Jam Cruise 7 Pics and Movies

[Tai]

I was too busy enjoying myself on Jam Cruise (http://www.jamcruise.com/) to take as many pictures and videos this year, so I don't have enough variety to make a 'trailer' movie like last year. With that said, here are some pics that I think convey some of the wonderful aspects of the cruise. :)

This is part of the top deck of the ship, with a shot of the main stage (there was a second one further aft).

http://www.againsttheherd.com/images/personal/jc7/PoolDeck_MainStage.jpg

The music starts at 11am and ends somewhere between 6 and 7am. Everyone dances their asses off, and there's not much sleeping. A favorite Jam Cruise quote is "You can sleep when you are dead."

http://www.againsttheherd.com/images/personal/jc7/MyWife.jpg

There are two official costumed Theme Nights. This year we had "Stars" and "Mardi Gras". I have no pics of the Mardi Gras one due to being too busy participating, but here are some early shots we got on "Stars" night.

Bad Kitty, she actually dresses like this at all music festivals. :)

http://www.againsttheherd.com/images/personal/jc7/BadKitty.jpg

A guy named Bodhi, he had some fun hats and had a great personality. Fun to talk to. Also gave great massages when you were completely sore from days of dancing.

http://www.againsttheherd.com/images/personal/jc7/Bodhi_Hat1.jpg

http://www.againsttheherd.com/images/personal/jc7/Bodhi_Hat2.jpg


Beetljuice right after he took an amazing fall on the pool deck (and we checked on him). He showed it to me the next day - dark purple black the size of a dinner plate.

http://www.againsttheherd.com/images/personal/jc7/BeetleJuice.jpg

A Holy Grail Knight (with cloppers!) and Nocho Libre

http://www.againsttheherd.com/images/personal/jc7/CloppingKnightAndNachoLibre.jpg

Leslie Edward Claypool. They called him to reception over the ship's intercom by full name - everyone got a big kick out of it except I suspect, him. I really enjoyed his second show, he closed with Electric Funeral by Black Sabbath.

http://www.againsttheherd.com/images/personal/jc7/LeslieEdwardClaypoolBlurry.jpg

One of the main cruise organizers, she goes by the name Julie McCoy...

http://www.againsttheherd.com/images/personal/jc7/Annabel.jpg


One of my two Liver Twins, Knut, being udderly ridiculous.

http://www.againsttheherd.com/images/personal/jc7/LiverTwinKnut.jpg

They had a psychadelic 12 x 24 foot LCD screen mounted up top. We watched Electric Apricot (http://www.electricapricot.com/) on it one night (a Les Claypool\National Lampoon spoof on jammers).

http://www.againsttheherd.com/images/personal/jc7/LSDLCD.jpg

They have a hallway/door decorating contest each year. This year Sharon shipped a 32 pound box of supplies to the hotel ahead of time, and spent a long time choosing appropriate pictures for her "Blues Alley" theme. She was stunned when we won and were called up on stage, but I had been expecting it. :)

http://www.againsttheherd.com/images/personal/jc7/BluesAlley1.jpg

http://www.againsttheherd.com/images/personal/jc7/BluesAlley2.jpg

http://www.againsttheherd.com/images/personal/jc7/BluesAlley3.jpg

We had a white board outside our door so people could leave us notes. Useful when trying to coordinate shows on a large ship.

http://www.againsttheherd.com/images/personal/jc7/OurWhiteBoard.jpg

At the stop in Belize, the 'Greening Group' excursion delivered passenger donated school and music supplies to a local school. Each year they choose a school or orphanage at one of the stops to do so. It is really great and we always participate. Sadly, customs forced the group to cough over $400 in 'unofficial fees', but a group collection did manage to scrounge it up. Still left a sour taste.

