B List: Jam Cruise Preview – Tips For First-Timers

For those attending Jam Cruise 10 this is a very exciting time. We’ve got less than one month until the MSC Poesia departs Fort Lauderdale filled to the brim with talented musicians. Over the years a community has developed of not only those who continue to pick Jam Cruise as their musical adventure each January but also the musicians who embrace the cruise’s “anything goes” ethos and win invites year after year.

When I headed off for my first Jam Cruise in 2010, I didn’t know what to expect. My mind was blown within a few hours of departure, yet it took me a few days to get my feet under me. I would’ve loved tips from Jam Cruise vets to help guide me on my way. With that in mind, for this week’s B List we’ve asked a long-time cruiser, a Jam Cruise staffer and several musicians who have done the trip before for advice that they would give to first-time cruisers.

Keller Williams (Keller and the Keels: Pool Deck – January 10 @ 1:45PM | Theater – January 11 @ 11:15PM

• Pace yourself. It’s not a sprint but a marathon
• In the unfortunate event of high seas, don’t drink too much in the theater shows. The indoor motion mixed with alcohol can be bad.
• Don’t play tennis in crocs.
• Don’t forget to sleep.
• Learn to love pizza and hot dogs.
• Be liberal with sunblock and shade.
• Don’t take your kids.

Anders Beck (Jam Cruise 10 Special Guest)

The advice that I was given before I departed for my first Jam Cruise was that “it is a marathon, not a sprint.” I ignored this advice and treated it like a “sprinting marathon” and had one of the best weeks of my life. Here’s a few tips to make sure that you feel the same way…

• Once you get the layout of the boat figured out, it’s not that big. You can get from one show to another pretty quickly, even just to check it out and pick which one you like better.
• Make sure to see at least one sunrise. When was the last time you saw the sun rise over Cuba or Haiti from the middle of the ocean? Hmmmm? It’s freakin’ beautiful and the light is amazing (plus, there’s a good chance i’ll be there to serenade you on dobro). Jam Cruise is built for “playing through”…
• After sunrise go get breakfast and pretend you just woke up.
• Sleep when you’re tired. For a little while at least. Sure you might miss something, but there will be something equally cool happening when you awake!
• Make sure to go explore the islands that we stop at. Sure, it’s all about the music on Jam Cruise, but exploring Haiti and Jamaica is about the coolest set breaks you could ask for.
• Don’t be late getting to the port or back to the boat. Seriously!
• Finally, take time to make new friends. The boat is filled with some of the coolest people on the planet, as far as I can tell, and it’s certainly worth getting to know everybody around you. Sounds obvious… and maybe it is, but it’s certainly worth mentioning, I think.

Annabel Lukins (Cruise Director – “Julie McCoy”)

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QmkgZAk5fk[/youtube]

• Pace Yourself. Jam Cruise is a marathon, not a sprint. You might want to race straight from the start but you’ll burn out fast. Stay up late but not that late. Sleep! Drink water and eat every meal. You’ll be much more prepared to rock out each night.
• Knock on your neighbors’ cabin door and make friends with them. The relationships made on Jam Cruise last a lifetime. Our community has become so tight that it’s simply one big family spending a special holiday together every year. But the friendships build over the year because we just miss each other so much. So make a new buddy next door or down the hall or dancing next to them…
• Spend a lot of time in the Jam Room. The Jam Room, created because musicians approached us years ago asking for a place they could jam with their friends in different bands that they never get to play with, is one of the most unique experiences not only on board, but in jamband history. Never before and never again seen moments happen late night, artists who have never shared the stage before let loose and feed off each other to create complete and utter magic…

PAGE TWO = Mike Dillon,  Jefferson Waful, Skerik, Kyle Hollingsworth & Steve Allen

For more tips be sure to read the FAQ and ask the users of the Jam Cruise Forum.

Mike Dillon (Garage A Trois – Theater, January 12 @ 1:45AM || Dead Kenny G’s – Zebra Bar, January 10 @ 9PM| Zebra Bar, January 11 @ 2:30AM)

• Prepare for a steady diet of pizza and eggs.

