Nightlife

Summer Hot Spots

And the winner is . . . Club M-80 in Southampton! What's the honor, you ask? Most models per paying customer? Most cigar smoke per cubic inch? No, M-80 has claimed victory in the annual employee-night war - that yearly scramble to corner the weekday crowd into one big night.

Until now, M-80, Jet East, and Flying Point (now Sound Factory) all ran their weekly employee nights on Thursday. But the one at M-80, promoted by Danceteria, has drawn the biggest crowds, prompting the other two big clubs to regroup. The Tavern has avoided the competition all summer by hosting its employee night on Wednesdays.

What does all this mean? Well, basically, those looking to go out on Thursday are bound to find a crowd at M-80. The club, which is at the north end of North Sea Road, still hosts well-promoted "Big" Fridays every week, and sets aside Saturdays for sizable fashion-world-oriented parties.

Sound Factory

Not much has changed physically at the former Flying Point in Southampton, nor has the quota of big bruiser-types without shirts, but the club may have finally found its niche. After 4 a.m. on weekends, Sound Factory puts a lid on liquor and opens a juice bar. Sources tell me the club's dance floor was still rocking well past 7 a.m. this weekend. Sounds like the after-hours scene the club crawlers have been waiting for out here.

Sound Factory is still open Thursday through Saturday, with Saturdays still being promoted by Joey Morrissey and company, who did Flying Point.

The club is on Montauk Highway next to Pier One Imports.

Stephen Talkhouse

Skipping back to Amagansett, the Stephen Talkhouse has a major week in store, spanning everything from folk rock to new wave. To the Moon Alice starts it off tonight with rock-and-roll at 9.

The reunited British new-wave band The Fixx (remember "Reach the Beach") will stop in tomorrow at 8 p.m. (Hey, if Echo and the Bunnymen can pull it off, why not The Fixx?) The Bogmen will follow at 11, bringing their fanatic following and highly original alternative rock. The band managed to give the Talkhouse easily its two busiest nights of the summer last year. The Bogmen are booked for Saturday as well, starting at 8, with the late-night band still to-be-announced.

The folk rocker Steve Forbert will make his yearly appearance on Sunday, after an opening set from Amagansett's own G.E. Smith and Taylor Barton, at 8. Nancy Atlas, Matt Dauch, Gene Hamilton, and the rest of the "acoustic Monday" crew will play their original music Monday, with Ms. Atlas starting an hourlong set at 9.

The ex-Byrd member Roger McGuinn is on deck for Tuesday at 8. Mr. McGuinn has been charming audiences for years at the Talkhouse with sincere and familiar folk music. The Talkhouse's open-jam night, hosted by Paragon, will follow Tuesday at 10. The popular Shock shine handles the Talkhouse's employee night Wednesday with its grinding dance reggae at 10.

Looking ahead, The G.E. Smith Band is lined up for next Thursday at 8, and the boogie-woogie pianist Marcia Ball is on for Friday, July 18, at 8, with Shauna Young opening. The Hotheads will follow Ms. Ball at 11.

Riffz

Live music will complement the late-night menu and busy pool table at Riffz on Montauk Highway in East Hampton this weekend. Bruce Stewart will play acoustic rock and folk tomorrow, starting at 9 p.m. The Fugitives will surface on Saturday at 10 to bring their classic rock and blues.

Riffz is opposite Apple Bank, near East Hampton Bowl.

Wild Rose

It's a good thing Bridgehampton's Wild Rose Cafe is so darn comfortable inside, or people wouldn't put up with the long line to get in on weekends. The Rose is simply too small to hold everyone, but that doesn't keep the faithful from braving parking tickets and long waits to flock to the Rose every week.

Rockabilly from The Lone Sharks sets the tone every Thursday, starting at 9:30 p.m. This weekend's stage goes to the solid Oxford Blues, who play, you guessed it, blues.

The Rose is on the Bridgehampton-Sag Harbor Turnpike.

T's Avallon

Dinner and entertainment, in the supper-club tradition. That's the thrust of the newly opened T's Avallon on the Bridgehampton-Sag Harbor Turnpike. The Avallon (formerly the Pike) hosts music Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m., with a DJ and dancing afterward.

The artist and jazzman Larry Rivers will perform tonight, and the popular Phoebe Legere will bring her unique brand of cabaret tomorrow and Saturday.

La Superica

The margaritas have been flowing steadily at Sag Harbor's La Superica restaurant on Main Street. In addition to its jam-packed weekends, the upbeat eatery hosts live music every Wednesday at 11 p.m. This Wednesday, the back room goes to the jam-oriented rock of The Realm. "Monday madness" on Mondays puts La Superica's bartender Aubrey behind the bar and brings in the fun-loving surfer set.

Malloy's Dock

Everyone seems to love Vivian and the Merrymakers. What's not to love? Steel drums, Hawaiian shirts, happy calypso music?

Well, the Merrymakers have landed a new home, at the newly opened Malloy's Dock in Sag Harbor. The restaurant opened several weeks ago in what used to be the Amazon Deck on the Long Wharf. Aside from the Merrymakers on Sunday afternoons around 4, the restaurant also hosts live jazz inside on Saturday nights around 10.

