Erin and Her Cello

Liberated Matter & Amie Street present Cross-Pollination
Every Tuesday Night from 8PM sharp til 10PM
@ Pianos [sometimes upstairs, sometimes downstairs]
158 Ludlow St NYC, directions HERE,

About: Cross-Pollination is a long-running weekly concert series in the Lower East Side of NYC, with at it’s core the process of creative collaboration and community building. Curated and developed by Liberated Matter in May of 2004 it continues to push the envelope over 200 shows later. The New York Times called it “an impressive feat of indie gumption” and featured it on the cover of their entertainment section in December of 2007. Gothamist says the series creates “a feel we can only imagine was going on below 14th Street when Gothamist wasn’t quite old enough to walk yet.” Stereogum says it’s “always a good time”.

The Set-Up: Two acts each play a 45 minute set, followed by a pre-rehearsed 3 song collaborative set during which both acts share the stage. These special collaborative sets are ‘one time art’ and have included everything from bands joining in on each others songs, collaborating on favorite covers, co-writing new songs for the event, and even releasing EPs of the collaborative efforts. Audience and artists alike enthusiastically participate in these unique listening experiences, step out of their comfort zone, and into new and exciting territory.

Artist Pairings: Artists are paired based both on musical compatibility and diversity. The pairings that sound the strangest on paper often work out to be the most exciting and creative. Cross-Pollinating artists also means cross-pollinating audiences. Artists leave the room with a whole new set of fans.

Past Performers: Known to be booked with a keen sense of who will be making headlines soon after, past performers include My Brightest Diamond, Cloud Cult, Kimya Dawson, Frightened Rabbit, Kevin Devine, Jeffrey Lewis, Jaymay, Melody Gardot, Nicole Atkins, Twi the Humble Feather, Andre Herman Dune, Langhorne Slim, Dawn Landes, Dave Deporis, Drink Up Buttercup, Bell, Gabriel Kahane, Jukebox The Ghost, Takka Takka, Wakey!Wakey!, Pearl and the Beard, The Antlers, and many more. For a full chronological list of performers go here. For a full list of all past shows and artist pairings see the sidebar. Download the FREE Family Records release Cross-Pollination: The Mixtape Vol. 1.

Press: Cross-Pollination has become an NYC staple and has been written up by The New York Times, Time Out New York, BrooklynVegan, CMJ, Gothamist, Stereogum, and many more.

Partners: As of July 2008 Liberated Matter and independent digital retailer Amie Street have teamed up to bring a new dimension to Cross-Pollination with a dedicated mixtape series, artist features and more. Check them out at Amie Street!