Carnaby Street Plays 60s Hits in Summit

Nearly half a century after the original British Invasion, the New Jersey-based band Carnaby Street is bringing the sounds of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Who and more to Summit. Carnaby Street will play the Hot Summer Nights concert series on the Village Green on July 20 at 7:30 p.m.

"I love the music of (the 60s)," said vocalist and guitar player Chris Roselle. "I love the melodies, lyrically the music is very strong, and it really rings true to me and the rest of the guys."

With 34 show dates this summer, Roselle–along with bandmates Tommy Russo (drums) and Tony Prochilo (bass)–is keeping busy. Carnaby Street plays concerts, clubs and private affairs, but Roselle says his favorite shows are summer concerts like Hot Summer Nights.

"I love playing outside," he said. "It's just a better vibe outside."

Though he started playing the guitar at age 12, Roselle didn't think he would become a professional musician; he was on the path to becoming a funeral director. But he joined a band out of high school and, in 1988, met Russo, also a professional musician. Prochilo, a relative newcomer, hooked up with Carnaby Street "five or six years ago," according to Roselle.

"We're just trying to make it work with three guys," said Roselle. "We put in more energy. I like the sound of a three-piece band. With so many guys on stage, you can't hear the individual instruments."

Roselle says, if he was forced to, he'd add a second guitar or perhaps a keyboard, but is very happy with the makeup and the dynamic of Carnaby Street. In the past, Carnaby Street played original music, but they stick to 60s classics now.

 "We just want people to be happy when they see the band, so we play the songs they love," said Roselle. "(But) we do put our own spin on the arrangements."

Sometimes it's a challenge to replicate the sound of certain bands, like The Byrds, who had five members, for instance. It's extra hard because Carnaby Street tries to stay away from processing and effects, and only use reverb and delay, which makes the band sound fuller. Carnaby Street is never worried about being perfect, and Roselle says that's a big attraction to the music of the day; if a band made a mistake, they'd let it go, and the mistake would become part of the final product.

"Today, I think, (music) is a little too processed for me, too perfect…for me (overprocessing) loses the human element of a song."