Launch newleaf 20, 19th January 2006
On a rainy day, the New Year just having started, time was ripe for a very special launch party of the magazine. If someone had told founders Ian Watson and Simon Makhali eleven years ago they would find themselves celebrating the 20th edition of their "baby" they most likely would have sent them off. That night, however, a crowd of roughly 60 people filled the launch-tested KIOTO and proved that Watson's and Makhali's fosterling has long grown out of its diapers.
The night was kicked off by the extraordinary singer-songwriter Diana-Maria Diehl who enchanted the audience as usual with fine guitar tunes and her breathtaking voice. The first literary highlight of the evening was the hilarious performanceof Ian Watson imitating famous writers such as T.S. Elliott and William Butler Yeats in reading their own pieces. Besides readings by well-known newleaf authors, the audience also had the chance to witness the performances of four new promising writers: Anne Hensel, Florence Geiss, Anna Reissert and Alan Aydelott all of whom we will certainly hear and read more in the course of the year. Finally, the night closed with more live music by Diana-Maria Diehl, who unfortunately left the question about her first CD-release unanswered.
After all, the KIOTO saw a great event that rose to the occasion. Rumours were heard of it being one of the best and funniest launches ever. The ever-growing flock of supporters now raises the question whether the launches might soon have to move to an even more spacious venue like Die Glocke.