The Rock Orchestra Played Classics Under Candlelight At Boch Center Wang Theater

Boston has no shortage of memorable live music moments, but The Rock Orchestra delivered something genuinely unique when they rolled into the city.

The Rock Orchestra is a British orchestra that performs arrangements of popular rock and metal songs. The orchestra performs covers of popular songs from the rock and metal genres. Its stage shows feature skeletal-themed attire and face mask. The ensemble often performs by candlelight. Their lineup includes classical instruments, such as violins and cellos. The show’s creator, Nathan Reed, described the idea behind the show as a spin-off of a club he was involved with: “It really started as a spin-off event. We had been running the Festival of the Dead, which we describe as a carnival, come circus, come clubbing experience. But lockdown curtailed these big weekend events.”

Its stage show features giant headbanging skull puppets. The group incorporates electric instruments, effects pedals, and amplifiers, creating a powerful and unconventional sound.

The group has toured in the UK and the US. The orchestra’s logistics involve an 18-ton truck, two tour buses, and a crew of 24, who prepare the ensemble’s live shows.

From the moment the orchestra took the stage, it was clear this wasn’t a novelty act. The musicianship was front and center, with sweeping strings, booming percussion, and carefully arranged dynamics that gave familiar rock and metal an entirely new sense of scale. Songs that are usually driven by distortion and volume instead leaned into tension, melody, and atmosphere, building slowly before exploding into massive, goosebump-inducing climaxes.

Their setlists consisted of songs from artists such as Led Zeppelin, Linkin Park, Guns & Roses, Aerosmith, Motorhead just to name a few.

What really stood out was how cinematic the entire performance felt. The lighting design complemented the music perfectly, bathing the stage in moody reds and deep blues that amplified the emotional weight of each piece. Heavy riffs translated into thunderous low strings, while iconic melodies soared through violins and cellos, often drawing audible reactions from the crowd as people recognized what was coming next.

The audience response in Boston was enthusiastic and fully locked in. Heads nodded in time with orchestral interpretations of rock anthems, and the room erupted after particularly powerful moments, proving that this crossover works just as well live as it does on paper. Rather than losing the aggression of rock, the orchestra reframed it, turning raw power into something epic and almost mythic.

By the end of the night, The Rock Orchestra had accomplished something impressive: honoring rock and metal’s rebellious spirit while elevating it through classical precision. It was a performance that felt both refined and ferocious, and one that left the Boston crowd reminded that great music—no matter the genre—can be endlessly reimagined without losing its soul.