The Clubhouse Keeping Entertainment Intimate in the Hamptons
Chelsea Handler, Amy Schumer, Bon Jovi & Stephen Marley
While the Hamptons are a summer paradise bursting with parties of every kind, even the most hardcore Hamptonite would have to admit that year-round entertainment options have always been somewhat limited. To change that perception and reality, Matt Rubenstein and Brian Kelly, through their event production company Murmrr, are bringing top-name acts to the event space at the Clubhouse, an entertainment complex in Easthampton. Rubenstein and Kelly tout the appeal for locals to be able to see their favorite performers up close in an intimate experience just a short distance from home.
The reaction from the local community has been incredibly enthusiastic, as seating at the Clubhouse venue is limited to a capacity of 600 guests, giving everyone a great view and, unlike larger arenas in the city, a togetherness for something truly special. Kelly says, “I think people are excited that they have the opportunity to see acts like Stephen Marley (son of reggae legend Bob), Chelsea Handler, Amy Schumer, and MGMT right in their backyard. Some of these artists, like Bon Jovi or Sublime, would normally require you to travel into the city to see them perform. Often, artists are out East anyway for the summer, so it has really filled a cultural void in that way. I think that’s exciting.” clubhousehamptons.com
Montauk Point Lighthouse & Opera House in Brooklyn.
Murmrr has also brought shows to other New York venues such as the Montauk Point Lighthouse, Industry City, and the Opera House in Brooklyn. The smaller nature of their productions taps into a client who often avoids larger settings. Rubenstein shares, “We are creating our own lane here, where we are able to have a concert one night, and then the next day do a disco show and host Latin Night, and then host a superstar comedian. We offer all these diverse acts, music, comedy, etc., and we are learning the market for them using part gut instinct and part analytics, having a great time while respecting the sophistication of the Hamptons crowds. It has been a year and a half now of us carving out this new market in the Hamptons of doing real ticketed concerts or shows.”
The variety of acts across several of the venues this summer will include Mark Norman, who Rubenstein says is “a well-known New York City comedian coming to the Hamptons, where he will do well because he is so talented, and he has a large social media following that will come out to see him.” Trevor Hall and the Great In-Between, Stephen Marley, and Chelsea Handler will also appear at the Clubhouse, while Rufus Wainwright and a slate of special guests will perform at the Montauk Lighthouse. Closer to the city, Flor de Toloache is performing in Industry City, and comedian Joe Pera has already sold his two shows out at the Opera House. “We like the mix of talent we offer. We have presented Amy Schumer and then a Dark Star Orchestra show, which seemingly feel like they are on opposite ends of the spectrum in some ways, but there’s continuity there because the main thrust of what we do is bring people together,” says Kelly.
Murmrr
During the early days of the Clubhouse entertainment space, Rubenstein never planned for it to grow into national headlining acts the way it did. “I started off with just sort of building local acts,” he shares, “and then I hosted a food bank benefit with Jon Bon Jovi during COVID, which actually launched the stage for us. We raised a lot of money for a couple of local charities, and then I did Sublime show, after which I met Brian, who has become a good friend and a mentor. Now, I’m all-in for building a destination entertainment spot that the locals embrace. The Clubhouse has a lot of parking space, a 4:00 a.m. liquor license, a terrific staff, and all the essential elements needed to build a successful venue.
“Well, I think here in the Hamptons, we’re in a nice, sweet spot right now,” says Rubenstein. We are able to bring acts that may not have been able to come out here, but it’s small enough that it’s still a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see some of these acts in such an intimate setting. Kelly shares, “The idea was always to have high production value, treat artists well, and execute, which is good for the patrons, too, because we keep our costs down. We keep that model as our core, whether we are producing events in the Hamptons, Brooklyn, or even Miami. The idea is that Murmrr is in the business of making people happy.”
