Photo by Ray Liotta of Making Deals Zine
“Sometimes they came and went without having met Gatsby at all, came for the party with a simplicity of heart that was its own ticket of admission,” (Fitzgerald, Frances Scott. The Great Gatsby, First Collier Books Edition 1992).
It was with an open mind that I found my way to Klughaus Gallery last year for the 5th Annual New York City Type-Off. The rain had subsided for the duration of the night. It didn’t hinder over 50 people from fitting comfortably to part-take in the typing competition. Yet once we attempted to type a paragraph by Walt Whitman, the space became smaller—we hunched over typewriters to transcribe Whitman’s text, anxiously feeling the ticking of the stopwatch over our shoulders.
For this 6th edition of the New York City Type-Off, the challenge will be about the same. Founders Elizabeth Suman and Pierre Green return with their event billed as “equal parts ruthless competition and unabashed merriment.” Continuing the theme of paying tribute to scholarly authors, this year they draw inspiration from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. As if the American classic isn’t all the rage with the feature film in theaters, and the motion picture soundtrack raising a skeptical eyebrow for its deviation from the roaring 1920s, the Type-Off at least sticks to Fitzgerald’s script. Maybe people will dress up in the extravagant outfits of yore. Appearance has been known to stand out from the 2007 inaugural Type-Off where Carmen Sandiego influenced the attire. In 2012, the arresting look of founder Liz Suman‘s and the shaved logo in the back of my head, demanded a double-take. The devil is in the details some say. Expect similar craftsmanship to be reflected in Coppa Sandwiches, one of the event partners. Coppa is focused on the quality of a specially made Italian cold-cut sandwich. Refreshments will be served as well. Visit the NYC Type-Off’s event page on Facebook to see the formal invitation. A new champion needs to be crowned. Will it be you?
DJ TREATS 