It’s a gorgeous May 12, 2026 afternoon at Holmdel, NJ’s PNC Bank Arts Center as “Old Blue Eyes” fans ready themselves for a Sinatra and Friends tribute show by Las Vegas headliner Rick Michel.
Michel’s performance is the first in a series of free 2026 Spring events at the PNC Bank Arts Center presented by the Garden State Arts Foundation under the direction of VP Ron Gravino and assisted by Cookie Santiago, Karin Souren, and Andy DiPalma.
Gravino welcomes the audience to the Arts Center amphitheater and thanks the various sponsors of today’s show including LiveNation Entertainment and PNC Bank before introducing Rick Michel.
Backed by a 24-piece orchestra, Michel takes the stage singing the Sinatra staple, “The Lady is a Tramp.” With his rich, warm baritone voice, Michel gives a rousing rendition of the tune, changing the lyrics for the Jersey crowd crooning, “She loves the PNC and never gets here late.”
The crowd cheers and Michel responds, “Thank you ladies and gentlemen! Today, we’ll be doing some of the greatest music in American history,” as he steps into a swinging version of Sinatra’s “The Best is Yet to Come.”
After introducing “Sinatra’s first hit,” Michel and the band perform “All or Nothing at All,” where, like “The Chairman of the Board” himself, Michel conducts various orchestral breaks within the arrangement.
Michel suggests, “When you put Frank Sinatra, Cole Porter, and Nelson Riddle together, you get this classic song,” before sailing into the Nelson Riddle arrangement of Cole Porter’s “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” which includes a brassy trombone solo on the interlude.
Michel introduces “a beautiful love song” in the form of a stirring rendition of “I Have Dreamed” from The King and I which features a lovely accompaniment played by the string section.
Revealing, “Sinatra did more songs than Elvis and The Beatles together,” Michel delivers a swinging version of “Summer Wind” which gets audience members’ heads bopping in time to the music.
Michel asks, “Any Dean Martin fans?” as he pours a drink and launches into Dean Martin’s “That’s Amore,” which has audience members singing along with Rick on this appealing tune.
Moving on to another Dean Martin number, Michel sings with flair on “Ain’t That a Kick in the Head” on an arrangement which has him vocalizing while simultaneously conducting the orchestra.
After announcing, “This is the title of a Frank Sinatra album,” Michel performs a gentle version of “Nice and Easy,” where the orchestra swells behind him.
Noting, “This is a nice little saloon song for you,” Michel is backed by the sound of the string section on the lovely ballad, “In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning.”
Michel teaches the audience how to do an impression of Elvis Presley before performing a rousing medley of Elvis hits including “Jailhouse Rock,” “All Shook Up,” and “Viva Las Vegas.” He follows up with a dynamic version of Sinatra’s “That’s Life” where he sings with enthusiasm, “I’ve been a puppet, a pauper, a pirate, a poet, a pawn and a king,” prior to holding out the notes on the famous “My, my” coda.
The brass section is spotlighted on the ballad, “I’ve Never Been in Love Before,” and Michel follows up with an upbeat and jazzy interpretation of Cole Porter’s “Night and Day” where he croons with skill and style to audience whistles and applause.
“We’re going to bring out another ‘guest artist,’” announces Michel as he puts on a pair of dark sunglasses and impersonates Ray Charles performing “Georgia On My Mind.”
Dedicating his next selection to his mom, audience members sing along on a delightful version of “You Make Me Feel So Young” which has Michel and the orchestra singing and swinging together with youthful enthusiasm. Then, Michel lyrically pays tribute to all of the talented instrumentalists on stage with him with his rendition of “Here’s to the Band.”
Announcing, “Here’s a song you’re all going to participate on,” Michel swings into a joyful interpretation of Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” where audience members sing along on the tune’s appealing “So good, so good” refrain.
After thanking everyone at the PNC Bank Arts Center, music lovers sing along with Michel on “Sinatra’s anthem” — “My Way.”
Afterwards, Michel is rewarded with a standing ovation where he announces, “There’s one song I left out. What do you think it is?”Concertgoers reply, “‘New York, New York,” and Michel croons, “Start spreading the news/I’m leaving today,” as audience members sing, clap, and dance along at their seats before he concludes today’s show by stating, “God bless you,” and exits the stage to animated whistles, cheers, and applause.
To find out more about Rick Michel, please go to rickmichel.com. For information on free upcoming GSAF performances including The Sound of America: A Semi-Quincentennial Concert featuring The United States Army Field Band and opening act, American Bombshells, on July 1 — please click on gsafoundation.org.
Spotlight Central NJ entertainment news,
concert recaps, and interviews
Love Imagery Fine art stage photography
@allyouneedisloveimagery
