March 2 - 7, 2024

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All Photos By Travis Failey Photography

The 2024 Monsters of Rock Cruise set sail from Miami and featured over 35 bands, comics and all sorts of events to keep you busy from sunrise to sunset and beyond. The cruise which was started by Larry Morand and his incredible team, has been sailing the high seas since 2012. They have expanded to other genres of music for the On the Blues Cruise and others like Cruise to the Edge, which is a prog rock cruise with bands like DREAM THEATER, etc.

This year's MORC theme was The Dirty Dozen headlined by JOE SATRIANI, ACE FREHLEY and THE DARKNESS with KK'S PRIEST and EXTREME also getting top billing. The cruise also had some first timers on board in ARMORED SAINT and AAPRIL WINE but most of the lineup was filled with cruise veterans in FASTER PUSSYCAT, LIZZY BORDEN and SLAUGHTER.

All bands were scheduled to play twice at any of the four venues, with the huge Theatre Stage and the smaller more intimate Studio B handling most of the concerts but the pool stage was the highlight area for many of the fans.

On the first day, THE DARKNESS stole the show and led the way for many amazing performances during the 5 day cruise. Lead singer and guitarist Justin Hawkins was a madman moving off the stage and getting into the hot tub with the fans all the while wearing a white leather outfit and crushing a guitar solo. Never in my years of going to a concert have I seen something like this.

Other standout performances were both sets by KK'S PRIEST. One was in the theater and the other in Studio B which were a great contrast. Studio B is setup like a small club with a very low stage. Both sets included a few different songs and set up the band for their American tour which started the night after the cruise. We were also treated to great sets by Glenn Hughes and a pool set by FASTER PUSSYCAT that included backup vocals by Jenna and Rachel from PARADISE KITTY.

The fans also got a preview of one of the best tours of the spring and early summer with ARMORED SAINT going on the road with QUEENSRYCHE. Vocalists John Bush and Todd La Torre were in top form and impressed the fans but unfortunately, ARMORED SAINT got rained out of their pool stage set on the last night of the cruise.

With ARMORED SAINT getting rained out, it led to a couple of the coolest things I have witnessed on any stage in my life. John Bush and Gonzo Sandoval from ARMORED SAINT were joined by Rachel & Jenna during Karaoke as they performed "Papa Was Rollin' Stone". After that Ritchie Kotzen did his best impression of Chris Cornell when he sang "Cochise" by AUDIOSLAVE. Check it out HERE.

But If you were in that room, you witnessed something that I highly doubt will ever be seen again and that was when Ritchie Kotzen, along with Justin Hawkins from THE DARKNESS, joined Glenn Hughes for "Fooled Around And Fell In Love". Saying it was epic is an understatement. Check it out HERE.

This was just one of the surprises that you might experience on the MORC. Another was being able to hang out and chat in the Irish pub with Steve Harris from IRON MAIDEN and BRITISH LION. Steve walked through the Promenade Deck numerous times and stopped and had a pint. At any time of the day or night, you would run into musicians walking around or in or near the elevator or getting a slice at the pizza place.

The lineup also included LIZZY BORDEN who played 2 full sets on the last day of the cruise with the first one starting at 12:15am and the other starting before 11pm. They were great both nights and brought their complete stage show with Lizzy changing masks and gear before each song. He even went out in the crowd to wipe blood on the fans faces during "There Will Be blood Tonight".

I witnessed another strange occurrence as people were in the Star Lounge where KALEIDO from Detroit was playing. They were arguably the heaviest band on the boat and had the whole crowd headbanging while sitting in posh leather chairs. Yes, they were sitting as I guess there's an unwritten rule about standing in people's way in that venue. I thought it was ridiculous but I digress.

Other than the bands, the Monsters Of Rock Cruise had all sorts of different events like the "So You think You Can Shred" contest judged by Nuno from EXTREME, Michael Wilton from QUEENSRYCHE, Joe Satriani and others. Their critique was spot on but brutal and I wonder if any of the contestants changed instruments once they got back home. It was that rough.

Another was the Rockstar Painting Classes that you could sign up for. On this year's cruise, you had the option to paint David Bowie, Angus Young or Ace Frehley. We did Ace Frehley and 3 members of Ace's band were in our group with Bassist Ryan Cook sitting directly next to me. I highly suggest it if you haven't done it before as Ron provides a template and walks you through it. Even a super novice like myself was able to do it and I can't paint a circle.

There was also a great swap meet and an auction to help out the Ronnie James Dio Fund and Jim Florentine and Don Jamieson crushed their comedy sets with DJ Will from KNAC.COM spinning during his multiple DJ sets.

After seeing 40 plus sets of music, I can go on and on about the bands but the cruise is really about the experiences and the people you will meet. In just a few days, I have made lifelong friends from different countries and already look forward to seeing them again. I asked some of them if the lineup matters and many said "not at all" and look forward to the following year as soon as the "cruise hangover" concludes.

This is a real thing and I experienced it firsthand. Getting back to "your reality" takes a few days and I suggest not going back to work if you can fit it in your schedule.

The cruise is already scheduling bands for next year and bookings will be available soon. For information and future booking check out their Facebook page as they are updating their web page for the 2025 cruise HERE.

Check out some more photos from the cruise!
All Photos By Travis Failey Photography