Westhampton will be rocking and rolling later this month when Gene Casey and the Lone Sharks play their annual show at Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center.
The band, which has been rocking the East End for more than 30 years, began playing the spring show at one of the area’s premiere concert spaces in 2017.
For Casey, who can be found playing many different types of gigs with various lineups throughout the year, it’s a special night.
“Having performed in virtually every pub, club, beer joint, catering hall on Long Island — happily — to play a theater is an absolute joy,” he said. “A dressing room beats changing in the back of a car every time.”
The Lone Sharks, who average 150 shows a year, have a reputation for getting East Enders out of their seats to dance to an assortment of roots Americana originals and covers of early rock and roll favorites. The band was named the Northforker People of the Year in 2016.
Casey, a Southold resident, and friends formed the band in 1988. They’re best known foe their regular gigs at places like Billy’s By the Bay in Greenport, The Pridwin on Shelter Island and The Grey Horse Tavern in Bayport. This spring they’re playing The Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett on April 5 at 10 p.m. and Gene will play a two-man show at Osprey’s Dominion Winery on April 6 at 1 p.m..
The Westhampton Beach show is set for Saturday, March 30 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $30.
Casey is calling the lineup for the Westhampton show a “deluxe version” of the Lone Sharks as they’ll be joined on keyboards by Andy Burton, a former full-timer who has since toured with John Mayer, Cyndi Lauper and Little Steven. They’ll also have two saxes that night.