pearl jam cruise

Join our newsletter!

5 Of The Best Things We Saw On Jam Cruise 20: Day 1 [Photos/Videos]

Greetings from aboard Jam Cruise 20 ! How sweet it is to be back on the boat…

The five-day 2024 edition of the floating music festival on the MSC Divina set sail from the Port of Miami on Sunday evening with a strong Day 1 performance lineup featuring  Lettuce , moe. , Medeski Martin & Porter ft. Aba Diop , Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe , The New Mastersounds , TAUK Moore , Magic Beans , Eggy , Chali 2na & Cut Chemist , Jimmy Rea ,  DJ Soul Sister , and the first “Jam Room” of 2024 led by  George Porter Jr. and  Lebo .

With several sets running simultaneously throughout most of the night, it was impossible to catch all the music played on the ship, both on stage and otherwise. Here are just a few of the most memorable moments from the first day of Jam Cruise 20. Follow Live For Live Music on Instagram for more video content all week long.

Smooth Sailing With Lettuce

Pre-show jitters are real, and Pre-Jam Cruise jitters are a particularly powerful strain. From traveling to Miami to getting through a gauntlet of check-in lines to waiting for luggage to arrive, the first day of Jam Cruise can often be a hectic experience. On Monday, however, the buzz around the boat was less about “stress” and more about “simplicity” as the boarding process proceeded more smoothly than ever, creating a particularly welcoming Day 1 atmosphere. One fan even rolled out a literal red carpet to greet fans making their way to the Pool Deck for the first performance of the week.

“I think we all really need this week,” said Jam Cruise emcee  Annabel Lukins at a welcome toast. “We need sunshine, we need the music, and we need each other.”

Longtime Jam Cruise favorite Lettuce quickly began to fill that prescription while the boat was still docked and went on to provide a funky soundtrack to the always-striking visual of the Miami skyline slipping into darkness in the distance as the ship got in motion. Bassist Erick “ Jesus” Coomes came away as the pound-for-pound MVP of the set, consistently elevating the proceedings with rumbling dance hall low-end, moody, melodic grooves, and deep-pocket embellishments that seemed at times to nod to both Rocco and Jaco .

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Live For Live Music (@liveforlivemusic)

Medeski Martin & Porter (& Diop & Logic) Send Jam Cruise To “Ohio”

The novel combo of John Medeski , Billy Martin , and George Porter Jr. featuring percussionist Aba Diop was circled on many Cruisers’ schedules from the day they were announced. With frequent Medeski collaborator DJ Logic joining in on turntables, the set promised a unique mix of styles—a little Medeski Martin & Wood -like acid jazz, a little NOLA funk a la  The Meters , a little West African rhythmic flavor, a little electro-soul texture from behind the decks. Unsurprisingly, this powerful combo checked all those boxes and then some throughout Monday’s set in the Pantheon Theater.

As the MSC Divina made its way from Miami toward Jamaica, Medeski Martin & Porter (& Diop & Logic) shifted Jam Cruise’s focus away from tropical locales and toward an unlikely destination, Ohio, via a haunting rendition of the classic Neil Young protest anthem sung with staggering emotion by Porter. Things only picked up from there as Eddie Roberts (The New Mastersounds) joined in on guitar to further elevate the standout set.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Andrew O’Brien (@thenotoriousaob)

moe. Recruits Daniel Donato For A Pearl Jam “Jammie Jam”

Plenty has happened for moe. since the last time the veteran jam-rock outfit played Jam Cruise in 2020, from guitarist Chuck Garvey ‘s stroke and recovery saga to the addition of keyboardist  Nate Wilson to the touring lineup. Riding renewed momentum, the band stormed the Pool Deck on Monday for an electrifying set that more than made up for the band’s weather-negated open-air performance from Jam Cruise 18 .

Related: moe. Plans ‘Best.Summer.Ever’ Tour With Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country

In addition to towing the line between rock energy and jazz influence on lively renditions of fan favorites like “Tailspin” and “Moth”, the band took a clever approach to the evening’s “Jammie Jam” PJ party costume theme when they welcomed out Daniel Donato on guitar to jam on a cover of Pearl Jam ‘s “Just Breathe”. After adding some country flavor to the  Eddie Vedder original, Donato stuck around to go toe-to-toe on Telecasters with guitarist Al Schnier on boat-appropriate moe. favorite “Mexico” (“My folks don’t even know where I am / Hell I don’t even know where I am”).

Eggy Has Entered The Jam Cruise Chat

While much of Monday’s music schedule was comprised of seasoned boat vets, Connecticut-based jam quartet Eggy made a strong first impression on Monday in the Black & White Lounge with its first-ever Jam Cruise performance. The band—comprised of Jake Brownstein (guitar, vocals), Dani Battat (keys, vocals), Mike Goodman (bass, vocals), and Alex Bailey (drums, vocals)—hit a groove early with funk-influenced fan-favorite “Here and Now” and continued to build momentum with creatively extended renditions of go-to originals like “Shadow”, “Lost and Found”, and “Sweat Equity” in addition to a pair of euphoric “Paul” covers, Paul Simon ‘s “You Can Call Me Al” and  Paul McCartney ‘s “Coming Up”.

Look for Eggy to continue turning heads all week long on the boat: The band is scheduled for a special “Choose Your Own Eggventure” set in the Atrium on Wednesday and the final set of the week on the Brews at Sea Stage on Thursday, while members of the group will be joining in during sets by  Everyone Orchestra and more throughout the voyage.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Eggy (@eggymusic)

TAUK Moore Gets More Help From The Horn Section, Lyle Divinsky, Elise Testone

TAUK Moore , the crossover project that pairs prog-jam quartet  TAUK with dynamic vocalist  Kanika Moore , delivered one of the most engaging performances of Jam Cruise 20 Day 1. With on-and-off help from frequent collaborators The Horn Section , this combo ensemble showcased its growing arsenal of collaborative material, from songs released on their 2023 TAUK Moore record to new creations that had yet to see the light of day.

Moore’s towering presence was only amplified by the Pool Deck stage’s elaborate LED display, while the group’s engaging original music—which continues to lean further into the the realm of deep, grungey, powerful live house music—felt more realized than ever. Other highlights of the performance included a sit-in by vocalist Elise Testone on one of the new TAUK Moore originals and a swaggering cover of Little Feat ‘s “Spanish Moon” led by special guest  Lyle Divinsky .

Revisit highlights from the rest of Jam Cruise 20 here:  Day 2 | Day 3 | Days 4 & 5 .

NEW ON YOUTUBE: Cash for Clunkers List

When the Woodward Dream Cruise Leads to a Pearl Jam Concert

A road trip in a $400,000 Rolls Royce Dawn ends spectacularly at the author’s 50th PJ show.

“The universe rewards hustle,” Joe Rogan once told me after an appearance on his JRE Podcast . I've repeated that mantra to myself hundreds of times to get through work scenarios I don’t fully enjoy, or at hour seventeen behind the wheel of some comically uncomfortable homebuilt death trap, in hundred degree heat, with no air conditioning, and brakes touchy enough to send me sliding off a cliff if I use ten pounds pedal pressure rather than six. The point is for the video to look fun, I remind myself, not for me to actually have fun on shoot day.

“The universe will reward my hustle,” I’d say, sweating through my cargo shorts.

For the most part, my hustle has been rewarded. People call me and email me, asking me to drive fun cars in fun places, for which they will pay me real money. “Do something you enjoy, and you’ll never be at work a day in your life.” That's how the cliché goes, right?

That’s 50% bullshit, but for me, all the flights, all the travel, the grind—all that shit is worth it not to sit behind a desk, wearing a suit, and being someone’s bitch.

My dad has friends who sit behind desks; good people who make an honest living selling physical products through retail outlets to people who want to buy them. We had a guy who lived up the road from my parents as a kid who manufactured cardboard boxes. He was a billionaire. He made like six products , none of which he invented, and all of which were basically the same “bend and slice corrugated cardboard into boxes of various sizes.” My mom drove us past his house every day on the way to school. He parked the Rolls out front, and drove it to Newark every day to his corner office in his cardboard box factory. The Ferrari lived in the garage.

Twenty-five years ago today, Mom first allowed me to ‘walk into town’ after school. The main street of Rye, NY, was about a half-mile down from school, but doing anything bedsides immediately getting scooped by my mom made me feel rebellious. I spent my lunch money on a Zippo Lighter, a slice of Sunrise Pizza, and Pearl Jam’s TEN on cassette—my first album ever. I played it through the stereo of Mom’s Volvo 740 wagon on the way to school and home. I played it through my shitty little boombox. I brought that tape everywhere I went.

1992. My older cousin Mike unknowingly shapes my adolescence by bringing me to concerts—a lot of them. He brings me to Lollapalooza that year, where I see Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rage Against the Machine, Soundgarden, Ice Cube, Stone Temple Pilots, and Pearl Jam.

August 18, 2016. I’m landing in Detroit for the Woodward Dream Cruise . I’ve spent months planning for this weekend, a “workcation.” My housemate Nino is from Detroit, and his Sicilian immigrant father, a very successful restauranteur in Detroit, has set us up in a condo off Woodward Avenue for the weekend. I have negotiated the loan of a $400,000 Rolls-Royce Dawn convertible. We’re going to cruise; we’re going to eat delicious Italian food; we’re going to party it up in one of America’s finest party cities, and come Sunday, when the cruisers all turn their GNX’s around and head back to Ohio, I’m going to road trip the Roller from Woodward Avenue 300 miles to Chicago’s Wrigley Field for my fiftieth Pearl Jam concert, 24 years after seeing “Jeremy,” “Why Go,” and “Black,” performed before my 11-year old eyes for the first time, and nearly 25 years to the day after buying TEN.

Everyone has a band, a singer, a DJ, that ‘plays for them.’ I can’t relate to most music new or old, but I get Pearl Jam, and Pearl Jam gets me. Their three hundred-song catalog combined with their willingness to play all 300 of those songs, mean every show is different. Every new venue, stadium, arena, and setlist are a completely new experience. Some people collect stamps or baseball cards; I collect Pearl Jam songs. I live for the rarities: Force of Nature, Crown of Thorns, Hunger Strike, Unemployable, and Parachutes; the list goes on. Songs I’ve only seen performed live once, or never at all.

I’ve followed Pearl Jam across Canada; I’ve traveled thousands of miles, alone, to see them in Asheville and Edmonton. I once stood outside a Tower Records for 36 hours to get one ticket to a secret show in Atlantic City, and pushed my way to 10 feet from the stage in a carpeted ballroom meant for Bar Mitzvahs as they rocked the house with 300 people for 4 hours.

I brought my friend (and TST’s social media manager) Tim to 2 nights of Pearl Jam in LA, where Tim’s best friend Paul Walker (yes, that one), had Eddie Vedder play ‘Garden’ for him. Paul died in a tragic car crash six days later. I listen to the recording of that show at least once a month.

Most recently, in April, I saw arguably the best set list Pearl Jam has ever performed, opening the show in Philadelphia (#49) by playing the entire TEN album start to finish for only the third time ever, and then playing 26 more songs after that.

Which brings us back to Detroit, and what was supposed to be a mostly relaxing weekend of cruising around in a “Tuscan Sun” (Translation: Metallic Orange) Rolls-Royce Dawn, eating Italian food, and sitting in expensive traffic looking at random contraptions on wheels while being gawked at, admired, and envied by, well, everyone.

“You’re going to get car jacked going downtown in that thing,” Nino’s lovely and hospitable mother advised us. I don’t really listen to advice well, so we went downtown anyway, and she couldn’t have been more wrong. Detroit’s less-fortunate citizens loved the Roller, and I went long out of my way to explain that it wasn’t mine, before letting at least 50 people sit in it, play with the motorized suicide doors, the massage seats, and making sure every single one of them get a ballin-ass photo for Instagram.

My luxurious Detroit getaway was interrupted by the hustle. I was needed in Pebble Beach, 2,500 miles away, for 12 hours on Saturday – the very 12 hours of the Dream Cruise Itself.

“But, Rolls Royce ! But, Dream Cruise ! But, Pearl Jam !”

I agreed to do the gig at Pebble Beach, flying to San Francisco, driving to Monterey, then about-facing back to Detroit in the same day. After all, I was not going to miss Pearl Jam, and I already had flights and tickets. I also was not going to miss an opportunity to earn a living not wearing a suit behind a desk. I leave the Roller at Detroit airport and hop a flight, away from my vacation, to go to work.

The universe rewards hustle.

Dac, a behind-the-scenes person on the television pilot we’re filming at Pebble, picks me up at SFO at 11 AM for the 2-hour drive to Monterey. He is about my age, about my demo, driving a borrowed C-Class. He notices my Pearl Jam “Stickman” tattoo immediately, and knows what I need – XM Channel 22, Pearl Jam Radio. Halfway through the ride, he informs me that he actually knows Mike McCready, PJ’s lead guitar player, and tells me about McCready’s 50th birthday bash the month before, in which Cheap Trick performed. He shows me photos and is not bullshitting.

I immediately decide that me meeting a guy who knows a guy in Pearl Jam is the universe rewarding my hustle and ask for a request to be put in, to play ‘Unemployable’ at the second Wrigley show. I have never seen ‘Unemployable’ live, and listened to the studio version at least a hundred times. I’ve never even heard a live version of the song, although I’m sure it’s been played at least 4 or 5 times. Pearl Jam sounds better live, always, in no small part to increasing the pace of every song 5-10%.

