 This monthly reading and music series, featuring established and emerging writers and bands, is held at Cakeshop on the Lower East Side, on the third(ish) Wednesday of every month. Co-founded and curated by Melissa Febos and Rebecca Keith, Mixer is a frequent New York magazine critic’s pick, and has been recommended by Maud Newton, The New York Times, New York Press, Galleycat, and the L Magazine, among others.
Past and future readers include: Mary Jo Bang, Paul Muldoon, Jonathan Lethem, Eileen Myles, Mark Doty, Jennifer Egan, Paul Lisicky, Joshua Ferris, Chuck Klosterman, Stephen Elliott, Matthea Harvey, Joshua Henkin, Irini Spanidou, Rachel Sherman, Vijay Seshadri, Keith Gessen, John Burnham Schwartz, Susan Wheeler, Catherine Barnett, Mark Bibbins, Martha Collins, Jeff McDaniel, Dan Chaon, David Goodwillie, Cathy Park Hong, Amanda Stern, Aaron Fagan, Thomas Sayers Ellis, Ross Gay, Amy Holman, Cate Marvin, Pat Rosal, Courtney Queeney, Nelly Reifler, Craig Teicher, Meehan Crist, Rivka Galchen, Deb Olin Unferth, Arthur Bradford, Sloane Crosley, Nathaniel Rich, Sean Wilsey, Joan Silber, David Hollander, Elizabeth Haukaas, Robert Lopez, Ron Egatz, Jonathan Dixon, Maggie Estep, Martha Collins, Michael Dahlie, Katie Peterson, Victoria Redel, Allison Amend, Nathaniel Bellows, Janice Erlbaum, Rob Sheffield, Leni Zumas, Matthew Zapruder, Bret Anthony Johnston, Tracy K. Smith, Nicholas Dawidoff, Nick Flynn, Fiona Maazel, Hannah Tinti, Terese Svoboda, Sini Anderson, Darin Strauss, Josh Weil, Monica Youn, Oran Canfield, Farrah Field, Danit Brown, Suzanne Guillette, Susie Deford, Ta- Nehisi Coates, Tony Fletcher, Oran Canfield, Cintra Wilson, Matthue Roth, Brenda Shaughnessy, and Pamela Ryder.
Musicians include: Joan as Policewoman, The Chapin Sisters, Uninhabitable Mansions, La Marcha, Amie Amis, Elizabeth Harper & the Matinee, Chris Moore, Lariats, Cat Martino, Schwervon!, Rebecca Pronsky, Five Point Perspective, Disbelief St., Bjorn Quenemoen, and Spectacular Bird.
Find out more about Mixer on Facebook
 Electric Literature raves about Mixer on November 11, 2011
Bookstalker covers Mixer on November 11, 2011
Elena Schilder at Flavorpill says:
"Hosted by Sarah Lawrence MFAs Rebecca Keith and Melissa Febos, music venue/
record store/bakery Cake Shop's monthly reading series provides a quick pace —
each edition features a little poetry, a little fiction, and a rock band or two — and a
highly watchable crowd."
The L Magazine's Edith Zimmerman says:
"May 7, 2008: This month's MIXER reading series, combining good music and
good literature, isn't messing around--they've got a Pulitzer winner, a MacArthur
winner, a mostly unknown poet, and a band with that Pulitzer winner on guitar and
percussion. Nice work, MIXER."
Jason Boog at Galleycat says:
"An enthusiastic crowd of poetry fans packed the Cake Shop bar last night, bringing
back a bit of Lower East Side's bohemian spirit that the recently departed stock
market boom had almost smothered--the basement poets versus the encroaching
condominiums, if you will."
Megan Gilbert at Zoom-in Online says:
"I love it when I unexpectedly hear an amazing band I've never hear before. Last
night, I attended the well-attended second installation of Mixer, a new monthly
reading series, at Cakeshop on the Lower East Side...After four readers, including the
lively David Hollander and the writer of perfect poetry, Vijay Seshadri, The Chapin
Sisters, all the way from Los Angeles, took the stage. And rocked it, old tyme style."
“Williamsburg is Dead” says:
“Tomorrow I will be checking out the Mixer at Cakeshop, a reading/music
series that I have attended many times and have always thoroughly enjoyed."
Williamsburg is Dead also says Mixer is "like the coolest reading in the universe."
Writer Courtney Eldridge blogs:
"Mixer is a monthly series that showcases some of the best writers and musicians
out there, whether famous or not (yet). In addition to their consistently great
lineups, Mixer draws consistently great crowds. I mean, that there’s a crowd to
speak of is worth seeing to believe, but that people actually pay attention and give
back to the readers, well, it warms the heart. If not, buy yourself a couple drinks at
the bar, and it’ll be fine."
Indichick blogs:
"Melissa Febos' and Rebecca Keith's reading series Mixer has been, in my opinion,
for the past two years since is birth, the standard-bearer for NYC readings. My own
various Punk/Folk/Electroclash Rock Fiction(s) can still only dream of achieving the
top-drawer talent and consistent quality these girls have for their series. (Plus, after
I got drunk and dropped my wallet on the floor of the Cake Shop after attending
one night, afraid all was lost, Melissa found it, walked her big old dog over to my
apartment and returned it to me personally. That's service, folks). This Wednesday's
installment is set to be particularly delicious..."
Richard Baluyut of Versus plays a rare solo set at Mixer, article in Poptimes Magazine, Jan 28, 2010
Behind the Curtain, Mixer Reading Series, article in Williamsburg is Dead, June 6, 2008 |
