A Few of My Favorite Things! For those of us who grew up coming to Cape Cod in the summer, there are so many things that define it. Collecting shells (for no particular reason, since we had no glue guns), eating bologna sandwiches on the beach (with the added crunch from the sand), taking an outdoor shower back at the cottage (hey, where's the hot water?), and when age permitted, going out at night to listen to live music. So it seems fitting that on the one-year anniversary of the leveling of the Mill Hill Club, we talk about just that -- live music venues for the summer. Whether you like to rock 'til you drop, sing the Blues, or get your Celtic on over a pint of Guinness, you will find it here on Cape Cod. With so many great places to choose from, it feels dishonest listing only a few, but here are some of my favorites. The Beachcomber (Wellfleet) - I'm not sure there is any venue that screams Cape Cod quite as loudly as The Wellfleet Beachcomber. Go early and dine at the outdoor bar. They serve the freshest tasting lobster roll I've ever had. I'm personally not big on oysters, but I've heard theirs are incomparable by those in-the-know. They score some great bands. You can be inside -- you can be outside. I LOVE the 'Comber and it's worth the ride every time. Woodshed (Brewster) - Take away the food and the outdoor bar from the Beachcomber and you pretty much have the Woodshed. And WITHOUT the long ride, if you don't live on the Outer Cape. It's another one of my all-time favorites. They attract a great mixed crowd of young and old here. They have bands almost every night and they mix up the music. My personal favorite is The Boston Naturals, who also play at the Beachcomber. Check them out! O'Shea's Olde Inne - (West Dennis) - Any guesses as to what they play at O'Shea's? Actually, maybe more than you think! While Irish is clearly the influence at O'Shea's, both in song and food, you may walk into folk, bluegrass, blues, and other sounds. Sunday night it's traditional Irish, so if that's your pleasure, that's a good night to go. I had corned beef and cabbage here on St. Patrick's Day a few years back and it was the best I'd ever had. Now granted, I was raised by Italians, but let's not split hairs! Casino Wharf FX (Falmouth) - If you like a little scenery with your music, then this is the place to be. It would be tough to get any closer to the ocean than the Casino Wharf without getting wet. The music here is on the mellow side which is a perfect complement to the serene, seaside location. They feature "Acoustic Sunsets" on the upper deck every Sunday afternoon in the summer, beginning late June. The Casino is essentially the finish line of the Falmouth Road Race on August 16th, so the music will be starting early and finishing late (much like me in the race...). |