We do the gig at Pebble, and head back to SFO to catch a 12:30 AM flight back to Detroit, scheduled to land Sunday at 9 AM; what would become a 27 hour work day.

“Man, I’m so fucking jealous you get to go to the Wrigley show,” Dac says, while carrying impressive speed through the 101’s sweeping bends, northbound.

“Did you hear back from McCready?” I ask.

“Negative.”

“Man, if I hear Unemployable, all will be right and good in the world. The only thing that can top the Philly set is if I actually got a request in to the band, and if the band honored that request.”

I don’t have my hopes up. But I also do. I really do.

The Dawn is a sight for sore eyes in Short-Term Parking. Stuffed in between two non-descript, non-colored SUV’s, it’s ostentatious and regal, with a belt line the height of most modern crossovers, a hood the size of a pool table, and painted like a gold-dusted tropical fruit. After 5 hours overnight on a United Air Lines plane put into service the same week TEN was released, there is no better place to take a load off.

I glide back to Woodward Avenue sipping on a Venti Latte, cruised it once or twice to find some Sunday Stragglers who just can’t go home, return to the condo, hammer out last week’s column, and pass out for eight hours.

Monday, the day of the show. Six in the morning; first light. I have a full tank of gas, a $400,000 chariot, and it’s 290 miles from Woodward Avenue to Wrigley Field, which the roller’s GPS says will take five hours. More coffee, a fresh pack of cigarettes, going barefoot because the Roller’s carpets are fucking two inches thick and delicious, and with radar cruise control, who needs pedals anyway? Pedals are for poor people.

Having caught up on sleep, I throw the top down (which takes up so much trunk space I have to put my suitcase in the back seat) and head west. Though it’s a chilly morning, the Roller’s climate control offers powerful-direct fire vents, plus the requisite massaging, climate controlled seats. My face and left arm are chilly, everything else is perfect. The windshield, the top of which stands over five feet tall, disperses air and noise with aplomb; as Pearl Jam’s ‘Backspacer’ album blasts from the powerful Naim stero. I find that I can even place a Bluetooth call to my girlfriend, with the top down, at over 80 miles an hour, with virtually no strain on either end.

Rolls-Royce’s are typically reserved for the chauffeur crowd, but to allow someone else to drive you around in one of these cars it to miss out on one of the most wonderful and unique driving experiences available anywhere. You don’t drive a Dawn so much as sail it down the road, with parallels to be drawn much more alongside yachting than traditional driving. Hit the gas from a red light and the nose rises, the rear squats, and the Roller builds speed while facing skyward, eventually settling “on plane” when you lift enough to set your desired pace.

“They’ll get out of your way, I learned that driving the Saratoga.” – Captain Ron

And that pace? You can’t drive a Rolls and be in a rush. It’s not that these car’s aren’t fast, quite the contrary. I’ve no doubt this Dawn will run a 12-second quarter mile if pushed, but that defeats the purpose. When you’re in a Rolls, time slows down. The world will move at your pace. Show up late, and those waiting for you will wonder if you value your time over theirs. Show up late in a Roller, and they don’t have to wonder; they already know.

“Paulie might have moved slow, but that’s because Paulie didn’t have to move for anybody.” – Henry Hill

Handling? Braking? How about a ‘Ring time? - None of these questions are relevant to the people building Rolls-Royces. Between Detroit and Chicago’s metro areas, you’ve got a pretty wide cross section of decent highway pavement to abysmal city tarmac in areas with virtually no public works to repair them. Make it softer, make it heavier, make the bonnet longer, the Spirit of Ecstasy shinier, and keep the rest simple.

Ride quality over all. The only priority in developing this car, it’s become clear, is to completely isolate you from the road. Sure, it will get around a corner or stop in a panic-brake situation (once) but you had better be prepared for that, because you’re so far removed from whatever is going on outside that suicide door, it’s far too easy for the mind to wander – to Pearl Jam, and whether I was going to hear Unemployable after fifty shows, or to my girlfriend, and all the ways I would love to absolutely ruin the Dawn’s cocaine-white interior with her. To the fact that I’m about to drive an orange, $400,000 car with no top through Gary, Indiana – the murder capital of North America.

I took a 40-mile detour to the Gilmore Car Museum, a quaint facility on a farm far, far from anything, but providing an opportunity for some back road pace. The Dawn actually can get around a corner at an impressive speed, once. One corner at a time it’s amazing, but switchbacks require a lot of sawing at the wheel and managing weight over massive 21” tire. Dotted lines meant passing four, five cars at well into the triple digits. I can’t imagine what they thought of me, but I was having too much fun to care.

The Gilmore Museum is, like many of America’s car museums, stuck in the 1960’s with bad, terra-cotta tile floors and dull incandescent lighting. Nevertheless, the collection is impressive, with the lowest-mile Tucker 48 in existence, one of the last Shelby Cobra’s, two of the first ten Chrysler 426 HEMI engines ever made, and a variety of cars from many decades, spread out like Graceland, over several disconnected buildings. Their billboard advertising worked, as I had no idea this place was even there, but is a lovely detour and surrounded by grassy, picket-fenced photo-ops for the Dawn.

After getting back on the highway, I didn’t touch the pedals for 2 more hours. I’m not the biggest fan of Tesla’s auto pilot, since it takes more focus to be ready to steer at any time than it takes to simply be steering, but radar cruise control has never been more at home than in the Rolls Royce Dawn. Is there anything more yacht-like than simply setting the throttle and only having to make minute corrections through a wood-centered tiller? The Dawn keeps a conservative distance, even when set to “Russian Oligarch” because even 15” brakes can only work so well with a car this heavy, and carries me into Chicago worry-free.

I arrive at the Omni Hotel off Michigan Avenue and hand the valet $40 in tips to keep the Dawn up front; the first of nearly $200 in tips I hand valet parkers in just under 24 hours. Presumably, if you had the cash to own one of these things, you’d just let the valets park it wherever, but if it’s a borrowed  $400,000 car, you tend to get paranoid and not want valets, well, being valets. After all, this was Chicago; Ferris Bueller tried to valet park a California Spider here and we know how that turned out.

I met my friends at the Omni, and we summarily decided that we would not leave the Roller parked at the hotel; we would drive to Wrigley field and attempt to find an outdoor parking lot that would let us tailgate before the show. Pearl Jam has a great tailgate scene at the right venue, and in 49 shows, I have never seen a single person tailgating from a Rolls Royce. The energy surrounding Wrigley was palpable. As we drove past the marquee, top down, feeling good, we could hear sound-check happening inside. The first parking lot was right out front, and the attendant wanted $100.

“Oh, come on. That’s the Rolls Royce tax, right? You’re not really asking a hundred bucks to park for 4 hours.”

“Hundred bucks, and you leave the keys with me.”

I almost went for it out of laziness, but fortunately reasonable heads prevailed with a resounding, “Fuck that noise.”

Two blocks away from the stadium we found another lot at a much more reasonable $40. Throwing another $20 on the fire meant yes, I could park the Rolls up front, hold on to the keys, and yes, we could drink Eddie Vedder’s favorite cheap red wine, from the bottle, in peace, while standing around it and taking photos for our own Instagram. I told my friends about Dac the PA and McCready, and how I had put in a request to hear Unemployable, and how I wasn’t getting my hopes up, but it was already too late and they were already kind of up.

The average age of the members of Pearl Jam is about 50 these days, as is the average age of their audience. I find I’m one of the younger people out there. I’d say I’m out of touch, except Pearl Jam has sold out Wrigley fucking Field, so if I’m not cool, neither are these 60,000 other people. And the six members of the band are the highest-energy middle aged men you’ll ever see, especially drummer Matt Cameron and Eddie Vedder, who have the stage presence of college kids, but with a quarter century of practice.

The set opens strong, with Oceans, Off He Goes, and Why Go, before Eddie stops to have one of his standard politically-charged between-song chats. He dedicates a song to a soldier returning from war who’s lost at least one limb. Later in the show, he dedicates another to a cause significantly more important than “Matt’s 50th show.” There are probably a thousand people in this audience who have seen more than 50 shows. I feel like such an asshole for even asking for a song, but fuck it; you all know you’d do the same thing if you met a guy who knew a guy in your favorite band.

The show continues on, three sets, thirty-six songs. It’s a perfect evening in Chicago, not too hot, with a light breeze. The sound quality in a stadium designed a hundred years for baseball games is insanely good. Our seats are dope, twenty rows up from the plate, with the stage out in Center Field, facing home.

I get to hear some of my personal greats; Immortality, State of Love and Trust, I am Mine, Crazy Mary, and Got Some, alongside hits like Jeremy, Last Kiss, Alive, Courdoroy, BetterMan, Rockin’ in the Free World, and Yellow Ledbetter. They even break out the ultra-rare “Don’t Gimme no Lip,” and covers of “Surrender” by Cheap Trick, “Sonic Reducer” by the Dead Boys, and “Your Time has Come” by Audioslave. By any standards, an epic Pearl Jam show, and one that left the die hards and casual fans alike satisfied. And by wrapping up the show, and indeed the 2016 tour with the Beatles’ “I’ve Got a Feeling,” my 50th show came to an end. Without hearing Unemployable.

We wander back to the parking lot, discussing our favorite tracks, our favorite moments, and the Orange Rolls Royce that’s waiting for us in the parking lot.

“You probably have to fire like 20,000 people, you probably have to be the kind of person who can end someone’s life, or at least their career, to be able to drive something like this,” my friend Alex says.

“Yeah, to spend $400,000 on a car, you need to earn $800,000, because of the taxes, which means you need nearly a million dollars in money you won’t miss to buy something like this,” my friend Brett agrees.

“And you don’t get that kind of money without stepping on a few people along the way.”

After dropping my friends off at their hotel and rolling down Michigan Avenue back to mine, I reflect on the people I know who actually do drive Rolls-Royces. There was the cardboard box king of Westchester, who built his business from the ground up and most likely hasn’t trodden on the poor to buy that thing. He owns a small business and grew it for 40 years. There’s the guy who owns the body shop I like; he has a Ghost. He works 12 hour days, does good work, and grows his business at an impressive, yet controlled rate. He fixes crashed exotics, and has more Instagram followers than I do.

These two examples stick with me – the universe rewards hustle, and if you want to own a Rolls Royce, it means hustling harder than you ever thought for a very long time. It means being smart about your business, your life, and it may even mean ruining people along the way to your $400,000 reward on wheels.

And while I may not have been rewarded with an intangible object, 4 minutes of one song…. that was my own fault for thinking it was possible in the first place.

The universe rewards hustle, as long as your expectations are within your control. And as long as you are very lucky.

The real rewards come with this – the fact that I put 600 miles on one of the finest motor cars ever conceived by man in utter relaxed comfort; the fact that I put smiles on hundreds of faces in 5 days; the fact that I gave two friends an experience of how the other half live. And the fact I’ve been able to see my favorite band fifty times, and write about it, for a job that didn’t exist when I told my guidance counselor, Mrs. Nebauer, my life’s goal of never wearing a suit.

To call that work is a reward in and of itself. And if I work hard at it for another fifty years, I too may own a Rolls Royce Dawn, because if you’ve got four-hundred grand to burn, it’s absolutely worth every penny.

The 25 most essential Pearl Jam songs

Pearl jam is back with their twelfth album, dark matter , and we're celebrating by revisiting the tracks that got them to where they are today.

Pearl Jam isn’t quite the last band standing from the glory days of grunge—their Seattle brothers Mudhoney still fight the good fight, delivering good new records every few years—but they are among an elite group of alt-rock bands who survived the 1990s unscathed. Although they’ve had the inevitable ups and downs that come from being rock & roll lifers, they’ve never succumbed to the allure of fast fashion, nor have they ever embarrassed themselves, partially because they’ve always kept their eyes on the horizon.

Dark Matter , their twelfth album, which arrived earlier this week, continues this unimpeachable track record yet it also offers something different: here, Pearl Jam takes a long look back at their 1990s. Encouraged by producer Andrew Watt, the group embraces the anthemic rock that made them superstars in the early 1990s, dodging nostalgia by keeping the sound bright, open, and lively. The nods to the group’s roots can’t help but send us on a journey through Pearl Jam’s past. Here, we offer 25 of the band’s prime songs—the songs that form the core of the group’s legacy and have grown over the years. If this list leans heavily on the 1990s, that’s merely a testament to their furious creativity during the height of alternative rock; there’s plenty to explore beyond these 25 tunes.

25. “Mind Your Manners” (2013)

A furious blast of punk transmitted on Lightning Bolt , one of Pearl Jam’s best latter-day albums, “Mind Your Manners” is also a vintage slice of social protest from Eddie Vedder. Working himself into an apoplectic rage at pious preachers who commit moral atrocities in the name of the lord, the song feels nervous and twitchy as the band decides to discard their arena rock instincts so they can reconnect with their punk roots.

24. “Indifference” (1993)

Pearl Jam often end their albums on a note of quiet contemplation, a tradition started with “Release” on Ten and consolidated by “Indifference,” the final number on Vs. “Indifference” is so meditative it almost seems still. Accompanied by little more than organ and guitar, Eddie Vedder summons the energy to emphasize but he often seems to question the value of his own gestures: he wonders whether his protestations—holding a candle til his arm burns, swallowing poison til he’s immune—make any difference. The articulation of these doubts is an answer in itself, proof positive that “Indifference” isn’t about apathy, it’s about action.

