The Yacht Lobsters Drop Anchor At The Irvington Theater

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September 19, 2025

By W.B. King–

When Rupert Holmes released “Escape” in 1979, he not only achieved a number one hit with the tune also known as “The Piña Colada Song,” but unknowingly contributed to the creation of a musical movement that took decades to materialize—Yacht Rock. Troubadours like Michael McDonald, with his masterpiece “What a Fool Believes,” and Christoper Cross, with his timeless song “Sailing,” are often cited as the unofficial yacht captains. The proverbial ship teems with spirited fans of musically complex, high-quality crafted songs—rife with rich melodies, bouncy rhythms and leisurely lyrics that represent a universal roadmap for happy-go-lucky living.

“These songs are baked into my DNA—the songs I listened to driving with my father with the windows open, singing to the FM radio,” said Michael Moshan, a member of The Yacht Lobsters, which will play the Irvington Theater on September 26. “It’s a particular generation of music lovers who are very nostalgic—it brings a lot of joy.”

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An Irvington resident, Moshan, who serves as a real estate lawyer by day but has played live music in bands for more than 30 years, is especially excited to perform at his hometown, historic venue, which turned 123 years-old this year.

“I’m so happy that the Irvington Theater is doing things like this — hosting elevated, NYC-caliber live music where Irvington residents and folks in Westchester can have some fun together,” he shared. “The Yacht Lobsters will bring incredibly good energy to our town. And to be on stage and perform in front of my neighbors and friends and bask in all that goodness will be so awesome. I can’t wait.”

A Late Summer Breeze

Borrowing its name, in part, from The B-52’s song “Rock Lobster,” the band, in which Moshan plays keyboards, formed in 2022. With the moniker of “soft rock at its tastiest,” influences include NOLA funk, classic rock and jazz. Setlists are populated with hit songs from acts like Steely Dan, the Doobie Brothers, Hall & Oates, and Toto, among others. Moshan noted that the band also plays “yacht rock adjacent” songs from bands like ABBA and The Bee Gees. While he said there is heated debate online as to what qualifies as a “yacht rock” song, it is generally accepted that the songs fall between the years 1974 and 1983. What isn’t debatable: the movement is growing.

“Aside from boomers and Gen Xers, it is appealing to a younger generation who are totally connected to this music—through movies they have seen or on TikTok. So, it’s not just old people listening to yacht rock, which is really cool,” said Moshan, who was born in 1969. “They [the fans] come dressed up in sailor outfits and captain hats, and they are ready from the first note. They are locked in, singing and dancing.”

Celebrating the prowess and foresight of bandleader, David Mendelsohn, and music director, Dean Franse, Moshan, said the entire ensemble is comprised of celebrated New York City-based musicians.

“These songs are complicated and difficult. The arrangements are masterful and to decode them and learn how to play them takes an enormous amount of talent,” Moshan said. “Dean is our master arranger, and he’s an absolute genius. I’m the only guy in the band who’s not a full-time professional musician. Those guys are all pros. This is what they do for a living. They have perfect pitch and near photographic memories. They all went to music school.”

Moshan first met Mendelsohn, the exuberant frontman, when they played together years earlier in the nationally recognized touring band, Brother Joscephus and the Love Revolution. “When it comes to performing these songs, he’s absolutely incredible—his voice, his range, and his connection to the music,” he noted. “Each member of the band is astonishingly good at what they do.”

Ride Like the Wind

For those new to the musical genre, Moshan suggested watching the recently released HBO film, Yacht Rock: A DOCKumentary, which features a deep dive into the unique culture as well as interviews with the likes of McDonald, Cross and Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen (spoiler alert: the latter doesn’t look favorably on the genre).

“I think that if you see that documentary, you’re like 88 percent there to what the craziness of this yacht rock movement is—it helps explain a lot,” Moshan said, adding that The Yacht Lobsters are far more than a nostalgic act—they are facilitators of freeness. “It’s really fun to watch how much joy and enthusiasm I’m seeing from the crowds—dancing, singing and connecting with the music. There’s something magical about these songs that people want to hear. They want to be transported back to a time when this music got into their DNA, and now they’re tapping back into it.”

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