The day has finally come! ShipRockers from across the globe have converged on South Florida, and in just a few hours will embark on the ultimate rock and roll vacation with a backstage pass! You ship’s crew look forward to meeting you all onboard, and to sailing the high seas together. And for those of you who couldn’t make it… stay tuned, because details about the next ShipRocked cruise will be announced VERY soon!

All the best!

Capt. Rock

Huge congrats to HOH fan and KMAX/Ft. Collins, CO listener Dennis Schenkenberger who will be enjoying the ShipRocked five-day headbanging cruise to Jamaica and Grand Cayman. Dennis and his wife Ann (pictured) will be floating their way to the islands while checking out live performances from Queensryche, Skid Row, Tesla, Ratt and more. As you can see, they’ve got a head start on the “chill” part of the cruise!

Also on their way to board ShipRocked are WBWR/Columbus, OH, listener Lisa Berger and her husband, Phil. Lisa won part 1 of our contest earlier this year.

Enjoy your deluxe cabins, ocean views and 24 hour partying all the way to Jamaica (with a couple of stops along the way!) and feel free to submit photos of your onboard heavy metal high jinks!

Here’s a look at Dennis’ winning entry:

“I am a hardworking blue collar metalhead from the ‘80s. I currently work as a police officer, but beneath the clean pressed uniform, shiny gun belt and short cropped hair is a leather pant wearing, teased hair maniac that has to repress the feelings to jam an iPod down the throat of some yuppie drinking a Starbucks listening to the latest Maroon 5 album. Instead of drinking free coffee and eating donuts I should be pounding Jack Daniels and trashing a hotel room!

I’ve spent the past three months working nights — “Walk(ing) In The Shadows” – and I need five days of Caribbean sunshine. I’m a 39 year old “Modern Day Cowboy” fighting against the evils of country music and easy listening adult contemporary radio stations. The “Revolution’s Calling” and I want to be on a cruise instead of standing on the thin blue line between total chaos and order.

So, for five days let me fight the man instead of being the man. I know that these contests are “Ez Come, Ez Go,” but I would prefer to go. So, do the right thing and look into the “Eyes Of A Stranger” and tell him that he’ll be listening to Operation Mindcrime instead of fighting actual crime.”

Congrats to both winners and their spouses – Dennis + Ann and Lisa + Phil – have a great time and happy headbanging on the ShipRocked cruise!

Michael Grant of EndeverafteR is ready to get ShipRocked! Are you?

SUNDAY: Classic Concert T-Shirt Day

Start digging through those boxes in your attics and garages. Or, maybe you need only to open your second dresser drawer. Either way, it’s time to gather up all your classic concert t-shirts and decide which (or how many) are worthy to wear on the first day of the cruise! Should you take the ‘85 “Round & Round” 3/4-sleeve that Pearcy signed? Or maybe that Van Halen 1984 flying eagle shirt? Hey what about the Stones at Candlestick in ‘81? No one else will be wearing that one… Oh hell, pack them all! Just make sure you’re sporting your finest vintage rock and roll threads as you board the ship and rock out on our first day at sea!

MONDAY: Prom Night at ShipRocked High

You are cordially invited… to Prom Night at ShipRocked High!

Monday night on the ship is formal night, and we’re taking you back to the totally awesome 1980s for a night of enchancement and big hair. If you’re a ShipRocked passenger, you’re immediately booked for the prom – so start planning your formal attire now! What should you wear? Anything 80s, anything rocker! Big hair, crimped hair, mullet wigs (or your natural mullet, if you’re still rockin’ it!), tuxedo t-shirts, sky-blue bow ties and cummerbunds, poufy formal gowns with giant bows and pink, pink, pink!

Singles: need to find a date to prom? fear not… we’ve got you covered. We’ll be holding a unique singles event earlier that day, so you can find that special someone worthy of the corsage or boutonniere.

Don’t worry: a cruise photographer will be on hand to capture the memories forever. How else will you embarrass your kids once you return home?

Remember: bring your best 80s formal attire for Prom Night at ShipRocked High and prepare to party like it’s 1999.

THURSDAY: American Soldier Appreciation Day

ON YOUR FEET !!!

During our final day and night at sea, we encourage everyone onboard to honor the brave men and women of the United States Military, and pay special tribute to those who have so selflessly served and protected our country for generations, by donning some military green, camouflage garb, or simply by sporting your most patriotic red, white and blue!

