Kill Genre is a quarterly poetry reading series…minus the poetry. The first series of its kind, Kill Genre showcases groundbreaking works that push the boundaries of form and flirt dangerously with hybridity, integrates musical performance, and includes the audience in innovative ways.

Each show features 3-4 carefully curated, extraordinary writers and a compelling, playful theme, such as “In Which Poets Embarrass Themselves by Trying Their Hands at Plot”; “Cliffhangers are Key: Poets, Where Are You?”; “Poets, Tell Us About Yourselves (and Keep it Brief!)” and so forth.

Come see the best and most original poets in New York brandishing their skills in other genres—from fiction to essays to memoir to more experimental forms—because, when it comes to genre, it’s kill or be killed.

Amanda Calderon is the recipient of fellowships from Summer Literary Seminars, U.S. Poets in Mexico, Poets House, and the Norman Mailer Center. Her work can be found in Poetry, Kenyon Review, Sangam House (India), Poets & Writers, and Words Without Borders. She lives in New York City.

Rachel Lyon’s Pushcart Prize-nominated work has appeared in McSweeney’s, Joyland, Bustle, The Toast, The Iowa Review, and elsewhere. She teaches fiction workshops for the Sackett Street Writers Workshop and Catapult, and is cofounder and host of the reading series Ditmas Lit. Her first novel, Self-Portrait With Boy, will come out with Scribner in February 2018.

Michael Tyrell is the author of the poetry collections Phantom Laundry and The Wanted. With Julia Spicher Kasdorf, he edited the anthology Broken Land: Poems of Brooklyn.

Pete Mancini is the frontman and primary songwriter of Butchers Blind, a critically acclaimed rock band from NYC. His debut solo album Foothill Freeway explores the Americana influences that are a hallmark of his work with Butchers Blind. For this album, Pete was inspired by the story songs of artists like Guy Clark and Bruce Springsteen. This storytelling influence is on full display throughout the title track, “Foothill Freeway”, which features a sparse arrangement reminiscent of Jason Isbell and Jackson Browne. In addition to the original songs on the album, Pete tackled renditions of songs by Russ Seeger, Wes Houston and Iain Matthews, who is a guest vocalist on “Cartwheel Avenue”.

The self-produced album will be released May 4th on Paradiddle Records, and features contributions from Iain Matthews (Fairport Convention, Plainsong), Buddy Woodward (Dixie Bee Liners), Russ Seeger (Last Hombres), Jonathan Preddice (Miles to Dayton), Cassandra House, Travis McKeveny, Skip Krevens, and members of Butchers Blind.

Pete’s songs have received glowing reviews from Newsday and NPR and radio airplay around the world, and they continue to win over hearts and minds wherever they are heard.