Cruising For A Bruising...

There is no doubt that when it comes to festivals, Europe is blessed with the cream of the crop. When you think of the lineups that All Tomorrow's Parties and Primavera Sound get, and that across the continent you can be viewing bands whilst in a castle, under a mountain or in the Mediterranean, you have to go the extra mile to make that impression.

And dont get me wrong, the other parts of the world have brilliant festivals in their own right (my current 'must go to' is Austin Texas' Psych Fest). But Im gonna put my hand up and say that Bruise Cruise sounds pretty fucking awesome.

On February 25-28, Bruise Cruise is a cruise (so we dont get lost here...) that sets out from Miami, Florida and ends up in the Bahamas. It features all the usual cruise options - dining, dancing, pools and spas, with a day stopover at Nassau, where you can explore the island, swim with dolphins, and swim in a shark tank. There's free room service, complimentary bottles of wine in the cabin and at dinner, and a free ice cream machine.

Oh, and its a festival too.

Bruise Cruise features a series of on the sea concerts that involves the likes of The Black Lips, Vivian Girls, Strange Boys, Ty Segall, Surfer Blood, Thee Oh Sees, Quintron and Miss Pussycat, Turbo Fruits and soul DJ Jonathan Toubin (late inclusion - Jacuzzi Boys). With some special surprises also in store, this does come across as a very unique musical experience.

And to highlight this, Bruise Cruise is releasing a series of 7"'s to showcase the bands on show. Volume 1 includes Ty Segall and Thee Oh Sees - who, along with Black Lips, are probably the best two acts on this bill too. So tuck in. And if you have a spare $US615 lying around, plus enough for a flight to Miami, it sure wouldnt be the worst way to round out your winter...

Ty Segall - Happy Creeps

Thee Oh Sees - Crushed Grass