Then… Do you wanna get your hands on some amazing rock and roll memorabilia? Like guitars signed by our performers, or a special ShipRocked Platinum Award plaque? Or how about a free trip for two and Cat-12 VIP Suite onboard the next ShipRocked cruise? Be sure to bring your credit card and raise that hand high as you bid on these unique offerings and more during a very special live charity auction, designed to help raise money for the National Military Family Association, the leading nonprofit organization committed to improving the lives of military families.

Via Fox4KC.com

PARKVILLE, MO - Some terrific local teenage musicians are working hard to be ready to share the stage with legends of Heavy Metal next month. They’ve been invited along on a unique musical cruise — as spotlighted performers. The members of the All-Star House Band of the Kansas City School of Rock are Reaching 4 Excellence as the FOX 4 Young Achievers of the Week.

They play the music of their parents and their grandparents. Classic Rock, Heavy Metal, The Blues, Reggae, Grunge — pounding rhythms and melodies pouring from the strings, brass, keys, drums and throats of kids not yet out of high school — and some not even out of middle school.

 
“They’re awesome!” raves Mark Ballard, General Manager of the Kansas City School of Rock. “You would have thought they’d been playing for 15 years.”

They are the All-Star House Band of the Kansas City School of Rock which teaches rock musicianship and performance skills to kids from all over the metro area.

“Our kids are surprisingly varied in their background,” says Ballard, “but they have that commonality of they love the Rock and Roll music.”

“I feel like I’ve evolved so much into something so much better,” says bass player Michaela Davis. “It’s way cool.”

And for 13 year old Michaela, whose parents have been gone a lot serving in the U.S. Army, her dad in Iraq and her mom at a fort in southern Missouri, the All-Star House Band is like a second family.

“We’re so close,” says Michaela. “I celebrated my birthday with them. We all just kind of click. One person helps another. I’ll show you. We all just kind of figure it out together.”

This close-knit group of four girls and six boys represents the School of Rock in countless community performances, like one outside the stadium on a very chilly night before a recent football game in the Park Hill School District.

“They used to surprise me,” says Ballard. “Now they don’t surprise me anymore because I expect more of them. I keep raising the bar and they keep jumping over it. It’s fantastic.”

And now they are jumping a very high bar. They have been selected by the promoters to go sailing and to perform with some of the biggest legends of Heavy Metal music.

“We’re playing on a cruise to Jamaica and the Grand Cayman Islands,” says 13 year old guitarist Andrew Nassab, “with world renowned bands such as Skid Row, Tesla, Queensryche and RATT.”

It’s the ShipRocked Cruise — a unique music vacation that will put the band in front of 2,500 people devoted to Heavy Metal music.

“This is big deal,” says Michaela, somewhat in awe.

“They get to do something that’s a completely unique experience for them,” says Ballard. “And they’ve grasped that. And they’ve put in the work.”

The band members have grasped it — working tirelessly to raise money to go on the trip and to be prepared to play with and for these rock giants.

“That is one of the greatest feelings there is,” says Andrew, “to know that these bands think we are good enough to perform with them.”

The ShipRocked Cruise isn’t the only high-profile gig for the band this fall. In fact, just a few days after returning from playing in The Caribbean they’ll take to the stage to rock the huge crowd at the Plaza Lighting Ceremony on Thanksgiving night. But first the cruise and all the acclaim — and expectations — that come with it.

“They rock their brains out,” says Ballard. “And I’m predicting that the people who are skeptical to see that kids’ show are going to come and have a better experience there than they will with some of the other bands.”

“Let’s go crazy!” beams Michaela. “It’s all about to happen. We spent so much time building up to it and learning all the songs and working on it and now it’s really going to happen.”

And they can’t wait for the head-bangers to get a blast from them — up-and-coming rockers on a roll — and rising fast.

The ShipRocked Cruise departs from Fort Lauderdale on November 15th. The band is still deep into fund-raising mode to cover expenses and the cost of getting chaperons on the trip and shipping equipment. To help with that go to http://www.schoolofrockkc.com/ .

FOX 4 news is Working 4 You to spotlight outstanding young people and their positive accomplishments. In our weekly report called Reaching 4 Excellence we meet young achievers in subjects like academics, the arts, leadership, community service, volunteerism, career exploration, overcoming obstacles and heroism. Watch for Reaching 4 Excellence every Wednesday on FOX 4 News at 9 p.m. and every Thursday on FOX 4 News at 5 a.m. and 5 p.m.