Yacht Rock Revue is an American rock band formed in Atlanta, Georgia in 2007.[1] Performing primarily covers, the band's set list is centered around a genre called "yacht rock", coined by the early 2000s web series of the same name, consisting primarily of soft rock from the 1970s and 1980s, but at times including songs as recent as the early 1990s.[2]
The band was formed by members of the since-defunct indie rock band Y-O-U after an ironic performance of soft rock hits at a local club gig took off into a weekly residence.[3] Starting as a side project, the Yacht Rock Revue has become the main focus for all seven band members: Peter Olson, Nicholas Niespodziani, Mark Cobb, Greg Lee, Mark Bencuya, Mark Dannells, and David Freeman. The band has a contract with Live Nation and tours nationally, playing more than 100 shows a year and selling out theaters in Los Angeles, Boston, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C..[4] [5] To keep up with demand, the band members launched a subsidiary band, Yacht Rock Schooner, in 2009.[6]
In 2018, Jawbone Press released a book that featured an interview with Niespodziani: The Yacht Rock Book: The Oral History of the Soft, Smooth Sounds of the 70s and 80s by Greg Prato, which explored the entire history of the genre.[7]
In late 2019, the band released their first original single, "Step". Further, they announced their first album of original material, Hot Dads in Tight Jeans, which was released on February 21, 2020.[8]
In 2023, the band was tapped as the opener for Kenny Loggins' "This Is It" Tour. In 2024, Yacht Rock Revue opened for REO Speedwagon and Train in shows across the U.S. from July to September.[9]
In 2015, two of the founding band members, Peter Olson and Nicholas Niespodziani, opened Venkman's, a restaurant and music venue in Atlanta's Old Fourth Ward neighborhood.[10] Venkman's closed in 2022 with tentative plans to reopen in a new location.[11]
Yacht Rock Revue hosts an annual concert where they invite members of the original bands that they cover to join them on stage to play a few songs. The first Yacht Rock Revival was held in 2011 in a parking lot at Andrews Entertainment Complex in Atlanta with about 1,000 attendees. In 2018, the Revival was held at the State Bank Amphitheatre in Chastain Park to a sold-out crowd of over 6,000 people.[12]
Over the years, Yacht Rock Revue has shared the stage with Walter Egan, Robbie Dupree, Elliot Lurie (Looking Glass), Peter Beckett (Player), Bobby Kimball (former lead singer of Toto), Jeff Carlisi (.38 Special), Albert Bouchard (Blue Öyster Cult), Bill Champlin (Chicago), Denny Laine (Wings) and more.