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Dave Matthews & Friends :: Caribbean Cruise |
Back on board, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals were setting up for their evening performance. I was wandering the halls looking for something to eat or someone to talk to when I heard the rumor. "Dave's on the ship." Not wanting to upset their fans, Dave and his friends had decided to play an hour-long set on each ship. The theatre was packed but not claustrophobic, and they played a tight, high-energy set. Dave picked some of the most talented musicians of his age to play with, and they had a good time playing mostly covers. Starting off with "Back on he Boat," they played ten songs, including an inspired version of "Up on Cripple Creek." Ray Paczkowski (Trey's Band) on organ kept his head down for most of the night, and Tim Reynolds also stayed in his spot, out of the light. Drummer Brady Blade anchored the stage, and Dave worked the crowd. At one point Dave reached out, and the whole lower level surged forward. The band had a good time; they were smoking, drinking, and playing hard, and Dave kept breaking into spontaneous dance as Trey wore a smile across his face.
The combined music experience on the stage brought so much flavor to the simple songs. You could see the friendship and the interplay. They cut it off before the thrill could fade and bounced to the other ship to play almost the same show, adding a version of "Aiko, Aiko" with Bob Weir sitting in.
DJ Logic & Tired Fan :: Caribbean Cruise |
While they were playing, the rest of the musicians on The Sovereign had been scheming. Grace Potter continued to perform to an audience of twenty. DJ Logic set up his turntables in the nightclub, and Michael Tolcher's drummer Lefty, guitarist Eric Krasno, and others stepped up to the late night jam. Logic and Lefty rocked it until early in the morning, and around 4:00 a.m. we felt the boat starting to move; the absence of movement wasn't noticeable until it started up again.
On Super Bowl Sunday, we were supposed to stop and spend the day on the beach. Though it wasn't raining, the powers that be decided it was too rough to stop at Coco Kay for the day. Instead, DJ Logic played an impromptu afternoon set on the pool deck. Logic has an ear for what's going to keep the party going. He switches from low-level grooves to high-intensity songs, with a laid-back energy and an approachable grin.
By this point, the fans felt like they were friends as well. During Logic's set, security had to move in to keep people from talking to him while he spun. The audience had officially been drinking for three days straight, and the deck reflected it - beer bottles and drunks were everywhere. The staff was amazing so there wasn't a lot of mess, but you could just imagine the poor chambermaids. I heard that we had drunk the ship out of beer by early Sunday afternoon.
Toots and the Maytals :: Caribbean Cruise |
G. Love followed Logic and again he got the tight, excited crowd. Sunday was the first time everything worked - emotionally, equipment-wise, and musically. All five venues were up and running. All the bands were on board. I caught Reggie Watts singing with Samantha Stollenwerck, Samantha singing with ALO, Krasno sitting in with G. Love, and Grace Potter jumping in tandem with the Nocturnals.
Due to the chance of rain, Toots and the Maytals were placed in the main theatre. Toots is an institution; he might even be in the running for hardest working man in showbiz. There is nothing like the high of a first-time Toots show. I saw mine ten years ago and had forgotten how powerful the joy is that he brings. As I was walking into the theatre, "54-46 That's My Number" blasted out. A kid came running up to me, stuttering and exclaiming how incredible the music was. When he calmed down a little, he told me it was his first Toots experience and that it made the trip for him.
Late Night Party :: Caribbean Cruise |
Logic was set to finish close the evening in the nightclub, but he was a wanted man and some last-minute planning got him and his turntables onstage with Soulive. G. Love came to play with the band, and Reggie Watts prowled the stage, bouncing between videotaping and singing his heart out. After another amazing set by the super-talented Soulive boys, I found myself in the Schooner bar for the after-party of my dreams.
Watts, Krasno, Samantha, and Potter played and sang while Mathew Burr (Nocturnals) kept the beat with us not-so-talented fans joining in from time to time. Kras took a backseat, playing but letting the girls lead. They swapped tunes. We hung out until sunrise, breaking up just after we docked in Port Canaveral. Three days, innumerable shows, free food, and long late night talks. As I got off the boat, I felt like I was leaving home. I was tired and dirty, and there was a long trip before me. Behind me there was music and warmth and love.
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