Some of the donations.

http://www.againsttheherd.com/images/personal/jc7/GreeningDonations.jpg

At the school, we got a presentation on the local conditions and statistics, and then a display of the local music and dancing. Schoolchildren, drummers and dancers at the school. Everyone got in on the dancing eventually.

http://www.againsttheherd.com/images/personal/jc7/Schoolchildren.jpg

http://www.againsttheherd.com/images/personal/jc7/Drummers.jpg

http://www.againsttheherd.com/images/personal/jc7/Dancers.jpg

The group then got to go to the Monkey preserve to check out some of the eco tourism Belize is famous for. The bathroom signs were expressive.

http://www.againsttheherd.com/images/personal/jc7/MonkeyPreserveWCSign.jpg

Many took their hand at canoeing in the local river. About 80% of them including my Twin and his wife here managed to capsize in rough rapids. =P

http://www.againsttheherd.com/images/personal/jc7/CanoesAndSwimming.jpg

Back on the ship, they had other fun stuff such as a pinata birthday party.

http://www.againsttheherd.com/images/personal/jc7/Pinata.jpg

Unlike late night where I would often have more, I often limited myself to only 2 at a time in the afternoons.

http://www.againsttheherd.com/images/personal/jc7/SeeOnlyTwoBeers.jpg

edit: only allowed 30 images per post

[Tai]

The musicians are mostly all really friendly and freely mingling with the passengers. Here they also had a picking party where passengers could participate. I didn't bring my banjo (not good enough yet), but Knut had his mandolin. The mandolin and guitar guys in the center are Drew Emmitt and Bill Nershi, from a band of that same name and also in Leftover Salmon. I highly recommend seeing both. :) I got a lot of video from both of those two events, and will include the youtube links soon.

http://www.againsttheherd.com/images/personal/jc7/PickingParty1.jpg

http://www.againsttheherd.com/images/personal/jc7/LiverTwinPicking.jpg



The spontaneousness of it all is part of what makes Jam Cruise so crazy fun. Here we have Robert Walter playing some amazing jazz on the grand piano in the three story atrium reception of the ship. We were lucky enough to be there when he was walking through and decided to sit down (also coming in full via youtube).

http://www.againsttheherd.com/images/personal/jc7/RobertWalterImpromptuAtrium.jpg


The trombone band Bonerama had their own sets but they were also all over the ship jamming with almost everyone. They got the 'Golden Mic' award for artists who sat in the most. Here they are with Leftover Salmon and Ivan Neville's Dumstaphunk.

http://www.againsttheherd.com/images/personal/jc7/BoneramaAndLeftoverSalmon.jpg

http://www.againsttheherd.com/images/personal/jc7/DumpstaphunkWithBonerama.jpg

That's it for now. Apparently friends who went with us DO have pics of us in costume on some nights, so I'll see what I can get from them. :) As a final note, the ship as a whole drank 600% more than the cruise line's normal cruise. Not a real shock, but I got to admit I had help. :thumbup:

[Tai]

I like these movies in high def mode if you go to youtube to get a real feel, but the music is the same regardless. :)

Bustle in Your Hedgerow, they cover Led Zeppelin with the vocals done on keyboard. Raw. :)

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This is the Robert Walter video I mentioned.

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The Emmitt-Nershi band

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[Tick]

I'm pretty sure I'd have some sort of panic attack on a boat with that many people and no way out.

Otherwise, it looks like a ton of fun. I'd love to see Claypool live some time, the stuff he does blows my mind. My brother took up bass a long time ago, and when he would look up tabs online, every primus song he ever looked at had a section that basically said "good f'n luck" or "let us know if you figure it out".

[Tai]

I've got a few clips from his secod set. I'll upload them...

It wasn't as crowded as it looks really. :) But yeah, you can't get off. :)

[F7]

But yeah, you can't get off. :)

With all the booze consumed it's not surprising. :P

That looks hella fun though Tai. Must have been an awesome experience.

[Tai]

Yar, got to start saving up for next year! :)

Here's a little sampler for you Tick. I don't know how to embed it highdef sadly.

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