A Candlelit Evening with Chris Pinnella Brought Something Different to Asbury in this Special North To Shore Show
Some nights in Asbury Park feel like they were made for live music, and last Friday night on the AP Rooftop was one of them.
Presented as part of the North to Shore Festival, A Candlelit Evening with Chris Pinnella brought a different kind of live-music experience to the rooftop setting.
The temperature was just right, a light breeze came in off the ocean, and the Arthur Pryor Bandshell overlooking the boardwalk, the water, and the city created the kind of setting that makes you slow down and take it all in. Guests settled into the amphitheater-style seating with drinks and food from AP Rooftop, giving the evening an easy, almost upscale-picnic feeling before the music even began.
But this was not a typical rooftop concert.
Chris Pinnella took the stage with a 12-piece orchestra for A Candlelit Evening, surrounded by flickering candles and an audience ready for something a little more intimate. It is not every day that Asbury Park gets a full orchestral performance like this, and that alone made the night feel special.
As a trained classical musician, I was especially drawn to the orchestral element. The arrangements gave familiar songs new life, creating a rich backdrop for Pinnella’s voice. His vocals were smooth, velvety, and effortless, often seeming to float above the orchestra and out into the open night air.
Pinnella has the kind of voice that can carry the power of a rock song while still holding onto the warmth and phrasing of a classic vocalist. His background includes performing with Trans-Siberian Orchestra, but this show showed another side of him: a singer who can take well-known songs and make them feel personal, cinematic, and completely his own.
The set was filled with reimagined covers that moved comfortably between rock, pop, classical, and jazz influences. Rather than simply recreating the originals, Pinnella and the orchestra found the emotion inside each song and brought it forward in a new way. The result was soothing, beautiful, and the kind of performance that made the audience listen differently.
It was a perfect Asbury Park night: ocean air, candlelight, an impressive orchestra, and a voice that carried across the rooftop.
Chris Pinnella has more performances coming up, including a July 24 return to AP Rooftop with The Big Band Project. Visit his official website or follow his social media for upcoming dates and ticket information.