23. “Hail, Hail” (1996)

Heard amid the appealing musical wanderings of No Code , “Hail, Hail” seems bracing but in its own way it’s jammed with ideas. Dense without seeming grungy, Vedder’s voice is buried in the mix—a suitable struggle, as the song finds him trying to figure out if one person can ever be enough for another. The thick mix gives the record real potency: it plays like a punch to the gut.

22. “Nothingman” (1994)

Written in a flash—Eddie Vedder claims it took no more than an hour— “Nothingman” captures a moment of reflection where insights that drift into consciousness then fade away. The melody is gentle, lacking the urgency that characterizes so much of Pearl Jam’s work and it’s better for it: it feels quiet and intimate, as if it will last no longer than a whisper. That sense of transience gives “Nothingman” a free-floating quality, suggesting that it’s as likely to evaporate as it is to coalesce.

21. “Go” (1993)

Serving the same role on Vs. as “Once” did on Ten , “Go” hurtles forward on a riff written by drummer Dave Abbruzzese. The difference between the debut and this sophomore set is immediately apparent: the group twitches like a live wire, delivering a song that feels like an outpouring of anguish…a far cry from how the band strived for transcendence throughout Ten .

20. “Who You Are” (1996)

Something of an outlier in Pearl Jam’s catalog, “Who You Are” was written by Stone Gossard, Eddie Vedder, and Jack Irons, the drummer who left the band two years after the 1996 release of No Code . In the wake of his departure, the band avoided playing it live for several years, eventually winding back to it due to its unique nature. The understated melody—more of a chant than a hook—is supported by circling polyrhythms, all giving the impression of a hypnotic drone that is meant to be a healing mantra.

19. “Light Years” (2000)

A farewell to a departed friend, “Light Years” doesn’t wallow in sadness. It’s not mournful; it’s an expression of gratitude and love, an appreciation for all the departed has left behind: “Your light’s reflected now, reflected from afar/We were stones, your light made us stars.” Pearl Jam gives this ballad muscle and grit while Eddie Vedder sings with an open heart, a combination that gives “Light Years” no small measure of grace.

18. “Spin The Black Circle” (1994)

Prior to “Spin The Black Circle,” Pearl Jam’s punk past was felt more than heard. Their time in the American underground enabled the band to tackle unconventional subjects or perhaps approach hard rock from a sideways angle. Not so on “Spin The Black Circle.” A raucous testament to the power of vinyl records delivered at a time when the format seemed bound for obsolescence, it’s a frenzied mess of sloppy riffs and reckless rhythms. That unhinged spirit keeps this celebration of old ways from sounding like nostalgia; rather, it’s a plea to preserve what’s good.

17. “Once” (1991)

Galloping out of the gate, “Once” serves as a manifesto not only for Ten but for Pearl Jam as a whole in the early 1990s, illustrating how the band occupied a small sliver where mainstream and underground rock interested. Based on an original demo tape from Stone Gossard—Eddie Vedder added lyrics later—“Once” is simultaneously slippery and aggressive, the slithering rhythms providing Vedder plenty of space to glower and spit out rhymes with the intensity of a machine gun. Vedder gives the song an underlying sense of menace; it sounds as if he no longer has a grasp on his most powerful emotions.

16. “Just Breathe” (2009)

Emerging from a decade-long funk—one that not so coincidentally coincided with the lifespan of the George W. Bush administration—Pearl Jam righted themselves in 2009 with Backspacer , their first album to bear a Brendan O’Brien production credit since Yield . Generally a tighter, louder—and in the case of the lead single “The Fixer,” almost boisterous—album than its immediate cousins, Backspacer had a need for “Just Breathe,” which served as a bit of a respite from the clamor. A quiet, hushed reflection on gratitude, “Just Breathe” is sweetened by strings but it’s never saccharine: it’s clear-eyed and direct, its declaration of love all the more affecting due to the song’s simplicity.

15. “Even Flow” (1991)

The song that catapulted Pearl Jam into the mainstream in the summer of 1992, “Even Flow” doesn’t seem like a surefire modern-rock hit. Set aside that it’s a character sketch of a homeless man: underneath its guitar grind, the riffs and rhythms are winding and elliptical, driven by Mike McCready’s oddly bluesy attack. McCready’s funky attack leads Pearl Jam to lay back and jam, exploring textures and grooves as much as soloing. It’s up to Eddie Vedder to anchor the song, which he does not only through his words but his keening, gritty delivery; both his lyrics and singing teem with empathy.

14. “I Got ID” (1995)

Pearl Jam took a pause from their own trip in 1995 to cut a full album with Neil Young, one of their principal inspirations (at the time, Neil was christened the “Godfather of Grunge” on the cover of Pulse magazine). None of the band’s original compositions made the cut on Mirror Ball , so they were spun off as a single dubbed Merkin Ball . The anchor of Merkin Ball was “I Got ID”—the “ID” is a self-censor of “shit”—a thick and murky rocker displaying a direct debt to Crazy Horse: Vedder sounds like he’s wrestling with the band.

13. “Do The Evolution” (1998)

Tightly coiled and punchy, “Do The Evolution” is one of the liveliest and grooviest rockers in Pearl Jam’s catalog. The garagey swing, punched up by a fuzz guitar, is paired with a cynical Eddie Vedder lyric that takes the piss out of men who believe they’re immune from nature—a satire that’s musical, too: after he sneers “This is my church, I sing in the choir,” a mock gospel chorus descends on the mix. One of their sharpest, funniest, and hardest numbers.

12. “Corduroy” (1994)

“Corduroy” plays as a statement of defiance, a rejection of convention that leads to a stronger sense of self. Eddie Vedder’s lyric is somewhat evasive in its specifics: the words could be a reaction to a breakup, it could be an act of simple rebellion. The exact inspiration doesn’t matter, as Vedder lands upon a stance of resistance, buttressed by one of the punchiest riffs on Vitalogy as well as one of its catchiest melodies—music that makes the singer seem proud that he’s going to end up alone like he began.

11. “Not For You” (1994)

Paired pointedly with “Spin The Black Circle” on Vitalogy , “Not For You” expands upon Pearl Jam’s celebration of old records, shifting the focus to the rock subculture at large. As the group maintains a slow, steady boil, Eddie Vedder glowers and glares at those encroaching on the sacred tenets of the underground. Delivered late in 1994, deep into Pearl Jam’s run as America’s biggest band and only months after the death of Kurt Cobain, “Not For You” drew a deliberate line between true believers and fellow travelers—the first indication that Pearl Jam would start to retreat from the fame they earned.

10. “Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town” (1993)

A ruminative piece of folk-rock evocative of R.E.M., particularly in how it rushes into place with the acoustic guitar and vocal at the beginning, “Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town” is a deliberate miniature from a band that specializes in grandeur. The shift in scale does Pearl Jam considerable favors. A sketch of a woman growing older, just barely retaining memories of her younger self, it’s told with grace and sensitivity—a notion that countered the prevailing irony of the early 1990s.

9. “State Of Love And Trust” (1992)

Cameron Crowe lucked out. He planned Singles , his sequel to the teenage romantic comedy Say Anythin g, as his entryway into adult themes and a celebration of Seattle’s alternative rock scene. By the time it hit the theaters in September 1992, Nirvana’s Nevermind turned Seattle into a worldwide phenomenon, placing Singles in the middle of the zeitgeist and at the center of that was “State of Love And Trust,” one of two Pearl Jam contributions to the soundtrack. Written by Eddie Vedder, Mike McCready, and Jeff Ament after a screening of the film, “State Of Love And Trust” is a true testimonial to the importance of personal connection delivered at a full-tilt roar. The subject may not be as weighty as the bulk of Ten , yet that relative lightness conversely gives “State Of Love And Trust” its enduring power: it’s about the ties that bind and last.

8. “Daughter” (1993)

It may be a slower, sweeter song but “Daughter” is a cousin of “Jeremy,” swapping the rage for tenderness. An empathetic tale of childhood neglect, culminating in the soaring chorus of “She holds the hand that holds her down/She will rise above,” “Daughter” finds Eddie Vedder once again casting his lot with the neglected, providing enough empathy to skirt the edges of inspiration. “Daughter” became the first Pearl Jam song to cross over into the Billboard Top 40, assisted in that placement immeasurably by an acoustic guitar part that echoes the folk-rock of Led Zeppelin III , an ideal pairing for Vedder’s earnest melody.

7. “Given To Fly” (1998)

Mike McCready wrote “Given to Fly” on a droning alternate guitar tuning, a sonic shift that lends the verses a dreaminess—a quality that floats through the rest of the song, even as Pearl Jam builds to a full roar on the song’s chorus. The band ebbs and flows throughout “Given to Fly,” their shifts mirroring the song’s lyrical concerns of a man yearning to escape. Ultimately, the band lands on a note of optimism, achieving transcendence over adversity, violence, and strife.

6. “Jeremy” (1991)

Unlike many other songs on Ten , “Jeremy” doesn’t derive from personal experience. Eddie Vedder read the story of a reserved Texas teenager who shot himself in front of a full classroom, a horrifying event that dovetailed with the other tales of trauma on Ten . Vedder’s empathy for Jeremy was evident in the lyrics and performance, particularly in how he built to a crescendo on a bridge daring the listener to “try to forget this.” Pearl Jam surrounded this catharsis with a shape-shifting aural atmosphere that helped give the record a sense of cinematic grandeur.

5. “Rearviewmirror” (1993)

Driven by an insistent, pulsating guitar riff, “Rearviewmirror” creates the sensation of forward movement—a fitting feeling for a song that’s about running away, leaving bad vibes and relationships somewhere in your past. Eddie Vedder opens the song by declaring it’s “time to emancipate,” spending some time recounting the reasons that led to his escape from a poisonous relationship, yet “Rearviewmirror” stops just short of full catharsis thanks to that circling riff: it keeps the tension high throughout the record, the nervousness providing justification to flee.

4. “Alive” (1991)

Another song Stone Gossard wrote with Mother Love Bone in mind, “Alive” became indelibly stamped by Eddie Vedder. Taking a song originally known as “Dollar Short,” Vedder probed his painful past, turning the revelation that the man he believed to be his biological father was actually his stepfather into a bracing exploration of the lasting ramifications of childhood trauma. What’s striking years later is that the song doesn’t seem quite so heavy: the anger at its heart transformed into an anthem of survival.

3. “Yellow Ledbetter” (1992)

Consigned to the B-side of “Jeremy” upon its original release in 1992, “Yellow Ledbetter” quietly became one of Pearl Jam’s signature songs. Catapulting from a cult item to an actual hit in 1994—during a period when the band was finalizing their third album, Vitalogy —“Yellow Leadbetter” plays like an extended sigh. Mike McCready’s silvery Stratocaster sets the tone: Eddie Vedder’s lyrics almost seem wordless—indeed, he often changed the lyrics while onstage; McCready later claimed in the liner notes for the rarities comp Lost Dogs that he didn’t know what it’s about—as if he’s consumed by the melody itself.

2. “Better Man” (1994)

“Better Man” served as the pinnacle of Pearl Jam’s time as a charting rock band, reaching number one on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock charts and dominating radio play throughout most of 1995. Despite its soothing sway, the ballad is a bit of an unusual smash hit. A portrait of a woman who is stuck in a dead-end relationship, “Better Man” stops just short of urging its subject to leave her lover. The key to the song’s success—and its endurance—is its tenderness: Eddie Vedder writes from a place of compassion, a sentiment conveyed in the lyrics and the sweetest melody he ever crafted.

1. “Black” (1991)

“Black” was Pearl Jam’s original word-of-mouth sensation—a song that worked its way into the upper reaches of Billboard’s Rock charts despite the band’s decision not to release it as an official single. Pearl Jam’s reluctance suited the emotional tenor of the song. A paean to the melancholy of love lost or never won, “Black” glides along to a delicate guitar part by Mike McCready, eventually cascading to a heavy minor-key chorus—a moment where it feels like Eddie Vedder’s sadness over his departed love becomes too much to bear. Vedder’s words are clearly etched yet “Black” doesn’t play as a solo track: it’s a testament to Pearl Jam’s chemistry. By the time “Black” builds to its conclusion, complete with Vedder vocalizing wordlessly, the band seems as one. 

Previous Artist

Next artist.

Thank You Jam Cruise 20 Pre-Book For JC21 Now!

Thank you jc20 - pre-book for jc21 now.

Al Schnier (guitars, vocals) * Chuck Garvey (guitars, vocals) * Rob Derhak (bass, vocals) * Jim Loughlin (percussion, vibes) * Vinnie Amico (drums)

Hailed by American Songwriter for their “”mind-bending musicality,”” moe. is treasured for their mesmerizing musical synergy, unfettered showmanship, and smart, resonant songcraft. For three decades, the band has corralled myriad musical forms on a truly original journey rich with crafty, clever songwriting and astonishing resourcefulness. Fueled by an impassioned fan base, moe. has spent much of those thirty years on the road, encompassing countless live performances marked by eclectic wit, deep friendship, and exploratory invention. Having built an enduring legacy with hard work and a confirmed commitment to creativity and community, moe. seem as surprised as anyone to find themselves at such a significant landmark.

“The career just very subtly unfolded,”” says co-founding bassist-singer-songwriter Rob Derhak, “”without any of us noticing it actually happened.”

Al Schnier (guitars, vocals), Chuck Garvey (guitars, vocals), and Derhak first came together at the University of Buffalo in 1990, musician-friends uniting to play for the sheer fun of it. The band followed a handful of cassette-only releases with 1992’s FATBOY, recorded in an apartment studio above Buffalo’s Top Shelf Guitars with a bird’s eye view of Mighty Taco.

