2024 Monsters Of Rock Cruise: Day 3
Cozumel, Mexico – 3/4/24
Coverage/Pics: Will
Day 3
Land Ahoy! My intent during most of our port stops is to get off, walk around for a bit and grab a shot glass or two to bring home as a “Will was here!” souvenir. But this year, dammnit…I wanted tacos!
As my sea legs hit solid land for the first time in a few days, I trundled off on my search. Who do I run into? As it seems I do every time that that we hit a port, my photog. compadre, Joe Schaeffer. Joe had a different mission in Cozumel, but the lure of Tacos was too much for him to resist and he joined my quest. Anyway, this is a long way of saying, that we got some damn delicious, al pastor tacos.
And because Joe is Joe…he grabbed an opportunity to snap a pic of Mark Weiss, his girlfriend and Mark and Erin Dube.
Oh! You were here for the bands?! My bad…
Heaven’s Edge
After I got back on the boat, I snapped on my trusty Canon’s and off I went to catch Heaven’s Edge rocking out on the pool stage. I will say that the band looked a bit sluggish on the stage and I give ZERO blame. They sounded great, but they were SOAKED from head to toe in that humid, Mexico, swampy weather. Makes you really appreciate when the boat is moving and providing that warm breeze. But they sounded great and hammered through their set.
Reggie Wu – guitar, backing vocals
Mark Evans – lead vocals, acoustic guitar
Dave Rath – drums
Steve Parry – guitar
Jaron Gulino – bass guitar
Crashdïet
Ahhh.. the much cooler confines of Studio B down below were soon warmed up to fever pitch with Crashdïet. I was excited to get my first taste of yet ANOTHER Swedish band that people had been lauding for the weeks leading up to the cruise. Did they live up to the praise? Yes. Yes, they did.
Martin Sweet – lead guitar, backing vocals
Peter London – bass, backing vocals
John Elliot – lead vocals
Michael Sweet – drums
Sweden appears to have the magic formula that is producing these hard hitting sleaze merchant bands at lightning speed. And Crashdïet are no exception. Catchy songs, a great look and enough energy to power a small village.
Enuff Z ‘Nuff
Chip Z’Nuff – bass, lead vocals
Tory Stoffregen – lead guitar, backing vocals
Jason Camino – rhythm guitar
Joe Corson – drums
Richie Kotzen
There is zero reason to put, arguably the most talented person on the boat, Richie Kotzen, on the Theater stage during a stop at a port. Nope. I could name a ton of bands who can easily fill that hole for you. And none of them are Kotzen.
Of course none of that phases Richie because once he straps on a Fender, he becomes otherworldly. He is truly mesmerizing to watch and listen to. I won’t even get into how under appreciated a talent he is in general. But just know…he’s one of those artists that other guitarist go to see so they can have that moment of awe that we do when watching them. There’s a good reason that Satriani invited him along to jam with him and Nuno during Satch’s 2nd set.
Richie Kotzen – guitar, vocals
Dylan Wilson – bass, background vocals
Daniel Potruch – drums
Joining Richie were long time bassist, and incredible talent, Dylan Wilson and Richie’s revolving drummer stool landed under Dan Potruch for this go around. 3 people who created two of the best shows on the boat.
Sail Away
Our traditional introduction of the hosts and the “sail-away” shot were rescheduled to Day 3 due to.. well, the lack of a stage. With that in place we were formally introduced to Izzy Presley, Nikki Blakk, newcomer Heather Leather, Don Jamieson, Eddie Trunk, Courtney Cronin Dold, Jim Florentine, Keith Roth and Metal DJ – Will Howell.
Extreme
What better act to get everyone on deck and take us out to sea than Extreme. Even though I had just seen Extreme the night before I left for Miami, the band never fails to leave me in awe. I’ll say it.. Gary Cherone is the best all-around rock frontman in the game. Fight me! He’s part acrobat, part ballet dancer, part clown, smooth as silk and cheeky as a monkey. He’s got it all.
Proof that he’s so incredible is that he’s got one of the greatest guitarists on the planet by his side, and yet still controls your attention.
Yeah, that guy on the guitar is pretty decent. Nuno’s guitar is just an extension of himself. It’s that wooden thing at the end of his fingers where his emotions are channeled. That thing that produces the flurry of sounds that your brain sometimes find inconceivable that those combinations of notes are even possible.
Extreme are indeed the sum of its parts and Pat and Kevin keep the whole circus moving with the perfect blend of rhythm and harmonies.
Gary Cherone – lead vocals
Nuno Bettencourt – guitars, backing and lead vocals
Pat Badger – bass, backing vocals
Kevin Figueiredo – drums, percussion
After almost 40 years together as a band, Extreme released one of their best albums last year with “Six“. I’m happy to say I think a ton of those songs are going to be Extreme set staples. It’s an attestation that their closing song is now “Rise“.
Accept
Hot Damn! I’ve loved this band for decades and they never fail to impress. Accept have endured lineup change after change, they still bring the same intensity, choreography and pulse-pounding metal that they always have. Still writing great, catchy songs as noted by the inclusion of “Humanoid” in the set from their upcoming album.
Mark Tornillo’s screams need to be housed in the Smithsonian. That he is able to pull those off live blows my mind. Wolf Hoffman is of course the beating (Metal) Heart of Accept and his spirit just flows on stage.
Wolf Hoffmann – lead guitar, backing vocals
Mark Tornillo – lead vocals
Uwe Lulis – rhythm guitar
Christopher Williams – drums
Martin Motnik – bass
Philip Shouse – guitar
Right before the Faster Pussycat show instead of Burlesque we had a Kitty and a Bunton come out to auction a few items off. (Rachael Rine and Jacob Bunton) Both Jacob and Rachael joined FP later in the show along with Paradise Kitty’s Jenna Syde to assist with some background vocals and guitar work.
Faster Pussycat
2 nights in a row we get to see Faster Pussycat. That ALONE made my liver ache! But hell, I’d take 5 nights in a row of FP with 2 nights off for good behavior.
Amazingly enough Faster Pussycat were still…
Taime – lead vocals, harmonica
Danny Slim Tender – bass, backing vocals
Chad Stewart – drums, backing vocals
Sam Bam Koltun – guitar, talkbox, backing vocals
Ace Von Johnson – guitar
Mr. play it all, Tyson Leslie (Vixen) also came out occasionally to assist with some keyboard work.
And that was a wrap on day 3.
Damn… I want some more of those Al Pastor tacos…
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