Sure Chicago has been having a mild winter, but 34 degrees is still 34 degrees and fairer weather is calling. Beyond the eastern horizon, there are high jinx brewing on the high seas, and its name is the Bruise Cruise. No, there aren’t swashbuckling scallywags and pirates, it’s a music festival on a cruise ship. Having seen success during its maiden voyage last year, the cruise is back and ready to make more waves Feb. 10-13.
The Bruise Cruise trades in rattling sabers for buzzing bass amps, nearly naked and tanned festival-goers and a stimulating lineup of musicians, comedians and DJs. Traveling from Miami to Nassau, Bahamas, the ship will be riddled with bands like: The Dirtbombs, Fucked Up, Thee Oh Sees, and Quintron and Miss Pussycat. It will also showcase DJs like DJ Mr. Jonathan Tubin and provide a testing ground for Katy Goodman and Cassie Ramone of the Vivian Girls to perform a DJ set. I smell a special set performance blowing in the breeze, too.
The cruise won’t be limited to just music, though. There is comedy provided by former Dead Kennedy’s front man, Jello Biafra, a party on the Bahamas island, open-bar cocktail hours, a soul dance-off with cash prizes, lectures, workshops,and a puppetry breakfast hour with Miss Pussycat. It’s a mini SXSW floating on the ocean, with a punk twist.
So move over international waters, here comes a boat full of shit-faced music lovers. It’s time to set the hats and gloves aside and pick up the sunscreen and swim trunks. If there is a better way to spend part of a Chicago winter, I don’t know of it.
