Yacht Rock Revue sails into Beaver Creek

If you like piña coladas, or even “Bad Tequila,” Yacht Rock Revue is for you. It sails into the wintery mountains of Beaver Creek, like a warm, smooth breeze Tuesday.

“We love providing experiences where audiences can truly let loose, have fun and feel transported by the music we all know and love. The yacht rock genre has exploded in popularity in recent years precisely because it’s joyful, carefree and cross-generational. So put on your boat shoes and captain hats, and prepare for a night of timeless sing-along hits,” said Cameron Morgan, Vilar Performing Arts Center executive director:

Yacht Rock Revue masterfully recreates the laid-back tunes, known as yacht rock, which originated in Southern California in the 1970s and ’80s but didn’t make a name for itself until an LA-based comedy group led by J. D. Ryznar created a humorous web series, featuring fictionized key players of the genre, by the same name. What started off as a joke has morphed into a true appreciation of some of America’s best love songs.

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The band has hundreds of songs to choose from, and on this tour, it’s delivering several new songs the musicians haven’t played on previous tours, like Bill Withers and Grover Washington’s “Just the Two of Us.”

“It’s maybe the smoothest yacht rock tune that we’ve never done before, so I’m super excited about that one, and we’re also doing ‘All Right’ by Christopher Cross, which I’m really excited about because it’s just such an ’80s yacht rock jam,” said Nicholas Niespodziani, vocalist, guitarist, and percussionist.

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And, of course, you’ll still hear tunes like “Baker Street” and “Africa.” The musicians put their own spin on some of the songs, while also honoring the legendary tunes.

“I don’t mean to sound all about myself, but I think that our band is actually really good, and we pay respect to these musicians. What made this music so special was that it was made by these elite session musicians, and we really take pride in not re-creating that, but paying tribute to it in our own way and bringing our own energy to it,” he said. “A big part of it is nostalgia. People love to think about the old times and glorify them and remember where they were in their mom’s wood-sided station wagon the first time they heard a Michael McDonald. And we’re here to help them bring back those memories.”

The band initially learns the original versions of the songs, then folds in their own style to make them their own. It also has released two albums of original material: “Hot Dads in Tight Jeans,” which showcased their range of skills, and “Escape Artist,” which they released last year. The latter features a song they co-wrote with Elliot Lurie, lead guitarist for Looking Glass, who originally wrote “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl).”

“He wanted to collaborate on a song with us, so we did, and it’s a pretty smooth track called ‘Tropical Illusion,'” Niespodziani said. “We have just a crazy talented group of people (in our band). You’re not going to see a better saxophone player than Dave Freeman, I promise you, then our guitar player … is originally a heavy metal guy, and now he plays yacht rock. But you know, heavy metal and yacht rockers, they have a lot in common because they both require a lot of musical intelligence and precision.”

The yacht rock show comes during the heart of the Vilar’s spring break entertainment.

“This band’s unique blend of nostalgia, musicianship and energetic performance style makes them stand out as a perfect fit for our venue,” Morgan said. “With their beach vibes and classic hits, Yacht Rock Revue promises a memorable evening filled with lighthearted fun and popular songs that everyone can enjoy.”

So grab the special yacht rock dark ‘n’ stormy rum cocktail at the Vilar and unwind as the 10-piece band from Atlanta whisks you away to “More Than a Feeling” of summer warmth.