If you know what yacht rock is, it likely immediately gets you excited. The smoothed-out summer jams with a vague nod to oceanic lounging are a thing of ecstatic appreciation to those in the know. While originally coined as a loose diss on the collective of “West Coast Sound” bands, this already successful-beyond-words rough collection of artists is now undergoing a bonafide second life of emphatic appreciation. Yes, what may have been a tongue-in-cheek joke by fans is now a delightful reason to join and celebrate. Wisely capitalizing on this new era of fandom, Michael McDonald’s current U.S. tour added a special show at L.A.’s storied Hollywood Bowl, essentially a triple headliner of nautically epic proportions featuring Kenny Loggins and Christopher Cross and with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra throughout the night. Loggins himself made the only reference to it on the night, jokingly referring to Cross as the captain of their ship. Otherwise though, hundreds of the capacity crowd at the Bowl could be seen gleefully wearing sailor’s hats, captain’s hats or full on skipper uniforms. When you’re not hung up on image or style. When you’re not stuck wondering if you’re in the right pocket of cool. You might just be one of the lucky fans on hand tonight that had a ball dancing and singing along to some of the best laid-back singers there ever has been.
Appropriately, Texas-born Christopher Cross got things going with a short and sweet set. Cross framed the tone of the evening playing five tracks from the dawn of his career, borrowing equally from his first self-titled album and its 1983 follow-up Another Page. The peppy yet chill “All Right” and the even chiller “Never Be the Same” began the show on a lively foot. That was just enough time to get a taste of what was happening before Cross dropped in his most famous song, “Sailing.” There is no wonder at all why it’s so famous, as the song seems intentionally crafted to feel as calming as a warm spring day gently floating on the Pacific Ocean. Fun fact: Christopher Cross’ debut album beat both Pink Floyd’s The Wall and Billy Joel’s Glass Houses for album of the year at the Grammys in 1981. Only two songs followed that high point, and both were excellent choices. First Cross explained how the next song was written in tandem with one of his heroes, Burt Bacharach. It was “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)” from the film Arthur, a song you know, but you most likely don’t realize you know (and it begs to be pointed out netted Cross an Oscar for Best Song in 1982). He ended strong with another first album cut, “Ride Like the Wind,” which Michael McDonald joined him for on keyboards and backing vocals.
Kenny Loggins followed powerfully immediately after. Sitting with his band on stools he performed the Loggins and Messina classic from the start of his career “Danny’s Song.” It’s rare that thirty seconds into a set the whole audience sings along, but there it was for this one, “Even though we ain’t got money / I’m so in love with you honey / everything will bring a chain of love.” After that mirthful bout of love, Loggins went for ultra charming, opting for his redux version of “House at Pooh Corner” entitled “Return to Pooh Corner.” In case you’re wondering, yes, the song is indeed a nod to and about Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robin. K-Log (as he hilarious referred to himself on a recent episode of the spy cartoon comedy Archer) was then joined by Michael McDonald for their co-written 1979 mega hit “This Is It.” Amazing by its inclusions considering the set opened in pure folksy bliss and now was already in a disco, halcyon haze.
He followed that with the soulful and loving “Celebrate Me Home” and the rousing “Conviction of the Heart.” The three songs that finished K-Log’s set though…. it’s likely that any working musician alive wished they had written any one of them. The songs are so famous and ubiquitous it remains stunning to this day just one man wrote them all. First was the instantly joyous “I’m Alright” (made famous as the theme song to the first Caddyshack movie). Try and not dance and smile to this song live. Pretty much impossible. Next was the unforgettable theme to Top Gun, “Danger Zone.” Again, the entire crowd at the Hollywood Bowl was singing along gleefully. Is it super ‘80s? Yes. Does it matter? Nope. Not one bit. This is chock-a-block saccharine goodness. And yes, his set ended with “Footloose” the theme from the film of the same name. Everyone was dancing. It was unadulterated joy. Hate all you want. Three thousand years from now people will still be analyzing these songs trying to figure out how they continue to last through the stains of time.
Michael McDonald followed and closed out the night with a set largely comprised of somehow even chiller sounds than anything that came beforehand. “Sweet Freedom” came first with McDonald sitting comfortably behind a grand piano nimbly emoting through his uncanny vocal control. He featured only one new song, “Just Strong Enough” off last year’s Wide Open, his first album of new music in seventeen years. “On My Own” followed, a cut he originally did as a duet with Patti LaBelle back in 1986. It’s a slow BPM, but it’s a beautiful and patient song. McDonald went all the way back to his first solo album next, playing “I Can Let Go Now” almost solo on piano (just some sparse strings from the orchestra). Loggins returned on the next number, joining McDonald for The Doobie Brothers’ hit “Minute By Minute.” They doubled down on that momentum with Christopher Cross also joining for the final two numbers. Together, the three of them performed another classic Doobie Brothers song, “What a Fool Believes.” This is another one of those ultimate, society-wide permeation songs. You’re probably reading this wondering, “do I know this song?” Yes, you do. You’re not aware you know it, but you’ve heard it a million times, singing along to the soothing McDonald falsetto not really knowing the words. On that cut’s ending, the orchestra exited. The band (and Loggins and Cross) returned quickly for just one encore, another famous song from McDonald’s time in The Doobie Brothers, “Takin’ It to the Streets.” This one featured all three and every member of McDonald’s band all singing together. It was an apt conclusion to a super fun show.
Seeing all three singers together, something comes into crystal clear focus. Each of the three singers exhibit a certain innate unusual approach to singing and performing. Some just in terms of inflection, others in terms of cadence and approach, but somehow it’s never a hindrance. It’s always an asset. McDonald can nimbly shift between upper register emotive notes. Loggins takes unexpected turns in his phrasing and melodic timing, starting and stopping where most just would never think to. Cross seems to occupy a space in the middle of different vocal ranges, a space that should sound off, but never does. What’s amazing when you really boil it down is each of these three has accomplished unparalleled success. Smaller quirks have derailed many careers, but for these monsters of yacht rock, it’s the rocket fuel in the engine, an endless propulsion into the smooth sounds of maritime bliss.
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