6X6 Launch

1. Matvei Yankelevich, UDP mastermind, MCs the evening. 2. Will Hubbard whose book Cursivism is coming out with UDP, Joseph Calavenna a friend of the Presse, and David Jou, UDP Associate Editor.

The Six Point was flowing at the Old American Can Factory last night, where Ugly Ducking Presse launched Issues 20, 21, & 22 of 6×6 with readings by contributors and music by Alina Simone, Forma, and Noisycrane.

Ugly Duckling Presse, started in 1993 by Matvei Yankelevich and friends, puts out a seriously beautiful magazine. Six poets, six pages, and a lot of devoted fans who were willing to brave the post-blizzard icecapades of Brooklyn to attend the reading.

1. Alina Simone sings the best covers. 2. Reader Sara Wintz with fellow curator Kaegan Sparks, organizers of the Segue Reading Series at the Bowery Poetry Club.

The always awesome, very pregnant, Alina Simone began the night with a stellar rendition of ‘Bang Bang’ followed by the 1998 classic, ‘Hit Me Baby One More Time.’ If you haven’t read her book, You Must Go and Win, you must go and get it.

Sara Wintz’s poem wove personal sad-true-realizations into a historical timeline that was touching and funny too — did you know Britain initiated daylight savings in 1916?

1. Claire Kelley from Simon & Schuster with Michael Barron, one of the night’s reader who also works at New Directions. “We go way back, we exchange books.” 2. Princes of chapbooks, Douglas Piccinnini and Lawrence Griffin, dislike the term “party-goers.”

Michel Barron didn’t throw up the [delicious] Carrot Un-Hot Dog (“It’s a carrot in a bun”) he ate ten minutes before reading his first published poems that appears in 6×6 Issue 21, “Directions to my apartment (from Penn Station),” “Directions to my parents’ house (from Chinatown),” and ending on an improvised “Directions to Brooklyn (from John McCain’s office)” which led us to the Can Factory and Michel Barron at the microphone finishing his poem!

1. Reader Jennifer Nelson thinks UDP is important because it’s one of the rare presses that’s innovative and has the money to do it. 2. Ryan Murphy encourages us all (in his poem) to “pull down the collected poem of Frank O’Hara” 3. Reader Chris Hosea gives it socks during his sing-along.

Chris Hosea ended the reading for the night by initiating a party-wide rendition of ‘With A Little Help From My Friends,’ thanking the makers of his clothing, making a lime and coke, before a small chant of “Poem” propelled him to sing (then read) his new poems in 6×6 Issue 22.

Then the last band came on, and it was either time to switch to whiskey or go home.

–Emily Firetog is working towards an MFA at Columbia.

1. Alex, Dana, and Keith randomly came to the event with friends, and Keith won the raffle –UDP’s Full Presse Subscription. “This turned into the most awesome night ever.” 2. Jane, from the band Noisycrane, with her devoted, self-proclaimed groupie Susan.

1. Dave and Aubrie had never been to the Can Factory before, and thought it was a pretty cool building. “You can’t beat $3 beer either,” said Dave. 2. UDP Editors Anna Moschovakis and Matvei Yankelevich.