Mattituck Cinemas’ new concert series kicks off June 24th. (Image credit: Nicholas Grasso)
After a fight filled with punches and kicks, Mattituck Cinemas soon turns up the volume with guitars and a drum kit.
The theater has announced a series of concerts this summer beginning Saturday, June 24, including two performances by Generation X.
“They’re a cover band of the ’90s and 2000s, and sometimes they do something more modern,” said Louis Navas, the theater’s new events coordinator and talent booker. “They’re a rock band, they rule everything, and it’s fun to play with.”
“The focus right now is on cover bands, DJs and parties, which are definitely great,” Mr Navas added of the upcoming gig. “We also thought we wanted to bring more original music tours here, so we’re actually doing a second show with a bunch of Manoville artists, including my band [Rats]”.
The concerts, currently scheduled for Saturdays throughout the summer, are the latest alternative entertainment to emerge after Mattituck Cinemas stopped showing new movies this year. Mark RamenaThe restaurateur and various partners behind Lucharitos, a nearby Mexican restaurant, began showing second-run films in the theater’s last remaining screening room and opened the Ax & Smash Ax Throwing Lounge and Smash Paint studio. Last month, they began hosting wrestling matches in a still-operating screening room that will double as a stage for upcoming musical performances.
Concert-goers can purchase tacos, tequila and other products from the Lucharitos-operated kiosk during each show.
Mr. Navas previously booked artists for Revolution, a long-established and notorious Long Island venue that showcased rising stars and local legends from 2017 to 2020, including Taking Back Sunday and The Stray Cats”, when the club was struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic. Revolution is the perfect venue for a high-energy electronic dance music or heavy metal concert, and it has an unfamiliar vibe compared to the North Fork’s live music scene. Venues ranging from Suffolk on the Riverhead to distilleries and breweries in various hamlets in the town of Southold host performances, usually by cover bands or vocal solo or duo, often in front of a seated audience conduct.
Mr Navas may be able to shake things up with a series of concerts that may appeal to audiences of all ages, as well as the atmosphere and energy levels they bring to performances.
“Matituck Cinemas is a cinema and cinemas always have audiences of all ages, so we are very careful not to overbook or oversaturate a particular corner or crowd,” Mr Navas said. “It’s a good thing we have seats because some places don’t have them, but we have plenty of space to walk around and enjoy the facilities.”
Following The X Generation’s performance on June 24, three rock bands — Bohemians, Rats and Atlantics End — will take to the stage on July 1. Soul Purpose will perform disco, soul and funk on July 8, and cover group Speakeasy will perform cross-genre and music from Led Zeppelin to Post Malone on July 22. Pop artist for decades.
To see a full list of shows at Mattituck Cinemas this summer and to purchase tickets, visit champtheatre.com.
