It was marked as one of the hottest days of the year, but that wasn’t stopping the party on the second Summer Harbor Jam Boat Cruise hosted by Six String Country Music and Country 102.5. This time around, LOCASH shared the stage with local openers Annie Brobst and Alec MacGillivray, who were the perfect combination to lead off the humid and hazy afternoon. It was four o’clock on a Sunday, and we were setting sail.
Covering everyone’s favorite country songs, Annie started her set with Sugarland’s life ballad, ‘Something More.’ An upbeat beginning, the bubbly blonde gave it her all with the popular ‘Mama’s Broken Heart.’ It didn’t take long for several people in the crowd to start line dancing, proving you don’t need to be on dry land to get the feet moving. Brobst teamed up with Darren Bessette and Chad Taylor, both of the Darren Bessette Band, for the day. It came time for Bessette to take the limelight, as he played Kenny Chesney’s ‘American Kids,’ which had every person on The Provincetown II singing word for word.
As boats of all sizes cruised past the ship, it was hard to believe the party was only starting. Jo Dee Messina’s ‘Heads Carolina, Tails California’ made it feel as though the song was made for times like this, with the lyrics “I’ve got people in Boston.” Annie played the classic country tunes as well, a genre that isn’t just for the older crowd. Dolly Parton’s ‘Jolene’ was a crowd pleaser, coupled with Johnny Cash’s ‘Folsom Prison Blues.’ The day wouldn’t be complete without the ultimate sing-along in Garth’s ‘Friends In Low Places,’ as the crowd chimed in with Annie. Speaking of friends, it was then time for Alec to join the trio for their foot-tapping rendition of ‘Wagon Wheel.’ With a drink in his hand and shades on, MacGillivray helped close out the first leg of the show, before a quick break in the action transitioning into his time on stage.
Opening up his hour with a cover of Jake Owen’s loveable song, ‘Anywhere With You,’ Alec Mac drew the crowd in instantaneously. Up next came his own song, ‘Tom Petty,’ as the sun-kissed boaters continued to dance around the floor. Similar to when Annie was performing, the fans didn’t let the artists get thirsty while singing up top, as many stood on their tippy toes to pass along the beers and mixed drinks. It was the next melody that had everyone in awe, a mashup starting with Luke Bryan’s ‘Drunk on You,’ which led into Wiz Khalifa’s ‘No Sleep,’ mixed into the rapper’s ‘Young, Wild and Free.’ The eclectic song choices blended seamlessly into one another and left the fans buzzing. The Massachusetts native performed solo, which prompted a fan to mention “he sounds amazing even without a band behind him.” Songs such as ‘Big Green Tractor,’ ‘Dust On The Bottle,’ and ‘Play It Again’ were all apart of MacGillivray’s arsenal. One of the highlights of the trip was the dedication of the next song to the 90’s kids out there. Backstreet Boy’s ‘I Want It That Way’ was easily the most enjoyed song of the day; a simple choice to play for the boat’s demographic. A cover of Florida Georgia Line’s hit single, ‘Cruise,’ was the perfect way to end Alec’s time on stage, a song made ideal for an event such as this.
Fans quickly fled to the bar to refresh their drinks before getting a spot just in time for LOCASH to begin. Already bringing the energy and wild excitement to The Provincetown II, the crowd raised their cups and swayed their arms to the opening ‘C.O.U.N.T.R.Y.’ Country music is a tight-knit group that sticks together, supporting each other and writing with each other. The duo, made up of Chris Lucas and Preston Brust, helped co-write ‘You Gonna Fly,’ along with The Cadillac Three’s Jaren Johnston. It was help made popular by Keith Urban, but it was LOCASH’s turn to perfect it on this day. Not afraid to address the fans and say what’s on their mind, Lucas enjoyed making the fans laugh. “There are probably naked girls on that boat. Can I say that?” Preston joked (or was serious, but who knows). “The radio station said I could say it… show us your boobies!” The guys were only just warming up, as they performed ‘Drunk Drunk,’ a song that got the crowd involved by echoing the lyrics. “We wrote this next country song for all the rednecks in Boston,” the two laughed. The song they were talking about? ‘Truck Yeah,’ their second number one single recorded by Tim McGraw.
The next section of their playlist wasn’t country, but entertaining and enthusiastic nonetheless. A mix of couple of rock oldies, ‘Pour Some Sugar On Me’ and ‘Home Sweet Home,’ followed up by Cee Lo Green’s ‘F*** You’ and Bob Marley’s ‘Three Little Birds’ led into their finale for the evening. Their latest hit single was the most anticipated anthem of the day, a song that now plays on every country radio station out there. ‘I Love This Life’ was topped off with low-flying planes above, setting the stage for a dramatic and beautiful ending. LOCASH brought the party and continued the string of fun Summer Harbor Jam Boat Cruises, raising the anticipation for the next one.
This was written by Lauren Rose, contributing writer for New England Country Music. You can follow me on Twitter here.