Talented writers/performers/bloggers tell original stories about their first city and have songs about those experiences performed immediately by "The First Time" band -- Steve Frisbie, Liam Davis and Gerald Dowd.

The theme is First Time: First City. Performers write/read original pieces around the First City theme and pick songs to accompany their pieces. A live band -- "The First Time Three," featuring former members of Frisbie (Steve Frisbie, Liam Davis and Gerald Dowd) perform their songs immediately following the reading in a stripped down, acoustic setting.

Readers include:
Mary Ralph from Scotland Yard Gospel Choir
Wendy Mateo from Dominizuelan
Christopher Piatt of The Paper Machete
Samantha Abernethy of Chicagoist
Jenny Lizak of CHIRP Radio
Mare Swallow of The Chicago Writers' Conference