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....)