Photography Reviews

Concert Review: Monsters of Rock Cruise – Day 2

By Shannon Wilk / May 14, 2023

After the rained-out day 1 of the Monsters of Rock Cruise, the forecast still wasn’t looking too good. But nonetheless the rock show went on, just excluding outdoor shows until it was announced that the pool deck was finally open! You could hear cheers throughout the ship as people filed into the elevators to head up and catch the first outdoor show of the week. But before we get to that, let’s talk about Michael Schenker, Junkyard and Burning Witches!

Legendary German guitarist Michael Schenker is known for his work with the Scorpions and UFO as well as MSG and more. His first set on the Monsters of Rock Cruise was in the Royal Theater at 1PM. Schenker and his band tore through iconic UFO tunes like Doctor Doctor, Rock Bottom and many more. While ripping on his Dean Flying V Guitar, Michael Schenker and his stellar band brought the energy and the technique necessary for any and all MSG tunes. 

My MORC adventures took me from the guitar-driven classic rock sound of Michael Schenker to the grittier, down-and-dirty rock n’ roll sound of Hollywood’s own Junkyard. The band took the stage promptly at 2PM in Studio B. Managing to squeeze 14 songs into just one hour, Junkyard performed an entertaining and diverse set.

At 3:15PM Burning Witches took the stage in the packed Star Lounge, filled with heavy metal fans excited to see their favorite all-female Swiss metal band. A couple months back, an announcement was made that the band’s guitarist Larissa Ernst would be taking a maternity leave from the band and Courtney Cox of The Iron Maidens would be stepping in. As one of the heaviest bands on the ship this year, I was interested to see how they would be received, but they kicked ass and took names and the crowd loved it. 

At 6:30PM on day 2 of the Monsters of Rock Cruise, the weather finally allowed for the Pool Stage to open. “It was an honor” says the Metal Queen herself, Lee Aaron, in regard to being the first act to play that stage. With sunglasses and wind in her hair, L. Aaron and her band brought an amazing set to kick off the open-air part of the cruise. With over 15 studio albums under her belt, she brought a variety of tunes with not just ‘80s rock n’ roll vibes, but tastes of blues and jazz as well.

Next I headed back to Studio B for Danger Danger’s Ted Poley at 8PM. Danger Danger hasn’t played together as a band since 2020, so their badass frontman has been touring with various other projects as well as playing DD classics with his solo band. Ted Poley commands the stage while singing fan-favorite tunes like Horny S.O.B., Bang Bang, Monkey Business and more. Balloons travel through the crowd and smiles light up on the faces of concert-goers as well as the band members. 

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