Even though The Monsters of Rock Cruise happened last month, and I left you hanging after my Day One recap (thank you, SXSW), I thought I would revisit the topic and share more photos taken during the second day of what is surely one of my most unique experiences. With that said, let me take you back to February 26, 2012—which felt to me very much like February 26, 1986.
Day Two on the Monsters of Rock cruise is where the party really got started. Baltimore rockers Kix kicked off the day with a blistering set on the ship’s top deck. These guys are terribly underrated and quite possibly the finest “Hair Metal” straight ahead rock band of their time. They sounded better than ever, blasting through classics from their 1988 masterpiece Blow My Fuse.
Later on that day, Night Ranger took the inside stage and showed everyone why they are still incredibly relevant. Jack Blades and company brought everyone back to a time when “Sister Christian” was a radio staple. They even stretched their set to include the enormously popular Damn Yankee’s power ballad “High Enough,” which sounded better than the original.
Next up was one of my favorite Canadian metal bands, the legendary Helix. These guys are a perfect example of a no-frills, stick-to-your-guns metal band. They are currently shooting a documentary, which I was told will be coming later on this year.
Wrapping the night up was former Mötley Crüe vocalist and all-around incredibly talented nice guy singer-songwriter Jon Corabi. This guy is like the road warrior of ’80s and ’90s metal, and he’s still going strong. If anyone has the talent and crossover potential to break the mold, it’s this guy.
Oh, and I almost forgot, the final photo is the singer of Firehouse—yes, that Firehouse. They played very late in the evening, and my photography skills were beginning to diminish.
So that’s Day 2 from the Cruise. Want to see a recap of day 3 featuring Stryper, Tesla, and Lynch Mob? Well then you have to leave a comment below. Rock on.
