Billy Butler and Tim McCoy kick off residency at new restaurant

Around 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 11, musical duo Billy Butler and Tim McCoy dove into an impassioned cover of The Rolling Stones’ “Sympathy for the Devil.” The multi-talented Butler belted out the lyrics and hammered the keys of a piano, while McCoy took turns at acoustic guitar and electric bass. The pair mixed sporadic covers with a number of original tunes during their first performance at Central Wave, the new restaurant and sports bar at 368 Central Ave., former location of Dover Soul.

As Butler and McCoy performed in front of the restaurant’s large storefront windows, a number of flat screen televisions broadcast the National League Championship Series between the Colorado Rockies and the Arizona Diamondbacks. A moderate crowd gathered in the business, some watching the musicians, others focusing on the game on a projection screen in the back of the room.

General manager Darryl Cook believes Central Wave is a bit classier than typical sports bars. “It’s not your dark, dingy sports bar. It’s wide open with bright colors,” he said.

Cook and his partner, Erin Celikkol, will soon take over ownership of the establishment from Celikkol’s parents. Since opening the restaurant in September, the new owners have knocked out the dividing wall that used to separate the bar into two halves and installed an additional draft beer line.

Other than that, the interior is structurally the same as it was, but the atmosphere is dramatically different. Most of the plush sofas that adorned Dover Soul have been replaced with typical, barstool seating, and several televisions have been installed. There is also a large projection screen for big sports games.

A separate, smaller room serves as a game room, with arcade games like Buck Hunter and Golden Tee, and Cook said a pool table is on the way. Guests can pop into the bar to watch New England sports, including Red Sox and Patriots games, and pick up a good, affordable meal.

Butler and McCoy will be at Central Wave every Thursday night through at least mid-November. Butler is a musician and actor who hosted the 2007 Spotlight awards and recently starred in a Portsmouth production of the musical “Hedwig and the Angry Inch.” McCoy is the current leader of the band Tim McCoy and the Papercuts, and former member of Heavens to Murgatroid.
Although some residents have lamented the loss of Dover Soul as a blow to the city’s music scene, Central Wave will host a number of weekly music events. In addition to the Thursday night music, there will be Tuesday night open mike sessions with members of local metal band Maniacal, as well as Wednesday night music with DJ Shadow Walker. Other music and entertainment will be featured on weekends—but not until the Red Sox postseason is over. 

The Central Wave menu is two-sided, with typical “pub and grub” food—such as wings, burgers, quesadillas and potato skins—on one side, and home-style meals—such as meatloaf, steak tips, baked haddock and pizza—on the other. Cook said the food is inexpensive but has quality ingredients, and the menu includes vegetarian options, like Portobello burgers.

Both Cook and Celikkol have spent the past several years working for university dining services at the University of New Hampshire. They have each worked at several area restaurants, and Cook previously worked as a corporate chef for a chain restaurant. Although Central Avenue has seen several businesses come and go in recent years (Crescent City Bistro, Little Louie’s Fish House and Dover Soul are all history), Cook has high hopes for Central Wave.

“It’s not your average sports bar,” he said.