best live cover band 2019 oc weekly yachty by nature orange county soft rock yacht rock

Best Live Cover Band 2019!

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Best Live Cover Band 2019

Above all, thanks to our amazing fans.  Yachty by Nature was voted Best Live Cover Band in OC Weekly.  In fact, the band was nominated in August and the voting ran through September and announced last week.  Moreover, it is a huge thrill to be named #1 Reader’s Choice Cover Band in the Best of edition of OC Weekly.  In addition, here’s a link to the digital edition of this publication.  Thanks to our awesome venues and really loyal fans for taking us to number one!  Keep the fire and keep getting yachty with us.  The band is really working hard and we had a couple shows this weekend that really showed off the depth, the passion, and the incredible yachty vibe.  What an honor and privilege to celebrate with everyone at Back Bay Bistro and Sgt. Pepperoni’s 43rd Anniversary party.

Iowa Yacht Rockers

First and foremost, let’s take a look back at one SMOOTH Yacht Rock-tober.  Your Best Live Cover Band YBN began the month in rare form at the Get Onboard for Giving fundraiser at Strawberry Farms.  And, oh what a night.  In fact, it was a great crowd, great cause, and great yachty outfits all around.  Additionally, some serious dance moves were on display for a Thursday night.  By October 5, we were back at the Newport Harbor Yacht Club for another splendid private party in the Yachtiest venue on Newport Blvd.  Another Santa Ana wind driven beautiful night and an amazing crew of sailor hatted and decked out captains and captainettes.  Again, Happy Birthday Eric!  Our yachty peeps danced the night away and we finally brought Footloose back into the set list.  Super smooth.

Best Live cover band off to the midwest

The following weekend brought us on tour to the land of Iowa!  A yachty first, we flew out to the prairie on Friday and enjoyed the casino and sportsbook at Wild Rose Casino in

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Jefferson, IA.  As well, we celebrated Jonna and Tyson’s wedding and surprise everyone with yacht rock from these sailors imported from California.  Ultimately, the band presided at the grand piano for sing alongs like Lionel Richie, All Night Long.  Our hosts were incredible and we can’t wait to come back to Iowa for more Yachty fun.  Of course, we have another wedding out that way in June!  From the good times of shuttling Ira around the Phoenix airport to chillin’ with the band far from the friendly confines, it was a killer road trip.

It was a well earned weekend off on the 18th and 19th of October and then the best live cover band played a corporate at the Beach House in San Diego for Clio Cloud 2019.  An epic night of yacht rock with the soothing sounds of the Pacific Ocean in the background.  We fielded some beautiful requests for Ambrosia and England Dan for our yachty hosts and big fans of yacht rock.  Very cool to highlight the conference’s last night in California.  Stay Yachty San Diego!

Yacht Rock Halloween

Lastly, we rocked the yacht again right on the water at Back Bay Bistro.  A sold out night of smooth, Yachty by Nature killed it with the costumes and tunes.  With Captain Carl at the helm as Popeye and Scotty McYachty playing Daryl Hall to Jen’s John Oates, the band oozed sultry smooth soft rock.  In addition, Rim’s pimp outfit, Ben Shreddin’ as a member of Flashpants, and Dave’s proctologist outfit let Dr. I remain the lone red jacketed captain.  It was a night to remember, the electric vibe and onslaught of dancers everywhere christened the Halloween eve and savored the smoothness of new tunes like Georgy Porgy.  Thanks for the support and thanks for the fun, Newport Beach!

Capping a busy October, we finished the month at Sgt. Pepperoni’s 43rd anniversary party and fundraiser.  From craft breweries like Gunwhale, Brewery X, and Beach Grease to the Bracken’s Kitchen fundraiser and dunk tank, this Sunday Funday had something for everyone.  In addition, our friends Sega Genecide hit the stage with us to celebrate 43 years of OC’s favorite pizza store.  Thanks to Jill and the crew for an amazing day of Yacht Rock, pizza, beer, and music.  Honestly, those are some really great people, do yourself a favor and get a slice there sometime soon.las vegas topgolf viva yacht vegas mgm strip sin city yacht rock band yachty by nature cruise crew smooth music concert show experience songs playlist

Sail On

Now, where do we sail from here?  With the Best Live Cover Band award in our hands, we sail off to Las Vegas!  Increasingly, it’s been tough to inform our Las Vegas dinghies and life jackettes that we don’t have a yachty date on the calendar.  However, the time is now and Topgolf is hosting us for a free show this Saturday, November 2.  And, another date coming soon.  Notably, the venue is located behind the MGM Grand just off the strip.  Importantly, get your table reservations or hitting bay arranged now for a yachty good time.  Without a doubt, you’ll need to consult the band calendar for all the cool shows coming up.  In fact, there are many opportunities in November but mostly private shows coming up in December.

