Yacht Band YBN

Come sail away with Yacht Band Yachty by Nature!

Think yacht band.  The first time I ever heard the term “yacht rock”, I was playing with my 80’s band Neon Nation.  In fact, a girl at this hip party in L.A. came up to me and asked if we’d play some Yacht Rock. I almost spit my drink out because I “got” it immediately. I loved the idea that Hall and Oates and Michael McDonald might be Yachty. So since then, I’ve been dying to put together a fun crew of excellent musicians.  In addition, the mission would be to tackle this musically challenging genre of great music and GET YACHTY with it.  Yachty by Nature has not only been up to the task, but leading the way on the West Coast.  Importantly, YBN is a rare spectacle, an all live yacht band.

Tasty Grooves

Our yacht band is offering you tasty grooves in every song and the beautiful imagery of a yacht party. The clothes, the music, the vibe, and the party are set.  Additionally, every pleasure cruise with YBN is an adventure into the soft rock world dominated by the sound of smooth artists.  Thus, think Michael McDonald, Christopher Cross, Hall and Oates, Steely Dan, Toto, the Eagles, Kenny Loggins.

As a matter of fact, we’ll set a course for adventure.  So, you’ll want to don that captain’s hat or some sweet nautical attire as we Ride Like the Wind to that California sound.  Likewise, that conjures up sipping champagne on the yacht, sunny harbor cruises.  Moreso, think about Catalina breezes, changing the 8 track tape in your convertible, palm trees swaying, feeling groovy.  More importantly, imagine, facial hair, string bikinis and umbrella drinks on the lanai with this yacht band.  Here’s a link to our SONG LIST!

Yacht Band = Yacht Party

In fact, it’s crazy to think that it’s been about 4 years since Yachty by Nature started this thing.  In addition, 150 gigs later, the crowds are getting bigger and bigger.  We love that Southern California is catching on and the Smooth Pleasure Cruise that is Yachty by Nature continues to power up!  Make sure to get yachty with us soon.  Literally, the hardest working yacht band on the West Coast.

The music, the yacht, the band, the vibe.

Increasingly, those visuals are the important backdrop of some special music here.  In fact, we summon the visuals of that first question by the hipster girl.  Do you play any yacht rock?  Wow.  The visuals immediately cascade from the sunny vista looking over that azure blue ocean in Marina del Rey.  Additionally, the palm trees swaying and the party kicking into gear after a couple mai tai’s, martinis, or a piña colada or two.  Moreover, that vibe can’t be minimalized.  It’s the Escape we’ve been waiting for.  1978 was a kinder, gentler version of our current world.  A throwback to a simpler time all together.  The power of a yacht band putting those elements together in song or the songs of that yesteryear is immeasurable.

Yacht Rock Xanadu…

Consequently, the yacht rock songs that we play embody that escape, that mojo, and that yacht band mentality.  When the songs from 1978 begin playing, you can almost hear the crackle of the record player needle falling across the vinyl.  Thus, you feel the warm ambience of the imperfect AM radio.  Importantly, you could be catching the 1980 airwaves on your drive to the beach.  In fact, you could be pulling the FM radio disc jockey’s baritone voice.  It might even send you on your way to those classic Steely Dan cuts.

You may even get a jolt of nostalgia thinking about the yacht band appearance on Midnight Special or some other TV program propelling that unique sound through your TV set at home.  Ultimately, some of this ethereal goodness made it to the silver screen and helped you realize roller skating across the boardwalk in 1976 or so was heaven on Earth.  In fact, watching Xanadu the magic of the sound, the movie, and the other world goodness of Olivia Newton John’s voice was interplanetary.  The yacht band is ESCAPE when you add it up.

Yacht Rock attire

We’ve made much about the sound, vibe, and escape of the yacht band here.  In conclusion, the way to slingshot the experience from band to overall vibe is through your outfit.  In addition, when you come to a yacht concert, the music is there but the clothes will transcend that experience and let you LIVE 1978 Southern California.  It’s a quick trip to Yachty town.  Whether you dress in stripes, boat shoes, captain’s hats, or more, the music will electrify your presence.  Importantly, it’s the attire that inspires and makes you move like jagger to the captains of smooth.

In conclusion, you have the yacht visuals and then this band.  The music we play is the smoothest soft rock from the 70’s and 80’s.  The music starts and the yacht rock playlist that you may hear on Sirius XM provides that perfect backdrop for good times.  You see, this entire experience is one of escape, fun, and a departure from the status quo.  Ultimately, it’s special and unique but a throwback to simpler times.  Therefore, come join the party, it’s gonna be a smooth ride!

Always, check out the Captain’s Log to see what we’re up to next, and then…

Check out the fellas who invented the word yacht rock –

What is yacht rock?

Photo by Joel Goodman

Let’s answer the question “what is yacht rock”.  In short, it is that smooth, soft rock that emanated from Southern California in the late 1970s and early 80s. It has long served as the anthem for the “yuppies” of the 80s, since they LOVE to listen to smooth music as they cruise through the harbor.

