Something strange with BB King band on Nieuw Statendam

[idiebabe]

3 hours ago, wdw1972 said:

I was on NS 3/11 - 3/18 and BB Kings performed their 45-minute shows several times each night (except the 1 night they're off) with both male & female singers.  I have no idea if it's the same people on this week, but the male was slender and not too tall, with dreds in his hair - nice voice, quiet kind of guy.  The female was plus-sized, long braids, beautiful strong voice, moved/danced around very well for a woman her size, lots of smiling.  I don't recall their names, as I only remember them introducing themselves one night.  There wasn't a lot of interaction between them - I think 1 song they sang together one night, otherwise it was just her or just him singing a series of songs until they switched up.  The trumpet player (white guy) and sax player were outstanding musicians and seemed to be really enjoying performing each show.  

 

Sue/WDW1972

We were also on your Sailing and thought they were very good!  Agree, the Trumpet player and Sax player were exceptional!  

[travellersrest]

2 hours ago, oceangal00 said:

Was there another band that played in Ocean Bar?

I was also on the Volendam cruise. It was my understanding that the young man who passed away was a guitarist in the Ocean band. There was a second band, I believe just referred to as the house band, who played sometimes at the Ocean bar, as well as providing live music for singers on the World Stage. There was also an emergency evacuation of a female employee very near the end of the cruise and no further information was provided to passengers about her condition or her position on the ship.

 

[oceangal00]

12 minutes ago, travellersrest said:

I was also on the Volendam cruise. It was my understanding that the young man who passed away was a guitarist in the Ocean band. There was a second band, I believe just referred to as the house band, who played sometimes at the Ocean bar, as well as providing live music for singers on the World Stage. There was also an emergency evacuation of a female employee very near the end of the cruise and no further information was provided to passengers about her condition or her position on the ship.

 

[oceangal00]

Just now, oceangal00 said:

12 minutes ago, travellersrest said:

I was also on the Volendam cruise. It was my understanding that the young man who passed away was a guitarist in the Ocean band. There was a second band, I believe just referred to as the house band, who played sometimes at the Ocean bar, as well as providing live music for singers on the World Stage. There was also an emergency evacuation of a female employee very near the end of the cruise and no further information was provided to passengers about her condition or her position on the ship.

 

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[oceangal00]

Yes, it was the guitar player in Ocean Band. I hadn’t heard about the other. 

[syesmar]

7 hours ago, Real NHDOC said:

…It was one of the dancers who died at Curaçao port call early this month. On that cruise they didn’t perform for several nights but that was a couple of weeks ago….

Sadly, it was reported that members of BB Kings witnessed the tragedy. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2919837-nieuw-statendam-crew-death/page/2/#comment-64944347

 

Edited March 25, 2023 by syesmar

[oakridger]

@NHDOC if you see the cruise director, maybe you could ask what is happening with the BB King group.  Something sounds amiss there and if it affects their performance then the ship management should correct the issue.  I hope they aren't all sick!

 

~Nancy

[Real NHDOC]

Last night of this cruise and the band played a more or less normal set but they still seem to gravitate towards slower songs than most BBK’s bands and even when they play faster songs like “Dancing in the streets” and “Band of gold” they seem to play at a slower thsn normal tempo.
 

Maybe it’s just the drummer who can’t keep a fast tempo (since the drummer seems to set the pace for the band). But at least tonight they played three 45 minute sets. I think it’s the first night that they played a normal three 45 minute sets all cruise. They are all very talented musicians but it’s just their style is a bit slower than we’ve grown used to with other BBK bands. We’ll adjust but it’s noticeable in the few people out dancing while they play. Last week on Rotterdam the dance floor was packed even on the last night. Tonight barely anyone was out there. 

[Mary229]

7 hours ago, Real NHDOC said:

Last night of this cruise and the band played a more or less normal set but they still seem to gravitate towards slower songs than most BBK’s bands and even when they play faster songs like “Dancing in the streets” and “Band of gold” they seem to play at a slower thsn normal tempo.
 