• Pace yourself. Basically think of it like five New Year’s Eve celebrations in a row. The old 2 for 1 trick is generally a good rule: for every two drinks you consume, sneak in a water. This is a varsity crowd of professional music fans so don’t want to get too out of control before the sun goes down (or be that pot-bellied wavy-haired guy who is stumbling around on the pool deck at sunrise trying to find his car). Stay hydrated.
• Take advantage of the restaurants. The food in the cafeteria is not great, so take the time to have a nice sit-down meal in one of the restaurants. Not only is the food better, but the white-gloved service makes you feel like you’re important. It’s one of the many luxurious amenities that sets this festival apart from a “festy” so take advantage of it. Plus, the dichotomy of tuxedos-clad servers and sequin-clad ravers makes for entertaining eye candy.
• Bring a power strip for your cabin. Between you and your roommate (s) there will be plenty of laptops, cell phones, iPods, camera chargers and other electronics. A power strip is a must. If you’re into ambiance (or are a geeky lighting designer) a nice strand of LED Christmas lights also adds a little vibe to your room. Just DON’T bring candles, which are a major fire hazard (once the boat starts literally rocking) and highly prohibited.

Skerik (Garage A Trois – Theater, January 12 @ 1:45AM || Dead Kenny G’s – Zebra Bar, January 10 @ 9PM| Zebra Bar, January 11 @ 2:30AM)

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lVcwoPY304[/youtube]

• Watch The Yes Men movie and purchase one of the Halliburton survival suits featured in the film, these will help your experience on JamCruise immensely!! Especially thru accidental hot tub drownings, credit card abuse and STDs!!!
• Purchasing as much Merch as possible while on the cruise will bolster your immune system to protect you against salt water.

Steve Allen (Jam Cruiser, This Will Be Steve’s Sixth Jam Cruise)

• Step outside of your musical comfort zone

DON’T PIGEON HOLE YOURSELF. Every band has two sets, and when people in these bands aren’t playing their own music they are either wandering the crowd with you or are sitting in, so you will see plenty of the musicians you are familiar with or wanted to see. Pick a few acts you have heard about but have not seen, or even pick someone you know nothing about. Sure they may be playing opposite one of your favorite band’s sets, but take a risk and miss a song you likely have seen 50 times before in favor of something fresh in your mind’s eye. I do this every cruise, and have walked away flabbergasted, fulfilled and fully fired up. Anders Osborne, Black Joe Louis, Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars, Mother Hips, Toubab Krewe, Pretty Lights, the Motet, Zach Deputy, etc. are all bands I never really saw live until this boat, but continue to see well after we get back home.

You are going on a cruise ship jam packed (pun intended) with so much talent it’s borderline illegal (ever think why it always takes place in international waters….), so take advantage of it!

• Embrace your inner freak

The second the boat breaks from land you will feel the weight of the world lifted from your shoulders, as we begin a five day journey with the two things you love most: great music and great friends. So, that being said, throw yourself full force into the theme nights. You can never have too many costumes. Be everything you can’t be on land. Be yourself. Laugh at yourself. Realize that you have zero percent of a chance that you will run into Dale from accounting, or your daughter’s 2nd grade art teacher. There is no judgment, except for who is best dressed. Key point: you are in a safe place. I say this as winner of Best Dressed on Jamcruise 8 (GUMBY).

• Get Married

My favorite thing to do every year on this boat is marry my fiancé. I am lucky enough to have found someone that loves the same music I do, as much as I do, so getting married surrounded by that music gives my life even richer satisfaction. Simply put: there is nothing more magical then to be under the stars, gliding along the Atlantic, professing your love for your love, on a ship packed with your friends, and all of your favorite bands acting as one kick ass wedding reception. Added Bonus: your Uncle Jimmy won’t get super drunk at the open bar and make an ass out of himself.

• Never miss the last night in the Jam Room

The last night on the boat you really will wish it anchors a few miles off shore so you never get off, or that it just turns around and heads back out for another week. Believe it or not: a lot of the artists on the boat will be feeling the same way. The magic that takes place on this boat musically is unrivaled anywhere else on the planet. Artists that have never met before become blood brothers and sisters through sit-ins and the Jam Room. The last night in the Jam Room is essentially the equivalent to all the musicians signing each other’s year books before parting ways, never to see each other again, and it shows. They all make there way to the stage throughout this last night and pour their hearts and souls out for each other, as we, the fans, are lucky to be in the room to witness such musical affection expressed. It is my favorite night on the boat, and maybe even the year, because it strips it all down to what it really is all about: the music.

