For readers who may not know the story of Stephen Talkhouse, can you tell us a little about its history and your role today?
Stephen Talkhouse originally started as a fisherman’s house in 1832. Around the 1920s, it became a restaurant called the Amagansett Inn, which was owned by an Italian family until the 1960s. Then, around 1970, it officially became the Stephen Talkhouse as a bar and restaurant. My family took over in 1987, so this is our 39th year running it. I was born in 1989, so I’ve grown up here and have done just about every job, from helping set up each day to now managing the business. Around 2016, I started getting more involved, and after COVID I really stepped into the day-to-day leadership. My father is still involved, but I now handle most of the daily operations, including bookings, scheduling and running the venue.
Growing up as part of the Stephen Talkhouse family, what are some of your earliest memories here? When did you first realize this was such a special place?
It’s hard because it’s always been home. When something is part of your everyday life, it’s hard to determine what’s special and what’s just normal. My earliest memories—outside of running around, making Shirley Temples, putting whipped cream in cups, getting chased around by the bartenders and watching sports games—were when Sting played here. I didn’t really know who Sting was or know his songs, but I still remember the concert. I remember hearing “Roxanne” and “Message in a Bottle,” and there was this big TV camera rig moving through the bar. That was the first time it felt like this is something special. It’s a weird business because you get so much intensity for three months and then it’s very quiet. Since it’s been my whole life, it’s hard to know what’s special anymore. The big SiriusXM shows we do are incredible. Having Metallica play here last summer — I don’t know if I’ll ever get close to topping that. You kind of get used to these moments, but there are still plenty of pinch-me moments when they’re happening.
As the booking manager, what are you looking for when you’re deciding who performs?
It’s tricky because you have to figure out what the crowd wants. As popular as the place is, it’s not New York City—you don’t have millions of people who are going to come out for any type of show. You have to book what will work. It’s not that I’m not willing to take a chance on someone who’s up-and-coming. You just want the show to do well — for the artist, the bartenders and everyone else. A big part of it is whether they have a draw. On certain nights, especially since COVID, we get busier earlier, so as long as they can be entertaining and have the right energy, the following isn’t always as important.
Sometimes you hear a band and think they’re really good, then you see them live and they completely blow you away. That’s what I look for. During the off-season, I’ll go to concerts and check out bands that have reached out to play here. I want to see if they have that live performance that makes people remember them. The Talkhouse is tricky because the name has become a little too true—people come here to talk. Finding bands that can hold people’s attention has become part of the job. We have this reputation as a nightlife spot where people come with their friends, but some don’t realize we also host some really special concerts. Balancing those two identities—music venue and nightclub—has been my biggest challenge. I don’t want artists to feel like they’re just collecting a paycheck. You want every show to feel special.
Wednesday karaoke night has become popular amongst the local crowd. What does that support from the year-round community mean to you?
It’s been interesting to watch that night grow. I think a big part of it is that a lot of the Irish who come out to work during the summers found it, but the locals are important because they’re what allows us to do this year-round. They’re our foundation, so we always appreciate their support. Years ago, reggae nights and our Tuesday industry nights were some of our biggest weekly events — we still do reggae on Sundays — but everyone eventually flocked to karaoke. It’s probably doubled in size over the last 10 years, while some of those other nights have become a little quieter. I guess it’s just what works. It’s funny now to see a line down the block on a Wednesday night.
Stephen Talkhouse has become known for its surprise performances from artists like Coldplay and Metallica. How did those shows first come together?
Those shows all started through SiriusXM. Scott Greenstein, who’s the president, has a house out here and has always been a big fan of the Talkhouse. We had a relationship with him before the surprise shows because SiriusXM would broadcast some of our concerts, starting with our big reggae shows. It was a great way for us to get exposure. Then one day he had the idea to bring Coldplay in, and it worked. The next year it was Dwight Yoakam, then The Killers, then Mumford & Sons. Since then, we’ve had everyone from Ed Sheeran to Metallica. Those shows have almost become what defines our summers.
