Where to Find Live Music at Hamptons Beaches This Summer

Now that the dreaded winter is long gone, it’s time to enjoy the nice weather on the East End once again. We have been getting a fair amount of rain, but still no reason to complain. The Summer Solstice is rapidly approaching as I write this and it’s time to soak up the sun and enjoy some great tunes.

Long Island, and more specifically, the East End, has several hotspots where you can enjoy live local music…for FREE! I’m talking about the beaches, of course. There are groups playing every single night and the genres of music that are being played are as diverse as they come. I’m talking about reggae soul, blues, jazz and hard rock.

The first of the beaches I will be covering is Meschutt, which is located in Hampton Bays. Meschutt offers live music all week long, but has both food and drink specials on the weekend. They also have Lobsterfest every Tuesday and Thursday and Midweek Mambo on Wednesdays. But back to the best part: the music. Some of the bands that will be playing include Shecky and the Twangz Tones, Back Roads, Satchel Boogie, Mambo Loco and the Flamingos.

Next is the Cupsogue County Park, which is located in the town of Westhampton Beach. Some of the acts that are scheduled to be playing here are Chain Reaction Band, Accent, Blue Roots, Mean Machine and Urban Acoustic. Unlike Meschutt, Cupsogue doesn’t have acts playing every night. They do have stuff going on most of the time, though. There are Tuesday dance specials, Monday and Thursday Pasta Specials and they also have Lobsterfest on Fridays.

The Beach Hut is the name of the place at all of the above beaches mentioned where you get your food and drinks. They offer a great selection of food, including grilled or blackened tuna on a roll, crab cakes, fried scallops, fried clams and fish and chips. They also have items for the visitors that aren’t necessarily fans of seafood. These items include hotdogs, chicken fingers, French fries, hamburgers and mozzarella sticks.

Now for my favorite: the drinks! There are daily drink specials, but the main sellers include the mudslide, Fred’s rum punch, Long Island iced tea, pina coladas and many beers on tap. Nothing beats having a nice cold drink while breathing in the salty air and rocking out to your favorite jams.

Now for another cool thing about the Beach Hut. They have both on-and-offsite catering available. They do children’s birthday parties, tent weddings, corporate events and BBQs (deluxe, classic and supreme). You can set up a meeting at any of the Beach Hut locations to customize your menu for that special event or even look at sample menus to get an idea of exactly what you’re looking for.

If you’re an up-and-coming artist or band that is looking to expand your fan base you can send your demo to 64 N. County Rd. Smithtown, NY. This is ideal for all the local artists that are crafting and mastering their sound and want to have a great time playing out live in front of an energetic crowd.

If you’re looking for something both enjoyable and affordable I highly recommend heading down to one of the beaches included in this article. Having been to all of them, I have to say no matter which one you choose, you won’t go home unsatisfied. You don’t have to break the bank in order to have a nice night on the town. If drinks and music are your thing or even one of two mentioned then don’t let yourself miss out on one heck of a time. Don’t think that it’s only for adults, either. Children can have just as much of fun as their parents, as can young adults who have yet to start families of their own. Music appeals to people of all ages, from the youngest of the young to those that are older in age but still young at heart. So have a cold one (or soda and juice) pull up a chair, grab a bite to eat and rock the night away!

Cupsogue Beach, 906 Dune Road, Westhampton Beach, 631-852-8111; Meschutt Beach Hut, Canal Road, Hampton Bays, 631-728-2988