The lineup didn't seem as strong as TRB VII, I was sick all month long, and it seemed like my vacation wouldn't be so much fun. Did I cancel? Hell no! It's The Rock Boat!
Prepping for this event takes about 11 months, from filling out your cabin roster spots to ponying up the cash to arranging the hotel stays and all that...there was certainly no way I could back out of something I worked fricken hard to get to...
The journey begins the day before, when many Rock Boaters come in to get used to the warmer temps and reunite w/ the Rock Boat family. For me, it was a chance to get out of the NYC cold and rally my cabinmates on would be an exciting trip!
My friend Kirsten was in the Miami area, attending law school, so I dialed her up and had her come out to the Rock Boat pre-party festivities just to whet her appetite to get on the next Rock Boat. Kirsten, you're getting on!
The pre-party is that traditional thing where Rock Boaters get together and talk about the Rock Boat to come and the Rock Boats that have come and gone. I was making my rounds and there were quite a few people that remembered seeing me in my Red Hat and Aslyn sticker glory, including a couple of siblings, Jack and Diane, two people I met (along w/ their parents) at the airport the day after TRB VII, along w/ a girl named Lindsay, who has 6 Rock Boats or so under her belt, and she's not even 21 yet.
There was another pre-party taking place, but I had to rally the last of the cabinmates and made sure everyone made it into Miami safely.
Day 1 had us making final preparations and getting out of the hotel to head over to the port to get our Rock Boat on.
At this point in the blog, the format is gonna change up slightly, seeing as there were so many schedule changes and extra acts added on to The Rock Boat that I forgot who did what on what day...but I'll do my best to keep things in an orderly fashion as possible...So here was the travel itinerary...
Day 1: Leave Miami
Day 2: Wander at sea
Day 3:
Enjoy Grand Cayman Keep wandering at sea
Day 4: Avoid the sketchy cab drivers and drug dealers in Ochos Rios, Jamaica
Day 5: Wander back towards Miami
On the only day we got off The Boat, my cabinmates and I decided to walk around Ochos Rios, only to have that experience be ruined by annoying cab drivers, drug dealers that would rat us out to police, and schoolchildren asking for an already weak US Dollar. Nevertheless, we did find ourselves in a refuge of souvenir shops and Margaritaville.
After that, we got back to the cabin to rest up for the rest of the journey.
Some of the non-music activities included me getting on a waterslide in my jeans (sorry, no pic), being part of a flip-cup team (again, no pic here), and eating...a lot. I had a fondness for breakfast food it seems...
Ok, let's get to the good part. The music.
The Zac Brown Band was supposed to start things off, but Zac Brown had to stay behind this year, so the so-called Mayor of The Rock Boat, Pat McGee, stepped up to the plate and got the party going, and introduced Rock Boat Rookie Stephen Kellogg to the festivities.
Speaking of Stephen Kellogg, he and The Sixers had a total of three sets, each set building up to something more and more memorable. Their first set was indoors and they all sat down and established what they were all about.
Oh yeah, they guest contributions from Matt "I think I'm better than Dane Cook" Nathanson and Jon McLaughlin.
The second set from SK6ERS was even more fun, as the guys just let loose. Again in an indoor setting, they whipped out "Thirteen" (dancing w/ Lauren was fun!) and, in an instant Rock Boat classic, the guys went in the middle of the audience to do "See You Later, See You Soon"
Their third set was out on the Lido Deck and they had "the time of their lives." Yes, "The Lift" was executed perfectly.
Marc Broussard had three sets as well on The Boat; I caught only two of the three, one up on the Lido Deck, the other in the big venue, the Dynasty Lounge. Both sets featured the soulfulness that only Marc can deliver, and he definitely brought his Louisiana roots with him, along with bicycle shorts and heelies (sorry, no pics of the bike shorts and heelies).
As everyone knows, I heart Aslyn. A lot. Thus the reason I'd go back on The Boat time and time again. It had only been a year since I last saw her (The Rock Boat VII), and I had been itching to see her again. I had not even gotten my Sail and Sign card that I saw Aslyn again ("RIIIIIIIIIIIIIZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!"). The moment she saw me, I got all jumpy and giddy like a kid in a candy shop (very reminiscent of my old Michelle Branch days), as we hugged and all. She did a total of two sets, the first of which included a lot of covers and guest contributions, known as Aslyn and Friends.
First up to join her was Georgia, a band consisting mostly of Aslyn's brothers. Aslyn allowed the guys to play a couple of their original songs and a cover of Like a Rolling Stone.
Next up was Jon McLaughlin and Kyle Riabko. Those two joined Aslyn on stage to do a cover of Billy Joel's "Movin' Out." Definitely an instant Rock Boat classic.
Andy Davis came out to help Aslyn out w/ one of her new songs, "In and Out."