If you’ve ever visited the dentist or been in an elevator you’ve definitely heard some Yacht Rock.  In fact, some say it’s a guilty pleasure because the music seems to offer an escape to good times.  Importantly, here’s the short answer but if you need a full Yacht Rock 101, enjoy this article from Captain Carl.

Smooth Music Timeline

First you’ll need a little timeline.  So, let’s put the genre of yacht rock into perspective.

2005  First Episode of Yacht Rock written and produced by JD Ryznar, Hunter Stair, and Dave Lyons.

2009 Yacht Rock Revue band in Atlanta becomes the first “yacht rock band”

2010  Final episode of the YouTube series

2011 Mustache Harbor becomes the first West Coast band to play smooth music

2016 Yachty by Nature is the first West Coast yacht rock band to play nationwide

2020 Rolling Stone features Yacht Rock Revue and their new original music album

The Answer to Smooth…

Honestly, the question, “What is yacht rock?” is that question that hits us quite often.  Moreover, Yachty by Nature was the original Yacht Rock band in Southern California to play on a regular basis.  Ultimately, when we dropped anchor in the genre in 2016, there were only 3 bands:  Mustache Harbor (No Cal), High Tide Society (SD), and Harbor Party (LA).  So, in our first year of existence, everyone was curious to know what the heck these guys in captains hats were doing.  Little did they know what smooth wave was to hit them.

Especially, now we are in the midst of a smooth rock revolution!  Audiences from coast to coast have really jumped on the vibe, the groove, and are now wearing the Broner Captain’s Hats we pioneered.  Even a competing band followed our lead on the Broner hat!  Truly, Yachty by Nature broke down a lot of doors to smooth soft rock music on the West Coast, Midwest and even the East Coast.  Yachty by Nature has now played concerts in North Carolina, Florida, Iowa, Washington, Nevada, Arizona as well as Northern and Southern California.  Lastly, take a look at the complete song list of smooth tunes the band enjoys playing!

In the music…what is yacht rock music.

Most importantly, this genre of music lasted from 1976 to 1984.  Truthfully, the incredibly talented session musicians playing the music made it hot.  For example, the guys in Toto were featured most famously on Michael Jackson’s Off the Wall & Thriller & many more hit songs.  In addition, the Doobie’s singer Michael McDonald would be prominent on Steely Dan’s Peg.  And then, sang on Christopher Cross’ Ride Like the Wind and wrote songs with Kenny Loggins.  This is one of the things the authors of the Yacht Rock YouTube series evidenced for the crossover effective of these smooth artists.

To boot, this music was jazzy, R&B, and groove oriented that made it sound “smooth”.  It was no easy task to play or sing this music.  In addition, the music featured lighter lyrics and focused on that groove.  The beautiful effect made the music a light hearted affair focusing on a musical hook that made people swoon.  Indeed, the yacht party emanates from the music and conjures visions of good times under swaying palm trees and endless sunsets.

Yachty Groove

Factually, the authors of yacht rock have a very tight criteria for songs to be on the yacht.  In more recent times and with Sirius/XM Yacht Rock radio, many more songs are considered to be yacht rock.  Importantly, the purists disagree about which songs make the grade.  But, when it comes down to it, let’s pay attention to the elements that rock the yacht.  Most notably, the purists don’t consider Hall and Oates, Little River Band, and even Brandy as smooth music.  Effectively, many tunes are more on the soft rock side and don’t feature those outstanding session musicians like Jeff Porcaro that float our boat.  However, the genre is evolving and people seem to take those liberties of what may say, “I’m on a Boat”.

Deep in the yacht

Listen to the prominent songs of the genre.  For example, Michael McDonald scores a perfect 100 on the Yachtski scale with his hit song What a Fool Believes.  It is lushly produced with lots of rhodes electric piano, smooth synth, big harmonies, and high vocals.  The groove is unmistakable, the lyric laments a foolish and melancholic love lost, and the vocal oozes the warm and comfy home of SMOOTH.  Of course, McDonald is the godfather of the genre along with the royalty of Christopher Cross and Kenny Loggins.  Don’t forget the immediate yachtiness of Boz Scaggs, David Foster, Jay Graydon, Michael Jackson, Toto, Steely Dan, and Pablo Cruise.

And, for the astute listeners, go deep and check out the lesser known but extremely yachty Bill LaBounty, Larsen Feiten band, Robbie Dupree, Marc Jordan, Pages, and Ned Doheny.  These are just a few of the really great and highly rated yacht rock music of the 70’s and 80’s.  Definitely worth a listen.

