Bands jam in Southampton at festival's acoustic stage

Past the concert stage where artists like Patti Smith and Best Coast will rock out this weekend on the Shinnecock Reservation in Southampton, is a little gazebo with a much smaller stage and a more intimate vibe.

Jack’s Stir Brew Acoustic Stage is the spot where 20 bands and duos will perform during the three-day Escape to New York festival.

“The acoustic performances were a pleasant surprise,” said festival-goer Dave Olander, 52, Morristown, N.J.

The audience members sit on picnic tables and munch on Asian-style hot dogs, gourmet ice cream and dumplings as artists croon mellow tunes. It’s a stark contrast from the electro-pop music echoing throughout the festival. The Acoustic Stage’s line-up includes artists like 2AM Club and Ghostwise.

David Trotta of Jersey City runs the music for Jack’s Stir Brew, a coffee shop based in Manhattan and Amagansett that hosts regular acoustic shows called “Fresh Ground Music Night. Trotto not only booked half of the bands performing on the Acoustic Stage, but he will also take the stage as part of the duo Trotta & Ronstadt.

“I think the festival is not just about music – it’s a lifestyle,” said Trotta. “It has a grass roots vibe going that Jack’s really plays well with.”

Performers can even be caught sitting in the audience.

Dominick Magnotta, a 25-year-old musician from Brooklyn, said the best part of the festival is “running into beautiful people, the greetings and the weather."

Magnotta is one of the five members of the Brooklyn-born band OTiS that will take the stage. He describes the band as “new age soul.”

“A friend of a friend recommended us for the stage when they found out a few slots were available,” said fellow OTiS member Craig Schoenbaum, 31, of Brooklyn. “We usually play electric but we had to change it down for this and we adapted to it quickly and made it happen.”