The second Bacardi Express has just wrapped up its travelling tour. The train took Groove Armada, British India, Bluejuice, Van She, Lost Valentinos, Beardyman, and HOOPS DJs from Melbourne to Sydney. The bands made pit stops in Wagga Wagga and Wollongong, and it sounds like they had just as much fun as the crowds!
“The Bacardi Express was a totally unique experience. From the train where we got the opportunity to jam with the other bands on the tour, to the full capacity gigs, which included our first ever matinee DJ set,” said Andy Cato from headliners Groove Armada. “We’ve been to Australia many times before but this is up there with one of our best trips.”
The tour opened to a packed house at Melbourne’s The Palace. The bands fed off the high-energy audience, which Groove Armada’s Tom Findlay described as “off the rails.”
But the Bacardi Express experience is about more than the shows; it’s about the journey. The bands, along with some lucky competition winners, enjoyed the trip on the luxurious 15-carriage Bacardi Express. The train came complete with two dining cars, three cocktail bars (with plenty of Bacardi on hand of course!), a gaming room, chill-out lounge, and the very cool jamming room. One of the highlights of the trip was Tom Findlay’s impromptu five-hour DJ set. There were also five sleeper carriages, but with entertainment like that going on I can’t imagine they were used much!
Stav from Bluejuice broke the golden rule and offered some insight into the tour’s shenanigans.
“Bacardi Express was total awesomeness … I lost my voice four times over, I wore a Ugandan model’s clothes and talked like a drag queen for at least fifteen minutes. I won a trivia quiz with the Lost Valentinos’ boys and will bask in that glory forever.”
If you missed the event, you can catch some of the action on pay TV. Channel V will air a Bacardi Express special from May 15. Check it out!
Image used with permission from Peer Group Media