Importance Score: 30 / 100 🔵
Creative Gathering at East Village Poetry Reading Series “Straight Girls”
In the vibrant atmosphere of Manhattan’s East Village, a diverse array of creative individuals converged at the KGB Bar’s Red Room one recent evening in March. Amidst the clinking of martini glasses and a curated soundtrack of popular songs from 2008, the worlds of literature, fashion, art, and the internet seamlessly blended, evoking a nostalgic, Beat-era ambiance. The occasion was the sixth iteration of “Straight Girls,” a recurring monthly poetry reading event orchestrated by poets Riley Mac and Montana James.
Hosts Redefine Poetry Scene
Mac, aged 30, and James, aged 28, have swiftly cultivated a reputation for injecting dynamism into the sometimes staid poetry circuit typically found beyond Manhattan. Their talent for assembling a lively, stylish program has revitalized the poetry reading experience for many frequent attendees.
Fresh Approach to Literary Events
“There are numerous commendable poetry gatherings in the city, yet they can often feel exclusive,” noted Meg Yates, a visual artist known professionally as Meg Superstar Princess.
Yates, 27, lauded the hosts not only for their skill in curating compelling lineups of performers but also for their effortless ability to produce chic events that draw both established literary figures and individuals known for their discerning taste and social presence. Mac explained that their aim is to cultivate an atmosphere reminiscent of her high school house parties, characterized by a mix of diverse social groups coming together.
Diverse Lineup and Performance Style
The evening’s featured artists included writer Gideon Jacobs, poet Jordan Franklin, and digital artist Molly Soda, among others. The promotional material for the event incorporated an image from the television show “Jackass,” which premiered on MTV in 2000, setting a tone of playful irreverence.
Blending Original Work with Found Texts
The readings frequently oscillate between original poetic compositions and found texts that resonate with accidental poetic qualities. The overall mood is a balanced combination of irony and sincerity, characterized by pastiche and a deep appreciation for the hidden value within cultural ephemera. Erin Perez, a poet, commenced the evening with pieces exploring homoerotic friendships, followed by readings of her own concise reviews from the platform LetterBoxed. The audience responded with laughter when Perez, 27, shared her review of the 2017 film “Phantom Thread”: “Why was he so mean?”
Performance Art and Cultural Commentary
Soda, 36, presented a collection of printed images sourced from the modeling website ModelMayhem.com, adding captions written from each model’s imagined perspective. “After about 15 minutes, I’m OK again,” she remarked about the image selection process, “But, I guess, for those 15 minutes, Picasso would be proud,” she added, displaying a photograph of a model posed in a field.
Franklin, 34, concluded the performances, sporting a hooded sweatshirt featuring an image from the 1985 science fiction film “Re-Animator.” Her set included a piece titled “Break: Ode to the Indonesian Action Flick.” She ended her performance by playfully telling the appreciative audience that their enthusiastic support was “disgusting.”
Motivations Behind “Straight Girls”
Mac and James explained that they initiated “Straight Girls” out of a desire to escape what they felt was the confinement of outer-borough venues and to introduce a queer sensibility into the Manhattan poetry scene, where they both reside. “Poets merit a prominent platform and attention,” James asserted. “And the audience deserves a separate space from the performance area, in a dimly lit setting. It should be acceptable to express skepticism discreetly.”
Partnership Forged in Poetry
Mac and James’s collaboration began after they met at a poetry reading in 2021. James had presented a poem about a “beautiful spoiled cow,” while Mac’s piece centered on actress Lea Michele. James suggested a casual meeting, to which Mac responded with her current fondness for hot dogs.
“I was smitten,” James recalled. (Despite their close bond, they are not romantically involved. Mac is engaged to artist Coco Gordon-Moore.)
Sobriety and Thematic Inspiration
In 2023, Mac made the decision to abstain from drugs and alcohol, and James followed suit several months later. When they launched Straight Girls the previous November, the name served as a subtle nod to their newfound sobriety, as well as a tribute to the themes of heterosexual girlhood.
James clarified that the definition of a straight girl, in their context, is less about attraction to men and more about exploring themes of self-discovery, yearning, and a tendency towards “self-romanticizing, keeping a diary.” He added, admiringly, that straight girls embody a state of being “totally self-conscious and not at the same time.” They cited Sofia Coppola and Lana Del Rey as prime examples of artists working within this thematic territory.
Embracing “Straight Girl” Sensibilities
“I am grateful to the straight girls in my life for their love and for allowing me to love them,” shared Mac, who has the phrase “everyone on earth is a teenage girl” tattooed on her abdomen—a permanent piece of personal poetry.