Pool/Party Band "Onyx" on Celebrity

[GeorgeL]

Does anyone have any idea what happened the band ONYX? They were fantastic and considered the best band on Celebrity. My DH and I were on several cruises where they performed and then they seemed to disappear.several years ago.

I'd love to find out where they are playing now.

[Lsimon]

Celebrity had another fantastic party band. "Voltz", back then - seems like this was around 2004 and earlier.

 

Since then the party bands have ranged from fairly good to just awful - nothing close the great bands they booked 5 years ago.

 

They've also been hit or miss on the guitarist who plays around the ship. Every one we saw back in 2004/2005 time frame was great but in 10 cruises since 2006 we've only seen 2 guitar players who do the decent rock/soft rock type music. All the others have played something similar to background music, classical guitar or just couldn't rock. One of the good ones was on the Galaxy in 2007 and the other was just last month on the Equinox - Jefferson Ang played pretty soft type of rock (James Taylor, John Denver, etc) but was just fantastic. It is such a shame -the better players are really enjoyed and fill up the lounges, the others attact just a few tables in a large lounge and are boring.

[usha]

Clairmont Charles, the keyboard player of Onyx, was also the booking agent for party bands on all of Celebrity's ships.

A few years ago, Celebrity started using a different agent who gets cheaper bands.

Last I heard, some members of Onyx were playing on Cunard ships.

Also, we were told that Junior, Onyx's lead singer has retired & gone home to Barbados.

I would so love to board one of Celebrity's ships & see/hear Onyx again, but I'm afraid that's not likely to happen.:(

Those guys were really exceptional.

[GeorgeL]

Clairmont Charles, the keyboard player of Onyx, was also the booking agent for party bands on all of Celebrity's ships.

A few years ago, Celebrity started using a different agent who gets cheaper bands.

Last I heard, some members of Onyx were playing on Cunard ships.

Also, we were told that Junior, Onyx's lead singer has retired & gone home to Barbados.

I would so love to board one of Celebrity's ships & see/hear Onyx again, but I'm afraid that's not likely to happen.:(

Those guys were really exceptional.

 

:( :( :(

 

Thanks for the information although I wish it was not quite so disappointing.

I love listening (and dancing) to the band and would even try to find out on what ship they were playing and planning my cruise accordingly :)

Junior had a great voice and I also enjoyed chatting with him after their performance was over.

You are right...they were exceptional and no band since has been able to live up to them.

[GeorgeL]

Sorry, double post.

[hcat]

Onyx & Volz--they were very good.. We also enjoyed the reggae band Opus before that-- now the bands are really awful & can't keep a beat!

 

Jefferson Aug is a good guitarist & they had one good jazz group on Solstice at the beginning... but that's about it! Caliber of music has certainly declined!!! (except for the acapella groups--they are probabaly not that expensiveto book & easy to shift around--no instruments or electric needed!)

 

On our last cruise they had an accordian player paired with a violinist playing at the aft area...--not exactly our speed

[grandsix]

Clairmont Charles, the keyboard player of Onyx, was also the booking agent for party bands on all of Celebrity's ships.

A few years ago, Celebrity started using a different agent who gets cheaper bands.

Last I heard, some members of Onyx were playing on Cunard ships.

Also, we were told that Junior, Onyx's lead singer has retired & gone home to Barbados.

I would so love to board one of Celebrity's ships & see/hear Onyx again, but I'm afraid that's not likely to happen.:(

Those guys were really exceptional.

 

Some of the members are on the QM2 under the name VIBZ

[Lsimon]

...On our last cruise they had an accordian player paired with a violinist playing at the aft area...--not exactly our speed

 

 

You've got to be kidding! What were they thinking? I wonder who Celebrity thinks is their target market - the last person I can think of who would have preferred that to a soft rock guitar player was my grandmother who passed away 20 years ago.