“We liked music, we liked to party, and we wanted to put those two things together,” says Derhak. “We wanted to do what seemed like the coolest thing we could possibly do and not have to work a regular job. It didn’t even seem like a decision had to be made. It’s was like, this is what we’re doing and it’s happening. The idea that thirty years later I would be a dad, paying a mortgage and earning a living, based on our band, with the same guys no less, that never even crossed my mind.”

Finding themselves with an increasingly avid local following, moe. ventured forth, now with master rhythmatist Jim Loughlin among their ranks. The more the band traveled, the more they grew creatively, evincing a remarkable willingness to progress as they went along. moe. quickly became part of a burgeoning scene centered around NYC’s Wetlands, a grassroots revolution that embraced freewheeling genre fusion — spanning funk and free jazz, country and classic rock, prog, new wave, calypso, pop and everything else under the sun — fan interaction, and unrestrained improvisation.

Medeski Martin & Porter Feat. Aba Diop

Music motivates at the most primal level.

You instinctually hum a tune in order to get pumped up in the morning, for fuel on the treadmill, to soundtrack your commute, or as the pre-game to a big night out. As much as he treasures his roles as a guitarist, composer, and producer, Cory Wong fashions himself “a hype man,” first and foremost. Living up to this classification, he slings a Stratocaster and hurls “dad jokes” from the stage with the same panache, poise, and power.

Head-spinning rhythm guitar wizardry, technical ebullience, laugh-out-loud jokes, and radiance on stage established Cory Wong as both a sought-after collaborator and celebrated solo artist alike.

Jerry Harrison & Adrian Belew Remain In Light*

Jerry Harrison is the keyboardist and guitar player for legendary band Talking Heads. He is a member of the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame, and the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Grammy in 2021. He has multiple critically acclaimed solo albums, including Casual Gods. Additionally, he has an illustrious career as a record producer, working with everyone from Foo Fighters, No Doubt, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and Live, amongst many others. Prior to joining Talking Heads, Jerry was a member of proto-punk pioneers The Modern Lovers.

Adrian Belew was the long time lead singer and guitarist for legendary prog rock giants King Crimson. Adrian has also recorded with, performed alongside, and toured with Bowie, Zappa, Talking Heads, Nine Inch Nails, Tori Amos, Paul Simon, Cyndi Lauper, and more. Additionally, he has released over 20 solo albums and was a 2005 Grammy Nominee

Adrian and Jerry, with their all-star backing band, bring you powerhouse renditions of Talking Heads classics like “Once In A Lifetime”, “Psycho Killer”, “Take Me To The River”, and selections from their respective solo careers. This is a must see performance.

Galactic Feat. Anjelika ‘Jelly’ Joseph

History doesn’t stand still. It impacts, influences, and inspires the ebb and flow of the future by informing the present. Galactic draw on 25 years together in order to progress with each performance and subsequent record. After 10 albums, over 2,000 gigs, and tens of millions of streams, the proud New Orleans, LA quintet—Ben Ellman [saxophone, harmonica], Robert Mercurio [bass], Stanton Moore [drums, percussion], Jeffrey Raines [guitar], and Richard Vogal [keyboards]—have kept the torch burning through five U.S. presidential regimes, the turn-of-the-century, Hurricane Katrina, a Global Pandemic, and a much-anticipated recovery. They’re the rare collective who can support Juvenile on Jimmy Kimmel LIVE!, contribute music to a blockbuster soundtrack such as Now You See Me, and light up the stages of Coachella, Bonnaroo, and New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (a staggering 22 times).

Joined by vocal powerhouse Anjelika “Jelly” Joseph, they continue to forge ahead with touring and more new music.

Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe

In 2023, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe celebrate their 25th anniversary as a band.

KDTU has electrified audiences around the world from the fields of Naeba in Japan at the infamous Fuji Rock Festival to the hallowed stage of Madison Square Garden.

This December, join the band for a special Beastie Boys tribute featuring members of Slightly Stoopid!

Here it is, right on time. Unify. The eighth studio album from Lettuce, it’s also a third consecutive record made at Denver’s Colorado Sound Studios, completing a loose trilogy starting with 2019’s Grammy-nominated Elevate, and continuing with 2020’s Resonate. “Dealing with the pandemic, being in separate places, trying to survive without our best friends, without touring, not to mention the political divide in this country,” says Lettuce drummer Adam Deitch. “We really needed to unify.”

Reunited with Colorado Sound’s esteemed engineer, Jesse O’Brien, Unify is a totally collaborative effort full of the highest of highlights, including its centerpiece track “Keep That Funk Alive,” inspired by the venerable Parliament-Funkadelic bassist, Bootsy Collins, and featuring Collins on bass and vocals. It’s, as well, a benchmark moment for the sextet- Adam Deitch (drums), Ryan Zoidis (saxophone), Adam Smirnoff (guitar), Erick Coomes (bass), Nigel Hall (keyboards/vocals), Eric ‘Benny’ Bloom (trumpet)- approaching thirty years since its humble Boston beginnings.

“We’re just getting tighter and tighter,” says Coomes. “Really, these are the first records made with the six of us as a team, and it’s the best the band has ever been: live and in the studio; the funkiest and the most fun.”

16 songs. Pure Lettuce. Unify will teleport you to a funky galaxy far, far away, where all life coexists as one in peace, love, harmony, and music!

Steel Pulse

Bearing witness to the accelerating negativity of global affairs, Steel Pulse emerges with musical vengeance to halt the disarray of humanity. The band’s twelfth studio production, titled Mass Manipulation, reflects four decades committed to bettering mankind through music. Steel Pulse continues to be revolutionary in engaging controversial topics of racial injustice and human rights on a global scale. Their musical stance and conceptualizations are as potent and relevant today as they were at the beginning of their career. The album’s uniquely thematic approach provokes thought as it presses forward, toward humanities unification. A manipulation of our minds has been influenced by a New World Order currently dominating humankind. Steel Pulse reappears at a fated moment, armed with compassion, encouraging all people to reject false ideals, set higher goals, and demand more from themselves to further this unification.

Lead singer and guitarist, David Hinds’ creativity, human persona, and visionary views are revealed through inspiring compositions that capture the effects of the African Diaspora. These songs weave and interlock with each other, enticing all to stand together and unite.

Franc Moody

It took the London band Franc Moody some time to perfect the ideal clap sound. They tried clapping their hands, then they tried numerous people clapping their hands. But after much experimentation, they discovered that the most pristine clap sound comes, yes, when you record three pairs of hands clapping in which one pair is wearing marigolds. This isn’t abnormal behaviour for Franc Moody. Listen to their songs and you’ll hear salt shakers and mugs, dripping radiators, the sound of someone zipping their flies, and their own family playing strings. It’s this kind of DIY sound design and attention to detail that has made the new London duo such a curious and captivating proposition.

Franc Moody’s sound is contemporary funk, awash with electronic inspiration, human touches, and throbbing grooves. Like Daft Punk and Jamiroquai before them, they draw from the sounds, styles and techniques of funk, disco and soul while simultaneously threading in electronic influences of the here and now.

Dumpstaphunk*

Dumpstaphunk stands out amongst New Orleans’ best, cementing themselves as one of the funkiest bands to ever arise from the Crescent City. Born on the Jazz & Heritage Festival stage, and descended from Neville and Meters family bloodlines, these soldiers of funk ignite a deep, gritty groove that dares listeners not to move. Their performances combine ingenious musicianship through complex funk, rock, and jazz arrangements accompanied by soulful melodies and Big Easy traditions.

The New Mastersounds

For over two decades, The New Mastersounds have maintained more than just a reputation of longevity. Instead, they’ve cultivated a rare balance of consistency, yet commitment to constantly evolving their sound. Forged out of the golden age of the modern funk and soul revival in 1999, the band has amassed a catalog of sixteen albums, embarked on countless world tours, and drawn in a broad audience through both their original material and collaborations with esteemed vocalists and remixers.

After a two-year hiatus of in-person engagements, the band retreated to the brand new Floki Studios in Iceland to hunker down and create their 17th studio album. ‘The Deplar Effect’ was released on Color Red in September 2022, and features Atlanta based vocalist Lamar Williams Jr, son of Lamar Williams of the Allman Brothers.

Keller Williams’ Grateful Grass Ft. The Hillbenders*

Definition: “Loose interpretations of Grateful Dead songs done in a bluegrass style. Take my fascination with Grateful Dead songs and mix it together with my love of psychedelic improvisational bluegrass music and out burps this project.

WARNING: If you like your Grateful Dead songs performed in their original way, or if you prefer traditional bluegrass, this is not the project for you. If you like singing along to Dead songs in that song’s normal tempo but dancing double time to the music, this is definitely your jam. A lot of people seem to dig it and I dig them for that.”

Keller’s Grateful Grass delivers anything-but-traditional bluegrass versions of Grateful Dead favorites. Grateful Grass often times has a rotating lineup and so far, has included collaborations with The Keels, Keith Moseley (SCI), Jeff Austin (Yonder Mountain String Band), Michael Kang (SCI), Reed Mathis (Tea Leaf Green, Mark Benevento Trio) Bill Nershi (SCI), Allie Kral, Vince Herman (Leftover Salmon), Sam Grisman, Love Canon, The Infamous Stringdusters and the Hillbenders.

In 2008, the original Grateful Grass members (Keller, Jeff Austin and Keith Moseley) recorded a live performance at The Fillmore in Denver, CO. 100% of the proceeds from REX (Live at the Fillmore) went to benefit The Rex Foundation, the charitable non-profit started by the Grateful Dead.

In 2010 Grateful Grass took the stage at Delfest for the first live appearance since 2008. In 2013, Grateful Grass ft. Keller, Jeff Austin, Keith Moseley and Michael Kang reunited to benefit the Rex Foundation once again at The Fillmore in San Francisco for the event, Nightfall of Diamonds. Once again this performance was recorded and DOS was released in 2014. All proceeds continue to benefit the Rex Foundation.

“Different collaborations of Grateful Grass will pop up from time to time as playing this music this way is such a blast that it probably should be illegal.” — Kw

Keller Williams solo*

Virginian, Keller Williams, released his first album in 1994, FREEK, and has since given each of his albums a single syllable title: BUZZ, SPUN, BREATHE, LOOP, LAUGH, HOME, DANCE, STAGE, GRASS, DREAM, TWELVE, LIVE, ODD, THIEF, KIDS, BASS, PICK, FUNK, VAPE, SYNC, RAW, SANS, ADD, SPEED, CELL and GRIT. Each title serves as a concise summation of the concept guiding each project. Keller’s albums reflect his pursuit to create music that sounds like nothing else. Un-beholden to conventionalism, he seamlessly crosses genre boundaries. The end product is music that encompasses rock, jazz, funk and bluegrass, and always keeps the audience on their feet. Keller built his reputation initially on his engaging live performances, no two of which are ever alike. For most of his career he has performed solo. His stage shows are rooted around Keller singing his compositions and choice cover songs, while accompanying himself on acoustic guitar, bass, guitar synthesizer and drum samples; a technique called live phrase sampling or “looping”. The end result often leans toward a hybrid of alternative folk and groovy electronica, a genre Keller jokingly calls “acoustic dance music” or ADM.” Keller’s constant evolution has led to numerous band projects as well; Keller & The Keels, Grateful Grass, KWahtro, Keller and the Travelin’ McCourys, Grateful Gospel and More Than A Little to name a few. Keller can be found playing clubs and festivals around the U.S. with these projects throughout the year.

Ivan & Friends*

Krasno moore project*.

Grammy Award-winning guitarist Eric Krasno and Grammy Award-winning drummer Stanton Moore celebrate women musicians worldwide through their debut joint album Krasno/Moore Project: Book of Queens. The Concord Jazz release is the first official studio collaboration between the longtime friends, who have known each other since the mid-90s. After sharing a stage during last year’s Jazz Fest, Krasno and Moore set off to create a new body of work that would make their wives proud. They teamed up with organist Eric Finland to recreate some of their favorite songs by musical queens. The result is a stunning collection of covers that sound vaguely familiar, yet quite unlike anything you’ve ever heard before.

Chali 2na & Cut Chemist

Chali 2na and Cut Chemist have been inseparable for 35 years. It all started in 1987 when they formed their first group UNITY Committee just a couple years after Chali move from Chicago to Los Angeles.

In 1994 they combined forces with local rap group Rebels Of Rhythm to form Jurassic 5. Although J5 was in full swing making music and doing shows, Chali and Cut also were founding members of the fusion Latin group Ozomatli in 1995. Since then the two have been busy with both groups and still managed to find time to separate and embark in solo careers on the side. Cut Chemist went on to do remixes and features for such acts as DJ Shadow, Less Than Jake and Blackalicious. Chali also explored his rap prowess with such acts as Roots Manuva, Lyrics Born, Slightly Stoopid and Galactic just to name a few. Separately they also landed solo deals with Interscope and Warner Brothers.

The two have kept busy with their own separate careers while always finding time to collaborate. It’s a 35 year old friendship that manifests into music and art.

For the last three years they’ve been doing a special collaborative performance that tells the story of their lives in music together. The catalogue is as endless as the time they spent together creating over the years.

TAUK Moore Ft. The Horn Section*

New York based rock-fusion band TAUK is teaming up with vocalist Kanika Moore of Doom Flamingo for a string of dates. After a number of highly energetic and powerful live collaborations including Electric Forest in 2018, Peach Festival and Resonance Festival in 2021, they decided to jump in the studio and write a song, which turned into Kanika spending two weeks with the band resulting in Moore songs. The tunes conjured up during this session are the basis of the TAUK Moore tour coming to a town near you.

