Teenage Steel Pan player

[LuckiStac13*Majesty*]

I'm a simple guy but it seems like you should just approach the band when they're on break and offer to buy them a round if they let your son play a song with them. Probably would work.

 

there ya go ;) that would work best, I think.

[bryanjaync]

No offense to your son, but the other passengers paid cruise fare for professional entertainment.

[LuckiStac13*Majesty*]

No offense to your son, but the other passengers paid cruise fare for professional entertainment.

 

It's only one song...I've seen it happen many times. Not a big deal at all, you wouldn't even know the difference. Especially if he's good!

[brillohead]

The musicians onboard are working. Just like the waiters, the guest service agents, the housekeepers, etc. Would you ever think a person training to be a nurse would be allowed to shadow a nurse onboard? Or someone in hospitality school would be allowed to shadow Guest Services? No. Because it is kind of silly to think someone who is doing their job would want someone else "practicing" with them.

 

Actually, I'm about to graduate from nursing school, and working as a cruise ship nurse is one of my goals (after my son graduates and is out of the house). I intend to go to the ship's clinic and, provided the nurses aren't busy with patients, get some career advice from them.

 

Oh, and how do you think I'm learning to be a nurse on land? I'm shadowing other nurses and "practicing" on patients. That's how you learn a job. :rolleyes:

 

 

To the OP: I too recommend that your son just chat with the musicians (on ship and on land). It is sure to be an interesting conversation, and if something comes from it, all the better!

[cruiseguy1016]

Mega 4 uses one....but they're the best band around :) On Allure now.

 

We heard Mega 4 on Enchantment in 2001, haven't seen them since. I'd love to hear them again.

[deanna41]

On a cruise a few years ago, my BIL sat in with the band. He just spoke with them after they did a set, and they had him play a little later, it was really nice both for him and us as he hadn't played for some time. In fact it was twice once on the promanade and than in the Viking. But you don't forget something like that. It was the highlight of his cruise.

[Garn]

Thanks for all of the continued great ideas. Sounds like the consensus is for me to butt out- he'd be hanging around where the music is, and is naturally outgoing, so if it's gonna happen, it would happen without my help anyhow. Of course, the lack of pans onboard do make the whole thing kind of moot, as has been said, but he does also play piano, jazz vibes, marimba and cajon, so he'll probably be able to find someone to talk shop with, on the ship or in port. :)

 

But, no, I wouldn't try to "force him" either on the musicians or the other guests. He is good and has played for a paying audience a number of times- but just talking to good musicians I think would be a treat enough for him.

[LuckiStac13*Majesty*]

We heard Mega 4 on Enchantment in 2001, haven't seen them since. I'd love to hear them again.

 

Ken, they're great. Not sure any other band can beat them, I haven't heard a really good one since! Their lead singer left, but they still sound as great as ever.

[lady_cruiser]

We're sailing on AOS at the end of March (which can't come soon enough as I watch the huge flakes of snow coming down rapidy), and had a somewhat unusual question. My 16 year old son is a percussionist, and was at a summer camp the past two years where he learned to play the steel pan. In fact, we're in the process of ordering one for him.

 

I know that he'd love to hang out with the musicians a bit, and maybe even jam with them during set up or rehearsal (well, he'd LOVE to perform to, but...). Is there any possibility of getting him set up? Any idea how I'd go about it?

 

Thanks!

Good luck. I do hope that your son is able to jam with these musicians even if it is just for a few minutes.

And please, take plenty of photos/videos to share with us when your son does get to follow this dream of his.

[truffles2]

If I were you, I'd walk right up to the Calypso band just as they're ready to take a break and just talk with them--they'd be the ones to offer help, if they are interested and/or able at the time. They do not get a lot of time off as they do other jobs, but I'd go straight to the horses mouth. At the very least your son would get to chat with them a little.

 

I agree with this one.