John Farnham latest Australian musician taking to the seas for festivals on cruise ships

FEEL like going to a music festival on water? Love John Farnham and Aussie rock? We have the perfect event for you next year.

Still with you: Hayley Williams of Paramore on dry land. For now.

THE Voice will hit the ocean when John Farnham joins the swell of Australian artists playing cruise ships.

John Farnham has signed on to headline the Cruise`n’Groove event taking place next year.

Farnham and a string of Australian acts will perform on a luxury cruise ship that sails from Sydney to New Caledonia over eight nights between October 9 and 17.

The music festival on water genre has started taking off over the last five years, and is beginning to bring in a younger crowd than just baby boomers.

“People really like the idea of mixing travel and a music festival together,” says Caitlin Manov, the Project and Marketing Manager of Choose Your Cruise.

“A lot of people travel all around Australia for a lot of different music festivals, from Tamworth to Bluesfest, so we wanted to find a mix between music and entertainment and going overseas. The cruise ships we use are in a luxury setting so you don’t have to camp out for seven nights. It’s an affordable holiday compared to flying somewhere, trying to find a hotel, figuring out what you’re going to eat and buying concert tickets.”

Chain reaction: John Farnham will hit the seas next October. Picture: Alex Coppel.

After their first cruise in 2011, the company has run several themed cruises, including country, classic rock and even musical theatre and Greek culture.

While they’ve had the Village People, The Bellamy Brothers and Chubby Checker on-board, they’re now finding punters prefer to see Australian acts.

The Farnham cruise also features John Paul Young, Pseudo Echo, Jon English, the Chantoozies, Eurogliders and a string of cover bands and original acts.

Farnham, will his full band, will play two headline shows so that none of the 2000 passengers on board will miss seeing him perform. There is an all stars finale night where all the headline acts perform together.

“When we first started the company and invited artists to come on board they didn’t really know what the cruises would be like,” Manov said. “People were worried about getting sea sick or being stuck on a cruise surrounded by punters. But once they’re on board they absolutely love it. Jimmy Barnes loved it so much he wanted to come back and so he’s doing the Rock the Boat cruise again in October.”

Ship to shore: 2000 music fans can travel in style on each music cruise.

While the artists have their own cabins, Manov said they sometimes roam with the punters.

“You never know who’ll you run into by the buffet or around the pool. A lot of the musicians enjoy being on a working holiday. We let them bring their families on board, Kasey Chambers and Adam Harvey love coming on our country cruise because they see it as a family holiday that they play a couple of shows at.

“They can mingle with fans and it’s also a chance for them to spend time with fellow musicians who they’re friends with, they might only usually see each other in passing.”

The average demographic is baby boomers and above, however the company has not ruled out a cruise that skews to younger music fans, the way overseas events held by Backstreet Boys, Weezer, Paramore and music festival Coachella have.

“The cruises are for music lovers and music doesn’t have an age demographic,” Manov said.

For the Farnham Cruise`n‘Groove trip prices start at around $2564 per person for a room (twin share) without a window, with rooms going up in price until the ultimate VIP suite at around $9990 per person.

Everything is included in the price, except alcohol and meals at speciality restaurants, however buffet meals and free hot dogs are part of the deal.

There’s also rock climbing, mini golf and water slides among the attractions on board.

Farnham’s involvement comes as fans are signing a petition to get him to play at this year’s Meredith Music Festival, on the back of a string of gigs he has announced for 2015.

Water lover: Kasey Chambers plays on the Crusin’ Country stage.

THEY’RE ON A BOAT

Once seen as cheesy, overseas many musicians are finding taking a captive audience of their diehard fans for a cruise is the perfect way of providing a unique experience....and a nice earner too.

KISS

Of course there’s a Kiss Kruise where the Kiss Army become the Kiss Navy. The next one goes from Miami to Jamaica and leaves on October 30, after they’ve played Australia. For kashed-up Kiss fans it’s a treat — you get to choose whether you want a picture with the band in make-up or unmasked, and the band play their classic live album Alive in full with the band dressed circa 1975. The more Kiss Kruises you do, you go up the ranks from Sailor to Commander to, after five cruises, Admiral.

Lick it up: Kiss will entertain you on the water, with and without make-up.

WEEZER

The US rock band are between cruises, but the last one, in 2014, went from Florida to the Bahamas. You got Weezer playing live plus Ash, Cat Power, the Cribs, Palma Violets and more indie acts. Weezer played with full band, in acoustic mode and also at a private party on an island ... in the sun.

BACKSTREET BOYS

Not only are Backstreet back, but they’re pioneering taking boy bands to the seas. The next BSB Cruise goes from Italy to Barcelona to Cannes next May. Expect lots of high harmonies on the high seas. There’s also a New Kids on the Block tour to the Bahamas coming in October. It’s sold out, possibly due to the selling point of “two days at sea trapped with NKOTB!”

RICK SPRINGFIELD

The Jessie’s Girl hit maker was doing the cruise thing way back in 2011. “What happens at sea, stays at sea” is the cruise motto, with lots of ladies clambering on board to watch Rick play live in various formats over five days. This year Rick did a ‘Fan Getaway’ to Club Med where a major selling point was free alcohol.

THE `80s CRUISE

Huey Lewis and the News, Wang Chung, Tiffany, Richard Marx, Starship, A Flock of Seagulls and Naked Eyes take you back to the `80s, via Puerto Rico and the Bahamas, next February. Original MTV VJays are on board as well as theme nights including `80s prom night the TVs in your cabin only play 80s TV shows and movies.

SS COACHELLA

Or hipsters on the water — this 2012 event, spawned from the US festival, featured Pulp, James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem, Hot Chip, Girl Talk, Sleighbells, Grimes, Father John Misty and countless more. There’s plans for another one.

CROSBY, STILLS & NASH

The ol’ rockers will play three sets on-board the Queen Mary 2 as it goes from New York to Southamption next month. They’ll also do a Q and A session and sign autographs.

Still with you: Hayley Williams of Paramore on dry land. For now.

PARAMORE

The US rock band, fronted by Hayley Williams, will launch the second Parahoy next March from Miami to Mexico. That includes two shows on the pool deck by Paramore, a Q and A with the band and Paraoke with the three members of the band.

Originally published as John Farnham latest Australian musician taking to the seas for festivals on cruise ships