Rock music fans have always valued the live experience. Whether it’s in a basement club, a concert hall, or a massive sports stadium, there’s nothing like performers on a stage to drive home the sound. 

Since the days of Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry, touring acts have enhanced rock concerts with the full gamut of technology within their reach. Lasers, fog machines, strobes, and even holograms make their way to the stage to heighten the impact of the music. 

If you’re just jaded enough to think you’ve seen every permutation of a live show, Embassy Theatre has just the thing to warm your rock n’ roll heart.

On Wednesday, March 5, The Embassy presents the elegantly descriptively titled The Rock Orchestra by Candlelight. The concept is simple: rock music, played by an orchestra. And stay with me here… performed by candlelight.

Immediate appeal

The Rock Orchestra fulfills the vision of U.K. empresario Nathan Reed, who brought together a group of world-class classical musicians to perform popular rock music with the grace and power of orchestral music.

The year was 2020, and despite the inability to tour in the face of a global pandemic, the orchestra perfected their craft until they could perform a socially distanced show in early 2021. That initial offering sold out London’s legendary Clapham Grand Hall five straight nights, and the orchestra was on their way.

It was in 2022 that they had their first media release, an ethereal cover of System of a Down’s “Chop Suey.” 

They rode the success of that single to a U.S. tour in 2023 with sold-out dates at the Palladium in New York and other stops along the way.

Getting Heavy

If you’re wondering what kind of music to expect, “Chop Suey” is a good place to start. 

They may be playing violins, but they are definitely not afraid of turning up the distortion and bringing the hardest of the rock. Expect to hear familiar selections from AC/DC, Rage Against the Machine, Guns N’ Roses, and Metallica.

Last year, the orchestra proved they have indie chops, too. They released a powerful version of The Cranberries’ “Zombie” with all the chill-inducing musical crescendos that are only possible with an elite string section. The streaming video remains hugely popular with a simultaneously gothic and colorful theme and an extraordinary accompaniment for the ethereal singing part.

The 14 musicians on stage are intentionally anonymous, costumed with masks and presented as a unified group of very skilled collaborators. Set to on-stage candlelight and housed in the glorious history of the gorgeous Embassy Theatre, their gothic design offers a distinctive vision to match their unique sound.

There will always be people finding new ways to produce the rock concert experience. History shows the best new things are often the result of adding influences from the past. 

The Rock Orchestra makes a compelling argument for finding something new to those who think they may have seen it all.