Kyle Hollingsworth (Kyle Won’t Be Able To Attend This Year, But Sent A Few Tips Anyways)

• Make sure to not miss the Jam Room. Lots of surprise guests and spur of the moment collaborations.
• Plan on not sleeping, ever

PAGE THREE = Zach Deputy, Karl Denson, Matt McDonald and Scott Bernstein

For more tips be sure to read the FAQ and ask the users of the Jam Cruise Forum.

Zach Deputy (Conscious Beach Party – January 11 @ Noon | Zebra Bar – January 13 @ 9PM)

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85xU2rfVigg[/youtube]

• If I could give a Jam Cruise virgin a tip or two, I’d tell em’ to train for the party. This is the real deal! The party of all parties, the festival to rival all! Lots of excitement not much sleep. I suggest warming up on a few baby festivals in December. Practice having fun until your legs give out. Keep a chart of your progress you need to get up to an average of 22 hours of dancing before you lay down and you must keep this pace for approximately four days! Once you have reached you party fitness goals you can focus on other things. Such as aloe vera and sunscreen for the super white folks.
• It will be warm and tropical where we are going but bring at least one outfit to keep you warm just in case it gets chilly, a poncho just in case God throws a rain party and some swim wear just in case you wanna make a splash.
• If you plan on going shopping pack an empty bag so you don’t have to buy one.
• Don’t play me or Ivan Neville in poker unless you feel like donating money to a good cause.
• Remember to get good sleep for at least two days before departing.
• Bring your vitamins, leave your phone, forget about the mainland, and get ready for the time of your life with me and the rest of the Jam Cruise family.
• Oh yeah P.S. Bring an extra 15 dollars for my new album Another Day I could use the poker money.

Matt McDonald (Perpetual Groove – Theater, January 11 @ 2AM | Pool Deck, January 12 @ 11:15PM)

• The standard “it’s a marathon not a sprint” definitely applies.
• As hard as it may be, get some sleep before we dock at the ports. The locations are always amazing and filled with great stuff to do.
• Do not miss Bruce Hornsby, Surprise Me Mr. Davis, or Nathan Moore-even if they’re opposite PGroove. (I haven’t checked to see if we overlap, but I sure hope not!)
• Be sure to always listen to the intercom, it’s almost always good for a laugh.
• Shower, nobody likes a stinky hippy. Nobody.
• Don’t miss Nathan Moore.
• If there’s lobster and steak on the menu, yes you can have a surf n’ turf. Or you can pull a Ron Swanson and get 2 steaks, also known as the “Turf n’ Turf”
• Thank Annabelle.
• Don’t miss Nathan Moore.
• Thank Bruce Hornsby, just ’cause. Somehow figure out a way to use “that’s just the way it is” in a conversation, because I’m sure he never hears that….
• Yell “Give it up for my band Sexual Chocolate!” whenever you see Karl Denson, because let’s face it, if you were in any movie with Eddie Murphy you would want people to remember it forever too.
• Thank Annabelle.
• Don’t miss Nathan Moore, or Brock Butler.

Scott Bernstein (This Will Be My Third Jam Cruise)

• I know many of our respondents talked about pacing yourself, but I especially recommend not over doing it on the first night. It’s tough, believe me, you get on the boat, enter paradise and want to live it up. Yet the second day is filled with incredible music, so get at least a few hours of sleep.
• The final day of the trip we’re at sea and is another day chock full of action. Pack early that day so you don’t find yourself at 1AM in the middle of a great set that you’ve got to leave because you never packed. Also, it’s tough hearing over the PA at 7AM that it’s time to depart, I’d suggest getting an hour or two of shuteye before that announcement comes. An hour of sleep is better than nothing.

Karl Denson (KDTU – Theater, January 9 @ 2AM | Pool Deck, January 12 @ 8:30PM)

• Lots of sleep and fresh vegetables before we set sail.

For more tips be sure to read the FAQ and ask the users of the Jam Cruise Forum.