Cayamo 2024

Lizzie No just came on WXPN and it made me think about Cayamo and how it seems like a lifetime ago already and yet I still haven’t managed to post about the amazingness of this experience. And again, I can’t right now. So much to do, so little time for non-essentials like finishing a blog post started in March 2024. Sigh!

So my apologies for what may not be my most cohesive post, but it seems long overdue as I prepare for my next adventure and as I mentally start to prepare another blog post. So let’s get this one posted. And let’s see how long it takes for that next one — the one I’m already mentally preparing — to get posted. If it happens it will have references to Rod and Fred Eaglesmith and Sarah Shook & The Disarmers.

So, here we go…

I spent a week on a boat last year (#cayamo). It was amazing! Thank you, Brenda, for making this happen for me!

I had a lot of anxiety about going on a cruise. None of my anxiety was founded (though I did have a FULL BLOWN anxiety attack during my vacation, so there’s that). Thank you to Diane and to Paul and Lynn who helped me survive that experience and turn that day in into a highlight of the trip.

How to explain the experience of Cayamo? You are with the same 2400+ people for a week. You know some of the people before you get on the boat. By the time you get off, you know SO MANY MORE, including some of the musicians!

Leon Timbo & Nita back on land in Miami

There are so many musicians to see and so many places to see them, performing and also in their ‘native’ habitat(s). I can’t tell you how many times I said ‘Hi’ to Langhorne Slim after dancing my ass off at a few of his shows. I got to watch Michael and Tanya (War & Treaty) watch Langhorne Slim. I got to watch Langhorne Slim watch multiple other performers. I mean there were as many featured musicians in the audience as on stage sometimes. That is an exaggeration, of course, but sometimes when you were in the Atrium it felt like that! Billy Bragg did touch my arm more than once while I was talking to him and I’m still kicking myself for not getting a photo with him. I mean Billy FUCKING Bragg.

I got introduced to new, up and coming artists (Gabe Lee, Kyshona, Abe Partridge, Leon Timbo, Adeem the Artist) as well as new, established artists that I somehow did not know (Susan Werner, Kelly Willis) and got to ‘visit’ with other familiar-to-me performers (Sunny War, Anthony DeCosta). I had an excellent time! So much so that I’ve managed to convince my friends to join me next year, so get ready to welcome Leah and Pat on board. We will try not to cause too much trouble. (Will we?)

There were so many highlights for me personally on this trip. I had a member of The Mavericks ask to take a selfie with me. FACT! Max and his wife, Shayna, may be some of the loveliest people that I’ve ever met. And it’s all about the dress.

Some of my musical highlights included seeing Lake Street Dive perform ‘I Want You Back’ with KT Tunstall and also seeing KT Tunstall perform ‘I Want You Back’ with Rachael Price (from Lake Street Dive).

I also really enjoyed when it was suggested that Billy Bragg shouldn’t be political. I mean, it’s Billy FUCKING Bragg. We love him *for* his politics and his being vocal about his views!

Dancing on the pool deck to Langhorne Slim

And, of course, all the people who joined all the other people on stage and my 2,400 new friends who were there for the music.

Here’s the list of performances that I saw last year on the boat.

  1. March 1, 2024 – Cayamo, leaving Miami
    1. Buddy Miller – Pool Deck
    2. Lyle Lovett – Stardust
    3. The Mavericks – Pool Deck
    4. (Cayamo After Dark) Kyshona, Shannon LaBrie, Sunny War and Leon Timbo at Magnum’s
    5. Langhorne Slim – Spinnaker 
  2. March 2, 2024 – Cayamo
    1. SistaStrings – Pool Deck
    2. Kelly Willis – Spinnaker
    3. Leon Timbo – The Atrium
    4. The Lone Bellow – Pool Deck
    5. (Writers Round) Shawn Colvin, Rodney Crowell, Billy Bragg, KT Tunstall and Rachel Price (with LSD keyboard player)
    6. Smalltown Strings (Carlile / Hanseroth kids band) – Spinnaker
    7. War & Treaty – Pool Deck
    8. Waxahatchee – Stardust
    9. (Lyle Lovett on Pool Deck cancelled due to wind) — little soundcheck
    10. Susan Werner – Spinnaker
    11. Mipso – Atrium
    12. Shawn Mullins Variety Show – Stardust
  3. March 3, 2024 – Cayamo, Dominican Republic
    1. Mipso (acoustic set) – Spinnaker
    2. (Soulful Sundays) hosted by The War & Treaty, included Lake Street Dive (Faith), Billy Bragg (I’ll be There), Leon Timbo & The Kentucky Gentlemen
    3. The Kentucky Gentlemen – Spinnaker
    4. Sunny War – The Atrium
  4. March 4, 2024
    1. Brandy Clark – Pool Deck
    2. Gabe Lee – Spinnaker
    3. Waxahatchee – Pool Deck
    4. Kyshona – Spinnaker
    5. Nikki Lane – Pool Deck
    6. Langhorne Slim – Stardust
    7. Leon Timbo – Atrium (on my way to)
    8. Adeem the Artist – Spinnaker
    9. Rodney Crowell – Pool Deck
    10. Abe Partridge – Great Outdoors
    11. Lizzie No – The Atrium
    12. Shawn Mullins – Spinnaker
    13. The Lone Bellow Trio – Stardust (on my way to)
    14. KT Tunstall – The Atrium
  5. March 5, 2024 – Cayamo (Aruba)
    1. Lake Street Dive – Pool Deck
    2. Billy Bragg – Stardust
    3. Hiss Golden Messenger (while eating dinner above Atrium)
    4. (The BGS Nightcap) Mipso (& Guests) – Stardust
  6. March 6, 2024
    1. (Writers Round) Brandy Clark, Dom Flemons and Kelly Willis – Stardust
    2. Abe Partridge – Spinnaker
    3. KT Tunstall – Pool Deck
    4. Leon Timbo – Stardust
    5. Alexa Rose (while eating lunch above Atrium)
    6. The War and Treaty – Pool Deck
    7. Shawn Colvin – Spinnaker
    8. (A Celebration of David Crosby) Anthony De Costa – Pool Deck
    9. Susan Werner – Spinnaker
    10. Kyshona – Great Outdoors
    11. (BGS / Black Opry) Live Artist Karaoke – Atrium
  7. March 7, 2024
    1. Sunny War – Pool Deck
    2. Jenny Owen Youngs – The Atrium
    3. Mipso – Pool Deck
    4. Adeem the Artist – The Atrium
    5. Langhorne Slim – Pool Deck
    6. Billy Bragg – Stardust
    7. Lake Street Dive – Pool Deck
    8. The Mavericks – Stardust

I think my biggest disappointment is that I don’t get to be Jenny’s roommate again this year, but at least we will be reunited onboard!

And I can’t wait til this year… the line-up, being reunited with my at least some of my friends from last year and reliving the amazing experience / creating new experiences! Here’s to Cayamo 2025!

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