Music continues to rise at Queen Mary as the Just Like Heaven festival comes to the ship this weekend

The Queen Mary became a musical hot spot last year when concert giant Goldenvoice hopped on board to bring mini music festivals to the ship.

And it’s been smooth sailing ever since with yet another sold out festival coming this weekend.

The alternative and indie rock-filled Just Like Heaven festival will bring Phoenix, the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs, and MGMT to the ship plus acts like Beach House, Passion Pit, Miike Snow, the Rapture and others.

Originally planned as a one-day concert for Saturday, May 4, the 15,000-person-capacity show quickly sold out, and as has become more and more common for Goldenvoice shows at the ship, the concert promoter was ready and added a second day to the festival on Friday, May 3.

All but a few VIP passes were available for the May 3 show a few days before the festival.

“I think this lineup really really speaks to a certain time…if you’re a fan of one of these bands you’re likely a fan of all the bands. So I think the lineup became something that really hit that fan,” said Paul Billings,  vice president and general manager of festival producer Goldenvoice which is also responsible for the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival as well as the Stagecoach Country Music Festival.

Just Like Heaven is a new event for 2019 and the second music festival at the ship this year.

It was preceded by the returning three-day One Love Cali Reggae Festival in February, which was expanded by a day this year and yep, sold out as well.

Just Like Heaven will be followed by Once Upon a Time in the LBC featuring Snoop Dogg, the Game, YG and other hip-hop acts July 27.

And since that July 27 show sold out in about an hour or so, a second day was added to Once Upon a time for July 28,  and that one quickly sold out too.

Another new festival coming to the ship on Aug.10 is the reggeaton-heavy Dale Fuego, which hasn’t sold out yet but is doing well with ticket sales, Billings said.

So why are so many music fans hopping on board so quickly for these shows?

“We narrow these (festivals) down to certain genres and really pack those artists heavy. And it has become something to where if you’re a fan and you look at the lineup,  you’ll be a fan of almost everyone on the lineup,” Billings said.

“The artists go so well together you could almost put them on a playlist,” he added.

And thanks to this success, Billings said adding a second day is now something they always have in mind with these festivals.

Billings also credits some of the success to accessibility as well.

Just Like Heaven is likely to attract an older alternative and indie crowd that may have aged out of bigger festivals like Coachella, which for locals requires a long drive to the desert, finding lodging and hours in the hot desert landscape to see a more eclectic lineup.

“A lot of these bands have played Coachella in the past so this is definitely more accessible if you’re a little bit older,” he said.