The beach is the ideal place to play music.

Scores of venues are available for musicians to showcase their work.

Larry Griffin has played or sung music most of his life.

He knows the ups and downs of playing at the beach.

“For quite a while I played full-time up in Pennsylvania. I moved here ten years ago and it is very seasonal. In the summertime I played five nights a week,” said Griffin.

Griffin has been to familiar places like Tale of the Whale and Miller’s Waterfront Restaurant. On the 29th he was slated to be at Awful Arthur’s.

Griffin said he sang with cover bands back in the late 60’s and 70’s in Indianapolis.  Classic rock is his favorite type of music and what he focuses on playing.

“At the time, it was current, now it is called classic rock. We played in five-piece bands and played all the sets of Grand Funk Railroad and all the current stuff at that time,” he said.

Griffin has one CD of original music with ten songs, which he put out in 1998 when he started playing solo.

One side project includes a duo called Sealevel, with D’Laine Evans, a musician living on the Outerbanks.

A Facebook description of the band reads:
“The acoustic duo “SeaLevel” showcases strong signature vocals and harmonies as well as a multi-instrumental show. With truly a “larger than duo” sound, they bring passion, talent, humor and the joy of creating music to each venue be it a club, pub, restaurant,

outdoor concert or intimate private setting.”

Griffin ended up in Columbia initially after meeting Scott McLaughlin, the owner of the Old Salt Oyster Bar.

“He saw me play at Tale of the Whale in Nags Head. When he opened the bar, I was the first person he called to come down and play,” he said.

Since then Griffin has been back several times.

“He told me at the time that he was going to be opening the bar and doing this. It was a year later that he called me,” he said.

Three kids and four grandkids are in Griffin’s life.
Griffin’s youngest son is a bass player. He plays with a more alternative heavy metal band.

Griffin appeared at the Old Salt Oyster Bar on Nov. 27 with a laidback set.

“Here I play mostly mellow stuff. I did not get too rowdy. I do Cat Stevens and James Taylor, that kind of stuff,” he said.

He plans to come back in a few weeks for more good times.

“I think this place is beautiful. It is a very nice place and the food is great. They did it right. I told Scott that when they first put it together,” he said.