Friday on the Kid Rock cruise was like a day at spring break.
Under gorgeous blue skies somewhere in the Gulf of Mexico, the Lido Deck on the 9th floor of the Carnival Triumph quickly transformed into the day’s hot spot, as fans amassed to sunbathe, splash around the pool and – as early as noon -- start working the beer bongs to cheering onlookers.
Carving out a spot wasn’t always the easiest task on the crowded, winding deck.
Looking on from a balcony overhead were Rock and his pal Rev. Run, applauding the dozen or so brave fans who’d signed on for a belly-flop diving contest.
With a big crowd enthusiastically rooting on even the clumsiest divers, victory went to Baltimore’s Amanda Lombardi, one of the three female contestants who largely out-flopped their male competitors.
“You can go hard or go home, and I came in it to win it,” said Lombardi, a 23-year-old whose bikini top slipped off as she smacked the water from a six-foot jump.
Across her tummy was a quickly reddening water burn.
“Yeah,” she said proudly. “That’s gonna leave a mark.”
As the high-spirited bedlam carried on across the boat, Rock’s spacious deluxe cabin was a scene of solace late Friday afternoon as he readied for his evening concert – one of two intimate shows he’ll be doing this weekend.
He stood on the balcony and gazed out across the sun-streaked sea, king of the ship where 2,700 had clambered aboard in his name. Rock mused back to his life 15 years ago, when he was designing concert fliers in his little Royal Oak basement and working to land his big music break.
“I imagined a lot of things for myself back then,” he said. “But I don’t think I ever imagined something quite like this.”
SOURCE: Brian McCollum / Detroit Free Press
Photo Credit: Romain Blanquart / Detroit Free Press
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