Dec. 26 | 9 p.m. | $15 advance | $20 at the door
Crystal Bay Casino | Crystal Bay, Nev.
It seems that yacht rock has sailed its way into Tahoe. I hadn’t the heard term until a friend fired up a dose of it on Pandora. Think of smooth, heavily produced, easy-listening music, songs from between 1976 and early 1984 when it was dominating the radio — “Sailing” by Christopher Cross, “Cool Night” by Paul Davis and the Pina Colada song, “Escape.” Think of the album cover of Loggins and Messina’s “Full Sail” with two mustached guys steering a yacht.
“Yacht rock is complicated: the chord progressions, melodies, arrangements and songwriting are more complex than modern pop.” –Mark Sexton
During its heyday, yacht rock was called soft rock or easy listening. In 2005, J.D. Ryznar and Hunter Stairs created “Yacht Rock,” a series of 12 online episodes that not only featured the songs of Ambrosia, Steely Dan, Mike McDonald and others, but invented stories about how the songs came to be written. In Episode 1, actors portray Michael McDonald yelling at Kenny Loggins that “only a fool would believe he could recreate what had yet to be created.” And, he suddenly realizes he has a hit song for his gig with The Doobie Brothers. The series, acted intentionally over the top, became a cult classic and made yacht rock the genre’s new name.
Local musician Mark Sexton of The Sextones recently performed a night of yacht rock at Alibi Ale Works in Truckee.
WATCH:
Watch an episode of “Yacht Rock”
Thundercat performs “Show You The Way” with Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins:
“Everyone has their own definition of what yacht rock is. Classic artists like The Doobie Brothers and Kenny Loggins are safe to mention as are Christopher Cross and Toto who are also are always mentioned in the yacht-rock genre,” says Sexton, adding that he includes Peter Gabriel as part of the genre although he has gotten a lot of push back from others who don’t agree. “Musically, [Gabriel]’s not that far from Toto. I think yacht rock often gets confused with yuppie music.”
Sexton offers up an image of folks drinking chardonnay at Lone Eagle Grill while listening to Sting. But, he is a fan.
“Yacht rock is complicated: the chord progressions, melodies, arrangements and songwriting are more complex than modern pop. Musicians were flexing their musical chops back then, they were seeing what they could get away with musically. The music was interesting and sophisticated. Maybe the era and timeframe had a lot to do with it. It was before technology changed in the recording studio. You had to be a really good musician, performing live on the spot. They let the song breathe. There is an instrumental for 32 bars,” he says.
So, what drives a musician who wasn’t even alive in the 1970s to perform and write original yacht-rock music? His parents listened to it.
“Yacht rock feels like home and growing up. There is a strong memory association of being at the lake and listening to Kenny Loggins, Hall and Oates and Fleetwood Mac” he says.
There are other musicians in on the resurgence of yacht rock. Los Angeles artist Thundercat recently released his new album entitled, “Drunk,” which features guest appearances from Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald on “Show You the Way,” described as a yacht-rock song.
Does yacht rock call to you? Do you love the sounds of the Ambrosia, Hall and Oates and 10cc? Put on your sailor’s cap and spend an evening with Mustache Harbor at the Crystal Bay Casino on Dec. 26 for a yacht-rock explosion.
For more information or for tickets, visit crystalbaycasino.com.