 

One of the things that hooked us to Celebrity 6 years ago was the great party band and aft deck guitar player. In fact in the review of the Summit I did after our first Celebrity cruise in 2004, these things topped my list of "favorite" parts of the cruise: http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=4117

 

Now the music is what is making me think of abandoning my otherwise favorite ships and going to a different cruise line. We'll still do our next couple of booked Celebrity cruises - especially since listening to Jefferson Ang gives us hope. But if it doesn't improve we might need to try something else.

 

In our 50's, we're not exactly youngsters. I can't believe that good party band music and rock doesn't do more to attract Celebrity's target market than accordion players, xylophonists, and guitarists playing background dinner music.

[GeorgeL]

You've got to be kidding! What were they thinking? I wonder who Celebrity thinks is their target market - the last person I can think of who would have preferred that to a soft rock guitar player was my grandmother who passed away 20 years ago.

 

One of the things that hooked us to Celebrity 6 years ago was the great party band and aft deck guitar player. In fact in the review of the Summit I did after our first Celebrity cruise in 2004, these things topped my list of "favorite" parts of the cruise: http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=4117

 

Now the music is what is making me think of abandoning my otherwise favorite ships and going to a different cruise line. We'll still do our next couple of booked Celebrity cruises - especially since listening to Jefferson Ang gives us hope. But if it doesn't improve we might need to try something else.

 

In our 50's, we're not exactly youngsters. I can't believe that good party band music and rock doesn't do more to attract Celebrity's target market than accordion players, xylophonists, and guitarists playing background dinner music.

 

One of the important things about a cruise for me is the live music and possibility of some great dancing. A great dance/party band certainly can make a big difference in my enjoyment of the cruise. What can I say, I love music and I love to dance but even an exceptional xylophonist or accordion player is NOT going to get me out of that chair.

[hcat]

I used to play the violin & neither the accordion player or violinist were close to being exceptional in a good way-- not in synch at all This was on an E medit cruise but we still expected something more up to date! The string group also left much to be desired--they should all be playing the same song!

 

the party band played mostly salsa type stuff when we saw them...

 

Hoping they upgrade their musical offerings as we do love the new S class ships...

[GeorgeL]

I used to play the violin & neither the accordion player or violinist were close to being exceptional in a good way-- not in synch at all This was on an E medit cruise but we still expected something more up to date! The string group also left much to be desired--they should all be playing the same song!

 

the party band played mostly salsa type stuff when we saw them...

 

Hoping they upgrade their musical offerings as we do love the new S class ships...

 

It does appear to me that music (and entertainment in general) are very much sub par on all Celebrity ships. Food and service is great. I guess we can't have it all.

[lovespositano]

You've got to be kidding! What were they thinking? I wonder who Celebrity thinks is their target market - the last person I can think of who would have preferred that to a soft rock guitar player was my grandmother who passed away 20 years ago.

 

One of the things that hooked us to Celebrity 6 years ago was the great party band and aft deck guitar player. In fact in the review of the Summit I did after our first Celebrity cruise in 2004, these things topped my list of "favorite" parts of the cruise: http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=4117

 

Now the music is what is making me think of abandoning my otherwise favorite ships and going to a different cruise line. We'll still do our next couple of booked Celebrity cruises - especially since listening to Jefferson Ang gives us hope. But if it doesn't improve we might need to try something else.

 

In our 50's, we're not exactly youngsters. I can't believe that good party band music and rock doesn't do more to attract Celebrity's target market than accordion players, xylophonists, and guitarists playing background dinner music.

We were on the same cruise with you and we absolutely LOVED the party band on the Equinox - Top Secret. They were GREAT!! I think they are on vacation now and may be scheduled for the Eclipse. They do a FAB mix of rock N roll and latin and they do requests. They made our cruise.

 

I agree totally with your comments about Jefferson Ang and we loved the classical guitarist Luis - can't remember his last name. The DJ was truly awful, though, especially his music around the pool late in the afternoon.

[Lois R]

I remember ONYX as well...and there was a couple of really good bands too. One was called XTASY and the other HEADLINERS.

