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Yacht Rock Revue Brings Smooth ’70s Vibes Home to Brown County Music Center

By Marie Markey on February 11, 2026

In today’s music scene full of digital playlists and quick hits, Yacht Rock Revue offers something enduring: note-perfect live renditions of the breezy, melodic soft rock that defined the late 1970s and early 1980s. Their shows feel like a warm invitation to escape into harmony and groove, delivered with precision and obvious joy, because I’ve seen them before. And loved them.

The Yacht Rock Revue performs at the Brown County Music Center on Feb. 6, 2026. (Photo credit and copyright Larry Philpot/SoundstagePhotography.com)

On February 6, 2026, the band did exactly that at the Brown County Music Center in Nashville, Indiana, with their set beginning promptly at 7:30 pm. Lead singer Nicholas Niespodziani, who grew up in nearby Columbus, Indiana, right down the street, gave the evening an extra sense of homecoming.

Six of the band’s core members have been together since the beginning, lending a special continuity to every performance. The group is set to headline the Ruoff Music Center later this year—a big milestone for a band that has steadily built a national following. As always, there was not a lot of talking between songs; they seemed focused on delivering a tight set, narrowing what is easily a good two hours and twenty minutes of music into a satisfying evening.

Yacht Rock Revue formed in Atlanta, Georgia, in 2007 as a lighthearted side project for members of the indie band Y-O-U. What started as ironic covers of smooth classics soon became their full-time passion, thanks to fans who couldn’t get enough.

Founders Nicholas Niespodziani and Peter Olson trace their musical friendship back to childhood in Columbus, Indiana. The band has since become a touring staple, opening for legends like Kenny Loggins, Train, and REO Speedwagon, and hosting their own Yacht Rock Revival events.

They have also released original music, including the albums Hot Dads In Tight Jeans and the 2024 concept album Escape Artist. For the latest tour dates, music, and more, visit their website at yachtrockrevue.com.

Band Members

The current lineup features these talented musicians:

Nicholas Niespodziani – Vocals, Guitars, Keyboards, Percussion
Peter Olson – Vocals, Guitars, Keyboards, Percussion
Greg Lee – Bass, Vocals
Mark Dannells – Guitars, Vocals
Mark Bencuya – Keyboards, Vocals
David B. Freeman – Saxophones, Keyboards, Flute, Piccolo, Percussion, Vocals
Keisha Jackson – Vocals, Percussion
Kourtney Jackson – Vocals, Percussion
Jason Nackers – Drums
Ganesh Giri Jaya – Drums

In the past few years, fans may have noticed some evolution with the addition of vocalists Keisha and Kourtney Jackson and the shift to two drummers, while six foundational members continue to anchor the sound from the very beginning. I spoke with the sound engineer after the show, and it seems that Kourtney had a career performing with her mother, and that they’re trying to take some of the heavy lifting off Nick, and give a little more of the vocals to Peter.

Setlist

The band performed this verified setlist (all covers unless noted):

Fernando (ABBA snippet)
What a Fool Believes / Yah Mo B There
Somebody’s Baby (Jackson Browne)
I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do) (Hall & Oates)
Reelin’ In the Years (Steely Dan)
This Is It (Kenny Loggins)
Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl) (Looking Glass)
Africa (Toto)
Everywhere (Fleetwood Mac)
Sexy Eyes (Dr. Hook)
Lowdown (Boz Scaggs)
Heart to Heart (Kenny Loggins)
Lotta Love (Neil Young)
Sister Golden Hair (America)
Cool Change (Little River Band)
Escape (The Piña Colada Song) (Rupert Holmes)
What You Won’t Do for Love / Just the Two of Us
Fooled Around and Fell in Love (Elvin Bishop)
Careless Whisper (George Michael)
Baby Come Back (Player)
Jessie’s Girl (Rick Springfield)
Kiss You All Over (Exile)
You Make Loving Fun (Fleetwood Mac)
Ride Like the Wind (Christopher Cross)
Lido Shuffle (Boz Scaggs)
Hold the Line (Toto)
Baker Street (Gerry Rafferty) – Encore

If classic soft rock holds a special place in your heart, Yacht Rock Revue offers a night that quietly reminds you why these songs still matter. Their focus stays on the music, letting the melodies and harmonies do the talking in a relaxed, welcoming setting. With bigger stages like Ruoff on the horizon, a show at a venue like Brown County Music Center gives fans the chance to enjoy that craft up close—nothing flashy, just solid, feel-good entertainment worth experiencing for yourself. Grade A+