Then there are the completely unexpected pop-ins. Someone like Paul McCartney might stop by because a friend is playing. He came in a couple of years ago with Chad Smith and Andrew Watt. Jimmy Buffett used to do the same thing when friends or artists he was mentoring were performing. I think because the Talkhouse started as a house, people feel comfortable here. You never know who’s going to walk through the door.
What makes the venue so appealing to artists who could play almost anywhere?
I think it’s such an intimate environment. The stage is right there. That’s what makes it difficult in some ways, but also what makes it special for these shows. In a lot of venues you’re below the artist, which is better for sight lines, but here you’re right there with them. The crowd is right there, too, so there’s a real connection.
I also think you never know who’s in the audience. You could have a surfer standing next to the head of a record label. When Gary Clark Jr. played here, Lorne Michaels, Jon Bon Jovi, Roger Waters from Pink Floyd and Paul McCartney were all in the crowd. That’s part of what makes it cool. People can just pop in, and you never know who’s going to be here. It’s also a unique room. A lot of places in the city were built to be music venues. We kind of just made what we could out of a house, and I think that gives it a different feel.
Then I think artists come back because they’re treated well. We have a very long-time staff, so bands come in and see the same faces every time. That also shows it’s a good place to be because people aren’t quitting — they want to be here. That’s been a big part of our reputation. It’s not just that bands want to come back; they tell other bands, “You’ve got to play this place.” By being good to the artists and good to the people who come here, we’ve built the reputation that brings quality acts back year after year.
Do you think there’s something about Stephen Talkhouse that continues to resonate across generations?
It’s interesting now because people come in and I knew their parents when they were customers. I joke with my friends that the day their daughter, who’s just been born or is one year old, starts coming here is probably the day I quit. That’ll get a little weird. I think people have a connection to this place because it’s timeless, but it also doesn’t ignore that times are changing. Kids can walk in with their parents, who used to come here themselves, and they both know the bartender or the door guy. That consistency is important.
It’s the same space, even though we’ve made some renovations. We didn’t make it too different — we just made it a little nicer and adapted the music over time. A lot of places are constantly trying to keep up with the next thing, and we’re just going to be the Talkhouse.
If you could book any artist/band, past or present, for one night at the Talkhouse, who would it be and why?
I think the perfect band for the Talkhouse would be Tom Petty. He’s not necessarily my favorite artist—I do love his music, and I was lucky enough to see him at Madison Square Garden right before he passed—but when I picture the Talkhouse, Tom Petty is the band I imagine playing here. You could say Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones or The Beatles, and there are so many great answers. But for me, if I were walking into my dream version of the Talkhouse, the band on stage would be Tom Petty.
What excites you most about the future of Talkhouse?
The biggest thing is a 400-page coffee table book that’s coming out this summer. My dad is the main voice behind it, but it includes stories and memories from people dating back to before our family owned the Talkhouse. It really catalogs the last 40 years of the venue through photos and stories.
We’re also starting a record company of sorts. It began with a live compilation album from last summer featuring eight different acts. It’s a charity album, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting MusicCares.
Right now, the idea is to build a catalog of live performances from the Talkhouse, but maybe one day it grows into something more. I’d love to find a young band we really believe in and help them grow. That’s always been a dream of mine — booking a band here and then watching them eventually play Madison Square Garden.
There have been a few bands that have come close, and a few that I just missed because we’re so seasonal. Sometimes someone is available on a Tuesday in December, and I know only two people are going to show up. By the time summer comes around, they’ve blown up. Hopefully this gives younger bands another reason to want to play here. Maybe they come in, record a live album and go from there. We have the space. It’s not a traditional recording studio, but the sound is there, and if we believe in an artist, it’d be really cool to help them take that next step. Those are the two big projects for this summer, although there’s always something new being talked about.
Audrey Glass