TAUK has been painting with sound for nearly a decade now, pushing boundaries and reinventing themselves every chance they get. Founded by Dolan, Jalbert, and Carter, who began playing together as middle schoolers on Long Island, the band landed on its present incarnation in 2012, when college pal Teel joined full time.

Since then, the quartet has gone on to tour with the likes of Umphrey’s McGee, Widespread Panic, and Lettuce, landed festival slots everywhere from Bonnaroo to Electric Forest, racked up millions of streams across platforms, and garnered extensive critical praise with a series of widely lauded studio and live albums. The Washington Post hailed the band’s music as “a hard-charging, often melodic fusion that—thanks to a penchant for improv—offers limitless possibilities,” while Keyboard Magazine declared that their sound “doesn’t adhere to a single genre but, instead, creates its own,” and Relix dubbed them “an incredibly impressive ensemble of talent.”

Cimafunk is a Grammy-nominated, Afro-Cuban Rockstar. His name refers to his heritage as a “cimarrón,” Cubans of African descent who resisted and escaped slavery, as well as to the essence of his music that aims to subvert classical Cuban rhythms with innovative mixes of funk, afrobeat and hip hop. Cimafunk has received overwhelming praise touring the U.S. and Europe, making a name for himself as one of today’s great showman, performing an electric live show with La Tribu, his 9-person band from Havana. His live show is a celebration of groove and an unforgettable sonic and bodily experience. Cimafunk is redefining contemporary Cuban music as well as Afro-Latin identity and the fusion of black cultures. His latest album, El Alimento, was nominated at the 2023 GRAMMY Awards for Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album.

Jimi’s Dead*

Perpetual groove, daniel donato’s cosmic country.

There are a lot of musical influences and sources that Daniel Donato has drawn on during his career and that inform  Reflector  (Retrace Music), the Nashville guitarist-singer-songwriter- band leader’s first all-original album. But within those Donato has carved out a unique and individualized spot for himself, one that speaks to the deep American music heritage that inspires him — and that he’s pushing towards the future with inspired, intentional vigor.

He calls it Cosmic Country, a moniker that’s both self-descriptive and a statement of purpose. It’s an organic rock band aesthetic with plenty of roadhouse twang, a showcase for Donato’s instrumental virtuosity and facility for melodically infectious songcraft. Bridging Nashville and the Great West, Kentucky and mid-60s northern California, tie-dye and plaid, it’s a world of his own, and wide world of musical adventure at that.

“I think Cosmic Country is a tale as old as time, really,” Donato explains. “It’s yin and yang in a musical form. It’s three chords and the truth, and then on the other side it’s exploration and bravery. I really went through a lot of years of grinding, and still am, to achieve this sound which is a vehicle for my personality, and the personality is a vehicle for my soul. So ( Reflector ) is more that than any other record I ever put out.”

Reflector’s  15 songs offer 66 minutes of ecstatic musical immersion. It’s an  album  in the classic sense of the word, tracks that are individually memorable but sound even better coming one after the other and make the sum greater than the total of its parts. “We’re touching on a lot with this record, which is also why there’s so many songs on it,” acknowledges Donato, whose stinging Fender Telecaster tone is the strongest glue of continuity throughout — and is positively screaming on tracks such as “Gotta Get Southbound” and “Dance in the Desert Pt. 2.” “If you’re the kind of person who wants to listen to a record and have a record be a companion with you, then  Reflector  is going to vibrate in your frequency.”

Donato’s own musical frequency was tuned at a young age, while growing up in Nashville. His father “picked around a guitar a small bit;” more importantly, he instilled in his son a discerning taste for quality music, filling his son’s ears with legendary music of all genres. The rock meanwhile, came from Guitar Hero; the game was crucial to broadening Donato’s vistas of listening to JImi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Stevie Ray Vaughan, et al, as well as a particular attraction to Guns N’ Roses’ “Paradise City. “Those players stuck with me and gave me my first foundation of guitar,” says Donato, whose father taught him his first chords on one of his old guitars. “I was a strange kid — still am a strange person. I really didn’t have any friends that got me, but the guitar understood me, and I had a vision for what my life could be.”

It was Papa Donato who suggested the fledgling and industriously minded (even at just 14) artist start busking in Nashville’s lower Broadway area and outside concerts, for eight hours at a time on the weekends. After one of those sessions the two happened by Robert’s Western World, a legendary honky-tonk where local mainstay the Don Kelly Band was onstage – which was also Donato’s first time playing a Telecaster, through a Fender amplifier no less. “I played country songs and fell in love with it,” says Donato, who became a member of the band, playing four hours a night at Robert’s (464 shows in total). “Their songbook was that of my main influences still to this day — Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Bob Wills, Marty Robbins, Bill Monroe, traditional bluegrass music, Hank Williams Sr. — old-timey music with real stories and emotions that everybody has. It just hooked me right away.”

Another piece of the puzzle came through later in Donato’s teenage years — the Grateful Dead, thanks to a high school American History teacher who gave him a pile of bootleg recordings when he was 18. “When I discovered Jerry Garcia, there’s really never been anyone who writes like that,” says Donato. “From there I went on to discover Bob Dylan and all the great writers and made me want to make  that  part of what I did as well.”

The whole package of player, singer, writer and band leader was in place when Donato began working on his own during 2018. It was on display via his first album,  A Young Man’s Country in 2020 but refined on  Reflector , which features all original songs and finds Donato and his band – Nathan Aronowitz (keyboards/vocals), Will McGee (bass/vocals) and Noah Miller (drums and percussion) –honed from playing more than 200 shows during 2022, after the Covid lockdowns had lifted. That allowed Donato to not just play again but also to road test the songs that would comprise the album and expand the audience.

“We were home for less than two weeks between January and September of 2022,” says Donato. “There was the existential necessity of going through a staggering amount of growth. All those shows and all those hours of experience really curated my values as an artist. That informed my composition, informed my band-leading…everything that goes into making music that has real value and impact.”

Donato had good help in achieving that on  Reflector ; he enlisted producer Vance Powell, a six-time Grammy Award winner whose eclectic resume ranges from Chris Stapleton and Martina McBride to Phish and Clutch to Buddy Guy and the Jack White universe of the White Stripes, the Raconteurs and the Dead Weather. They’d actually met when Donato was a teen playing at Robert’s, and he remembers Powell telling him that “one day you’re gonna make a record, and I want to work with you,” which made him the perfect candidate to help Donato achieve his far-reaching vision this time out.

“Vance was on damn near every record I enjoyed,” he  notes. “He seemed like the only logical choice to take a band that has country songs and old-timey folky songs that also jams and organize it into a digestible piece.”

It’s hard to find a more concise summation of  Reflector  than that. It kicks off with the joyous Southern rock roll of “Lose Your Mind,” a sound echoed in other tracks — especially the harmony-laden “High Country” — and gets high ‘n’ lonesome on “Halfway in Between.” “Double Exposure’s” slinky funk is accented by dueling guitar lines, while “Half Moon Night” and the instrumental “Sugar Leg Rag” feel like a contemporary incarnation of Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys. “Gotta Get Southbound,” weighing in at nearly eight minutes, dances through its ebb and flow dynamics, and “Faded Lovin’” echoes the organic majesty of The Band. Donato and company get their cosmic on with both hip-swaying parts of “Dance in the Desert” — one more acoustic, the other a trippy electric opus — and the richly melodic odyssey “Weathervane.”

Reflector  — which features Nashville pedal steel legend Paul Franklin on four tracks  — also reflects “the work I did on myself and the work I did on my art” during the past three years, according to Donato. “I really started discovering new psychological and ritual domains I wasn’t really aware of,” he explains. “The whole concept of  Reflector  is of a duality. The entire world that you see externally is a reflection of your internal world, so you have this internal world you exist in and this external world you exist in, and that’s what this work is about. I like dualities; it allows me to see where each side of the fence post is, and I can paint in the middle.”

The middle of anything has never sounded as engrossing and beguiling as Donato makes it on  Reflector . These are songs that prompt a listener to hit “repeat” and that stick with you long after they’ve finished playing. They hit the heart, the soul, the mind — and the cosmos, making it the kind of trip you won’t want to end any time soon.

Song by timeless song Eggy reaches out a hand, inviting you along as a great story unfolds. Eggy’s music traces the full spectrum of emotions evoked by a life well-lived alongside friends well-loved.

Ryan Montbleau Band*

For as long as he can remember, Ryan Montbleau’s been a seeker. From the jungles of Peru to the volcanoes of Hawaii, from the beaches of Costa Rica to the streets of Brooklyn, from the backseat of a 16-passenger van to backstage at Carnegie Hall, the acclaimed singer/songwriter has spent much of his life crisscrossing the globe on a perpetual search for meaning, purpose, and understanding. It’s a quest that’s guided him both personally and professionally over the years, one that’s come to define not only his music, but his very sense of self.

Cool Cool Cool*

Cool Cool Cool blends the best of Funk, House, and R&B to create a sound that is truly unique. With dynamic female-led vocals, a tight horn section, swirling synths, and a rhythm section that lays down a wicked groove, this band knows how to deliver an electrifying performance. When you see Cool Cool Cool in person, you’ll be swept up by the energy of their music and unforgettable live show.

After spending more than a decade traveling the world together with the touring act Turkuaz, the members of Cool Cool Cool decided to team up and form their own band in 2022. Their shared experiences, from playing dive bars to international festival stages, helped them develop a close bond that goes far beyond music. In Cool Cool Cool, this bond translates into a powerful synergy that allows each band member to showcase their individual talents, creativity, and passion.

Lebo’s Yacht Rock*

Dan “Lebo” Lebowitz is psyched to return to Jam Cruise 20 with a pair of sets, one featuring his own music, and the other being the return of the fan fav, Lebo’s All Star Yacht Rock at Sea!! Lebo is a six-string slinger and singer known for his one of a kind versatility, deft songcraft, and irresistible charm. Possessing a signature tone, the vehicle for his fluid, buttery sound is a flat top acoustic guitar that he has personally sliced and diced into an electric flat top, with a vintage style humbucker pickup. Inherently committed to an improvisational approach, Lebo embodies the realm of melodic and soulful sounds.

Próxima Parada

Próxima Parada means ‘next stop’ in Spanish and Portuguese. As college students in San Luis Obispo, California taking the bus to school, at every stop they’d hear, “Now approaching, próxima parada…” 100 times a day. After ten years of next stops, their songs have become more and more focused on personal growth and groove, where each player adds just what’s needed and makes up a piece of a whole. Some songs are sunny and light-hearted indie soul, others have a late-Mac-Miller mellow vibe, all the while speaking to who they are working to be. 2023 will bring Próxima Parada’s strongest album to date and much touring.

Big Richard

What began as an all-female festival collab quickly morphed into a serious passion project driven by sisterhood, harmony and humor…along with the shared desire to rage fiddle tunes and smash the patriarchy.

Big Richard is a neo-acoustic super group made up of four well established Colorado musicians: Bonnie Sims on mandolin (Bonnie & Taylor Sims/Everybody Loves An Outlaw/Bonnie & the Clydes), Joy Adams on cello (Nathaniel Rateliff/Darol Anger/Half Pelican), Emma Rose on bass + guitar (Sound of Honey/Daniel Rodriguez/Whippoorwill) and Eve Panning on fiddle (Lonesome Days).

Formed in late 2021, the band gained immediate notoriety for their charismatic stage presence and their vocal/instrumental prowess. After selling out all of their club shows Big Richard quickly started confirming festival appearances across America.

Magic Beans

Magic Beans have a passion for music that is as infectious as their songs, both of which have gained them national notoriety in a short time. The band honors the wide diaspora of American music by incorporating the flavors of funk, R’n’B, rock, soul, and even some country influence into a complete package that is noticeably their own. Their latest release, Unzipped, is an all instrumental tribute to lo-fi recording techniques, hip hop beat tapes, and 90’s neo-soul. Previous studio releases like, Slice of Life, showcase the bands’ depth of songwriting and composition as well as their knack for catchy lyrics. The Beans have extensively toured their analog dance music and neo-jam across the whole country, earning them an expansive fanbase.

Seamlessly combining the familiar tones and accessible sounds of the past with a modern spin makes the band a hit with music fans of any generation. Their soulful songs and entrancing dance grooves will fill your cup and leave you wanting more. Intended to move your body and your heart, the band draws you in with their music and their wonderful fanbase, Team Bean, makes sure you stick around. With an impressive repertoire of 100+ songs and resume of 1000+ shows in their wake as a young group, Magic Beans are sure to be one of those bands you’ll keep your ear on for a long time.

The Sweet Lillies*

The Sweet Lillies’ music is, first and foremost, heartfelt and collaborative. Those defining traits are given life by the quartet of musicians who make up the Lillies, Julie Gussaroff, Becca Bisque, Dustin Rohleder and Jones Maynard. Together they have combined their individual strengths to deliver powerful narratives of life in song. With their newly formed lineup of guitar, viola, upright bass, drums and ethereal vocal harmonies that float like a dream, the Sweet Lillies’ music has a hard hitting original flavor with a forward-looking eye.

