“It’s showtime,” is how Michael “Eppy” Epstein always introduces a band.

Over 50 years of storied history and three locations, Epstein, owner of My Father’s Place, now in Glen Cove, has not given up his goal of finding and breaking the next hit band.

Although times have changed drastically since the club first opened in 1971, My Father’s Place is working to continue bringing fantastic live music to Long Island.

“I don’t want to be like every other club doing cover bands and tribute bands,” he said. “I’d rather find young talent that has original music and let them do what they call a recital, you know, have them come and play for us. Even if it’s 50 people; I’d rather have 50 people than 100 people [if they’re] doing original music.”

In its original location on Bryant Avenue in Roslyn, My Father’s Place was known for giving up-and-coming artists a stage that would allow them to become the stars of today.

Artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, U2 and many more have graced the stage of My Father’s Place.

The club closed in 1987 and didn’t reopen again until 2018, in a new location ­– the Roslyn Hotel. Although they had built Epstein’s “dream club” there, the pandemic and operational disputes forced them to close in 2020. 

Since 2022, Epstein and My Father’s Place has been presenting shows at The Metropolitan in Glen Cove.

Despite a 35-year hiatus, My Father’s Place remains a hugely influential music venue in the area.

“We are the best, legendary, still open, original nightclub on Long Island. Even though the location has changed from place to place,” Epstein said.

Epstein highlighted a fundamental difference between when the original club opened and today – dining and live music don’t come together as often as they used to.

“Every table and chair face the stage because it’s a supper club,” Epstein said. “I know people your age don’t know about that. You just stand there, jump around until you get too tired, but what we want everyone to do is stop jumping for a while and sit and watch the band. And after you know their music, then we’ll take the tables and chairs away and they can jump around.”

But My Father’s Place is working to remind audiences of the virtues of live music.

“Things are going a little bit at a time, one step at a time. We’re getting more people to realize that we’re there,” Epstein said. “If the more people can notice what we’re doing, because, you know, the acts speak for themselves. All I’m really doing is, I’m booking an act, and people come to see the act; they don’t come to see me.”

Epstein reminisced on the days when My Father’s Place was partnered with radio station WLIR-FM to broadcast acts who would go on to become some of the biggest names in music.

“Everyone would come in their jeans and T shirts, have a Dr. Pepper and we’d sit on the floor of the studio, and you’d hear the bands that will in the future be selling out the Nassau Coliseum and the Garden,” Epstein said.

In today’s digitally-oriented world, people don’t listen to the radio as much.

“How to get people to know [we’re here] aside from the internet, it’s very frustrating to me,” Epstein said. “I miss radio very badly.”

But on a positive note, “more and more people are realizing that we are still in business,” he added.

My Father’s Place has bands booked through June, and tickets can be found on their website.

Epstein is particularly excited for The Screaming Orphans – a band of four Irish sisters.

“It’s like musical comedy, and they seem to be a lot of fun,” he said. “I don’t have a favorite. I love all kinds of music,” Epstein made sure to clarify.

Epstein concluded by emphasizing that he is looking for original music, not cover bands to perform at My Father’s Place.

“If there’s someone in Nassau, Suffolk, and they want to come and play their music, because most of these clubs will not allow you to do original music,” Epstein said. “We are the opposite. And we’ve always been that way.”

Maybe the next Madonna lives right here on Long Island.