Harbor House

The Harbor House in Sag Harbor has established quite the employee night on Tuesdays, sharing crowds with the nearby La Superica, which also has a Tuesday employee night. DJ 007 usually provides the music to move the young crowd.

Wednesdays still bring the Harbor House's open-mike night, hosted by Vince Collins of Led Fingers. Fridays and Saturdays feature the Harbor House's lineup of live rock, blues, and reggae bands, while Sundays feature live reggae every week.

75 Main

Southampton's 75 Main restaurant will be rocking to a new beat on Saturday when The Lone Sharks dish out satisfaction-guaranteed rockabilly. The restaurant has hosted reggae, soul, rhythm-and-blues, classic rock, and other genres, but not string-bending rockabilly. The Lone Sharks start at 11 p.m. Chris Barret plays piano every Friday at 9 p.m.

Southampton Publick House

As it does every Thursday night, The Trevor Davison Orchestra will play big band swing tonight at 10 at the Southampton Publick House. The swing turns to blues tomorrow night, when the always lively Toby and the Boys drop in at 10 to start a double header; they play Saturday, too, at the same time. D.J. Tom mans the turntable on Sunday, and Sweet Belly Kisses play alternative rock on Monday.

The Publick House is on Main Street and Bowden Square.

Hansom House

The feisty, grungy, young reggae band Shockshine rocked the Hansom House in Southampton last week with a combination of rap, rock, and dance hall reggae. They'll be back for more tomorrow night. For those who can't get close enough to the stage to see them, the Hansom House has two giant screens, which carry the action on stage - pretty clever, huh?

The Last Chance Blues Band will belt out the blues on Saturday. Music starts after 10:30 at the Hansom House, which is on Elm Street.

Harvest

For those who enjoy a good cigar, a martini (shaken, not stirred), or simply a good party, there is the Harvest restaurant's "Harvest Club" party every Saturday from 11 p.m. The Harvest is on South Emery Street in Montauk, overlooking Fort Pond.

Blue Marlin/Gurney's

Speaking of karaoke, the Blue Marlin restaurant on Edgemere Street, Montauk, lets it rip every Sunday at 9 p.m.

Karaoke is the Thursday-night attraction in the lounge at Gurney's Inn on the Old Montauk Highway in Montauk. Gurney's has entertainment seven nights a week. Silhouette plays popular hits tomorrow and Saturday night. The classic-rock keyboardist Paul Gene plays on Sunday. John Rinell plays hits and oldies Monday, leaving Tuesday for Rene Michaels, and Wednesday for The Paul Gene Band. Music begins around 9 p.m.

Tipperary Inn

The always lively Tipperary Inn on West Lake Drive, Montauk, has filled its roster with solid music this summer, with something lined up seven nights a week. D.J. Tom starts it off tonight with his patented dance music. Lee Ross takes the stage tomorrow, leaving it for the classic-rocking Zorki and his band on Saturday.

The Soul Poets play their mix of classic rock and blues every Sunday night, John Doyle strums out Irish music and regular rock on Mondays, and everyone's a singer when the karaoke machine comes out on Tuesdays.

Music at the Tipp starts around 10:30 p.m.

Old Shebeen

Montauk's Old Shebeen is back on the live-music map. The lively Irish bar on Edgemere Street has three nights of it in store this weekend, beginning with Blue Monday tomorrow night. The band Big Time will try to prove its status on Saturday, giving Sunday night over to The Tain, one of New York's hottest Irish rock bands.

Music starts after 10:30 at the Shebeen.

Montauk Yacht Club

For a sunny Sunday afternoon by the water, you might check out the Montauk Yacht Club on Lake Montauk. The club hosts live music every Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. on its breezy deck. The classic-rock keyboardist Glenn Mac plays this week, and The Morris Brothers play acoustic rock every Sunday after that.

The Yacht Club is on the Star Island Causeway, off West Lake Drive.

Dancing Crab

Montauk's Dancing Crab on West Lake Drive has always been a venue for good live rock-and-roll. Now the Crab has taken it a step further by introducing a Saturday-night concert series featuring more than the usual rotation of local bands. Randy Jackson, a former member of Zebra, will kick off the weekly series with an acoustic show this Saturday at 10:30 p.m. He'll return with his band Pyramid, featuring members of Black Sabbath and Blue Oyster Cult, the following Saturday.

The Crab's normal roster will hold for Friday's stage, although a DJ is scheduled for tomorrow night. The rest of the club's weekly schedule remains the same.

Memory Motel

The best band name of the summer award goes to Snooze Button, which sets up tomorrow night at Montauk's Memory Motel on Main Street. The band features Tony Bruno, a former guitarist with Joan Jett's Blackhearts. Saturday night brings The Moon Dogs and lively classic rock. Bands begin around 10:30.

The Memory also has Glenn Mac on keyboards every Tuesday, and an open-jam night on Wednesdays, hosted by John Hanford of The Napeague Choirboys. The same folks who bring karaoke to Gurney's, and the Blue Marlin, bring karaoke capability to the Memory on Thursdays. Weekday events start around 10.