I'll Be On Vacation On The Rock Boat XVI Next Week

Next week I will once again be on vacation on The Rock Boat. This is the fifth time my wife and I are enjoying this event. As in the past, Sheryl, and I are taking this cruise with my college roommate, Tim, and his wife, Marie. This year we are joined by our daughter, Stephanie, and her boyfriend, Blake Reynolds, as well as my sister Patti and her husband, Rick Mouton. To quote Sly Stone, "It's a family affair..."

The Rock Boat is hosted by a band called Sister Hazel that has five members. Since the passengers are a key ingredient in the overall experience, the name of the organization that puts on the cruise is called The Sixth Man. A number of artists besides Sister Hazel are featured on the cruises. I am looking forward to seeing Emerson Hart, Jukebox the Ghost, and Gavin DeGraw. In general, all of these bands' songs are mid-tempo rockers with jangly guitars — not quite folk, not quite country, more of something like non-heavy-metal classic rock. The five-day trek features bands playing throughout the day and night as the boat sails. There's one day on Costa Maya, Mexico and another Georgetown, Grand Cayman.

In addition to Sister Hazel, this year's lineup includes:

• Air Traffic Controller
  

• The Alternate Routes
  

• Andy Suzuki & The Method
  

• The Brevet
  

• Bronze Radio Return
  

• Colony House
  

• The Dusty 45s
  

• Emerson Hart
  

• Gavin DeGraw
  

• Hey Monea
  

• Humming House
  

• JD Eicher & The Goodnights
  

• Jukebox the Ghost
  

• Kristy Lee & Dirt Road Revival
  

• MELODIME
  

• Michael Franti & Spearhead
  

• Mike Mains & The Branches
  

• NEEDTOBREATHE
  

• Pat McGee
  

• Paul McDonald
  

• Radio Birds
  

• Red Wanting Blue
  

• The Rocketboys
  

• Steve Everett
  

• The Trews
  

• Welshly Arms
  

• Wild Adriatic
  

• Will Hoge
  

My guess is that you have not heard of many of these. I assure you that obscurity does not necessarily equate to inadequacy. The other cool thing is that these bands are not so successful that they are arrogant. They are happy to mingle with fans, eat in the same dining rooms, hang out on deck when not playing, attend other band's shows, and sign anything and everything when asked.

Music is alive in the lab.