Concert Lineup Revealed
The Federal Aviation Administration cleared the way for the MTK: Music to Know festival to be held at East Hampton Airport in August, notifying town officials on Tuesday that they approved of plans for the event.
The East Hampton Town Board had issued a permit for use of a portion of Runway 4-22, which is closed, but the festival could not have taken place there without the F.A.A.’s okay.
The federal agency’s approval will allow organizers to abandon plans to have the two-day event in Amagansett. Residents concerned about traffic and crowds in that hamlet protested and filed a lawsuit after the town board issued a permit for that proposal in December.
The lineup of 18 bands slated to perform at the Aug. 13 and 14 event was anounced Monday in a kickoff event at Townline BBQ in Sagaponack.
Vampire Weekend will be the Saturday night headliner. Chris Jones, a founder and organizer of the show, with his partner, Bill Collage, said Vampire Weekend is “probably the brightest and best new band emerging.” Its performance here, he said, will be one of few upcoming appearances in the United States. The band had reportedly turned down gigs at Lollapalooza, as well as the Glastonbury festival in the United Kingdom.
The main event on Sunday night will be a performance by Bright Eyes, a group from Nebraska that will head to the East End just a week after opening for Cold Play at the Lollapalooza festival. Bright Eyes has sold out two Radio City Music Hall shows.
A number of the bands booked for the festival will be familiar to those who follow the festival circuit or keep tabs on up-and-coming indie music.
“We wanted to get the most critically acclaimed, coolest thing going,” said Mr. Collage on Monday night. “We hope that in 10 years, people will say, ‘Those are the bands that define this era.’ ”
“Part of the fun of this was . . . when you write up your list, there are guys who you really want,” he said. “You pursue, and you pursue, and sometimes you get a little irrational in your pursuit.” The Limousines, for him, was one such band.Of Francis and the Lights, a New York City-based band that will also perform, he said, “We wanted to be the one who really blew them up, but they blew up before us.” Mr. Jones described them as “Peter Gabriel meets Depeche Mode.” Ra Ra Riot, an indie rock band with a string section that is part of the Brooklyn music scene, is “one of the ones we’re most excited about,” Mr. Collage said.
The Tom Tom Club, originally established as a side project by members of the Talking Heads, will provide some “heritage hipness,” according to concert press materials — “a tip of the hat to what was going on 30 years ago,” Mr. Collage said Monday. “What we want to do is tell a story line, from the birth of indie rock 30 years ago . . . and the rediscovery . . . to bringing them out here.”
Also performing will be Matt & Kim; Dawes, a roots-rock band, the Naked and Famous, an indie electronic band from New Zealand; Nicos Gun and Fitz and the Tantrums, both of which have played at the South by Southwest festival; Cold War Kids; Chromeo; M. Ward, who will also appear at the Newport Folk Festival; We Are Scientists; Young Empires; and Tame Impala, with music described as “psychedelic, hypno-groove melodic rock.” Expected to play, but still unsigned, are a Canadian band called the Young Empires, and Montauk’s own Suddyn.
“You’re probably looking at the two most elated people in the room here,” said Mr. Jones, as he and Mr. Collage prepared to list the bands for the crowd gathered for the announcement on Monday night. “We’re absolutely thrilled.” Also to be featured at the festival are “Fashion and Lifestyle to Know,” with retailers on site, and “Eats to Know,” with samplings from gourmet food trucks from around the United States.
Tickets went on sale through the festival’s Web site on Monday night shortly after the announcement. A total of 9,500 will be sold. Local residents can purchase discounted tickets ($175) at 668 the Gig Shack in Montauk, Sylvester & Co. in Sag Harbor, Indian Wells Tavern in Amagansett, and Khanh’s Sports in East Hampton. General admission tickets are $195, plus tax and a $6 service charge. East Hampton residents may also purchase V.I.P. tickets at a base price of $695 each that will provide access to two V.I.P. food and drink tents, as well as to two viewing areas with special fashion shows and musical performances, air-conditioned restrooms, and free parking. Admission for children under 6 is free.
Additional fees for parking, either on site or off, with shuttle service provided, will range from $30 to $80 for the weekend. All tickets will provide access to the grounds on both days of the festival, with events from noon to 10 p.m. each day.
No tickets will be sold on site.
A list of local charities that will share a $100,000 donation from the MTK festival was also announced this week. They are Phoenix House, the Retreat, East End Hospice’s Camp Good Grief, the Surfrider Foundation, the East Hampton Library, the Living Water Food Pantry, and the Katy’s Courage scholarship for students at Pierson High School in Sag Harbor.