We’ve been hanging out with Yacht Rock Revue from Atlanta, Georgia. From local cover band to powerhouse — these guys are making moves where it counts!
Band Members
Mark Cobb
Nicholas Niespodziani
Peter Olson
Greg Lee
Mark Bencuya
Mark Dannells
David B. Freeman
How did YRR form?
Seven ships were lost in the ocean – painting houses, teaching SAT prep, caddying golf, directing fitness at old folks homes, playing church gigs, teaching guitar lessons – when suddenly they came together in a smoky basement to form an unstoppable armada of ’70s smoothness. It was only supposed to be a one-off show, and it turned into our full-time job. A three-hour tour?!?!
Tell us about any community initiatives/service/organizations YRR are involved with and why?
A few years ago we played the first benefit for Live Thrive Atlanta, and I learned about their work recycling the nastiest stuff that we know we shouldn’t throw away but that we can’t recycle curbside: tires, paint, chemicals, plastic bags, electronics, cooking oil, batteries, etc. I reached out to the executive director Peggy Whitlow Ratcliffe, and a couple of years later we’ve opened a recycling center and I’m the President of the Board. The Center for Hard to Recycle Materials is at 1110 S Hill Street, and with the help of Alex Wan, Carla Smith and the Atlanta City Council we’ve already diverted (literally) tons of household hazardous waste from Atlanta’s landfills and water supply. LiveThrive.org
YRR has also been deeply involved with the Songs for Kids Foundation, an organization that brings music to children in hospitals, since its inception. Our friend Josh started SFK, and we’ve played in hospitals with him and performed at every Songs for Kids Event and Fundraiser. SongsForKids.org
We’ve also been involved in the Giving Kitchen from the start. It was the vision of our friends Ryan and Jen Hidinger to create a fund to support restaurant workers who needed help with medical bills or other unforeseen challenges. We were inspired by this vision, and we’ve played their anchor event – Team Hidi – since its inception. Thegivingkitchen.org
How did the opening of Venkman’s come about?
We spent a lot of years touring around the country, seeing what was possible when it came to delivering a 360 experience for an evening of music and food. We felt there was an opportunity to balance the two in a way that Atlanta had not yet seen, so we partnered with Chef Nick Melvin to birth Venkman’s. It took forever, and it took a lot of luck – but we’re proud of what we’ve got so far and we think we’re headed in the right direction. Plus, we haven’t received any letters about lawsuits from Ghostbusters yet, so we’ve got that going for us.
What is your favorite ATL venue to play?
Variety Playhouse is one of the best sounding rooms in the country.
Who would play your characters in a YRR biopic?
Nick N – Daniel Radcliffe or John Lennon’s ghost
Peter O – Adrian Grenier
Mark C – Anthony Michael Hall
Mark B – Pitbull
Mark D – a talking letterbox or Corey Feldman
Dave F – the ghost of Michael Brecker
Any tips for smaller / local bands looking to get gigs and success?
Success in the music business has a few prerequisites – talent, hard work, commitment and good looks. But you can have all of that and still be stuck working the accessories counter at Guitar Center if you don’t have one final element – luck. My advice would be not to let a lack of success dampen your enthusiasm or deflate your sense of self-worth. Without a bit of luck, we wouldn’t be where we are today.
I wasn’t particularly proud of being in a cover band when we started, so I didn’t have a super-precious approach to what we were putting together. Because it wasn’t our “original” band, we really watched the audience and let their taste dictate the direction the band headed in. I really learned how important it is to stay in tune with your audience – without them, you’re playing for the walls.
What can we expect from YRR in the future??
We’re playing a bunch of dates with some of our soft rock heroes this summer – Robbie Dupree, Ambrosia, Eddie Money, Matthew Wilder, Elliot Lurie from Looking Glass, Mickey Thomas from Starship, Jeff Carlisi from .38 Special, and Walter Egan. So that should be fun!
The future for Yacht Rock always involves a whole bunch of the past. We’re gonna keep recycling the soft rock sounds of yesteryear and keep expanding our nautical territory.
Catch YRR at the Variety Playhouse this Friday, March 25 – tickets on sale here
