WELLFLEET – This is documentary filmmaking. This is what is is like to be on the dance floor at the Wellfleet Beachcomber when a band with the word “Casuals” in its name wants to play loud in the summertime.
This is a video of the band, The Inscrutable Casuals, playing the song, “I Wanna Play Loud,” plus a segue into the end of the song, “Summertime,” when the audience gets all involved.
We almost didn’t put this video up because of the bouncy nature of it. We were getting banged from all directions in what was, essentially, an all-ages bouncing mosh pit.
And then we realized, this is a perfect representation of a Cape Cod scene that has lasted decades.
Since before dinosaurs roamed the Earth, the Incredible Casuals (yes, Incredible, not Inscrutable) played every Sunday at the Wellfleet Beachcomber. That is, up until about three years ago.
And then, like the dinosaurs, the Incredible Casuals disappeared.
The Inscrutable Casuals
We have always thought of the Incredible Casuals as something akin to Cape Cod’s version of The Beatles – John, Paul, George and Ringo, if you will. Except it was Johnny, Chandler, Steve (and then Aaron, and then Steve again, and then Aaron, and then … or something like that), and Rikki.
For decades at this iconic bar on a beach, the most joyful band in the world created the most joyful loud music – seeming made specifically for summertime at a bar on a beach.
People danced barefoot. Other interesting things happened as well. It was, well, incredibly casual.
So when most of the band got back together and called themselves the Inscrutable Casuals for a benefit for Lower Cape guitarist Steve Wood, we, and obviously many others, were thrilled. And as you will see from this video, the band delivered. It was epic.
It was so pure, full of joy, like they flipped a switch and time reversed. New drummer Sam Wood was amazing, as he was when he played with his father in the Catbirds, Steve Wood Original, “I want It” – VIDEO
But we’ll be honest. We missed Rikki Bates.
Sam Wood was great, as we said. It was like replacing Ringo Starr with Keith Moon. It was fantastic.
But Ringo belongs with The Beatles. And Rikki, it sure seems to us, still belongs in a Cape Cod band with the name, “Casuals” in it.
But what do we know. Perhaps our two cents ain’t worth a penny.
We do know that we were, in fact, thrilled to see the Inscrutable Casuals. It was incredible.
If you would like to help Steve Wood, here is his Gofundme page.
See alsoWoo Woopalooza Mashup – 7 bands in 4 minutes VIDEO
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– If you like Cape Cod music, here is a story that Cape Cod Wave did on the Cape Cod original music scene. We interviewed 20 musicians, four club owners, and two radio deejays – Cape Cod Music And The Joy Of Being Originally Alive
And here is a link to our growing collection of local music stories and videos – MUSIC
