The FOMO of New York’s warm-weather music scene is upon us, but if you haven’t figured out all your plans yet, we’ve got some killer news for ya. This year, you can inject some whiskey-drenched show nights into your summer plans, because we’re psyched to announce an official Pancakes & Whiskey Presents concert series at The Surf Lodge in Montauk, NY – free of charge! (Yeah, really!) The party kicks off on May 26th with 6 shows on the books through September 1st, featuring music you won’t want to miss from Son Little, Penguin Prison, Rubblebucket, Small Black, The Dig, and San Fermin. We’ve got all the details below, so take a celebratory shot of whatever you’ve got and read on.
Pancakes & Surf Lodge
Go all Eternal Sunshine and meet us in Montauk, because you won’t want to miss these awesome bands live at The Surf Lodge – within reach of the beach! And when we say free, it ain’t fake news. These are non-ticketed free shows, with admission on a first-come-first-served basis until they hit capacity and shut the doors – so be sure to get there early. You’ll also want to give that hip, overstuffed NYC closet a good dig before the show, because it’s a dress-to-impress kinda deal (i.e. that cool shit you’d wear to a swanky nightclub with a bouncer). If you need a refresher on transit directions, you can take the Long Island Rail Road train right out of Penn Station in NYC, which makes daily trips to and from Montauk; a little over 3 hours each way. You can also find bus and driving directions here.
Now onto the music! The first show is going down on May 26th with Son Little, a.k.a. Aaron Livingston, the Philly-based rhythm and blues artist who has collaborated with the likes of The Roots and RJD2. Just this past month, the singer-songwriter teamed up with Portugal. The Man and Richie Havens for a brand new single called “Number One Number One.” You can check out Son Little solo below – singing “Lay Down” from his self-titled 2015 debut album – and get a feel for his smooth sound and irresistibly mellow vibe.
On June 16th, we’re excited to welcome Penguin Prison to the sandy stage – the one-man electropop act conceived by NYC native Chris Glover. His upbringing in music is as authentic as it gets – from singing alongside a young Alicia Keys in his school’s gospel choir at age 10, to performing at the legendary CBGB’s with his punk band as a teenager. He made a splash in the scene with his self-titled debut album in 2011, followed by a big batch of remixes for artists like Marina and the Diamonds and Goldfrapp. Check out Penguin Prison’s “Show Me The Way” below and start getting pumped for his Surf Lodge set.
Of course, we’re also gearing up for the June 30th show featuring one of our favorite local bands, Rubblebucket, whose big, bold, brass-filled shows always leave us buried in confetti and good vibes. Powered by Kalmia Traver and Alex Toth, an unstoppable musical duo, their badass discography is already worth a day or two of study time, from the much-loved Omega La La in 2011 to their just-released 2017 EP, If U C My Enemies. Give one of their ultra-catchy hits – “Carousel Ride” from 2014’s Survival Sounds – a spin below if you want to get psyched for their Surf Lodge show. You can also check out our interview with Rubblebucket from last year to learn more about their one-of-a-kind dynamic as a band.
July 21st will bring another sweet show with Small Black taking the stage, the indie band from right here in Brooklyn who are often described as “chillwave” and have been taking on the festival circuit constantly since 2010. With their divergent lo-fi sound and a penchant for far-out production – their debut EP was recorded in one of their uncles’ attics with vintage keyboards and samplers – these guys are well worth a listen and are sure to bring a great set. Check out their brand new video for 2015’s “Between Leos,” released just a few weeks ago, and enjoy their cool experimental vibes.
Our penultimate Surf Lodge show on August 18th is bound to be another party, because it’ll feature NYC rock band The Dig, hot off February the release of their new full-length LP, Bloodshot Tokyo. The 3-piece band – who, interestingly enough, used to rehearse next door to The Strokes – have toured with bands like The Lumineers, The Antlers, and Portugal. The Man, all while garnering praise for their studio work. Check out The Dig’s brilliant video for “Simple Love” below and see why we’re stoked to see ‘em this August.
It’s all leading up to the final show on September 1st, which will show off the indie rock/chamber pop mastery of Brooklyn’s own San Fermin. They soaked up some well-deserved praise for their self-titled debut album in 2013, which featured performances by 22 musicians, including Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig of Lucius. The musicianship of their live performances earned San Fermin some attention from The New Yorker, among others, who described their sound as “epic and emotion-laden rock, with glorious and operatic vocals.” It’s not hard to see why; just listen to their brand new 2017 record, Belong, which just hit the shelves – or the adventurous video for 2015’s “Jackrabbit” below. We can’t wait for this show and all the others coming up at The Surf Lodge, so mark these dates down and get ready for a badass summer! We’ll see you guys on the beach.
Article: Olivia Isenhart
