The Surf Lodge Brings Lupe Fiasco, Amos Lee To The Stage This September

Nishka Dhawan
·6 min read

It’s just after 7 p.m. on a warm Saturday evening. The sun’s dipping over the horizon, and throngs of people move excitedly to the front of the open-air stage. Ayokay is crooning in the background, performing his single Sleepless Nights to an excited audience. The cacophony of laughter, iced drinks clinking in cocktail glasses and and electronic tunes take over the atmosphere — this is what an evening at The Surf Lodge in Montauk is like.

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Founded by Brazillian-born entrepreneur Jayma Cardoso, The Surf Lodge is a sleek, upscale property located right on the edge of Fort Pond in Montauk. While the lodge itself boasts multiple rooms (including both master and junior suites) guests can stay in, its true draw is the weekly summer concert series that features artists from The Chainsmokers to Matisyahu and everyone in between.

Cardoso takes an active part in planning the concert series and describes herself as extremely “hands-on” at the property. “I’m sure it seems to a lot of people that I am always at The Surf Lodge (and for sure I am there a lot!)”, says Cardoso about her work ethic. Rolling Stone had an opportunity to sit down with the creator herself, and ask her a few questions about what it takes to run such a property in the heart of the Hamptons — plus, what musical performances you can expect in the next month.

Talk to me about the genesis of The Surf Lodge, what made you want to own and operate a hotel in Montauk?

I grew up in Brazil and Montauk really reminded me of the beach towns back home. It was a sleepy fishing village with a bohemian spirit and a ton of natural beauty — I came here for many years before deciding to open The Surf Lodge, and it’s been a perfect home for us.

Why is music such a big part of The Surf Lodge experience? How did that come to be?

I’ve always wanted The Surf Lodge to be a place of discovery and have centered that around four core programming pillars: culinary experiences, music, art, and wellness. It’s the intersection of all of those pillars that make The Surf Lodge what it is — something really unique for guests. My top priority is ensuring that everyone who comes through our doors walks away feeling like they were part of something special.

Everyone loves coming to the concert series on weekends! How do you decide the lineup?

Again, that sense of discovery is really important. I want there to be something for everyone in our lineup over the course of a summer. I work with a great booking team who understand my taste in music and what works for our audience, and we’re constantly bouncing ideas off of each other for the lineup. I have my ear out for new artists too; we have a history of showcasing up-and-comers at The Surf Lodge, many of whom go on to win Grammys. It’s pretty amazing to look back at some of the artists who’ve performed here before they hit it big, like Halsey and Anderson .Paak – everyone’s always asking me when Anderson .Paak is coming back and now I think he’s too famous for us!

Does the day of the week matter for who’s playing? I noticed the lodge generally has DJs on Fridays and Saturdays and more Indie singers and bands on Sundays.

Yes, that’s correct! We run a DJ series on Friday nights to kick off the weekend, and we usually have bands or headlining artists on Sunday nights, with Saturdays being more of a mix. There will always be tons going on in Montauk and the Hamptons on Fridays and Saturdays, but centering our concert series on Sunday nights has given people a reason to stretch out the weekend and spend those nights with us enjoying great music and making memories. Beyond the weekends, we also have regular local performers on Monday nights and our famous Wednesday nights with Nancy Atlas, which are some of my favorite evenings of the summer.

Who’s been your favorite artist that’s performed at The Surf Lodge this year?

I can’t pick favorites! This year’s lineup has been really exciting to me, though — we’ve been able to bring back returning favorites like Bob Moses and Donavon Frankenreiter as well as some really fantastic up-and-coming artists who I’ve had my eye on, like Blu DeTiger, Chelsea Cutler, Tai Verdes, and Channel Tres. I feel like this has been one of our best seasons ever for the concert series.

Has it been hard since Covid? How did the pandemic affect the lodge?

The 2020 season was definitely different. Thankfully we were able to open that year but shifted to accommodate long-term stays as people were coming out East to work remotely and staying for longer stretches. We didn’t have our music programming though, apart from a virtual concert we held in partnership with Gov Ball. Last season, as the world opened back up, we found people were really eager to come together safely and have shared experiences, which we got to be a part of. And now, this year it’s been busier than ever. We were lucky to get through the worst of the pandemic and come out stronger for it.

Is The Surf Lodge open all year round?

The Surf Lodge season kicks off over Memorial Day Weekend and runs through early fall; this year we’ll be open through October 2nd. In the winters, we have a sister property in Aspen called The Snow Lodge — we have a concert series there as well!

I know you mentioned that September’s music lineup was soon going to be released, is it possible to share the lineup with our readers?

We have a number of really exciting acts planned including The Magician, Channel Tres, and Blondish over Labor Day Weekend, along with Brett Dennen on September 10th, Wyclef Jean on September 17th, Lupe Fiasco on September 24th, and Amos Lee for our closing weekend on October 1st.

What’s the future looking like for The Surf Lodge?

I’m focused on expanding The Surf Lodge brand and opening other locations that each have their own vibe and personality, while staying true to our core pillars. The Snow Lodge in Aspen is our first long-term sister location, but I’ve tested a few pop-ups and have big hopes and ideas for additional markets. You’ll have to stay tuned!

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