Subsequently, without a big Halloween presence on Thursday, this weekend might see some more Halloween costumes and overall yachty attire out there.  Let’s Get Yachty!

Best Live Cover Band yacht rock

As you can see, The Best Live Cover Band is everywhere in November.  Next stop will be November 8 at the Fifth in Anaheim with a $15 cover at the door.  Undoubtedly, one of our really fun venues, The Fifth stops for the evening’s fireworks at Disneyland.  Call for your reservation right away!

Private show on November 9 and then Sunday, November 10 we play for Vet Fest in Manhattan Beach.  Don’t forget to buy your tickets soon for a Sunday Funday and great cause going to celebrate our veterans and first responders.  In fact, tickets are $35 and veterans/first responders are free.  To be noted, Gene Simmons graced us with his presence and a heartfelt talk with the crowd.

Then, we are back to the friendly confines of Daily’s in Rancho Santa Margarita on November 15.  Indeed, Orange County’s Best Live Cover Band is still reeling from last time there.  In fact, they’ve assured us they are ready for a capacity crowd of fun sailors and sailorettes.  Get your captain’s hat and deck shoes ready for a hot one!

In addition, we come back to Campus Jax on November 22 for a yacht rock dance party.  Always a fun one, book your reservation to be comfy, yachty, and above all smooth.

Closing out the month is our annual party before Thanksgiving at Costello’s in Mission Viejo on November 27.  Don’t miss the boat on this one, it’s always a smooth scene.

Again, thanks so much for all the love and making us Best Live Cover Band 2019!

YBN Song List

#yachtrock #yachtrockparty #yachtybynature #november #thanksgiving #bestlivecoverband #bestlive #coverband #oc #orangecounty #losangeles

 

29 Oct

What is Yacht Rock?

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What is yacht rock?

what is yacht rock band bands yachty by nature smooth captains mellow easy listening ship boat ascot hall and oates marina del rey california los angeles

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

12 Oct
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Midwest Yacht Rock!

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Midwest Yacht Rock!!!

With so much to report on the state of the Yacht, I really don’t know where to start.  Before our next cruise to Midwest Yacht Rock, how about starting with the next big shows?  Yachty by Nature is coming to the heartland this Yacht Rocktober.  In fact, we’ll be back there in the summer of 2019 for more fun.  Additionally, we hope to add shows to our Midwest swing next June.

The band is continuing a smooth run of quality ALL LIVE yacht rock shows in Southern California to amazing crowds and traveling the U.S.  Thus, we are the ONLY yacht rock band other than Yacht Rock Revue covering such a wide swath of territory.  As you know, we’ve played North Carolina, Las Vegas, Arizona, Northern California and of course, Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego.  More importantly, we’re now sailing to the Midwest.  Although we get a lot of calls from Wisconsin, we haven’t been there yet.  However, Yachty by Nature’s very own guitarist, Ben Shreddin’ was recruited by the Docksiders to play a show with them on September 20.  Yes, Ben flew out for their yachty show in Milwaukee and had a blast playing Midwest Yacht Rock for the very first time.

BEST OF Orange County…

In recent news, we’ve been nominated for OC Weekly’s Best of 2019.  In fact, we are proud to be up for Best Live Cover Band in Orange County!  Increasingly, we are stoked to be able to play this genre of smooth 70’s and 80’s music totally live.  So, with great pleasure we hope that with your votes we will take the crown with the popular vote of the OC.  Not a karaoke band with tracks, not a performance art, but a real LIVE yacht rock band playing their own instruments.  THANK YOU in advance Orange County for knowing the difference.  Thus, cross your fingers and hope that we got the votes to do this.  And, thanks for pouring your votes in before the deadline in September, you are so precious to our success OC!!!  Case in point, we’ll bring our BEST to the Midwest Yacht Rock shows shortly!

