Alice Cooper, Queensrÿche, Cinderella’s Tom Keifer, Skid Row, Lit, L.A. Guns, and More Booked for Monsters Of Rock Cruise 2022


 

Rock and metal cruises are coming back post-lockdown. Monsters Of Rock Cruise 2022 will set sail February 9-14 Miami, Florida aboard Royal Caribbean’s Freedom Of The Seas ship, visiting Cococay, Bahamas, and Lababdee Island. The all-star lineup features Alice Cooper and over 35 Artists including Queensrÿche, Cinderella’s Tom Keifer, Skid Row, Lit, L.A. Guns, Kix, Winger, Michael Monroe, Great White, H.E.A.T, Loudness, Pat Travers, Y&T, and many more. Hosted by Eddie Trunk, Don Jamieson, Jim Florentine, Keith Roth, Lüc Carl, Nikki Blakk, Izzy and Brian, Metal Dj Will, and Ginger Fish. The public on-sale begins today, at the link below.

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Black Star Riders Confirm Upcoming April Shows


Black Star Riders. L-R: Robbie Crane • Damon Johnson • Ricky Warwick • Jimmy DeGrasso • Scott Gorham

Black Star Riders. L-R: Robbie Crane • Damon Johnson • Ricky Warwick • Jimmy DeGrasso • Scott Gorham

Black Star Riders have confirmed five US tour dates in late April. The band features guitarist Scott Gorham (Thin Lizzy, 21 Guns), vocalist Ricky Warwick (Thin Lizzy, The Almighty), guitarist Damon Johnson (Thin Lizzy, Alice Cooper, Brother Cane), drummer Jimmy DeGrasso (Y&T, Megadeth), and bassist Robbie Crane (Ratt, Lynch Mob). They are supporting their new album The Killer Instinct, which was produced by Nick Raskulinecz (Rush, Foo Fighters, Alice In Chains, Mastodon)

Apr 24: Potawatomi Casino – Milwaukee, WI (with Europe)
Apr 25: Rascals Live – Moline, IL
Apr 26: Granada—Lawrence, KS
Apr 28: House of Blues – Chicago, IL (with Europe)
Apr 30: Irving Plaza – New York, NY (with Europe)

Black Star Riders on Facebook
Black Star Riders on Twitter


Monsters of Rock Cruise 2015 Confirms Lineup


monster of rock cruise 2015

The Monsters of Rock Cruise will be setting sail for the Bahamas this April 18-22 2015 aboard the MSC Divina, the four-day-and-night cruise celebrating the original legendary Castle Donington music festival held in England in 1980, will showcase Heavy Metal and Hard Rock music icons, including artists on the original festival bill.

This year’s cruise itinerary is kicked off by a two-night pre-party event at Miami’s Magic City Casino on April 15, featuring performances by Queensryche and Lillian Axe, and April 17, featuring performances by Stryper, Tyketto, Gabbie Rae and a special surprise guest artist.

The official line-up for the 2015 Monsters of Rock Cruise is as follows:

Tesla
Europe
Night Ranger
Tom Keifer of Cinderella
Extreme
KIX
Queensryche
Krokus
The Winery Dogs
Stryper
Lita Ford
Black Star Riders
Y&T
Zebra
Black ’N Blue
Faster Pussycat
Honeymoon Suite
Tyketto
Keel
John Corabi
Kip Winger
Michael Sweet
Richie Kotzen
Mike Tramp
Joel Hoekstra
Derek St. Holmes
Ron Keel
Leatherwolf
Babylon AD
Bang Tango
Heavens Edge
Frank Hannon Band
Lillian Axe
Rhino Bucket
Pamela Moore
Gabbie Rae
Atomic Punks
AJ’s Bravehearts

In addition, Eddie Trunk, host of VH1’s That Metal Show and “The Trunk Nation” on Sirius XM, is returning this year as Master of Ceremony. Eddie will be assisted by an all-star lineup of personalities including Luc Carl from XM’s Hair Nation, Nikki Blakk from 107.7 FM’s “The Bone,” Keith Roth, host on Sirius XM’s Hair Nation/Boneyard, Don Jamieson, comedian, co-host of VH1’s That Metal Show; Craig Gass, comedian/actor from Howard Stern’s channel on Sirius XM and DJ Will, music supervisor of VH1’s “That Metal Show,” In addition, this year’s cruise will feature a “Monster” version of the world famous Cathouse nightclub, complete with original proprietors Taime Downe of Faster Pussycat and Riki Rachtman of MTV’s Headbangers Ball.

The Monsters of Rock Cruise on Facebook
The Monsters of Rock Cruise on Twitter


Maverick – Quid Pro Quo


maverick_quid_pro_quo_2014

 

They say rock and metal is dead… If so no-one told the 10-legged monster of rock and metal from Northern Ireland that is Maverick who, in a true 80s cliché, are coming your way. The band’s début release on Massacre, Quid Pro Quo is a heady, high octane take on ‘retro’ rock.

Already familiar thanks to a video release ‘Paint By Numbers’ is a fist in the face of hipsters, scenesters, and fashionistas, but ‘Got It Bad’ is where listener has to make up their mind, and where some may shy away from Maverick. It is a great song, and had it been released in the mid-80s it would have been on constant rotation on AM radio in the US – itt’s as catchy as Ebola in Sierra Leone, while vocalist David Balfour showcases his range on ‘Snakeskin Sinner’ and ‘Electric’, and Ryan Sebastian Balfour’s tasteful, melodic soloing complements the sound throughout

But do we need another band who re-tread the sound of Ratt, Crue, MTV-era Whitesnake, Y&T etc? The love of music is at the heart of the Maverick matter and is dealt with on ‘In Our Blood’ as David declares when younger he would “put all my CDs on and have a concert in my room”. On the other hand the track ‘One More Day (Quid Pro Quo)’ deals with serious matters in a narration of the real personal toll the conflict in Northern Ireland took.

Whether it be the lusting or the longing; whether it is ranting or the wrongdoing of paramilitaries; or whether it is just heads down hard rockin’ Maverick know that telling the tale within each song is about composition and depth. Sure you can write off this release too easily as looking back at a lost time, this simply about declaring their love of the era that spawned so much modern rock and metal.Maverick have produced a chest thumping, raucous, powerful, pounding, melodic release oozing with passion as the Maverick monster pounds all into submission on Quid Pro Quo, as if the 80s never went away

9.0/10

Maverick on Facebook

JONATHAN TRAYNOR