Ambrosia & Pablo Cruise To Bring ‘Yacht Rock Celebration’ To Bucks County

The smooth sounds of the 1970s and 1980s are headed to the area as Ambrosia and Pablo Cruise team up for a “Yacht Rock Celebration” at the Parx Xcite Center later this month.

The Friday, May 29 at 8 p.m. performance at the venue in Bensalem Township will showcase two staples of the era’s rock scene.

Ambrosia, a five-time Grammy-nominated group known for hits like “How Much I Feel” and “Biggest Part of Me,” will share the stage with Pablo Cruise, the band behind “Love Will Find a Way” and “Whatcha Gonna Do?”

For Ambrosia bassist and vocalist Joe Puerta, the band’s five-decade career remains a point of reflection as they continue to draw diverse crowds.

“I’m kind of awestruck when I look out and I see the joy that we’re still bringing to people,” Puerta said in an interview with LevittownNow.com.

While long-time fans make up much of the audience at their shows around the globe, Puerta said they have seen a surge in younger listeners who weren’t even born when the songs first topped the charts.

The band’s name is drawn from the food of the gods in Greek mythology and was chosen to reflect the immortal quality of music.

Although Ambrosia is now mostly associated with the “yacht rock” genre, Puerta said the band’s roots are more complex. The group began as a progressive and art rock outfit that incorporated orchestral arrangements, jazz, and R&B.

Ambrosia’s history is marked by brushes with cultural icons. Their debut album was mixed by Alan Parsons, who the band recruited by calling Abbey Road Studios directly after hearing his work on Pink Floyd’s “The Dark Side of the Moon.”

The collaboration earned the band a Grammy nomination for Best Engineered Recording.

Another time, the group adapted lyrics from Kurt Vonnegut’s novel “Cat’s Cradle” for their song “Nice, Nice, Very Nice.”

“We never got permission from Kurt Vonnegut to use the lyrics,” Puerta admitted.

“Luckily, he loved it” when he eventually heard the track, Puerta said.

The current lineup features a veteran roster, including guitarist Doug Jackson, multi-instrumentalist Shem von Schroeck, and drummer Mary Harris, a former member of Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band. Puerta himself spent time in Bruce Hornsby’s band, which won a Best New Artist Grammy during that tenure.

As ticket prices rise across the industry for large stadium shows, Puerta said he has a desire to keep live music reachable for the general public.

“I hate to see it become a rich man’s province,” Puerta said. “It shouldn’t be that only wealthy people can go to concerts.”

For longtime fans and newcomers alike, the upcoming show promises a musical journey through five decades of smooth rock classics, he said.

“It’s amazing that this stands the test of time,” Puerta said of the band’s music.

Doors for the May 29 show open at 7 p.m.

Tickets for Ambrosia and Pablo Cruise can be purchased online.

This story is in partnership with Parx Casino.