Headliners was like a house band on Mercury and had some great sounds:)

[GeorgeL]

I remember ONYX as well...and there was a couple of really good bands too. One was called XTASY and the other HEADLINERS.

Headliners was like a house band on Mercury and had some great sounds:)

 

Yes, I loved Xtasy too. Great group of musicians and one of them reminded me of one of the Beatles. Weren't they the Italian band? If not then I am thinking of another band.

[Lois R]

Yes, I loved Xtasy too. Great group of musicians and one of them reminded me of one of the Beatles. Weren't they the Italian band? If not then I am thinking of another band.

 

I can't remember where they were from. But I do know the folks who made up Headliners came from the Philipines. They were really good!:)

I am trying to remember a couple of other bands...some of the members were from St Lucia and they were great too.

I think I am going through the CRS syndrome:eek:

[GeorgeL]

I can't remember where they were from. But I do know the folks who made up Headliners came from the Philipines. They were really good!:)

I am trying to remember a couple of other bands...some of the members were from St Lucia and they were great too.

I think I am going through the CRS syndrome:eek:

 

That particular syndrome is quite prevalent in those who live life to the fullest and acquire so much information through various experiences that some of the less essential data has to be deleted in order to make room for something of more value.

[Lois R]

That particular syndrome is quite prevalent in those who live life to the fullest and acquire so much information through various experiences that some of the less essential data has to be deleted in order to make room for something of more value.

 

LOL ok...I believe you:D:);)..that is your story and you are

sticking to it?:D

[GeorgeL]

LOL ok...I believe you:D:);)..that is your story and you are

sticking to it?:D

 

What story? What were we talking about?

[Lois R]

never mind:)thanks for making me smile

[GeorgeL]

never mind:)thanks for making me smile

 

If I can make someone smile, it's a good day. In this day and age, a smile can sometimes be difficult to come by.

[floridacruisers]

I was fortunate enough to have video taped ONYX on our first Celebrity cruise, the Zenith in April 1992. They were great so I would go out of my way to record them. Ran into ONYX a few years ago on the Millie. They were ok but nothing like the original group. I asked one of the members "Who were the original players from back then"?. It turned out to be only the drummer. The rest were not from that original group....sigh....:(

Phil

[GeorgeL]

I was fortunate enough to have video taped ONYX on our first Celebrity cruise, the Zenith in April 1992. They were great so I would go out of my way to record them. Ran into ONYX a few years ago on the Millie. They were ok but nothing like the original group. I asked one of the members "Who were the original players from back then"?. It turned out to be only the drummer. The rest were not from that original group....sigh....:(

Phil

 

I heard (and saw) the original Onyx as well as the later permutations of the group and I would take any one of them over any of the current bands on Celebrity.

[hcat]

Top Secret would be Ok too...

 

Does anyone remember OPUS? --no one did the "dollar song" the way they did!

 

Heard they were playing on QM2 some yrs ago!

 

So other than these posts & comments on the surveys every time we sail, how can we get better bands on board???

[GeorgeL]

Top Secret would be Ok too...

 

Does anyone remember OPUS? --no one did the "dollar song" the way they did!

 

Heard they were playing on QM2 some yrs ago!

 

So other than these posts & comments on the surveys every time we sail, how can we get better bands on board???

 

Yeah, I heard Opus. Great band, I agree.

Your question is right on: how do we get better bands on Celebrity?

One way may be to leave comments in the Questionnaire at the end of the cruise. Another way may be to e-mail Celebrity headquarters or maybe express our views to the customer service on the ships. Maybe they will get the message...

[ISABELLA]

Celebrity's entertaiment, or lack of it, desired to be better in the past few years. On our last April TA we had a hypnotist who was very bad and they have them twice - that is pretty pathetic. If it wasn't for Perry Grant at the Michael's club - there was nothing else to see or listen on the ship. I do remember all the bands we are talking about and we really enjoyed Onyx. If X want to save money - I will vote for no chocolates, but bring good entertainers back.