If you don’t know what Yacht Rock is, Phillip Daniel, better known as “Philly Ocean,” front man of the popular Yacht Rock band Yächtley Crëw, tells us you aren’t alone.
“People have said they have no idea what Yacht Rock is, but I tell them, ‘You do. You just don’t know it’s called Yacht Rock.’ It’s a collection of songs from artists like Steely Dan, Toto, Hall & Oates, Christopher Cross, and Michael McDonald. It’s music you would be listening to cruising on a yacht somewhere.”
For dedicated fans and closet listeners alike, Yacht Rock music has become overwhelmingly popular in recent years.
“We have been riding the crest of the wave since Yacht Rock became a thing and have been doing it since 2017,” Philly said. “Soft rock has always had a negative connotation to it, so it’s actually cool to see it become so popular. This is everything I have ever wanted to do. The shows are always so high energy, and we are making core memories for families to have for the rest of their lives. We are on the upswing now. We are in the midst of our biggest nationwide tour right now. These shows sell out weeks and months in advance. We are so grateful for our fans supporting us.”
Some of Philly's favorite artists that have inspired him throughout his career have been Kenny Loggins, Toto, and Hall & Oates.
“When you look at the career success of that duo, they (Hall & Oates) were the biggest artists in history,” he said. “Just look at how huge their tours were.”
The Yacht Rock collection of music comes from the time span of approximately 1975 to 1984.
“It’s not just the years, but the sound,” Philly noted. “You could be listening to Steely Dan and Michael McDonald will be on it. They tried to incorporate harmonies and melodies that popular music wasn’t at the time.”
While there are always some surprises, Philly admits the band must play core staples or fans would be upset.
“We have 20 core Yacht Rock songs that we have to play every time we perform like ‘Africa,’ ‘The Pina Colada Song,’ and ‘Reelin’ in the Years,’ that people just love,” he said. “We have been doing this for seven years, so we are always wanting to find ways to make the show fun. We know over 115 songs but can only play 30 or so per night.”
When selecting their play list, Philly said some fun additions have turned into unexpected fan favorites.
“This year, we added ‘I’m Still Standing’ by Elton John, which isn’t considered Yacht Rock, but the audience went crazy,” he said.
What can fans expect at Yächtley Crëw’s upcoming show on July 26 at the South Shore Music Circus in Cohasset?
“We test songs and let the audience decide what they love,” Philly said. “As long as you don’t deviate too much outside of the genre, people love it. We all love performing so much and bringing joy to so many people. The rest of the show we will let be a happy surprise.”
In addition to their tour, the band recently released their first EP, “Seas the Day.”
“It features all of the core essentials and is a really fun album,” he said. “We recommend making some pina coladas at home and hopefully enjoying the music as much as we did when we made it.”
Yächtley Crëw is currently on a nationwide tour through the end of the year.
