Shiprocked II Review
Tuesday, November 16, 2010 at 12:01AM 
I've officially been Shiprocked, again!
It's weird. I'm still so tired I feel like I've been in a time warp for about a week. One second I was on a boat, the next I'm at my desk at work writing a newsletter. Shiprocked speeds up time: there's no sleep, that's for sure.
Cinderella, Tesla, Vince Neil, Drowning Pool, Sevendust, 10 Years, Black Stone Cherry, The Letter Black, Aranda, Lynam, Broken Teeth, Niki Barr Band and Pianotarium rocked the boat.
The cruise was on MSC out of Fort Lauderdale. The weather sucked but you can't control that. Because the water was choppy and wind strong, our port stop at Coco Cay was canceled and I was very bummed about this. I was very excited about the private island and I think everyone else was too. The high winds meant a couple shows were canceled/shuffled, but more on that in a minute.
For me, the best bands on the boat were Sevendust and Lynam. I also really enjoyed Tesla and Cinderella. The other bands I caught bits and pieces of their shows...and Vince is another story.
Because of weather, both Sevendust and Lynam were bumped and played one time only each (they were scheduled for two shows). So, Sevendust played up on the pool deck of the Poesia (that's the name of the ship) and it was basically awesome. The boat was literally rocking because of the rough seas and I think it was a little weird for the band, but the show wasn't affected. There was no pit -- not exactly the right crowd -- but the energy was high for everyone involved. In fact, I'd say the energy for the crowd of Sevendust was the best of any band on the boat. Everyone was jumping around! Definitely my favorite part of the trip.
Lynam are always good. The vibe of their show was different from other times I've seen them. Still, I had a good time and I love hearing some of my favorite songs live and lead singer Jacob Bunton is always nice and smiley.
Vince Neil was nowhere to be seen on the boat except on rare occasion when he wandered around with his blondentourage. While Vince was okay at the meet and greet, he wasn't very personable any other time. His show wasn't great either. I only watched about four songs - he did do "Tattoos and Tequila" and that surprised me. There was a mass exodus during Vince. I was standing at the door most of the show and I just watched a constant stream of people leave. Vince doesn't need to act like a diva (he was the only musician who arrived to the boat via limo)... especially when half the people in the group were there for him.
The food on the boat was basically horrible. There's no sugar coating that one. For someone with dietary restrictions like me, it was even harder to eat.
Beyond Sevendust and Lynam, my favorite part of the cruise was seeing my friends. I also got to check in lots of the passengers and it was fun seeing how excited they were – but it was great working with Heather NirVrana. Eric got to help get bands on the boat with Johnnie NirVrana. Kari and I wore matching jammies for pajama party night and we got loads of compliments. The both of us ran into Lajon Witherspoon while wearing our pajamas. He’s such a nice guy and we chatted a bit. It’s too bad I felt – and looked – like a jackass. Our very own Metalboy! was on the boat, too except every time I went looking for him…he was missing! He must have been on a covert metal assignment. I think he watched more of Vince than I did, so he’ll fill you in I’m sure.
What else? Cinderella did a great set. It was the same set they’ve been touring behind but it was fun nonetheless. During the meet and greet, people were getting mad because the guys in the band were disinterested. I made no effort to speak with any of the band members – I was busy – but I did notice a “leave me alone” vibe. Still, it was great watching Cinder from the center balcony with Kari, Eric and Ella. As Kari said “I love this band!”
Tesla played the first night of the cruise. That slot is both a blessing and a curse I think. Everyone is so amped to finally be on vacation, but getting on a cruise ship is typically a long, drawn-out process. Some people slept through the show – but those of us who made it in had a blast! As always, “Modern Day Cowboy” was my favorite part of Tesla’s show. The band was very personable to fans, too.
I loved Drowning Pool on the pool deck stage and I’m bummed I missed their special show in the theater. The Glam Mistress had to sleep! I’m ready for another round of Shiprocked fun. I want a few more days, better food, some warmer weather and Kix next time.