Diggin Dirt

This seven-piece band emerging from behind the redwood curtain in Humboldt County, California is skyrocketing through the west coast music scene. Shoveling out their own path, and consistently wowing audiences and filling concert venues, Diggin Dirt is no ordinary funk and soul band. Their sounds explode off the stage with a pure authentic energy, and once they have you in their clutches, the relentless dance party does not let up. Their intoxicating and infectious sound is fueled by a blazing horn section, pulsating rhythms, and searing guitars, that when combined into one, have been known to entice even the shyest of wallflowers to start movin and groovin. Tying it all together, is the band’s frontman, who is in possession of the pipes, charisma, moves, and natural-born-soul, and launches this ensemble into rarefied air. Behold, as they layer humble influences of psychedelic rock, Motown soul, Afrobeat, and even reggae, atop a sturdy foundation of late 60’s inspired funk music. You might have flashes of James Brown or Sly and the Family Stone, Otis Redding or Tower of Power, but make no mistake that you are in the presence of spine-tingling originality.

J & The Causeways

At the core of soul music is a vibrant, embracing spirit, one aimed at connecting the dots of humanity that reside on both sides of the microphone.

“It doesn’t matter if there are 10 people in the audience or a 1,000,” says Jordan Anderson, lead singer/keyboardist for J & The Causeways. “It’s that sacrifice we make of our art, so that people can feel it that much harder the first time they hear you.”

In a serendipitous sequence of events, J & The Causeways was formed at the legendary Maple Leaf Bar in New Orleans. A juggernaut soul/R&B ensemble, the group is filled with heavy backbeats and a soaring horn section, all swirling around the magnetic vocal stylings of Anderson.

The HillBenders*

“Bluegrass meets Rock n Roll” in this acoustic sextet shaped in Springfield, MO, the heart of The Ozarks. Much like your favorite t-shirt, The HillBenders just feel good. Romping through the musical thicket with over 15 years of touring underfoot, the original 5 members remain steadfast while recently adding revered drummer John Anderson to their live and studio efforts. With a feather filled cap of accolades The HillBenders continue to spread joy musically with their high-energy performances, diverse song catalog, and a slice of humor making way for what appears to be more of a brotherhood than a business – and each audience they play for becomes a part of that family. Original music and mash-up projects like their “WhoGrass” show, along with collaborations with Keller Williams’ on Grateful Grass, PettyGrass, and KellerGrass, keep The HillBenders busy at festivals, theaters, and performing arts centers across the USA and the world!

Mike D Super Jam*

Mike Dillon is a Texas Bred and Spread percussionist who spends most of his time in New Orleans hitting on percussion instruments with savory characters like Johnny Vidacovich, James Singleton, Stanton Moore, Brad Walker and Brian Haas. He spends way too much time on tour in his Chevy van and the Kansas City based artist Peregrine Honig calls him Suitcase Man. Coincidentally, they are married and make lots of art together. Lately, Mike has been playing with Rickie Lee Jones, Les Claypool’s Bastard jazz, Punkadelick, and Nolatet.

Everyone Orchestra*

Everyone Orchestra is a masterfully conducted, fully spontaneous explosion of live music created by a rotating cast of world renowned musicians and led by conductor Matt Butler. Each show is 100% unique, as a carefully curated lineup of performers is guided through high energy, danceable grooves and beautiful songs that you won’t believe are created on the fly under the creative leadership of Matt’s cues and improvised whiteboard directives.

20 Years in, with over 1,000 different musicians joining in, EO continues to create in completely unique ways. Unlike other one-off “super jams”, Everyone Orchestra does not borrow from other artists’ song lists, but rather draws on the funky, jazzy, soulful, electronic, and Americana roots of the musicians who come together in a consistently stunning display of raw talent and imaginative improvisation. Having conducted members of bands ranging from the Grateful Dead to The Meters, Ween, King Crimson, Phish, Jane’s Addiction, String Cheese Incident and hundreds more, Matt Butler has mastered the art of drawing the best and most multi-dimensional talents of performers from all genres and backgrounds, pulling the sounds together in an extraordinary cohesive music experience. EO is thrilled to join in the epic celebration of Jam Cruise 20!

The theorem of turntablist as musician has been long proven in the capable hands of DJ Logic, whom with jazz as his foundation has become a wax innovator by crossing genres and mixing his sound across the map. As one of the world’s most accomplished turntablists, DJ Logic is widely credited for introducing jazz into the hip–hop realms and is considered by most as a highly-respected session musician and an innovative bandleader.

DJ Soul Sister

DJ Soul Sister is an internationally-known, veteran DJ artist, whose broadcast programs and live performances feature her personal collection of thousands of vinyl records, which earned her a spot in the book Dust & Grooves: Adventures in Record Collecting.

A native of New Orleans, Soul Sister has hosted her Soul Power show on WWOZ FM New Orleans for 25 years (as of 2020), and has hosted internationally-aired radio programs on Sonos Radio and Worldwide FM, among others. She has been a crate digger and vinyl collector ever since she was six years old.

And as a DJ artist who self-produced her first event in 1997, her infamous sets and parties (such as the HUSTLE! party) led to her tenure as one of the longest-running DJ artists in her hometown. Notably, her sets only feature the music she loves, as she improvisationally and skillfully mixes, blends, and beat-matches vinyl-only selections of 1970s – mid-1980s R&B, funk, soul, rare groove, underground disco, jazz fusion, true school hip hop, and more.

Marc Brownstein

Duane betts.

Duane Betts is an American guitarist and singer-songwriter. The Sarasota, Florida native cut his teeth as a teen sitting-in regularly with Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees, The Allman Brothers Band, before relocating to Southern California and leading rock outfits Backbone69 and Whitestarr. Betts next spent nearly a decade playing guitar alongside his father, Dickey Betts, in his group, Great Southern. As well, he was a touring guitarist for folk-rockers Dawes, and a member of the brief supergroup, Jamtown, featuring G. Love, Donovan Frankenreiter, and Cisco Adler.

In 2018, Betts released his debut, Sketches of American Music, and toured as a guest of the Devon Allman Project. At year’s end Betts announced the formation of The Allman Betts Band, officially uniting with Allman, and with Berry D. Oakley, son of the late Allman Brothers Band founding bassist Berry Oakley.

Kanika Moore

With all of the different genres and influences that have shaped Moore, there has always been one thing about music that has stood out to her. “Most of all, I love the different ways music makes people feel.”

As the frontwoman for synth-rock powerhouse Doom Flamingo, she has captured the moving rhythms of music and intertwined them with her unique voice and fashion style. Her original tone and seamless effort are impossible to ignore. Kanika Moore is the type of entertainer who walks onto a stage with abundant talent, glowing front and center, and her path to the spotlight has been honest and well-deserved.

Cris Jacobs

From Baltimore comes Cris Jacobs — an unexpectedly gritty soul-blues singer and guitarist with outlaw country ethos. Blending a variety of musical traditions, Jacobs creates a distinctive voice and sound of his own punctuated by emotive songwriting and explosive guitar playing. Equally at home playing heartfelt Americana ballads or funky blues rockers, Jacobs is known for his mesmerizing live shows, where his improvisational guitar playing, powerhouse band, and deep reservoir of songs make each night a unique experience. Named one of Rolling Stone’s “10 New Country Artists You Need to Know” in 2017, Jacobs has collaborated with the Grateful Dead’s Phil Lesh and Dumpstaphunk’s Ivan Neville, and earned opening slots on tours with Sturgill Simpson and Steve Winwood. In his early days coming up in Baltimore, Jacobs spent 10 years as a member of eclectic rock band The Bridge before making his debut as bandleader and sole songwriter with 2012’s Songs for Cats and Dogs, emerging with renewed focus and a refined sound. With three solo albums to his name, a collaborative record with Ivan Neville aptly titled “Neville Jacobs”, songwriting credits that include bluegrass artists Audie Blaylock and Frank Solivan, New Orleans funksters Dumpstaphunk, and gospel legends Blind Boys of Alabama, Jacobs continues to evolve and display his wide range of writing and performing prowess. “No matter the song”, he says, “I just like to keep it soulful and let the music speak for itself.”

Adryon de León

Adryon de León (Orgōne, Matador! Soul Sounds) is currently a featured principal vocalist/performer for the Disneyland Resort as well as a founding member of Pulp Friction, an extension of LA-based The Main Squeeze.

Adryon has contributed original vocals to Neal Francis, The New Mastersounds, The Humidors, feature films, and commercial sessions. Her featured vocals can also be found on the song “If Only You Could Save Me” on the Mank Motion Picture Soundtrack, composed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, submitted for Oscar consideration in December 2020.

Released January 2021 on Color Red, Adryon’s first solo single “Ally” is a call to arms for everyone fighting for racial equality and social justice. Available everywhere.

Lyle Divinsky

Lyle Divinsky made his living in the New York City subways for over 5 years. While singing underground by day and above ground by night, he slowly crafted his self-released album, Uneven Floors, which launched him into ears around the globe – reaching #2 on the UK Soul Charts and radio in every continent.

He wasn’t able to tour around it though, because within weeks of the release, he was picked up by the Colorado funk powerhouse, The Motet, which took him to some of the biggest stages in the country – from Red Rocks and Madison Square Garden to legendary venues like Tipitina’s in New Orleans and The Fillmore in San Francisco, as well as festivals like BottleRock, Summercamp, Electric Forest, Bumbershoot, Jam Cruise, and so many more.

He has truly taken his music from Subways to Stadiums.

When the world shut down, it gave us all time to pause and reflect upon who we are, what drives us… to recognize the complexities of this world and what it is to live in it. This drove Lyle into one of the most prolific creative periods of his life. The only thing… none of it was in the funk idiom, so the decision had to be made. After 5 years, 2 studio albums, 2 live albums, over 600 shows and over 10 million+ streams with The Motet, it was time to get back to his journey.

That journey has led us here. Lyle is rolling out 1 song every month in 2023, coalescing into a 4-Chapter Album Experience: Seasons. Buckle up & get your ears ready.

Elise Testone

A powerhouse vocalist whose incredible stage presence and vocal maturity rank with the best, Elise Testone is the perfect combination of soul, rock, attitude and restraint. Equally as impressive and at ease belting James Brown style vocals over a relentless funk groove as she is resting her voice gently over a ballad, Testone’s range of influences and vocal capacity Know few limits. From members of Queen and Fleetwood Mac to notable artists in the jam band scene such as Leo Nocentelli, Bernie Worrell, Brandon ‘Taz’ Niederauer, Robert Randolph, and so many more, Elise has been honored to have shared the stage and make studio recordings with so many great performers. In a world full of vocalists who seem to be acting, Elise Testone’s performance is anything but that. With her heart more exposed with every note, it’s not uncommon to find her on her knees and out of breath at the end of a hard driving soul tune – all in service of the music.

Eric Krasno

Nikki glaspie.

Sorceress. Alchemist. Beat Conductor. Funk Philosopher. Seneschal of Style. Purveyor of Pocket. Child of God. Agent of Love. Nikki Glaspie is among the premier drummers in music today. As a founding member of The Nth Power, she’s blazing a path of light, and rolling waves of love in her wake. A student of J Dilla, James Brown, Led Zepplin, Earth, Wind & Fire, Gospel traditions, and all points between, Nikki Glaspie has toured the world as the drummer of Beyonce’s backing band SUGA MAMA, trotting the globe behind the likes of Maceo Parker, Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, Martin Luther, and more. Glaspie studied at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, and credits Professor Angelamia Bachemin as her single greatest teacher/influence. For the better part of two decades, Nikki has been in-demand, with a who’s who of the jazz/funk scene. Nikki Glaspie is already a living legend, well before her fortieth birthday. Remarkably, it feels as though she has merely just begun!

Vaylor Trucks

Vaylor grew up knowing his picture is on the cover of one of the best selling southern rock albums of all time. Rather than let that fact set his musical course, Vaylor has spent decades establishing his own voice, studying and performing jazz, progressive, experimental, and avant-garde music with greats such as Pat Martino, Dweezil Zappa, Mike Keneally, Bernard Purdie, Johnny Vidacovich, and Col. Bruce Hampton, as well as establishing The Yeti Trio, an experimental fusion powerhouse for more than 20 years. But the music his family made with The Allman Brothers Band stayed with him. Now, with Brother & Sister, Vaylor is embracing his roots.

Ross James has spent the better part of the last decade on the bandstand at Terrapin Crossroads and travelling the world with Phil Lesh of the Grateful Dead. Along the way he’s shared the stage with John Scofield, Warren Haynes, Bob Weir, Jim James, John Mayer and many more. He’s a multi-instrumentalist whose main focus is guitar, but has also played bass & pedal steel in a variety of projects. Most recently, Ross & Eric Krasno started Jimi’s Dead, a mash-up of Jimi Hendrix & The Grateful Dead that Ross plays bass in.

George Porter Jr.

Jimi’s dead, matt butler, stanton moore, cookies and privacy.

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best user experience on our website.

Pearl Jam Dig Deep and Find a New Light on ‘Dark Matter’

By John Lonsdale

John Lonsdale

It kicks off with a big emotional bang: “We used to laugh/We used to sing/We used to dance/We used to believe,” Eddie Vedder sings on “Scared of Fear,” the rocking opener from Pearl Jam ’s 12th studio album, one of their best and most personal records ever. When it came time to work on their follow-up to 2020’s Gigaton , band members headed out to Rick Rubin’s Shangri-La Studios in Malibu and worked with versatile producer Andrew Watt, who helmed Vedder’s 2022 solo album, Earthling, and has worked with everyone from Iggy Pop to pop superstars like Miley Cyrus, Dua Lipa, and Post Malone. 

“We’re still looking for ways to communicate,” Vedder told listeners at an L.A. preview of the new tracks. “We’re at this time in our lives when you could do it or you could not do it, but we still care about putting something out there that is meaningful, and we hopefully think is our best work. No hyperbole, I think this is our best work.”

