Yacht Rock 101

Stay Smooth posters from Spike Press will be available for purchase at Stay Smooth XIV!

In honor of Stay Smooth XIV: Nowhere Left To Rum, we thought we'd put together a guide to all things smooth so you know what to expect when you step on deck at the Columbia Yacht Club this Saturday. Click "read more" to dive into the phenomenon known as Yacht Rock. —K.Champ

The Music:



Yacht Rock refers to the soft rock of the late 1970s and 1980s and is defined by its ultra-smooth sound. Artists such as Kenny Loggins, Michael McDonald, Toto and those included in the playlist above all qualify as typical to the genre. Other names for this style of music include "Adult Contemporary" or "AM Gold".

The Show:

Created by J.D. Ryznar and Hunter D. Stair, The Yacht Rock mockumentary web video series details the fictionalized lives of popular Yacht Rock stars. The first episode, embedded above, tells the story of the song "What A Fool Believes" by Michael McDonald. It's hilarious—as one commenter on YouTube pointed out: "I still say this is one of the greatest, best directed, casted, filmed, everything internet mini-series ever. If this was on SNL, it would be a legend." We say the Yacht Rock series is legendary regardless-it brought a new audience to artists like Hall & Oates and Boz Scaggs

Sadly, there are no more new Yacht Rock episodes in production—the series ended after its twelfth video, finishing with Michael McDonald scrambling to rescue composer (and alien!) Giorgio Moroder.

The Clothes:

Last but not least, let's discuss proper Yacht Rock clothing. At any Yacht Rock event—Stay Smooth included—smooth attire is strongly recommended.

Some non-gender specific essentials include:
Captain's Hats
Short Shorts
Hawaiian Shirts
Striped Knee Socks
Boat shoes/loafers

for the ladies...
Sailor dresses
Feathered hair (need to know how-to? check here)
Hoop earrings


for the gentlemen...
Mustaches
Visible chest hair—don't be afraid to undo that extra button!
Shirts with extra-wide collars

Stores like Hollywood Mirror, Party City, and Ragstock are all good places to look if you don't have Mom and Dad's hand-me-downs from the 1970s to steal your costume from.

In Conclusion...
We hope you enjoyed this Yacht Rock primer—and can't wait to see you at Stay Smooth: Nowhere Left To Rum. Tickets are $40.00 in advance and include a three hour hosted bar plus "party trolley" transportation and ticket to see Dominique Young Unique at Lincoln Hall. Let's set sail!