Artists and Writers’ ‘Cabaret’ Twist at Bridgehampton's Almond
Carlos Lama, a D.J., vinyl enthusiast, and audio engineer from Sag Harbor who has been a fixture on the East End music scene since moving here from Texas in 2010, will host the next Artists and Writers Night at Almond restaurant in Bridgehampton, on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
In a departure from previous such evenings, which typically feature one artist, writer, or performer, for the upcoming program Mr. Lama and Almond Zigmund, who oversees the series, sent out a call for submissions for a loosely interpreted open mike night.
“It’s not as if anybody can show up and get on,” Mr. Lama said during a conversation at Innersleeve Records in Amagansett, where he works when not performing or recording. “We’ve had quite a number of submissions, and we had to have a cutoff. It’s sort of an even mix of reading and music. Not just singer-songwriters, but also some more experimental stuff.”
The evening will open and close with performances by Mr. Lama and Peter Landi, who is a member of the Glazzies. “We’ve played together before,” said Mr. Lama. “We did a Bowie tribute last Saturday at the Talkhouse, which was very well received, and since it’s still pretty fresh, we might be doing some Bowie material.”
Other musicians will include Jameson Ellis, “who, in addition to being an amazing visual artist, is also a pretty badass bass player,” and Colin Mahar, an accomplished singer-songwriter who is also director of Harper’s Books in East Hampton. Several writers will take part, but none had been confirmed as of press time.
“In my mind, in addition to being an open mike, I was romanticizing the idea of having it be a bit more like a variety show, or even a cabaret. I want to make it lively and interesting and fun, and a nice mix of readings and music, both light and heavy.”
Because the performances must be coordinated with a three-course dinner, there will be a three-minute time limit for each act. “In order to have as many people as I want and to have a variety, we’ll have to be strict about the time. We have an envelope, and we have to make it fit.”
The three-course, family style meal, priced at $45, includes a glass of wine or beer, tax, and gratuity. Reservations, which are essential, can be made at the restaurant’s website, the sooner the better, as the programs inevitably sell out.
