SHIPROCKED Rocks Leviathan Back To The Depths

"Shiprocked 2010" was a resounding success as a capacity crowd of rockers and metal heads from the global village endured Mother Nature and showed that even the mightiest gale forces couldn't keep them from rocking 24 hours a day as Shiprocked returned to port in Fort Lauderdale November 14 after a swing thru the Bahamas that saw heavyweight acts like CINDERELLA, TESLA and MÖTLEY CRÜE's Vince Neil excite the masses with nightly headlining shows. Meanwhile more modern hard rock acts like SEVENDUST, DROWNING POOL, BLACK STONE CHERRY, THE LETTER BLACK, 10 YEARS, ARANDA, LYNAM, NIKI BARR BAND and BROKEN TEETH not only thrilled their existing fans but won over new recruits with shows that sometimes transcended both the intimate confines and the 2 a.m. hours. Even the metallic piano strains of PIANOTARIUM had the assembled pondering the thought of "Master of Puppets" played on a Steinway.

From the opening strains of Texas rockers DROWNING POOL to the closing strains of voyage co-headliner Vince Neil, the music of Shiprocked became nearly a 24/7 enterprise that created a sense of a traveling version of a static rock festival as acts on different stages would segue way into one another as soon as the last chords hit the floor. Bands like Shiprocked veterans BROKEN TEETH would finish their rousing set in the aft lounge as mid-headliner SEVENDUST would crash right into their deck stage gig as the stars circled overhead. The main theater stage saw its share of tremendous acts this year as solid gigs by CINDERELLA and TESLA proved that classic rock is still a massive crowd pleaser. And in one of the more surprising performances, the aforementioned DROWNING POOL was forced to play the theater at 1 a.m. due to inclement weather on the deck stage and in turn churned a very inspired set closing with PANTERA's "Cowboys From Hell" that brought the house down, proving that the stars of tomorrow are making a name for themselves on Shiprocked. But it was not only the music that brought fans from the upper Northwest, West Coast, and Central Plains and internationally to Shiprocked. The opportunity for fans to get up close and personal with the bands was on vast display as rockers mingled with fans at bars, at dinner and of course during the meet and greet sessions where fans had a chance to pose with all the Shiprocked bands for pictures and garner a little camaraderie. It was smiles as around as everyone from the gregarious Jeff Keith of TESLA to the down to Earth southern rockers BLACK STONE CHERRY not only shared camera time but also got into the good spirits of this chance to show that appreciation works both ways.

Shiprocked was not only host to musicians as the voices of both terrestrial and satellite radio veterans as "The Tour Bus"'s Ralph Sutton and Stacy Xenidis shared event hosting with Sirius XM's Kayla Riley, including a stint at Nassau's Senor Frogs Shiprocked event that no doubt was the most raucous party for many a Shiprocker. Their voices and professionalism lent a circus atmosphere to the proceedings but also helped inform all cruisers of any adjustments to band performances or timetables. And for those with baseball fever still on their mind, MLB all-star and self-proclaimed metal head Johnny Damon was along for the voyage as a special guest of SEVENDUST, with Damon either posing with fans for photos or discussing the merits of hard rock.

In addition, a special charity auction of one-of-a-kind rock memorabilia took place that featured rare signed items by the likes of Slash, David Lee Roth and Ronnie James Dio, to name a few raised $30,000 raised in honor of the aforementioned hard rock music legend Ronnie James Dio, who recently passed away. All funds collected went to the Oklahoma-based charitable organization Cancer Sucks who denotes funds for cancer research nationally.

Shiprocked delivers what many determine is the future of the live concert experience while breaking down the barrier between artist and fan. The ability to combine a vacation package that delivers a beautiful getaway to lush ports of call, offer numerous concerts that run the gamut from club to large theater settings, the chance to mix and mingle with your favorite musical artists and to share the experience with a wealth of different but like-minded people, covers so many bases for travelers that it's a one-stop shop as it were for the rocker who likes to explore or maybe the explorer who likes to rock. And it's not only fans who agree that Shiprocked is a unique experience, and maybe BROKEN TEETH's vocalist Jason McMaster stated it best, "The fans are VIP, the whole ship is like a giant tour bus," thus erasing the wall that used to separate the two camps. Whatever the case, when you find yourself behind the guys in TESLA in the café, you know you've found a whole new to experience the rock and roll lifestyle and Shiprocked offered this experience in spades.

As 2010 fades into the Florida sunset, preparations for Shiprocked 2011 are already underway with an announcement on confirmed acts, sail dates and on-sales/pricing coming very soon.

The setting for Shiprocked 2010 was the Italian MSC Poesia, one of the cruise industry's most acclaimed new super cruise ships. It all began departing from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, en route to visiting the premier Bahamian port of Nassau with a special stop at the pristine private island of Coco Cay Bay.