It's the Jacuzzi Boys again!
As I write this, the first annual Bruise Cruise departs from Miami. The winter marks a number of often unfortunate music-themed cruises leaving from South Florida, representing everything from gospel to ’80s hair metal, but this is the first to appeal to a decidedly younger, cooler crowd.
The brainchild of the Nashville band Turbo Fruits, the cruise has organized nearly every popular garage (or just garage-ish) rock band around right now. Getting top billing are Black Lips and Vivian Girls; also playing are almost everyone else from that scene and beyond: the Strange Boys, the Oh Sees, and Ty Segall.
Vivian Girls; photo via Ground Control Touring
The line-up also includes a one-woman puppet act — Quintron and Miss Pussycat — and two bands from South Florida: Palm Beach County blog darlings Surfer Blood and Miami up-and-comers Jacuzzi Boys.
The cruise has completely sold out by now, which is impressive for its first year. The actual ship hasn’t appealed much to my friends and I. When you’re from Miami, two nights in the Bahamas with a bunch of Midwestern tourists — even if your individual cruise-within-a-cruise is segregated onboard — doesn’t seem too exotic.
However, props to the cruise organizers for making any of us consider it for a second. (In the end, though, the average cabin price still seemed a little high for a two-night vacation, especially considering the fine print that said alcohol on the ship was free only during designated open bar periods.)
What did appeal, however, was the kickoff show on land, which was open to everyone for a much cheaper admission fee — about $25 — and took place the night before the cruise departs at the downtown venue Grand Central.