Chris Pinnella Turns The Vogel Into a Full Holiday Spectacle, With a 15 Piece Orchestra Behind Him

A former Trans-Siberian Orchestra vocalist with a platinum record to his name brings a decade long holiday tradition, two shows, a full string section, and the kind of surprise guests that have become the whole point of coming back every year.

Some holiday concerts feel like an afterthought booking squeezed in before the calendar year ends. Chris Pinnella’s Christmas in Red Bank is the opposite, a genuine annual tradition, and this year’s edition returns to The Vogel on Sunday, December 20 for two full performances backed by a fifteen piece orchestra.

Pinnella built his musical foundation as a former lead singer with the platinum selling arena rock powerhouse Trans-Siberian Orchestra, an experience that shows up directly in the scale and ambition of his own holiday productions. His style blends classical, rock, and pop into a sound often compared to a mix of Josh Groban and Michael Bublé, delivering reimagined interpretations of holiday classics with a powerful, emotive voice built for exactly this kind of grand orchestral setting.

A Bigger Production Every Year

By Pinnella’s own account, this show has grown considerably since it started. “I’ve been doing holiday concerts now for a decade and I’ve never had this large of a group along with special guests, a string section, and backup singers,” he’s said of the production’s expansion. That growth shows in the current lineup, a full fifteen piece orchestra complete with strings, led by pianist Michael Gilch, delivering lush arrangements of everything from “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and “The Christmas Song” to Pinnella’s own celebrated take on Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.”

Surprise Guests Have Become Part of the Tradition

Every year’s show has featured its own set of special guest performers, and that unpredictability has become a genuine draw for returning fans. Past editions have included Broadway’s Keri Rene Fuller, America’s Got Talent finalist Mara Justine, and young performer Brayden Morgan, each bringing a fresh duet or arrangement that changes the show from year to year even as the core holiday songbook stays familiar.

Why Fans Keep Coming Back

Returning attendees consistently describe the show as an entertaining, funny, and genuinely well performed evening, with new fans made out of nearly every friend and family member who tags along. Between the grand orchestral scale, Pinnella’s genre bending vocal style, and a lineup of surprise guests that keeps the tradition feeling fresh each December, Christmas in Red Bank has earned its place as one of the season’s most reliably satisfying holiday concerts.

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Explore New Jersey covers the state’s holiday concerts and seasonal traditions, from grand orchestral productions to the intimate shows that have become fan favorites year after year. Check back for more holiday coverage all season long.