Editor’s picks

The 250 greatest guitarists of all time, the 500 greatest albums of all time, the 50 worst decisions in movie history, every awful thing trump has promised to do in a second term.

But Dark Matter shines brightest in its most restrained moments. Take the heartbreaking highlight “Wreckage,” a laid-back stunner complete with empathetic, Springsteen-inspired vocals, and lyrics that seem to be about holding on to a fading relationship. “Combing through the wreckage/Pouring through the sand/Surrounded by the remnants/What we could and couldn’t have,” Vedder sings.  

Trump Privately Rages About His Sketch Artist, Courtroom Nap Reports

Pink files legal action against pharrell williams over musician's proposed p.inc. trademark, come for the torture, stay for the poetry: this might be taylor swift's most personal album yet, drake drops new kendrick lamar diss track with ai tupac, snoop dogg verses.

Dark Matter ends on a meditative note with “Setting Sun,” a hopeful, transcendently gorgeous nightcap that feels like the band took a drive down from Shangri-La at the end of the day to sit in the sand, and reflect for a while as they watch the waves crash along the PCH. “May our days be long until kingdom come,” Vedder howls. “We can become one last setting sun/Am I the only one hanging on?/We could become one last setting sun/Or be the sun at the break of dawn/Let us not fade/Let us not fade.” But with Dark Matter , the band has rarely sounded more essential.

'Stereophonic' Is a Triumph That Sneakily Takes the Fleetwood Mac Story to Broadway

• in the spotlight
• By Brittany Spanos

Spice Girls Reunion Fans (Really, Really) Want Finally Happened

• thank you very much
• By Althea Legaspi

Ted Russell Kamp's Been Shooter Jennings' Secret Weapon for Years. He Steps Out on New Solo Album

• By Garret K. Woodward

Kevin Abstract, Lil Nas X Premiere New Song ‘Tennessee’ at Coachella

• Coachella 2024
• By Althea Legaspi and Julyssa Lopez

Foreign Aid Package for Ukraine, Israel… and TikTok Ban Passes House, Frustrating MAGA Republicans

• Package Deal
• By Jeremy Childs

Most Popular

The rise and fall of gerry turner's stint as abc's first 'golden bachelor', billy joel at madison square garden: how to watch the concert rebroadcast on tv and online for free, at 92 years old, photorealist painter audrey flack is having a moment, prince william’s bond with his in-laws sheds a light on his 'chilly' relationship with these royals, you might also like, spice girls reunite and perform ‘stop’ dance at victoria beckham’s 50th birthday party, barneys new york’s phyllis pressman dead at 95, the best yoga mats for any practice, according to instructors, horror overkill dooms ‘abigail’ as ‘civil war’ ekes out narrow second weekend #1, nhl skates into playoffs with 8-year ratings high, record attendance.

Rolling Stone is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2024 Rolling Stone, LLC. All rights reserved.

Verify it's you

Please log in.

"They've gone out of their way to turn up the dial and make things as heavy as possible": Pearl Jam sweep the pretenders away on Dark Matter

There’s vim and vigour aplenty from seattle survivors pearl jam on album number 12, dark matter.

You can trust Louder Our experienced team has worked for some of the biggest brands in music. From testing headphones to reviewing albums, our experts aim to create reviews you can trust. Find out more about how we review.

It’s impossible to approach a new Pearl Jam album without pausing to think of the entire scene that they came from. Since their last release, 2020’s Gigaton , we’ve lost Screaming Trees frontman Mark Lanegan , following the tragic demise of Kurt Cobain, Layne Staley, Chris Cornell and Scott Weiland, making Eddie Vedder the last of the big-name male grunge singers standing. He always seemed the most outside of the Seattle insiders group, though, less cursed with the lure of addiction or having skin just a layer too thin to cope with the pressures of fame and the world at large. There were always punk ethics in their dealings with the rock machine, yes, but Pearl Jam were unashamedly stadium-ready from day one, which could well be the secret to their longevity. 

More than three decades in, Dark Matter finds them retracing their footsteps, with producer Andrew Watt (who recently worked with the Rolling Stones – a band with even more history – on their comeback album Hackney Diamonds ) encouraging them to revisit and reevaluate the fiery, histrionic, dramatic works from their earliest and most loved albums: Ten, Vs and Vitalogy . 

It’s all there from the instantly recognisable opening jangle of Scared Of Fear , drummer Matt Cameron giving it that familiar colossal wallop to shock the whole thing into life, Vedder, in fine voice, looking back on the idealistic – yet often acerbic – scene that spawned them and acknowledging the loss and the pain the era left in its wake. It’s the essence of Pearl Jam bottled, shook up and uncorked, with Mike McCready’s Catherine wheel of guitar licks hogging attention unapologetically.

The personal-approach flip-side to the clatter of Scared Of Fear comes in the shape of Something Special , probably the band’s most openly sentimental song ever. A jaunty, Itchycoo Park of a musical amble, it finds the frontman offering fatherly advice, support and pure love to his young daughters. ‘ We believe in you ,’ he croons, setting the song up as their very own take on David Bowie ’s Kooks , and somehow coming across as sweet rather than nauseating. 

Something Special , along with the catchy Wreckage – a tasteful, gentle classic rock confection that echoes Tom Petty ’s melodicism, R.E.M. ’s swooning mid-90s strings and even touches of Fast Car by Tracy Chapman – provide the more delicate strands of the record, the latter a much more upbeat sibling of Daughter from Vs (although the post-disaster lyrics paint an entirely darker picture). 

But elsewhere they’ve gone out of their way to turn up the dial and make things as heavy as possible, not least on the title track. It’s an explosion of pounding drums, jabbing riffs, and Vedder’s fury contained by that beautifully deep vocal delivery, hitting out at the status quo and offering the sober warning: ‘ Once heard it said, and it stuck in my head, arrested the press, no one know what happened next .’ At a time when dark forces are conspiring to gag anyone attempting to hold them to account, it’s a potent statement. Running, meanwhile, is a bassheavy, jagged, punky rant in the mould of Spin The Black Circle , completely nonsensical (it seems to be something to do with sewage) but entirely magnetic. 

Vedder has come in for some stick in recent years for sometimes being indecipherable, but his voice is an astonishingly powerful instrument, full of soul, anger, compassion and intelligence. And the merciless duo of guitarists Mike McCready and Stone Gossard are taking no prisoners here, particularly the former. From the new-wave guitar line – and matching, Peter Hooky bass from Jeff Ament – of swooning love song Won’t Tell to the trademark fret fireworks of Upper Hand – a song that fades cinematically into view, dark, echoey and nostalgic – he is an absolute powerhouse, a joy to behold. 

That Pearl Jam have not only survived all these years, but thrived, taking on conglomerates and expectations along the way and continuing to draw vast crowds, is something to be celebrated. Especially as so many of their contemporaries were cruelly denied the chance to do so. 

With Dark Matter , while it could never hope to compete with the incendiary brilliance of their debut and its follow-up, they’ve painted a portrait of a band comfortable in their own skin, knowledgeable about their own strengths, and capable of not only looking back at what was great about the work they made as young men but also recapturing some of the magic that set them on – and kept them on – their path to the top of the game. They have directly inspired some truly dire pretenders to the throne in the intervening years, but Dark Matter sees them sweep those bands away, and reset and reclaim their own signature sound.

Emma has been writing about music for 25 years, and is a regular contributor to Classic Rock, Metal Hammer, Prog and Louder. During that time her words have also appeared in publications including Kerrang!, Melody Maker, Select, The Blues Magazine and many more. She is also a professional pedant and grammar nerd and has worked as a copy editor on everything from film titles through to high-end property magazines. In her spare time, when not at gigs, you’ll find her at her local stables hanging out with a bunch of extremely characterful horses.

Pearl Jam calm down a bit on new single Wreckage

Pearl Jam release frenzied new single Running, announce global cinema event

Maynard James Keenan's plans for the next 18 months? Wine, fried chicken and new songs for Tool, A Perfect Circle and Puscifer

Most Popular

Music cruises to set sail on the high seas in 2024 and 2025

Editor's Note

Rocking and rolling is not how most people prefer their cruise ships. However, if you're sailing on a music-themed cruise, rock 'n' roll is the vibe you want as you soak up some sun and cruise the world with thousands of like-minded music fans.

Music-themed cruises cover a wide array of styles, including rock, metal, country, Broadway, disco and blues. They offer a complete immersion into the world of each genre. You'll enjoy close-up encounters with your favorite artists during performances and meet-and-greets and find a sense of community from being with other fans for multiple days at sea. (Not to mention, you'll get to visit beautiful destinations in the process.)

For more cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

Note that these specialty music cruises sell out — often as soon as cabins are made available. All sold-out cruises we're featuring offer a waitlist you can join. You'll be notified if someone cancels, as well as be among the first to be alerted of on-sale dates for future sailings.

Below are 11 music-themed cruises in 2024 and 2025 that are bound to create epic memories, whether your vibe is crowd-surfing during a rock show or belting out show tunes with Broadway's best.

Note: Unless otherwise noted, cruise fares are per person, based on double occupancy, and include cruise basics like meals, select nonalcoholic beverages (water, juice, coffee and tea) and use of the fitness center, hot tubs, pools and casino, among other onboard amenities.

Soft drink and alcohol packages are available for an extra fee. Theme cruise events, such as concerts, are included, though some limited-access special events often cost extra. Fares were valid as of writing but are subject to change based on availability.

Malt Shop Memories Cruise

Cruise ship : Nieuw Amsterdam Date : Oct. 27-Nov. 3, 2024

The good ol' days can now be found sailing the Caribbean on the Malt Shop Memories Cruise. Set to take over all decks of Holland America 's Nieuw Amsterdam, the '50s and '60s music cruise will sail from Fort Lauderdale to Phillipsburg, St. Maarten, and Tortola, British Virgin Islands, with four days at sea.

Favorites set to perform on board include The Beach Boys, The Four Tops, Chubby Checker, The Coasters, Darlene Love and The Chantels. Highlights among the ship events range from a senior prom and a sock hop to game shows and karaoke.

The Malt Shop Memories Cruise is filling up fast. Rates for available cabins start at $2,349 per person for an inside cabin.

How to book : Reserve a cabin for this cruise on the Malt Shop Memories Cruise website or by calling 844-855-6258. If your preferred cabin category is currently sold out, you can join the waitlist here .

Welcome to Jamrock Reggae Cruise

Cruise ship : Independence of the Seas Date : Dec. 9-14, 2024

Maybe one stop in Jamaica isn't enough, and reggae vibes are calling your name. If so, the Welcome to Jamrock Reggae Cruise might appeal to you. This five-night cruise on Royal Caribbean 's Independence of the Seas, organized by Jamrock Productions and Rose Tours, will travel round trip from Miami to Montego Bay and Ocho Rios in Jamaica.

The entire list of performers for the December 2024 voyage hasn't been released as of this writing but so far will include Stone Love, Steelie Basement, Westafa, Seani B and Spexdaboss.

You can also take part in themed parties, soccer and domino tournaments and Jamaica-themed film screenings when you're not enjoying ship amenities like a FlowRider surf simulator, a rock climbing wall, waterslides and a bar arcade.

Welcome to Jamrock's prices start at $1,359 per person for an inside cabin, not including $399 in additional fees and taxes.

How to book : Reserve a cabin for this cruise on the Rose Tours website or by calling 215-663-8800.

Cruise ship : Carnival Magic Date : Jan. 19-25, 2025

For fans of rock and metal music, ShipRocked is a popular sailing organized by Ask4 Entertainment. The 2025 edition aboard Carnival Cruise Line 's Carnival Magic will start in Miami and include stops in St. Thomas and Half Moon Cay, the line's private island in the Bahamas.

There will be multiple stages for performances throughout the ship. The 2025 lineup will be announced soon, though top bands like Dead Poet Society, Black Stone Cherry, Highly Suspect and I Prevail performed during past cruises. Fans can enjoy one-on-one time with their favorite groups at scheduled meet-and-greets with all the bands.

Prices for ShipRocked's 2025 cruise start at $1,600 per person for an inside cabin. The fare includes access to all performances and meet-and-greets with artists.

How to book : Although this cruise is sold out, there is a waitlist. For future sailings, book through the Ask4 Entertainment Reservations portal or by calling 888-402-2754. A deposit is required to secure your spot. Ask4 Entertainment strongly suggests buying travel insurance.

Groove Cruise

Cruise ship : Allure of the Seas Date : Jan. 23-27, 2025

Electronic dance music fans 21 and older can turn up on this early 2025 Whet Travel sailing from Miami aboard Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas. The cruise visits the line's private beach, Labadee, in Haiti.

The lineup for the EDM sailing hasn't been announced, but previous performers include major headlining acts Tiësto, Diplo and John Summit, plus a remarkable list of dance music stars, such as Aly & Fila, Boris, Craig Connelly, Disco Lines, Haliene and Joel Corry.

Along with multiple music sets, Groove Cruise hosts fun theme party nights focusing on everything from an '80s prom to fire and ice.

Cabins on Groove Cruise start at around $1,549 per person for an inside cabin.

How to book : At the time of writing, the ship was mostly sold out, with fewer than 200 cabins available to book. To add your name to waitlists and be among the first to know about future sailings, head to Whet Travel's website or call 877-438-9438.

The Country Music Cruise

Cruise ship : Nieuw Amsterdam Date : Jan. 19-26, 2025

Adding more than a bit of boot-scootin' country to the cruise life, The Country Music Cruise takes over Holland America's Nieuw Amsterdam for a weeklong jamboree at sea. The voyage leaves from Fort Lauderdale, with stops in Key West, Florida, and Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico.

