By Rachel Ambelang
Staff Writer
On Feb. 10, 2012, the Bruise Cruise launches a unique three-day experience that combines the leisure of a cruise with the thrill of a rock concert.
Bruise Cruise takes place aboard a Carnival cruise ship, “Imagination,” and takes passengers from Miami to Nassau, Bahamas, and back. The cruise features performances from bands, solo artists and comedians. The main musical events tend to fall under the garage rock genre, but this year the festival will also have a bounce artist named Vockah Redu onboard as well as representatives from other sub-genres of rock.
“As it grows we want to capture different genres and expand on the extracurricular life on board activities we have,” said Michelle Cable, one of the organizers of Bruise Cruise.
One of the comedic acts this year is Neil Hamburger. Hamburger has made several appearances on the Internet talk show “Tom Green’s House Tonight,” and in 2006, he began his own Internet series called “Poolside Chats with Neil Hamburger.” There will be 11 bands and artists on board with music that ranges from the soulful rock of DJ Mr. Jonathan Toubin to the psychedelic R&B of Quintron and Miss Pussycat. Other artists include Thee Oh Sees, King Kang and the Shrines, The Soft Pack, The Dirtbombs, Mikal Cronin, The Togas and Vivian Girls.
“We wanted to choose musicians who have really exciting live shows and who were also into the intimate atmosphere of being on a ship for three days with their fans,” Cable said.
One goal is to provide a chance for fans to spend time with the bands they love and get to know new bands and genres of music by meeting the artists before and after their concerts.
“Everyone is hanging out in the same areas, dining in the same rooms, lounging in the same pools, so there’s a lot of crossover and opportunity to mingle for bands, audience members and press,” Cable said.
Bruise Cruise began as an idea Jonas Stein, another organizer of the cruise, had while he and Cable were leaving Miami after finishing a tour with the band Turbo Fruits. While growing up, Stein witnessed the music cruise “Vince Neil’s Motley Cruise” and never forgot the experience.
Stein and Cable began playing around with the idea of creating a musical cruise that featured garage rock bands, and Cable used her booking agency, Panache Booking, to begin making contacts with bands that she and Stein thought might be interested.
“We decided to venture into the art of cruising by working with garage rock bands whose demographic of fans are generally thrill seekers and risk-takers that would jump at the opportunity to attend a party festival cruise ship for three days,” Cable said.
More than one Baylor student said Bruise Cruise is something they would be interested in doing.
“A rock concert and cruise sound awesome. I would definitely sign up,” said Fort Hood junior Vianca Leon.
New Braunfels junior Alex Kresta is also interested.
“I’ve always loved any kind rock, so I’d be up for three days of concerts anytime, especially one on a cruise,” Kresta said.
After a sold-out cruise last year, Cable and Stein are excited for this year’s Bruise Cruise, especially for some of the new ideas they have implemented such as the new hip hop bounce class.
Tickets for inside the cabin of the boat are $695 and tickets for the ocean-view rooms cost $760.
All purchases include a free vinyl of songs from all of the Bruise Cruise artists, T-shirts, sunglasses, in addition to the three days of concerts and the Bahamas beaches. More information can be found at the festival website.
