MONSTERS OF ROCK CRUISE
Day 2 - USA
April 19th 2015
A day on the high seas with a swathe of huge rock bands starts early as we
do our part for Dio's cancer charity in the black and white lounge, we may
not win big but score a copy of the new Europe album in an impromptu 'name
that band' question. With breakfast under the belt, sat on a table next to
the lead singer of Krokus, the Atomic Punks warm up the Pool stage with
some kick ass Van Halen to get the blood and beers flowing.
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As some amble around the meet and greets and Q&A sessions we take time to
interview a few of the performers before one of the undiscovered gems that
pepper the line up take to the main stage. As someone who has loved
eighties rock since back in the day, Heavens Edge I only discovered a
couple of years ago - a band that has it all as they rock the faithful and
sway the uninitiated to a reasonable crowd. If you're not familiar with
the band they are well worth checking out.
Over at the Tyketto Q&A the band who are to put on arguably the finest
performance of the entire cruise later in the day field questions from
passionate fans that include a large European contingent. We interview
lead singer Danny Vaughn after the session and the band is understandably
pumped by their reception last year and looking forward to the bigger
stage this time round.
The music this afternoon is massive with Keel hitting hard, Extreme
ticking the theatre and the Winery Dogs shaking the main stage with a
caped Kotzen tearing up "Hey Joe". And it just gets better - as Tom Keifer
rocks the theatre Tyketto make hoards of new fans on the pool stage. For a
band that have only had a few rehearsals prior to the prep party in Miami,
they hit every note and burst with life and energy. Vaughn is absolutely
unstoppable and it's songs like "Wings" and their signature song "Forever Young" which have
never sounded better.
Lillian Axe too in the black and white lounge play up a storm mixing old
and new and filling the room to the doorway. At the same time Nightranger
play an acoustic set in the Atrium to a three level crowd.
Today we get no rest as the music never stops. Frank Hannon of Tesla
lights up the Atrium with many of his band mates in the crowd, it's great
to see him finally after following the band for years. But tonight for
many it's all about Europe who take the stage in a packed theatre and
proceed to belt out a cracking set that takes us through a lot of material
from the great new "War of Kings" album. Not having seen them since their
pomp this is a distinctly darker moodier blue sire and classier band and
one of the best shows of the weekend.
Mike Tramp in the atrium is our penultimate show of the night. Tramp is
always great to see melding his White Lion heritage with his newer
material and injecting the show with great stories. For us though the best
is yet to come with one of the bands we've never seen but always wanted to
playing the black and white taking the stage at midnight. Babylon AD have
always been one of my favourite bands of the eighties - a band that should
have been huge and tonight they prove why - they have the songs, they have
the moves and man do they have the passion. In a set that is studded with
a host of should have been hits and classics they don't set a foot wrong
and vocalist Derek Davis owns the room which is packed to the rafters.
Another band that made a lot of fans tonight and hopefully one that will
be back next year like Tyketto on the main stage.
Tonight no one went to bed unsatisfied.
Read our review of day 1 of the Monsters Of Rock Cruise HERE
Read our review of day 3 of the Monsters Of Rock Cruise HERE
Read our review of day 4 of the Monsters Of Rock Cruise HERE
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Review & Photos by The Rockpit
