The 8th annual Montauk Music Festival (MMF), a volunteer-run, grassroots live music extravaganza established to commemorate, support, and promote the area’s flourishing music scene, is returning this May.
The four day musical celebration, taking place Thursday, May 18 through Sunday, May 21, will feature complimentary concerts from over 100 up-and-coming independent artists at over forty Montauk venues, including the Village Green, Duryea’s Gurney’s Inn, Gosman’s, The Point Bar & Grill, Liar’s Salon, The Surf Lodge, Memory Motel, Montauk Brewing Company, the Montauk Lighthouse, Left Hand Coffee, Montauket, Sole East, Navy Beach, and Montauk Bake Shoppe.
“We’re very excited. This year we’re going to feature two new stages on the Green, some really great, new amazing talent,” shared Kenny Giustino, Montauk Music Festival Producer.
The opening party alone features sets by Zandi Holup, Alfredo Merat, Ladies Drink Free, Nicole Stella – who’s traveling all the way from Italy to perform, Molly Adele Brown, SVET, John Hanifin Band, Alexandra Starr, David Higgins, and Heather LaRose. MMF will kick-off on Thursday, May 18 at 8 p.m. with an evening of music, food, cocktails and dancing at Gurney’s. Admission to the Kick-Off Party is $45.
The Festival will also feature Ask the Experts, presented by The Montauk Music Festival and sponsored by The Montauk Sun, on the Green. Taking place on Friday, May 19th from 2 to 4 p.m., the first discussion will cover Breaking Band – a look at strategies to survive and flourish from developing artist and beyond with Jason Jordan, SVP Republic Records; Lou Plaia – Co-Founder Reverb Nation; Natalia Romiszewski – Head of A&R, Three Six Zero Group; Zoe Silverman – Artist, ASTR; and Elliot A. Resnik, Esq. – Attorney At Law, Shukat Arrow Hafer Weber & Herbsman, LLP. Know Your Rights And The Road Ahead – a discussion of key music industry legal and business issues from rehearsal to royalties, streaming and the future with Steven Masur, Esq., Partner, Masur Griffits Law; Randy Nichols, President Force Media Management; Tom Lee – VP A&R, Arcade Songs Music; and Elliot A. Resnik, Esq., Attorney At Law, Shukat Arrow Hafer Weber & Herbsman, LLP; will follow. The event will culminate with keynote speaker Charlie Walk, President, The Republic Group.
“We’re also excited about the New York State grant for free bus shuttle transportation around Montauk the entire weekend. There’s schudules on the website and in the Montauk Sun,” added Giustino. “There’s over 40 stops. Every hour the bus returns to the same stop and runs until midnight. So you can enjoy all the music, all around town, and you don’t have to drive or worry about parking your car.”
So, clear your schedule and get ready for four days and nights of spectacular shows.
For the full lineup, visit www.montaukmusicfestival.com.