Brian Kelly wrote a novel during Covid. “It was that or baking bread” he tells me with a laugh. He had a band in college. And did a stint teaching literature and creative writing. But he really wanted to produce live entertainment. His first paying gig was presenting a friend’s band at the Islip Art Museum in 2016. “We built a stage out of nothing. It was so claptrap. It rained, but we got through it, and everyone had a blast.”
That was just the beginning. These days he’s putting together more than East End shows at The Clubhouse and Montauk Lighthouse. His “Murmrr Presents” is also starting a philanthropic foundation. And then there are shows in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Miami. Wherever audiences want to laugh or listen to great music, Brian is just off stage.
How did a love for music and comedy start for you?
I saw R.E.M when I was about 12 or 13 years old at Nassau Coliseum, and that kind of turned on the lights for me. That level of artistic integrity in front of tens of thousands of people was just super exciting. “Murmrr” is kind of an R.E.M. album title, and I still think about it. They spell it the regular way. My company was based on “murmurations” the way starlings kind of choreograph to the sky. It was an abstraction of that, in kind of organizing people around music and art. I saw Seinfeld in upstate New York when I was in college. And I saw Tracy Morgan early on too. It’s the same as music. It’s about being in a room and feeling that energy. And saying, “How is this even possible?” I look for that now. Creating a kind of intimacy for the audience and performer — whether it’s a 20,000-person show or a 200-person show. And production values have to be good, even on a subconscious level. We’re fortunate with a place like Montauk with a panoramic oceanic wonder.
You’re also doing a lot of things at The Clubhouse. But you also build stages in fields — how did all that start?
As a company, Murmrr Presents initially was all about activating un-utilized spaces like a synagogue in Brooklyn. We did events there with Bjork and the Smashing Pumpkins lead singer or Nil Rodgers and Chic. We built it out with sound and lighting, and it was very successful.
Who are you most excited about this summer?
Brandi Carlile has never played in the Hamptons before. She’s on a rocket ship. Played with world-class musicians like Elton John and Dolly Parton. She’s the “next voice” for so much. She identifies with the LGBTQ+ community, and that’s important. She sold out MSG in April. We have Mark Normand back this year. I’m also really excited by Ms. Lauryn Hill. She’s an icon. Every time I mention she’s coming to the Hamptons, everyone goes “Oh my God, I love her.” She’s incredible. Lyle Lovett is going to be great at The Clubhouse. The New York Times recently cited the “People’s Choice for the Top 100 Songwriters” in the country, and Lyle, Brandi, and Lauryn were all on that list. So it’s great. We’re really fortunate.
Do you have time to actually enjoy the shows themselves?
At every event, I’m running around, talking to different people, but there’s always one moment in the show where I’ll stand in the audience, and I just feel that energy of people coming together. It gives me chills. It’s rewarding to be a part of something that creates community.
Here’s a rundown of just what Murmrr Presents has for the next few months. Brandi Carlile will perform at the Montauk Lighthouse on July 23. On July 7, Lyle Lovett will be performing at The Clubhouse, followed by Yannis Pappas on July 10. Stephen Marley takes the stage on July 17, and Collie Buddz will perform on July 23. On July 25, Ms. Lauryn Hill will play an acoustic set. Mark Normand is scheduled for July 30, and Steel Pulse on July 31. On August 23, the Gipsy Kings will perform.
Bill McCuddy has a WLIW-FM and LTV show, “Air Hamptons,” and has 9 podcasts on various entertainment subjects. He co-hosts a PBS/AllArts show, “Talking Pictures,” with Neil Rosen and Lisa Rosman. He lives in Bridgehampton.