HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2005-09-01, Page 28PAGE 28. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2005.
Local spends summer ‘playing’ on cruise ship
Performing
Joshua Gropp, middle centre, plays guitar in a band aboard the Imagination cruise ship that
sailed to Key West, Florida, Cozamel, Mexico and the Cayman Islands, Jamaica this summer.
(Photo submitted)
By Heather Crawford
Citizen staff
A chance to sail on the open seas
and play music to a packed room
every night is the stuff of most
musician’s dreams. That’s exactly
what Joshua Gropp of Brussels was
getting paid to do for three months
this summer.
The Humber College music
student had the opportunity to
audition for the job of playing guitar
on board a cruise ship while at
school last year.
“1 just wanted to prepare myself
for next year,” he said. “I didn’t
think I’d get it this summer. Then I
got the call back that I got it.”
Gropp was part of a show band on
the ship that sailed to Key West, the
Caymen Islands and Cozumel,
Mexico.
Growing up in Brussels, Gropp
started playing music while in public
school because “there wasn’t a lot to
do.”
He formed a band with his friend
Rob McKercher and the duo along
with two other friends still play in a
band today called Perish.
On board Imagination, Gropp had
the opportunity to play different
styles of music ranging from jazz to
country to rock.
“Basically we did Las Vegas style
shows,” Gropp said.
> He was able to play with other
musicians from around the world.
“They were all really cool. It was
cool to play with a lot of different
people from a lot of different places
and getting to play different styles of
music.”
The one thing that Gropp wasn't a
fan of was the rigid schedule. “There
was no change to it. But I guess
that’s what it's like to have a job," he
said. “You expect a little more
freedom with something like that but
All Aboard
Pictured is the Imagination, the ship that Brussels native,
Joshua Gropp, played guitar on for three months. (Joshua
Gropp photo)
it was still really cool.”
Gropp says what he missed the
most other than dry land and a big
bed was his family. “The less ties
you have back home the much better
it is.”
He said it was difficult being away
from his son. “That was basically the
hardest thing about me being gone
and staying gone. But if you don’t
have that and you are able to leave
for a bit then it’s a really, really good
experience.”
The shows would gamer crowds
as large as 1,500 people. “The later
shows were always a bit better
because (the audience) would have
more time to drink or relax. Usually
the room was full or past capacity.”
Gropp said it was a great
experience for a young musician. “It
was a good stepping stone as far
Continued on page 29
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