TOCO BEACH STEELPAN

Grab your swimsuit, sunglasses, and flip flops because Toco Beach Steelpan is all about taking you to the beach. Specializing in tropical music performed with vocals accompanied by steelpans, flute, and marimba, Toco Beach evokes listeners' most blissful moments in the sun, caressed by cool tropical breezes with bare feet in turquoise waters.

Steelpans (also known as steeldrums) make any event more fun. Theyre instruments built from 55-gallon oil drums, originally from the islands of Trinidad & Tobago in the Southern Caribbean. Their sound has been described as pure sonic happiness and has a unique power to instantly make the aura around any gathering feel more festive. Toco Beach performs calypso and tropical classics such as Harry Belafontes Jump In The Line, Yellowbird and Maryanne, making it perfecting for "luaus" and beach parties, of course; but its joyful music works equally well at events that arent specifically branded with a tropical theme such as pool parties, cook-outs, receptions and even corporate events. The musical environment Toco Beach creates works anywhere, anytime, and while its not dance music per se, itll make your soul feel like dancing, if not your feet!

Founded in 2017 and led on steelpan by Chad Bartell of Madison, Wisconsin, we feature several of Southern Wisconsins finest instrumentalists, including his brother Nicholas Bartell on steelpans and flute, and Eric De Los Santos on marimba (a deep wooden xylophone with African roots). The band performs as either a duo or a trio depending on space and/or budget constraints.

We bring our own sound system and are happy to contribute to the aesthetic of any tropical-themed party by bringing appropriate dress and decor such as its own "Tikki Shack" (a large thatched umbrella to play under), flower leis, Hawaiian-style floral print shirts and tongue-in-cheek signage and decorations like fishing nets and an artificial parrot. A few visual flourishes (even tacky ones) go a long way!

So grab a rum runner and come join us on Toco Beach!