Aslyn brought out her best friend Mandy Lauderdale and let her do some cabaret a la Mandy (believe me, it's not your mom's cabaret)
Finally, the Sons of William took to the stage to join Aslyn on a cover of "Stop Dragging My Heart"
Her second set was in the bigger Dynasty Lounge, and she wasn't having the greatest of days. This set included a lot of tracks that will be included in her new album, including "The Way It Goes" (thank you Aslyn!). Though she had probably the best performance of The Boat with "Wally." The way she ended that song just left me speechless and totally taken aback, and the ending last a good two minutes. Let me tell you, you need to catch a live Aslyn set. She is simply passionate from start to finish.
Sons of William had a couple of sets on the Boat, and they delivered a great two sets of working class rock and roll. They are always fun to listen to live. Plus, the Stark Bros. and Jen Ja'net are great people off the stage.
Georgia is a band that consists of a Swift and 3 Mitchells (yes, Aslyn's brothers). They weren't listed originally as a Rock Boat artist, but they got a few slots to play officially on The Boat. All acoustic, the guys played original material that they can play best.
When I saw Sam Thacker and his girlfriend Melissa at The Rock Boat Pre-Party, Sam's face lit up as he saw me, and I knew he wasn't slated to play any slot on The Boat this year. Well, he got 3 sets. And even though it was solo acoustic, it was pure Sam Thacker from start to finish. He's definitely someone that needs to start touring nationwide...
One major component of The Rock Boat is all the random late-night jamming from Rock Boat artists and non-Rock Boat artists. This year, I didn't partake in all of the late-night mayhem, but in one session, I caught Kyle Riabko and Boots from Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers getting their late-night jam on...
The final late-night jam session consisted of a whole bunch of artists storming the Atrium stage one after the other. I wasn't a part of the jammin crowd, but I ended up in some section where I went on a Jack and Coke binge and flirted it up w/ some of the hottest members of Carnival's staff on the ship. Aslyn covered Carole King's "You're So Vain" and Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers covered "Sweet Caroline." There was plenty more, but clearly, I couldn't remember as I was jamming out the last several hours of The Rock Boat.
Ok, back to the other musicians I saw.
One big rule of The Rock Boat is that you attend at least one Sister Hazel, whether it's their two main sets, the Ken and Drew Comedy Hour, their acoustc set, or their ode to hard rock and heavy metal (this year, it was Guns n' Roses). Obviously, I broke that rule in my rookie year, and I was determined not to make that mistake again (thanks Lindsay!). The Rock Boat was Sister Hazel's brain child, and that brain child grew into the greatest music festival on a Boat. Besides, "All For You" was a song I was hooked on in the late 90s, so how could I go wrong w/ their set?
Ok, other sets I ended up in...
Boys Gone Wild -- it's a band consisting of members of Stroke 9 and Vertical Horizon. They do covers. And it was awesome. They definitely kept the party going on the Lido Deck!
Oakhurst -- they're a bluegrass group from Colorado. But they're not just any bluegrass band. They're bluegrass appropriate for THE ROCK BOAT. And they went all out from start to finish (thanks Diane for that one!)
David Ryan Harris -- you might know him as that guy one the road playing guitar for John Mayer at his shows. Well, he is a respected singer-songwriter in his own right and he came back to The Rock Boat to show what he's got. And he had plenty to dish out with his lyrics and melodies.
Matt Nathanson -- I caught one of his sets. Believe me, if you don't appreciate his music, you'll appreciate his comedic material in between his songs. I appreciated both, though not at the same time.
Jon McLaughlin -- great piano player. Is probably a mellower version of Gavin DeGraw.
Emerson Hart -- for those that loved Tonic back in the day, you should know this name. He was the lead guy for that band. Instant Rock Boat Classic Moment: he had the audience sing the chorus to "If You Could Only See" everytime the song got into the chorus. Amazing.
Andy Davis -- a softie, but a goodie. But he wasn't so soft with an electric band and Nathan Angelo backing him up. Definitely had a lot more energy. Oh yeah, playing Bingo w/ him calling out the numbers was uber fun...O Andy!
Ok, what have I left out?
Right, the passengers on this Boat! This time around, a lot of people seemed to have known me or who I was, either from Rock Boat VII or the Rock Boat Message Boards. I remember one time I was making rounds on the Lido Deck and there was this random group with WESCO mugs from Texas that pulled me over at one point and we chatted it up about was Aslyn was up to and such. Those guys even let me have some of their alcohol and pizza (thanks guys!).
Diane and Lindsay instantly remembered me when they saw me at the host hotel on pre-party night! Those two girls immediately became my closest friends on The Boat, as they let me into their flip-cup team and let me join them (as well as Jack and Diane's parents) on other adventures...oh yeah, Lindsay's parents are uber cool as well...
And then there's Lauren, who I hadn't seen in almost 3 years. We danced to SK6ERS "Thirteen" and we caught up on each other's lives.
Overall, with all my personal interactions, it might as well have been dubbed "The Riz Boat," as Mandy Lauderdale would put it.
Oh yeah, my final thought on this, aside from the fact that I will be back for The Rock Boat Niner (1/17/09 - 1/22/09). I had a great group of cabinmates in Lucinda, Rachael, Kristine, and Julie. Definitely a group of Rock Boat All-Stars! PS: Sixthman should've declared our cabin door dec the winner.
Well, until The Rock Boat Niner everyone!
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