel of Anarchy, a novel coming out next month.

1. Audience during the break. 2. Mike Lala and Eric Nelson.

The comic artist Julia Wertz is super funny! Make sure to check out her autobiographical comics The Fart Party (before she changes the name!).

Eileen Myles, the author of a poet novel Inferno reads a joint poem, The Dirtiest Months of Our Lives, with her girlfriend. Yup, the cutest couple of the night. By far.

The last to read is the author of 9 novels, Arthur Nersesian.

1. Robin Grearson in the audience. 2. Justin Richards discussing stuff.

PS: For those of you who think that the loss of Fireside Follies might be more than you can handle, and that the transition period to a new literary experience might be tough, I conducted independent research and found this video for you, which might ease the pain, at least partially:

–Katarina Hybenova is a writer and a photographer based in Brooklyn, the author of www.bushwickdaily.com