Jan 11

Ryan Eckes is a poet from Philadelphia. His new book, Wrong Heaven Again, is available from Birds, LLC. He is also the author of General Motors, Valu-Plus and other books. Much of his writing addresses class struggle and the inevitability of economic justice. With Kim Gek Lin Short, he runs Radiator Press.

Huston West plays clawhammer banjo and sings a mix of traditional old time, more contemporary and some originals. He’s been playing gigs and busking around Philly since 2010, formerly with his band the cheddar boys and now as a solo performer.

Alexis Almeida grew up in Chicago. She is the author of I Have Never Been Able to Sing (Ugly Duckling Presse 2018) and Things I Have Made a Fiction (Oversound 2023). Her translation of Roberta Iannamico's Many Poems is just out from The Song Cave. She lives in New York and runs 18 Owls Press.

Bhob Rainey is a Philadelphia-based composer, saxophonist, and sound designer celebrated for his innovative contributions to contemporary, experimental, and improvised music. A recipient of the prestigious Pew Fellowship in the Arts and co-founder of the influential improvisational duo nmperign, Rainey has garnered acclaim for his groundbreaking work across disciplines, including collaborations in theater, dance, and visual art. With performances and commissions spanning prestigious venues and festivals worldwide, his work continuously challenges boundaries of musical thought and instrumental technique.

Warren is a writer, performer and teacher from the bad part of North Philadelphia. He hosts House Poet: A Spoken Word Dance Party and founded _mixlit. Warren’s work has been published in journals including Action, Spectacle, The Cleveland Review of Books, R&R, The Best American Poetry 2021, and A Black Philadelphia Reader: African American Writings About the City of Brotherly Love. His latest book, Bird/Diz [an erased history of bebop] was released in Nov. 2022 through Bunnie Press. Warren is currently a student at the Iowa Writer’s Workshop pursuing an MFA in Poetry.

Oarsman is a poetry and improvisation group founded in Philadelphia.