Yacht Rock Revue at Ruoff Music Theatre on September 12, 2026

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1 day ago

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Updated: 11 minutes ago

The Primetime Tour

Noblesville, Indiana

Photos and Review by Mike Bowen

IYKYK. If you don’t, you’ve missed the boat. Literally.

Saturday night the boat docked at Ruoff Music Center near Indianapolis in the form of Yacht Rock Revue. The band members, many with Indiana roots, seemed to relish being back in familiar waters and their fans LOVED every moment.

Coined by the writer of a comedy series in 2005, Yacht Rock was meant to describe the breezy, glossy, and mellow sound that felt like something rich people would listen to while relaxing on a sailboat in Southern California. The genre took off and Yacht Rock Revue has absolutely mastered the game.

Covers of all the songs that played on your Easy Listening radio stations in the ‘70’s and ‘80’s are perfectly reprised. Artists like Toto, Kenny Loggins, Steely Dan, Christopher Cross, Michael McDonald, Boz Scaggs and the Doobie Brothers are all represented. There are also songs you love, but may have no idea who sang it. "Brandy," by Looking Glass is a perfect example. Every single song is one you’ve heard before, whether you played it or your parents did.

Formed in Atlanta in 2007 by Nick Niespodziani and Peter Olsen, grade school friends from Columbus, Indiana, Yacht Rock Revue quickly grew from a local novelty band to a national touring machine. Rolling Stone Magazine called them the “World’s premier soft-rock party band.” Their fans, known as Anchor Heads, show up in full nautical regalia. There were more Captain hats in the crowd than at Annapolis. Fully vested in the party, fans range in age from very young to not very young, and all are singing along and dancing. The Gilligan’s Island fans were particularly entertaining.

It had been several years since, on the advice of a friend, I first saw Yacht Rock Revue. That first experience was at the Vogue Theater in Indianapolis. The show was full and fantastic, and I was instantly hooked.

Over the years the music has remained on point, but the production has become much more evolved. The 2026 “Primetime” tour draws inspiration from classic TV shows and movies from the 70’s and 80’s. Performed from a mock ‘70’s TV news desk complete with a huge mic and rotary phone, as well as from your grandma’s old plaid and leather couch, the playlist now includes nods to the likes of the Brady Bunch and Sanford and Son.

Clearly relishing being back in familiar Indiana waters, this show featured Indy Nostalgia as well, with the Ruoff Music Center being referred to as Deer Creek, It’s original moniker. With four of the 10 band members being IU grads, we were treated to the IU Fight Song, "Hoo Hoo Hoosiers." (This Purdue grad could have done without that!) Also well played was “9 to 5” in memory of the late Dolly Parton. All in all, 2-1/2 hours of pure fun.