Thanks to everyone that came up to me to talk music – good times!
Reader Comments (15)
I would say that having a up close look at most of the bands that the Cinderella's, Drowning Pool's, and Sevendust all had top rated performances
I will review and spill the beanz, too, but I am still so cashed, I gotta sleep!
Hi Glam Queen Allyson, Warlock Eric, Glam Mistress Kari, NirVanas! It was so great seeing all of you!
I highly recommend this "trip" to everyone. I felt like a thoroughly Metalized Dr. Hunter S. Thompson on it and I owe it all to Al for eggin' me on to go!
I promise to give y'all the scoop on Vince because for some strange reason, I kept running into him and his Blondetourage (hahaha!!! Good one, Al) at least twice a day.
On the other hand, my ex-lead guitarist and I joked that we would never see Kiefer as he is the Rock God of Rock Godz, yet a guy I met on my way back home on Amtrak(!), told me he saw him everywhere.
I've got a helluva killarious Vince story for ya, kidz, but I gotta ZZZZZZZzzzzzzzz off now...
Look back here tomorrow night...
p.s. I will also review his show here, as it was enuff to make you rename this cruise, "Shipripped" if it weren't for the other bands stellar performances! Later, Metalgatorz!
I really enjoyed Black Stone Cherry and Aranda surprised me as well! Broken Teeth is always very cool to see and McMaster is just a madman with monstrous pipes. I LOVE IT!
Lynam, Lynam, Lynam…..OH, how I love me some LYNAM! I can’t believe they only got to play once but it was what it was. They had the Pigalle Lounge HOPPIN’ that’s for damn sure! From the intro music (t-pain’s I’m on A Boat) to the closing song, Shiprockers DUG IT!
I love Cinderella and every time I see them I"m reminded why I love them so much......TESLA are just a class act band through and through. I love how they are constantly switching up their set lists to give us little surprises here and there!
I have given MSC two tries now and I'm just beyond DONE! I'm so tired of the service sucking, slowest and suckiest (yes, I said suckiest) bartenders on the planet, service staff that can’t communicate, poor quality food, and on and on…. The dining room food was better this year but the Buffet was just as appalling this year as last year. It’s sad we spend so much money to get such horrible service! Ally ordered a fruit & cheese plate and what was delivered was nothing short of pathetic, which then made us laugh so hard we had to cry. The catch phrase of the entire weekend seemed to be “you can’t make this s**t up”.
I love the theory behind Shiprocked but dear lord, please move it to another cruise line.
Besides the sucky service on the boat, my only wish could be for MORE MUSIC. Maybe it just seemed too crammed since there were more bands this year and less days to fit them all in. I wish there would have been music during the day (instead of filler events like band vs. band trivia)…..Did anyone attend these events this year (no one that I knew of)?
It sucked losing a port and then wasting a port day by going to senor frogs in the Bahamas but other than that it was great seeing old friends, meeting new friends, kicking back, playing bingo, seeing the Zebra Lounge again and of course THE MUSIC!!!! I’m anxious to see who will be considered for the next Shiprocked.
This is my small review.
Even tho this has to be the Spinal Tap (actually worse) of Cruise Lines, it was still awesome.
I just ate sushi every night which was actually quite excellent (but you have to like sushi, which always seems to throw a lot of Midwesterners, no offense), except Dana Strum and I had to become waiters for the place, the service was so out to lunch (pun intended) during dinner Friday night, which actually made it kinda fun, especially because I got to mess with Vince and, unbelievably, had him laffin'.
On the other hand, I damn near yakked over how lousy that cafeteria buffet was. Seriously, do they really save anything by having such inedible food? I never wanna see Mortadella again!, hahaha!!!
But I gotta say, if that's the only cruise line they can get to take Shiprocked!, I would still go, because, if you get the right bands, the whole thing is just phenomenal. I'll overlook or work around the food.
