NEW WAVE CAVE - MYRTLE BEACH
IT was the summer of 1983 and the height of
New Wave; the
B-52's had just released "Whammy", Devo's latest was "Oh No, Its Devo!",
and tons of other great bands were producing some of their best work.
It was truly New Wave heaven, and the Slack was flowing freely. (although it
wouldn't be until the next summer, in 1984, that the local station WKZQ would
broadcast their "Life Out on the Lawn" new wave/alternative show...)
In Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, a New Wave club opened up, and
lasted only a single season, but what a season it was! Bands, big-screen
videos, and great music, right in the very heart of Myrtle Beach, right
on Ocean Boulevard.
907 North Ocean Boulevard had been the Castle Dracula Wax Museum for
several years- nestled right between
Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum
(which is still there) and Dimingo's Italian restaurant. It was hokey, but fun;
the entire 2nd floor was laid out like a twisting cave, with various
animated scenes of monsters visible along the way. It was quite nicely
done, with eerie music, lighting and special effects, with a light-show
at the very end. The museum building itself looked like a huge castle
with a big moat out front, and they often had Frankenstein out front handing
out brochures (which ended up all over my arcade machines!).
For whatever reason, it closed down sometime after the summer of 1982,
and the bottom was turned into yet another beach-ware towel and t-shirt
store exactly like 1000 others in Myrtle Beach.
BUT... the upper 2nd floor was turned into the NEW WAVE CAVE. They opened
up a lot of the room, with a big area for bands and videos, with a big
bar, but they also kept a large part of the caves. Hidden among the
twisty passages were little rooms with couches and tables where you could
chill out with friends, and one was filled with video games. It was the
perfect place to cool off from the heat, get some cold beers, and listen to
some of the hottest music going. Naturally, I got my season membership the
first day. I spent a LOT of time there, it was my favorite place in the
whole world.
Sadly, it lasted only that one summer. The next year, the door going
upstairs from the street was blocked by a Coke machine; it was closed
forever. Since then, that 2nd floor has been used as a warehouse and
dumping ground for the t-shirt shop-- the caves are still there, but its
so filled with racks and junk, that it would be difficult to even see them.
Its not known how much of the club materials also remain up there.
The graphic above is an enlarged scan of the official New Wave Cave
button. Is mine the only one now in existence?
Did you ever visit this club? Do you know anything about it?
How about pictures?
Did you ever see and experience this rare, short-lived but fantastic place?
If so, WRITE ME
and let me know about your thoughts and memories, and I'd be happy to post
your story, if you like.
(does anybody else remember Myrtle Beach when it was seriously fun?
Like the huge, ultra-cool poster store in the basement of the Gay Dolphin
Annex (down the spiral staircase, in the building across from the main
Gay Dolphin), the "Little House" hot-dog stand and picnic tables in the lot
where the Guiness World Records is now (perfect place to hang out and
watch the boulevard), the Wooden Nickel, the Space Needle and the weird
outer space ride nearby, Castaways above the Idlehour Arcade, Starvin' Marvins,
Peach's Corner, Ripley's Arcade, the shooting gallery beside the Gay Dolphin,
Rock Burger, Chairman's Corner, and of course, my own infamous 3-day party in 1984....)
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