MOUNT DESERT — As soon as upon a time, the spotlight of summers on Mount Desert Island for the “summercators” have been the dinner dances. Summer season of us gathered at their nation golf equipment; opulent “cottages” and resort resorts to waltz the evening away to the music of jazz combos, imported from Boston and New York.
Some of the common of those social occasions was held on the Asticou Inn in Northeast Harbor, the place generations of younger and previous gathered on the resort’s huge apron of porch – the women in Lili Pulitzer frocks and gents as colourful as parrots in madras slacks and jackets, sipped Tom Collinses and whiskey sours and danced cheek to cheek to “Satin Doll” and different huge band requirements of the ‘30s and ‘40s.
Because the period when children went to dancing college to be taught the correct steps to the waltz, foxtrot and bunny hop and really loved getting dressed as much as go eating and dancing with their mother and father vanished, so too, by the flip of this century, did these weekly dinner dances.
However the Asticou dances persevered properly into the twenty first century partially due to the Mike Carney band, which added rock ‘n’ roll and even a number of disco numbers to their repertoire of pop and jazz requirements.
Besides, these dances dwindled right down to as soon as a month, then to a couple of times a summer season earlier than the music just about stopped altogether.
Now comes the Seal Harbor Boys, who intend to usher in a brand new period of dinner and dance enjoyable on the Asticou Inn, Wednesday, July 13.
Earlier than the pandemic hit, this musical quintet of 60-something summer season and winter MDI residents who’ve been jamming collectively for greater than 15 years, had been making the rounds of the island’s golf equipment, bars, eating places and anyplace else the place they may plug in a number of mikes and perhaps discover a scrap of flooring for dancing.
Final summer season, after lacking two seasons of performing and lacking one another’s musical firm, the Seal Harbor Boys cautiously began rehearsing once more and taking part in a number of gigs.
“Individuals actually appeared to love our 60-ish vibe,” says lead vocalist J.B. Harrison, making it clear he’s not speaking about their ages.
J.B., together with Bob Hipkens, Tom Newhall, Asa Phillips, David Putnam and drummer Beau Lisy, carry out a formidable repertoire of danceable ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s tunes, together with The Beatles, Dylan, the Stones, Roy Orbison, the Ronettes –properly you identify it – they doubtless have it of their track e-book, together with among the previous swing tunes their mothers and dads used to foxtrot and jitterbug to again within the day.
“We have been taking part in on the Pot and Kettle in Bar Harbor final summer season,” J.B. recollects, “when an previous pal, who’s on the board of the Asticou Inn and who, like loads of of us, have been lacking the previous dances, requested if we’d think about taking part in there this summer season.
“Effectively, yeah. After all, have been thrilled by the concept and much more thrilled now that it’s about to occur.
“And as a lot as we have now cherished Mike Carney,” J.B. provides, “we expect perhaps now could be the time for the Seal Harbor Boys.”
This coming Wednesday will likely be their debut on the Asticou and they’re hoping for turnout of individuals of all ages, summer season, year-round and anybody else who likes to boogie down or simply take heed to some nice pop and rock requirements.
The fee per particular person for the dance and buffet dinner, which is able to embrace quite a lot of seafood dishes, meats similar to prime rib and rooster, pasta, cheeses, fruits, an array of salads and dessert pies and pastries, is $125. It’s $50 for simply the dance.
Cocktails will likely be supplied on the money bar at 6 p.m., dinner will likely be at 7, with dancing from 7:45 to 11.
“We’re tremendous excited to offer this sort of enjoyable occasion once more on the Asticou,” says supervisor Scott Crowley. “I believe after a few years of isolating ourselves, we’re greater than prepared.
“We’re actually pulling out all of the stops,” Crowley provides with appreciable enthusiasm. “And I believe folks will likely be wowed once they step into the eating room and see what we’ve executed with the meals, the presentation and the décor.”
Crowley signifies, relying on the success of this maiden relaunch, that he wish to see a brand new period for this form of social occasion on the elegant previous Asticou Inn.
To order a spot on the desk and or on the dance flooring, go to www.asticou.com and observe dinning and restaurant prompts or name (207) 276-3344.
The previous arts editor on the Bar Harbor Instances writes critiques and have tales for The Ellsworth American and Mount Desert Islander.
