Music Festival in Montauk will kick off with party on May 13

So much live music is coming to Montauk, there’s a real chance that some ears might get confused about what they want to hear. After all, what’s a music lover to do when a short wander along Main Street will yield several bands playing a variety of music?

That will be the question when the first Montauk Music Festival roars into town next Friday and camps out for the three-day series of concerts. When the long weekend has been spent, no fewer than 70 bands will have performed in 20 or so spots throughout Montauk. Best of all, the festival is almost completely free.

The music begins on Friday, May 14, and continues through Sunday, May 16. Bands will perform at restaurants, motels and hotels and in open-air spots throughout Montauk. The only concerts that will charge for admission are the Launch Party, which will be held on May 13, and fund-raisers.

The festival will feature bands from the East End, New York City and beyond. There is no headliner—just endless music throughout the town. Details are available at themontaukmusicfestival.com.

The point of the festival is to entice people to visit Montauk before the season starts and to put Montauk on the map as a great place to see music, said Kenneth Giustino, publisher of The Montauk Sun, who is producing the event.

“The festival is three times what we originally planned,” he said. “We had so many bands want to be part of it, and the community was supportive of what we wanted to do. Montauk has such a great air of music here. People are going to hear some great music. It will be fun, just to absorb it all.”

The band selection process for the festival was led by musician Lawrence Cooley. More than 400 acts applied to be part of the first-time festival, Mr. Giustino said. A range of styles will be presented, with an emphasis on original music. Music genres will include blues, rock, dance music, jazz, Latin, folk, rock and rap, funk, surf, party, rockabilly and more.

The music begins with a festival opening party on Thursday, May 13, at Gurney’s Inn in Montauk. Five bands will perform with special guests from 8 to 11 p.m. Afterward, different musicians will take the stage until the party ends at 2 a.m. Tickets are $35, including an open bar until 11 p.m.

The free music festival launches at noon on Friday, May 14, with an open jam at 668 The Gig Shack. At 4 p.m., bands begin to fan out across Montauk. Hourly start times begin at 6 p.m. and end at 1 a.m. Music continues on Saturday and Sunday at venues throughout Montauk.

Special benefit concerts will be held on Friday and Saturday. On Friday, a concert for East Hampton’s Project MOST will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. at Rick’s Crabby Café. Admission to the family-friendly barbecue is $10 per person or $20 per family.

On Saturday, five bands will perform from 5 to 8 p.m. at Montauk Downs to benefit the New York Police & Fire Widows’ & Children’s Benefit Fund. Nearly simultaneously, at Rick’s Crabby Cowboy Café, from 5 to 9 p.m., a pig roast will benefit the Long Island Communities of Practice in Montauk. The organization aims to increase the quality of life for children with disabilities on the East End. Admission is $10 per person or $20 per family.

Other highlights include a sunset concert by the Bastards of Boom at 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 15, at the Montauk Lighthouse. Area teenage talent will be featured at Lenny’s On The Dock on Saturday from 5 to 8 p.m.; groups will include In Circles of East Quogue and Shanna Polley of East Hampton, among others.

A 12-song “best of” CD from the festival will be made available. A booth selling the compilation, plus CDs from participating bands, will be located near the Village Green.

Local bands participating will include The Blue Collar Band, Nancy Atlas, The Loan Sharks, Terry Winchell, Alfredo Merat, Mr. No-Shame, Jim Turner, The Third Estate, The Glazzies, and Who Are Those Guys. Bands from as far away as New Jersey and Chicago are included.

Word spread quickly among area musicians when the festival was being planned. Alan Ulrich of Center Moriches and Anthony Liberatore of East Hampton both heard about the festival from other musicians. Mr. Ulrich’s band, the Moto-Wrays, is a surf band that played in Montauk last season. Mr. Liberatore has two bands in the festival, The Complete Unknowns and Psychedelic Summer. Both of his bands have played in area venues, including Guild Hall and Ashawagh Hall. The Complete Unknowns are playing this Saturday at the Montauk Public Library at 7:30 p.m.

In separate interviews, both men said the festival was a great opportunity to have new people hear their bands. It’s also a chance to be part of an event that promises to be a fun one. “Montauk is made for this kind of thing,” said Mr. Liberatore. “The festival’s an interesting blend of local music and music that’s not always heard here. It should be a lot of fun.”

The Montauk Music Festival kicks off with an opening party on May 13 at Gurney’s Inn from 8 to 11 p.m. Tickets are $35. Music will be held throughout Montauk from May 14 to 16. For information, a list of venues and the band lineup, visit themontaukmusicfestival.com.