Upcoming Shows

10/3/19 – This week we’ll performing at another fundraiser at Strawberry Farms Golf Club in Irvine on October 3, 2019.  To all the Yachties that would like to come, they will even do $50 tickets at the door without dinner.  Thanks for helping to raise money for CHOC and the Lupus Foundation through the Charitable Foundation’s fun night of Yacht Rock.  In fact, we really appreciate you lending a helping hand.  This show is aptly titled Get On Board With Giving and urges everyone to hop in the yacht for a great cause.  Click the link for tickets and hope to see you out there!  As you know, there’s lots of great stuff coming up:

10/5/19 – Private party, wish you could come.  In addition, it’s a yacht club party!  Ooooooh, gonna be smooth.

10/12/19 – Midwest Yacht Rock private party – Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Sioux City, St. Louis, what’s it gonna be!  Wish you were there.

10/26/19 – Halloween Special at Back Bay Bistro – get your table reservation going now, it’s gonna be a smooth Yacht Rocktober.

11/2/19 – Topgolf Las Vegas get ready cuz here we come.

12/7/19 – Whisky a Go Go on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood get your tickets now for a night to remember, we’ll drop it like it’s YACHT.

Before the Midwest Yacht Rock…

Looking back, let’s examine our course before we ship out for Midwest Yacht Rock.

Truthfully, we really had an outstanding turn out for Shannon’s Benefit fundraiser in August.  Thank you so much again to all of our wonderful sponsors and everyone who pitched in.  In fact, we really made a difference and raised about $14,000 for Shannon’s fight against breast cancer.  Thank you Costello’s, Diageo, Daily’s RSM, Stance Socks, Arroyo Trabuco, Westin Long Beach, San Juan Creek Golf, Paul’s Pantry, El Cortez, Mission Viejo Country Club, Skip and Ashley, Shlee Art, Jaz Ramos, Disney Dave, Huntington Beach Bicycle Company, Jesse Murphy, Riptide Sushi, Popgun Rerun, Kimberly Frazier, AR Workshop in San Juan, Stressbusters, Massage Heights, Dayna Page and more!

Again, our show at Nood Beach opening for Snoop was a huge!  This year has been full of amazing shows, lots of growth, new tunes, new fans and too much GREAT to mention.  Each step forward we do so with a passion for live music and a love for our fans.  Thanks for being our buoy on this journey and sailing the seas of smooth with us every step of the way.  Continue to spread the word to our new Yachties out there and continue to celebrate LIVE smooth music with us.  As I always say, we are climbing Mount Smootherest with you one small cruise at a time.  Indeed what a pleasure cruise we are having and can’t wait to share more and exciting news ahead.

Cruise with Us

Also, let’s not forget about a summer of smooth at all those Concerts in the Park.  Thanks for enjoying us in the park and a record setting 12 Park Shows!!!  And how about our summer residency on the beach at Sea Legs.  Not to mention, we had one of our cruisiest yet at Sea Legs with a fine bicycle ride with HBBC and Cruise With Us including School of Rock on the stage!  We also rocked the Campus Jax again and just love playing to fun audiences there.  We love getting yachty in the sand, on the coast, and most of all listening to those golden vocals of Scotty McYachty!

As outlined in our upcoming shows, there are some big ones.  Make sure you don’t miss the boat at Whisky a Go Go and then who can resist our concert in Las Vegas.  Topgolf is always great and we’ve only just begun.  Specifically, October features our Halloween show and the Back Bay Bistro is one comfy dinner concert.  Get those tickets and let’s get Yachty!  In fact, there’s only one LIVE yacht rock show in Southern California on a regular basis, so hop aboard.  As always, we’ll have some shows to be thankful for around Thanksgiving.  Stay tuned to the calendar and we can’t wait to cruise with you and your yachty crew soon.

#yachty #yachtybynature #yachtrock #softrock #topgolf #yachtrockrevue #yachtrockxm #yachtrockradio #midwestyachtrock #dropitlikeitsyacht #yachtrockyoutube

01 Oct