When we launched Cape Cod Wave on May 16, 2013, we pretty much had only one goal: to see the Incredible Casuals at the Wellflleet Beachcomber and call it work.
What? Isn’t that how most great magazines were launched? Of course it made sense.
Within two weeks, we posted our very first Cape Cod Wave music video – the Incredible Casuals at the Beachcomber. Mission accomplished.
Slowly and then quickly, that goal evolved.
We realized through some form of amber-colored osmosis that this arm-shaped pile of sand that we all call home is actually a spiritual magnet for musical geniuses, whether homegrown or self-imported.
We were guided to this conclusion by many, especially Cat Wilson and Chandler Travis, who told us all about the joy of being originally alive on Cape Cod. We, in fact, felt almost pushed down this path when a Falmouth bar’s social media feed called local music “local crap” and local musicians pushed back. We became even more intrigued by local talent.
So we began to travel the Cape and document the talent that we found, song by original song from Woods Hole to Provincetown. That quickly became the goal.
Along the way, we were given the most brilliant quote ever describing Cape Cod. It was a musician, John Beninghof of the Old Silver Band of Falmouth, who told us, “People have asked me to describe what Cape Cod is like. I tell them it’s like Jamaica four months of the year, and it’s like Soviet Russia the rest of the year.”
Along the way, we were given the most brilliant quote ever describing Cape Cod. It was a musician, John Beninghof of the Old Silver Band of Falmouth, who told us, “People have asked me to describe what Cape Cod is like. I tell them it’s like Jamaica four months of the year, and it’s like Soviet Russia the rest of the year.”
That’s accurate.
We were originally inspired by the scene that The Incredible Casuals created at the Beachcomber. Early on, we discovered the closest thing we have yet to see to that – the following Crooked Coast has created in Falmouth. We learned that Cape Cod cares about local music, and almost every one of these bands on this list of 100 videos has a passionate following. It’s really pretty cool.
Every time we’ve seen a band, we’ve been entertained. Beyond who we’ve already mentioned, some just stand out. One of our favorites performances was, amazingly, by a street musician named Will Harrington. We saw him in Provincetown on the day before his 18th birthday. Oh, and the Sacred Mounds… seriously. Check out the Sacred Mounds.
There is so much great music on Cape Cod. One of our favorite events every year is the Cape Cod Cavalcade for the Homeless – an event where we saw Steve Shook perform the second greatest Christmas song ever. We were still singing it at home in July. And Steve Shook’s son, Dan, has this amazing band, The Flakes.
And on and on. Sarah Swain & The Oh Boys!, the Spampinato Brothers, Johnny Hoy & The Bluefish, the Brothers Rye, Paradise Rock, all Steve Wood’s bands, and the amazing Siobhan Magnus, to name just few more. And The Rip-It-Ups if you are looking for pure fun. Yeah, they live up to their name. We apologize to anyone we didn’t mention in this brief introduction. We love you all.
But you may notice that we do have more than one video of a few bands. To start with, we have a video by every band Chandler Travis is in (although he may have formed a new one in the past half hour). He, along with Johnny Spampinato, Rikki Bates and Steve Shook etc., as the Incredible Casuals, sort of inspired us to start Cape Cod Wave. We both blame them and thank them. That’s why you’ll see a lot of Chandler and The Spampinato Brothers. Others bands, we just like, or we stumbled on more than once. Others – did we mention the Sacred Mounds – we’ve only recently discovered. So there may be more coming.
Oh yeah – our 100th video: The Inscrutable Casuals at the Wellfleet Beachcomber.
We have a small camera we bring to these venues. It captures acoustic music great. Loud electric is very challenging. Plus when a band is really popular, the only good angle the camera can get is from next to a speaker. We always try to capture the energy of the band.
Beyond our videos, and our long profile of the Cape music scene referenced at the bottom of each video, we have profiled a few from the Cape music scene. These include Cat Wilson and Chandler Travis (links above), as well as John Salerno, Waldo Fielding, The Ticks, and Lennie Petze, the A&R legend who discovered Cyndi Lauper and the band, Boston.
So our collection of music videos of Cape musicians performing on the Cape grew and grew. Not all of these are originals, and not even all of these are by Cape Cod artists. But the vast majority of them are, just as the vast majority of those are pretty terrific.
Here is the list so far. Scroll through for samples.
Or better yet, listen to every one. We often do.
Finally, to all these talented Cape Cod musicians. Thanks for keeping us away from stadiums and arenas. From our heart, this is so much more fun.
-Laura & Brian
Johnny Hoy & The Bluefish at Arts Alive
Playwright Gip Hoppe recites his version of The Story Of Christmas
Rikki Bates Sings “Blue Christmas”
Zoe Lewis – “Peking Duck For Christmas”
The Rip-It-Ups Play “Walking In A Winter Wonderland”
Dirk Powell and Riley Baugus – House Concert
The Spampinato Brothers in Dennis
Sarah Swain & The Oh Boys! in Hyannis
Cerise & The Charlie Jamieson Group
Love Project, featuring Isel Garcia-Renart
John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band
The Spampinato Brothers featuring Bruce MacLean
Paradise Rock in East Falmouth – “South Falmouth”
Steve Shook – 2nd Best Christmas Song Ever
Sarah Swain & The Oh Boys! – “Twinkle”
Chandler Travis Philharmonic – “Yes, Yes, Yes, Mais Oui Noelle”
Johnny Hoy & The Bluefish – “Little Red Door”
The Spampinato Brothers in Wellfleet – “What Can I Say?”
Sarah Swain & The Oh Boys! – “Little Bit ‘O Lovin”
Steve Shook with The Rip-It-Ups
The Rip-It-Ups at the Wellfleet Oyster Festival
Christmas Cavalcade lip synch “Jingle Bells”
Siobhan Magnus at the Christmas Cavalcade
“Song For Joey” at Christmas Cavalcade
Steve Wood & The Catheads – “Smoking Euphoria”
Dan Shook answers his father – “Dear Christmas, I like You”
The Ticks – “All I Want For Christmas Is A Selfie Of Youie And Meie”
Signs of Grumpy’s – music by Luke Vose
The Ticks open The Beachcomber 2016
The Greenheads open The Beachcomber
Massachusetts Walking Tour visits Eastham
Chandler Travis Philharmonic – street concert in Provincetown
Paradise Rock in Falmouth – “Take Me Out On The Water”
Woo Woopalooza Mashup – 7 bands in 4 minutes
The Catbirds Steve Wood original, “I Want It”
