PORT CANAVERAL, FLA (CelebrityAccess) Dozens Arrested Before Holy Ship! Boarding
The annual Holy Ship! Cruise, which always features EDM but this year does not feature its founder, Gary Richards, began Jan. 6 with approximately two dozen people arrested before they boarded.
The first of two Norwegian Epic cruise ship launched from Port Canaveral, Fla., to Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas Jan. 6 with 4,000 ravers on board but not before Brevard County Sheriff’s Office busted dozens for, mostly, possession of marijuana, MDMA/ecstasy, and cocaine, according to Florida Today.
Organizers at Live Nation had no comment.
Meanwhile, Gary Richards, who is no longer associated with the cruise, is launching a new festival brand, the All My Friends Music Festival, but few details are available yet other than a website, https://amfamfamf.com/
The Holy Ship! Cruise, which relaunches Jan. 10 for a three-day cruise, is currently on a four-day journey, returning tomorrow, Jan. 10, featuring A-Trak, Baauer, Claude Vonstroke, Kaskade and Gorgon City, among many others, with packages ranging from $900 to $1,800.
Founder Richards, aka Destructo, also ran Southern California music festival Hard Summer. He sold a majority stake of his Hard Events promotion company to Live Nation in 2012 and recently announced his exit from the company (and the festival, and the cruise) to join LiveStyle – the resurrected version of SFX Entertainment – as its president. That caused some turmoil, at least online, with the “ShipFam” – the regulars of the cruise that launched a “No Gary No Ship” campaign.
“Dear Live Nation, we may not know exactly what the core issue is between you and Gary Richards, and frankly, we do not care,” the petition read. “Gary Richards is the reason that HolyShip, Shipfam, and many prominent and well known DJ’s are known all around the world today. His name is synonymous with high quality and well-staged events all around the world, and without Gary, there is no ship, and most importantly, no Shipfam.
“At the end of the day, if you choose to give Gary the boot, or otherwise force him from Holyship, we pledge to make this hurt, and not physically, but financially.”
However, it appeared to be a full boat, according to reports.
Port Canaveral authorities credited federal and other investigators with the investigation.
“The safety and security of cruise passengers at our port – or any port, for that matter – is a serious business. The arrests that occurred this weekend were made by a joint effort of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies,” Port Canaveral spokesman Steve Linden said. “The Canaveral Port Authority is proud and highly supportive of these professionals who ensure the safety measures and protections for all passengers boarding every cruise ship at our Port.”