The artist lineup of country music favorites includes John Michael Montgomery, Deana Carter, The Bellamy Brothers, Neal McCoy and Lacy J. Dalton. This is your chance to meet and greet the country stars, join in on jam sessions and attend panel discussions. If you like to kick up your heels, you'll have plenty of opportunities for line dancing, Texas swing and two-stepping.

Cabins for The Country Music Cruise are sold out, but you can add your name to the waitlist. Rates start at $2,399, plus taxes and additional fees totaling $365, per person for an inside cabin.

How to book : To join the waitlist, head to StarVista Live's website or call 866-476-2879.

Chris Jericho's Rock 'N' Wrestling Rager at Sea

Cruise ship : Norwegian Gem Date : Jan. 31-Feb. 4, 2025

Wrestling and rock fans will love this Sixthman cruise with wrestler and musician Chris Jericho. For the fifth installment of Chris Jericho's Rock 'N' Wrestling Rager at Sea, cruisers will sail on Norwegian Cruise Line 's Norwegian Gem from Miami to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.

The 2025 lineup hasn't been announced yet beyond two musical guests, Fozzy and Kuarantine. The sailing will offer autograph sessions and host four days of wrestling matches featuring wrestlers from All Elite Wrestling.

Rates for Chris Jericho's Rock 'N' Wrestling Rager at Sea cruise start at $1,100, plus taxes, per person for an inside cabin.

How to book : Cruisers eager to jam and sit ringside can learn more on Sixthman's website or by calling 877-379-9174.

Outlaw Country Cruise 9

Cruise ship : Norwegian Gem Date : Feb. 22-28, 2025

If you're a little more country than rock 'n' roll, maybe a cruise with a country twang is the right vacation for you. In February, Norwegian Gem will host the ninth installment of the popular Outlaw Country Cruise. This Sixthman voyage will sail from Miami and stop in Nassau, Bahamas, and St. Thomas.

The ship features five different venues where notable country acts like Old Crow Medicine Show, John Hiatt, Lucinda Williams, Steve Earle and Carlene Carter will perform. Along with endless concerts, passengers can enjoy activities like yoga classes and film screenings.

The cruise is sold out and is waitlist only. Rates start at $1,465 per person for an inside cabin.

How to book : For more information or to join the waitlist, check out Sixthman's sign-up page or call 877-379-9189.

Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea X

Cruise ship : Norwegian Gem Date : March 21-26, 2025

For blues and jazz fans, Sixthman also offers the Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea X cruise, which sails from Miami and stops in Harvest Caye, Belize, and Costa Maya, Mexico. Aboard Norwegian Gem, passengers will have access to ship amenities like pools and a casino in addition to special music events.

The lineup for the cruise features musicians like Joe Bonamassa, Samantha Fish, Eric Gales, Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Larkin Poe and Thunderstorm Artis. More artists will be announced closer to the sail date.

There will also be collaboration shows from some of the artists on board, as well as autograph sessions for fans to meet their favorite musicians.

Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea X is sold out and waitlist only. Join the waitlist, as cancellations do occur. You'll also be among the first to be alerted about future sailings. The rates for the 2025 cruise start at $1,630 per person for an inside cabin.

How to book : To join the waitlist, visit Sixthman's sign-up page or call 877-379-9170.

The Broadway Cruise 3

Cruise ship : Norwegian Gem Date : March 31-April 4, 2025

Tony Award-winning Broadway stars are coming aboard for Sixthman's third Broadway Cruise, which will sail round trip from Miami to Cozumel, Mexico. Aboard Norwegian Gem, passengers will have access to ship amenities like pools and a waterslide, a climbing wall and a casino, plus many special concerts, events and insider panels.

The lineup for the 2025 Broadway Cruise hasn't been announced yet, though last year's cruise featured Tony Award winners like Christian Borle, Matt Doyle and Santino Fontana, as well as Broadway A-listers Phillipa Soo, Norm Lewis and Daphne Rubin-Vega.

Expect plenty of fun Broadway-themed events, including a Broadway pub crawl and show tune singalongs, plus autograph sessions for fans to meet their favorite Broadway stars.

Prices are not published as of this writing, but expect them to hover around $1,600 per person for an inside cabin.

How to book : To join the presale, visit Sixthman's sign-up page or call 877-379-9172.

'70s Rock & Romance Cruise

Cruise ship : Celebrity Summit Date : March 15-22, 2025

The best of the '70s lives on as music icons from that rockin' era show they've still got it on the '70s Rock & Romance Cruise. This weeklong getaway on Celebrity Cruises ' Celebrity Summit, organized by StarVista Live, will sail from Fort Lauderdale to Cozumel and Costa Maya in Mexico.

The lineup of '70s rock legends includes Air Supply, Kansas, The Guess Who, Melissa Manchester, The Family Stone and Dire Straits Legacy. They'll be performing, hosting events and attending special meet-and-greets.

The top-tier music acts join a long lineup of rock 'n' roll icons. The cruise will feature days filled with concerts, artist Q&A sessions, panel discussions and game shows.

Available rooms start at $2,449, plus taxes and additional fees of $365, per person for an inside cabin.

How to book : To book a cabin, head to StarVista Live's website or call 844-466-7625.

Ultimate Disco Cruise and Beyond

Cruise ship : Norwegian Pearl Date : Feb. 19-25, 2025

Jam out at sea to the greatest disco anthems as Ultimate Disco Cruise and Beyond returns for a fifth year in 2025. The six-night cruise is an immersive, nonstop music festival with legendary music acts performing and hosting events throughout Norwegian Pearl. The round-trip itinerary from Miami includes port stops in Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico.

The 2025 lineup includes Kool & The Gang, Shalamar, Lisa Lisa, George McCrae, Boogie Wonder Band, Rose Royce and other classic disco acts. In addition to more than 40 live performances, entertainment will include dance and costume parties, theme nights, dance contests and game shows. Passengers will appreciate the opportunity to go behind the music as artists sit for intimate Q&A sessions, panel discussions and meet-and-greets.

Prices for Ultimate Disco Cruise and Beyond start at $1,799 per person for an inside cabin, not including $300 per person in taxes and port fees.

How to book : Head to Ultimate Disco Cruise and Beyond's website to reserve your cabin soon, as the ship is filling up fast.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

• The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
• A beginners guide to picking a cruise line
• The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
• The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise
• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
• Top ways cruisers waste money
• The ultimate guide to choosing a cruise ship cabin

• Enable Accessibility

• 00800 0310 21 21 1-855-577-9489 1-877-288-3037 1-877-288-3037 1-877-474-2969
• | NCL Travel Blog">11-Reasons to Cruise to Alaska this Summer | NCL Travel Blog
• | Norwegian Cruise Line">14-Day Authentic Alaska - Northbound Cruise Tour | Norwegian Cruise Line
• | Deck Plans | Norwegian Cruise Line">14-Day Authentic Alaska - Southbound Cruise Tour | Deck Plans | Norwegian Cruise Line
• | Norwegian Cruise Line">20-Day Transpacific from Tokyo (Yokohama) & Alaska | Norwegian Cruise Line
• | NCL Travel Blog">11 Reasons to Cruise to Alaska this Summer | NCL Travel Blog
• View All Results
• Preferences
• Latitudes Rewards
• Special Offers
• Personalised Recommendations
• Make reservations before you cruise
• 1 (current)

* Terms & Conditions Package not available on sailings less than 5 days or charter sailings.

• 00800 0310 21 21

Music Themed Cruises

Comedy themed cruises, sports themed cruises, other themed cruises, themed cruises.

• Email Sign Up For Special Offers
• Phone Let Us Call You

Experience themed cruises and cruise music festivals at sea designed to set the stage for moments that make life rock!

There's nothing out there that can beat the adventure, excitement and allure of a cruise holiday - except a themed cruise!

Enjoy the best in live entertainment whilst cruising on some of the most innovative ships at sea by booking one of these sailings. It'll prove to be the ultimate holiday experience. View the list of current offerings below for more information on how to book these cruises.

Utopia Carnival Cruise & Festival | April 28 – May 8, 2024

MIAMI TO ST THOMAS Norwegian Breakaway

Experience an unforgettable ten-day party spree with Utopia Carnival Cruise & Festival, as we set sail from Miami to the heart of St. Thomas' carnival season on April 28th, 2024! Dive into electrifying land festivals, climaxing with our "Unity Festival" at Crown Bay on May 5th. Witness global sensation Burna Boy, Morgan Heritage, DJ Puffy, and more!

The Utopia Carnival Cruise & Festival ushers a new era of entertainment tourism, serving up a broad and eclectic array of engaging events. As a nexus of multicultural festivities, Utopia Carnival affords guests the opportunity to immerse themselves in an unparalleled selection of music and entertainment choices. Experience the 2024 carnival thrill!

Salsa Cruise | November 1-5, 2024

Norwegian Gem

Miami to Nassau & Grand Stirrup Cay

Salsa Cruise is celebrating its 26th annual Salsa festival, and we want you to be part of this incredible experience! Sailing from Miami to Nassau and Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas on November 1 - 5, 2024 aboard Norwegian Gem.

Dance, sing, explore, relax, drink, and be ready to have fun! Enjoy different programmes onboard, including top salsa performances by Charlie Aponte, Luisito Carrion, and Josimar Fidel, live DJs, salsa dance workshops, comedians, and much more. You don't need to be a professional dancer; just be ready to have a blast and create memories that will last a lifetime!

Sail Across the Sun | February 13-17, 2025

MIAMI TO COZUMEL, MEXICO Norwegian Gem

Break out the bubbles and vino - and raise a full glass as we toast to a music-filled celebration at sea for Train's 8th Edition of Sail Across the Sun! Sailing February 13-17, 2025, from Miami to adventure-filled Cozumel, Mexico, aboard Norwegian Gem, this 4-day floating festival at sea brings together an incredible lineup of artists including Matt Nathanson, Yacht Rock Revue, Jon Foreman of Switchfoot, The Dan Band, and more!

Ultimate Disco Cruise and Beyond | February 19-24, 2025

MIAMI – COZUMEL – COSTA MAYA Norwegian Pearl

The Ultimate Disco Cruise and Beyond is BACK for its 5th Anniversary sailing! Celebrate the Greatest Dance, Soul, Funk & Party Music Ever for five nights with over 40 live performances including Kool & the Gang, The Spinners, Shalamar, Tavares, Rose Royce, the Brothers Johnson, Lisa Lisa, The Legendary Blue Notes, and many more.

Join us as you dance back to everyone's favourite era of music where Norwegian Pearl will be transformed into a floating dance club!

Keeping The Blues Alive At Sea X | March 21-26, 2025

MIAMI TO HARVEST CAYE, BELIZE AND COSTA MAYA, MEXICO Norwegian Gem

The BIGGEST BLUES ROCK PARTY AT SEA just got even BIGGER! To celebrate 10 incredible years, Keeping The Blues Alive at Sea will be sailing for FIVE FULL DAYS in 2025 with some of the best live music in the world. Join your fellow blues community and our host, Joe Bonamassa, with an ALL-STAR LINEUP for our 10th-anniversary extravaganza. Sailing March 21-26, 2025, Norwegian Gem will carry us from Miami, Florida, to TWO tropical destinations: Harvest Caye, Belize & Costa Maya, Mexico. Get ready for an adventure of five days & nights packed to the brim with live shows, rare collaborations, and unique activities that can only be experienced on board. With the backdrop of amazing Norwegian amenities like serene spa services, loads of dining options, shopping, and refreshing cocktails, you'll feel like a legend yourself.

Bananaland At Sea | October 14-18, 2024

MIAMI TO GREAT STIRRUP CAY & NASSAU Norwegian Jade

The greatest show in sports is hitting the high seas! Join us for Bananaland at Sea, sailing October 14-18, 2024 from Miami to Nassau and Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas! Get ready to Go Bananas on this 4-day, fully immersive experience where the Savannah Bananas, the Party Animals, and the entire cast will be up to their usual antics- singing, dancing, banana tossing, and so much more. Score countless opportunities to strike up conversations with your favourite players and crew, participate in epic activities and games, and catch daily performances that'll leave you awestruck aboard this unforgettable trip.

Chris Jericho’s Rock ‘N’ Wrestling Rager at Sea: Six On The Beach | January 31 – February 4, 2025

MIAMI TO COSTA MAYA Norwegian Gem

Sixth time's a charm, Ragers! That's right, we're coming back for the 6th voyage of Chris Jericho's Rock 'N' Wrestling Rager at Sea: Six on the Beach! We'll commandeer the Norwegian Gem January 31 - February 4, 2025. Starting in Miami and making our way down to Costa Maya, Mexico, get your sandy cheeks ready for table-slamming fan-favourites: an onboard wrestling ring, vibrant performances from musicians and comedians we love, and exclusive access to talent-hosted escapades. Even Poseidon gets down & dirty, so you should, too!

Hallmark Channel Christmas Cruise | November 5-9, 2024

Miami to Nassau

Pack your bags for the holiday of a lifetime as you experience the magic of a Hallmark Channel Christmas with your favourite Hallmark stars! On board, immerse yourself in Christmas crafts, participate in interactive talent panels, and enjoy an exclusive premiere of a new Hallmark Channel holiday movie from the comfort of our world-class theatre at sea. Create everlasting memories with your family, friends, and fellow Hallmark Channel fans with a festival of fun!