Lower Cape Concert Band

A Brief History of the Band

As recounted by Bob Brimmer

The band coalesced during the 4th of July Parade in Wellfleet in 1979. Janet Bell actually organized the gathering. She called everyone she knew who could make noise on a musical instrument. The group went by some goofy name, now forgotten. A banner was created and may still be in the Wellfleet Historical collection. The drum major was a plumber who made a baton out of a toilet plunger covered in tin foil, as I remember it. He was one of many local characters. E pluribus unum.

There were maybe 15 or 20 of us. We played "When the Saints Come Marching In" and "The Battle Hymn Of The Republic". All melody. Little or no harmony.

That winter we gathered in the studio home of Cliff Webb. We tried to play some grade 4 Christmas Carols. Cliff played flute. Not long after that a few of us decided to try to pull a more formal organization together. Tom Kane, author of a weekly column in the Cape Codder Newspaper called Town Father was the one responsible for getting the Truro Town Hall for our rehearsals. He was our valve trombonist. Members of the former Provincetown Band joined, swelling our ranks. Eventually we were a group of seniors, students and those in the middle years. The eponymous Lower Cape Concert Band continues to offer music to our friends and neighbors. We are supported by the kindness of friends and strangers.