Willie Nelson Set To Play Surf Lodge

Legendary country music singer-songwriter Willie Nelson will travel to The End, taking the stage at the Surf Lodge in Montauk on June 9.

The concert begins at 6 p.m., according to employees at the Surf Lodge, who said there is no admission fee. They recommend arriving at least two hours before the concert.

The Surf Lodge has become a hot spot in Montauk the past several seasons, causing traffic concerns and noise violations that have landed the restaurant, bar, and hotel in town justice court.

In April 2012, Surf Lodge changed hands in the midst of a court case that included more than 600 zoning and fire code violations. Back at the helm is Jayma Cardoso, one of the original partners. The case ended with a $100,000 fine.

Reached on Thursday, Town Police Chief Ed Ecker said he wasn't aware of the Nelson concert, but said that his department will likely step up enforcement in that area to handle the added traffic "if it's a big name like that."

The department was already expecting a busy summer. Even with the wet weather over Memorial Day weekend, Montauk was jamming. "It was very busy — not just the Surf Lodge, every place was busy — Rushmyer's, Sloppy Tuna, the Memory, The Point — they were all packed," he said. "You would think with the weather it wouldn't be, but it didn't skip a beat."

Ecker said that the department has a good working relationship with the management at Surf Lodge.

Still, officers "keep an eye on it," he said. "They put out cones and what not so people don't park across the street on the east side. There's a lot of pedestrian traffic, a lot of cabs pulling in and out — not just there. That spot is a little bit more difficult because it's on a major highway," he said, referring to Edgemere Street.

The Surf Lodge's summer line-up include Ra Ra Riot on June 22, Donovan Frankenriter on Aug. 25, and G-Love on Sept. 1.

Nelson, who just turned 80 in April, will be appearing at a special birthday performance at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York City on June 6. He also performs at the Theater at Westbury on June 7, and at Caesars Atlantic City on June 8.