Maybe it’s just the drummer who can’t keep a fast tempo (since the drummer seems to set the pace for the band). But at least tonight they played three 45 minute sets. I think it’s the first night that they played a normal three 45 minute sets all cruise. They are all very talented musicians but it’s just their style is a bit slower than we’ve grown used to with other BBK bands. We’ll adjust but it’s noticeable in the few people out dancing while they play. Last week on Rotterdam the dance floor was packed even on the last night. Tonight barely anyone was out there. 

Funny you should say that - I have always thought the branded BBK’s played far too fast.  As someone who heard many blues greats in the honky tones of New Orleans and Baton Rouge it just isn’t fast music. I am not sure who ever decided to make it so jittery.  I would call HAL’s version the American Bandstand version of blues.  I am glad they may be getting authentic.  

[VMax1700]

Wasn't there also a BBK musician who 'fell' overboard from a ship (maybe NSD) some months ago?

[madera1]

We were on the New Years cruise on the Koningsdam and the BB King band only performed a few times throughout the 10 days. 

[Mary229]

4 minutes ago, madera1 said:

We were on the New Years cruise on the Koningsdam and the BB King band only performed a few times throughout the 10 days. 

It seems that instead of having the lounge dedicated to BB King on all ships they are now presenting BB King AllStars as a theatre production. On my voyage they even cleared an area in front of the stage for a dance floor

Edited March 25, 2023 by Mary229

[3rdGenCunarder]

8 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

It seems that instead of having the lounge dedicated to BB King on all ships they are now presenting BB King AllStars as a theatre production. On my voyage they even cleared an area in front of the stage for a dance floor

 

Back when BB King was new on HAL, they did one night in the main showroom. Totally different music--real blues, not the covers they play in the BBK lounge on board. I would love to see that again.

 

So if BBK and LC will appear as guest performers in the main showroom, as HAL seems to be saying, that's a lot of organizing and traveling to get them from ship to ship. Or will they do a 3 or 4 or 5 week "residency" on a ship and then move on?

[Mary229]

8 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

Back when BB King was new on HAL, they did one night in the main showroom. Totally different music--real blues, not the covers they play in the BBK lounge on board. I would love to see that again.

 

So if BBK and LC will appear as guest performers in the main showroom, as HAL seems to be saying, that's a lot of organizing and traveling to get them from ship to ship. Or will they do a 3 or 4 or 5 week "residency" on a ship and then move on?

Good question about how it will work.  I agree with what you are saying - offer  the very best musicians from that series as a special act.  
 

On the Volendam they were scheduled for two performances for one week. We were in the Caribbean at the time and it would be pretty easy for the band to jump ship to ship there as well as in Alaska and the Med 

[PoppyBanks]

8 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

Wasn't there also a BBK musician who 'fell' overboard from a ship (maybe NSD) some months ago?

I believe it happened in Alaska off the K’dam in May or  June of 2022.

[Real NHDOC]

Pleased to report that the energy in the BB King’s band is BACK on Nieuw Statendam. 
 

Totally different vibe tonight. Apparently the feedback they received incentivized them to step up their game. They literally had more energy in one set this evening than in the whole week last week combined. And the place was full with plenty of people on the dance floor. Very pleased they have improved. 

[oakridger]

That's great news!  When the dance floor is full then the band must know they are doing something right!  

 

~Nancy

[Jokare]

We were on the NS the last two weeks and there was illnesses for both BBKing band and Rolling Stone rock room.

Front lady of BBKing was out almost a week, young man, other lead singer did a great job as did the horn player who did a great Stevie Ray Vaughan. Most nights we were there the dance floor was full, last night not too much.

Bass player in rock room was out two nights so the bad did their first ever MTV unplugged as they called it. He then came back, first night still looked kind of sick and the remaining nights he was his normal self as was the band,

Both bands were great as we were at both places every night they played.

 

[Lido deck main]

On 3/24/2023 at 12:50 PM, Mary229 said:

Actually there was a memorial onboard and the Captain was very open about the death 

He was a member of the Ocean Bar Band.  The BB Kings Band played the two nights they were scheduled to.