Yachty Rock visuals

Lastly, many of the prominent songs of the era had nautical lyrics and featured boats and other yachty references on their album covers.  In fact, check out the level fun of Yacht Rock found in movies new and old and the overall pop culture of the music.  For example, Caddyshack features the yachty outfits and fun around the yacht club and the country club.  More recently, Step Brothers features the song “Boats ‘n Hoes”.  SNL star Andy Samberg raps with T-Pain on the expletive filled but Yachty “I’m on a Boat”.  And, of course, Will Ferrell and cast embodies the 70’s clothes and groovy music of yacht rock on the film Ron Burgundy.  The visuals abound in culture, dress, and everyday life now thanks to this resurging music.  Just look at the preponderance of flamingos, anchors, palm trees, and boat shoes and boat wheels around you.  Celebrities, artists, and even new music is being transformed by the genre, so get on the yacht!

Check out Captain Carl’s post about smooth fashion tips too!!!

Youtube series.

So let’s cast off, shall we?  Check the series at the top of the post or search on YouTube for the series by the authors of the genre.

Watch this epic YouTube series entitled Yacht Rock which coined the phrase and blazed the trail for the resurgence of people loving on the glorious tunes of the soft rock era! Here is episode 1, enjoy 🙂  Lastly, listen to a taste of us on What a Fool Believes if you haven’t had enough Michael McDonald for the moment.  We recorded this at Sea Legs when we opened for Snoop.

#yachtrock #softrock #whatafoolbelieves #whatisyachtrock #yachtybynature

Yacht Rock Schedule

Yacht Rockers Yachty by Nature hit the road running this September 2019!  Kicking off the yacht rock schedule with a smooth concert on the beach with Snoop Dogg was huge.  However, these soft rockers are just revving up the engines and battening down the hatches for quite a ride this fall.

Snoop and Nood Beach

Hope you got a taste of those guilty pleasures over at Sea Legs on the big stage.  We played with a brilliant lineup of E40, Coast Club, Sega Genecide, Snoop Dogg, and Dash Berlin.  In fact, Sega Genecide rocked the house ahead of us, we took the stage for some smooth sailing and then Coast Club pumped the jams.  We got to geek out with their peeps backstage talking all things smooth music before E40 jumped on the mic to the crowd’s delight.  Additionally, when Snoopadelic began his set, Sea Legs parking lot and food festival grounds were going nuts.  He truly crushed it with thousands beckoning for more.  By the time we left, the Dash Berlin transformed the audience into a Vegas maelstrom of DJ tension and release.

Ultimately, there was but scant leftovers of ramen and a massive crowd of dancers synched up with that big beat.  What an amazing show!

Yacht Rock schedule September

Campus Jax is next on the yacht rock schedule for September 7.  In fact, we return to this killer club with an intimate vibe and epic food.  $10 cover gets you an all you can eat smorgasbord of smooth and the hottest Saturday night ticket in town.  Additionally, get your reservation now so that you can dine with us and dance your butt off to Toto, Steely Dan, and Michael McDonald and more.  Increasingly, there might even be some Kenny Loggins and Little River Band in the setlist.  Easily accessible for our Newport Beach crowd and near the 73 and the 405, it’ll be smooth sailing on Saturday, September 7.  Hence, get your Jack Shrimp on with us, it’s gonna be smooth.

Smooth Cruise

Next, it gets really busy.  In fact, on September 12 we’ll be playing a private show in La Jolla at a corporate awards show.  Unfortunately, we can’t bring you with!

Then, we’ll be playing a Temecula wedding on Friday, September 13.  Again, we wish we could invite everyone, but it’s going to be a private and intimate affair.

Lastly, we finish the week up at a Private Community concert in Laguna Beach on Saturday, September 14.  Hope you have friends in high places and we’ll see you there.

On Sunday, September 22 from 2pm to 5pm Sea Legs puts us on the yacht rock schedule for another Yacht Party on the sand in Huntington Beach.  Last couple shows there have been legendary, so get there early or Uber/Lyft to PCH and Warner and walk south.  Furthermore, we are counting on another spirited show, new tunes, and lots of fun.  Get your reservation and come on down for the smooth cruise.  Additionally, Huntington Beach Bicycle Company, Inc. is planning a bike ride that day that will cruise on over to our show and they already have merch you can buy too!!!

Just remember, we only have a few big public shows coming up.  We are evermore busy with corporate shows, private parties, weddings and more.  So, make sure you come out to Sea Legs on 9/22 and get your tickets for Back Bay Bistro on 10/26 for our Halloween concert in Newport Beach.  In addition, we’ll be in Las Vegas at Topgolf on 11/2 and some more local shows in November.

Check out our Complete Schedule for March 2020.

Yacht Rock Schedule and beyond…

And, last but not least on the yacht rock schedule, we’re taking the weekend of September 27 and 28 off.  And, of course, Toto is playing at the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles, so we’re out on September 20.  Moreover, we’ll need to rest up for our upcoming show in the Midwest!  Woot!  Love that the Heartland of America is so down for smooth music.  In fact, what an honor that we’re traveling so much this year.

#yachtrock #yachtrockschedule #crew #cruise #yachtybynature #losangeles #yachtyrock #noodbeach #snoopdogg