Also, take a cue from Kiefer. He ate in the Prix Fixe dining room at the aft of the boat, which I also heard was a lot better than the free sit down.
If it's got a line up anything close to this year, I'll go bigtime next year, no matter how much the food suxx! Plus, they had 24 hour room service, which I heard was much better than the food they were servin' the riff raff.
You just gotta pay for it, is all, which seems to annoy the hell out of most people. Yet, take my advice, sometimes you just gotta throw money at the problem to keep the quality of life up and eliminate the downside of the experience.
However we wanna nit-pick the thing, I still say go for it, particularly if you've never been on it. Seriously, you start wishin' the whole world was like this, one big Metal Nation!
p.s. Just to add fuel to the fire, I slept through Drowning Pool when they played up top a seagulls barf from my cabin and sleepwalked through Sevendust. I'm with Johnny NirVana. They are so UNROCK! (Sorry, Kari, but the best part of that whole show was lookin' down from my perch on the balcony and watchin' you Metal Horn the hell out of the sky as you were doing the antithesis of line dancing with Glam Mistress Allyson and Warlock Eric, hahaha!!! Actually, Warlock Eric may be the new Buck Dharma when it comes to dancing. To see what I mean, YouTube a couple of vidz of Blue Oyster Cult Live from 1976. But, hey, I didn't dance, either. Just a lotta air guitarin' (and sure as hell not to Sevenbarf)... Gotta sleep... Full review comin' up tomorrow, hopefully... Got a lotta dirt, too... ZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzz!!!!!!!!!!
Yes, you will love it, but trust me, you will have your own opinions and complaints.
And not matter how much you might complain as we are doing here, you will still think you got a deal (if the bands are as good as this year).
Besides, you know how Commercial Facebook Pages can be... merely extensions of a P.R. campaign... So go next year and really feel it for yourself!
Thanks for the compliment. I've been absent from posting lately (life has gotten in the way lately), but should be back on board shortly.
That said, Sevendust suxx in my book.
However, whaddya gonna do...
I jokingly went up to Allyson during the third song of their set and asked her, "Now, is this part of Shiprocked?" and she said, "Are you kidding? I LOVE this band!"
I then asked her, "What would you classify this music as?" and she just politely smiled and ignored me the rest of the trip...
Just kiddin'! I literally never made it downstairs again except for some Sushi and Broken Teeth (no, not from the Sushi, that's the name of the killer band Jason McMaster, formerly of Dangerous Toys is in), and then went right back up top to find me a Metal Wife and found 3 potential ones, or rather, they found me, believe it or not! Now it's just a matter of figuring out the order in which to marry them.
p.s. Next time, Al, if you guys want to find me, I'll be at that middle bar up top if I ain't seein' a show, eating in one of the restaurants where you have to pay, yaking on my plate at the ones you don't have to pay for, or sleepin', which I did most of the day except the day we all went ashore in The Bahamas where my ex-lead guitarist and I managed to squeeze in Atlantis, as I mentioned before, for a quick lunch, swim and bizarro plastic site seeing! The ocean beach there is killer, though, for sure! I promise to give my review of Shiprocked! here soon, maybe tomorrow... Still too tired to gather my thoughts!
Don't want to cause trouble, but got to defend Cinderella at the meet and greet. I have read from a reliable person, that most likely they were seasick. I have gotten several emails and FB messages confirming this. For those of you that have met them,(luckiest people on the planet for that honor)also from reliable person(all their millions of fans and personal friends that met them this summer)they are all really nice guys.
Plus, who knows what the arrangements were for the meet and greet.
I talked to Jeff several times, mano y mano, on the cruise and we had lots of one liners zingin' each other, but let's not kid ourselves, there is an underlying attitude (that singer dude from Tesla excepted) coming across in the conversation that you are the fan and I am the Rock God!
Which is just as amusing as it is frustrating...