The Rock This Town Orchestra will celebrate the holidays in swingin’ style Friday with a show at Mauch Chunk Opera House, located on West Broadway, Jim Thorpe.

The group, a tribute to The Brian Setzer Orchestra, brings its Christmas Spectacular back to the opera house following last year’s debut.

“We were humbled by the crowd’s response,” said Anthony Bambino, Rock This Town Orchestra’s guitarist and lead vocalist, of the 2022 show. “We were asked immediately if we could come back.”

In a lot of venues, Bambino added, the Christmas show “has become a yearly tradition for those attending. The show is visually appealing, as well as musically, and I mean, c’mon, who doesn’t love Christmas music? The songs are timeless.”

Bambino’s bandmates include Eugene Chrysler on upright bass, Paul Pedroncelli on drums, and Dave Merola, Matt Huntington and Anthony Pellegrini on tenor, alto and baritone sax, respectively. Rounding out the lineup: Erik Selmquist on trombone, Austin Lesu on lead trumpet, and Lorraine Gogreve and C.J. Calzone on backup vocals.

Born in the Bronx, New York, and currently living in Connecticut, Bambino started playing classical piano at age 5 and guitar at 15.

“By the time I was 18, I knew I wanted to make this my career,” he said. The musician cited Setzer and Eddie Van Halen as his favorites and influences, along with late jazz guitarists Joe Pass and Freddie Green.

Bambino, performing professionally since age 19, played in 1980s hair band Spoiled Rotten, which was signed to RCA Records. “At that time, I was featured in all the major guitar magazines.”

Upon hearing The Brian Setzer Orchestra’s third album, 1998’s “The Dirty Boogie,” Bambino “was blown away by the idea. Brian’s playing and guitar tone was something you didn’t hear anywhere else. His arrangements were amazing.”

Bambino, who always loved big band and swing music, “never thought it could be commercial. Brian was a genius in combining those sounds and styles with rockabilly, blues, rock ‘n’ roll guitar, and then adding commercial vocals.”

As frontman of rockabilly band The Stray Cats, Setzer, born in Massapequa, New York, scored 1980s hits such as “Rock This Town” and “Stray Cat Strut.”

Setzer, who has released a dozen or so solo albums, formed his swing revival band in 1990. The group, whose discography includes multiple Christmas sets, scored its biggest hit with a 1998 cover of Louis Prima’s 1956 single “Jump Jive an’ Wail.”

In forming the Setzer tribute band in 2015, Bambino wanted to expose Setzer’s music to as many people as possible.

“I feel more people need to hear it and be aware of his brilliance as a musician. He is iconic not only as a guitarist, but creating a genre of music that no one has ever done.”

Bambino’s favorite Setzer songs to perform include “As Long as I’m Singin’,” “Lets Shake” and “Hoodoo Voodoo Doll.”

Aside from “The Dirty Boogie,” Bambino’s favorite Setzer albums include “Gotta Have the Rumble,” “Wolfgang’s Big Night Out“ and “Ignition!” The latter, in an homage to Elvis Presley’s 1968 TV concert, was credited to Brian Setzer ’68 Comeback Special.

Though his Spoiled Rotten days provided memorable moments, Bambino’s biggest career highlight came two months ago: meeting Setzer and his wife Julie on Setzer’s tour bus. Prior to meeting Setzer, Bambino had become friends with Julie through Facebook.

At one point during the visit, Setzer - who was aware of the Rock This Town Orchestra - handed his guitar to Bambino and said, “‘You gotta feel this guitar, it plays like butter.’ And he was so right.”

Two days later, Bambino attended another of Setzer’s shows, with Setzer and Julie inviting him to their hotel suite to play guitar with his idol.

“He spent about 1.5 hours with me, showing me things on the guitar and just talking about life,” Bambino said. “That was surreal. Within five minutes, I felt like I had known him and his wife for 20 years.”

The hosts’ hospitality, he added, “was over the top. We bonded instantly as friends, as we had a lot of similarities.”

Bambino, working on an original rockabilly/swing album with his band, “would love to go on tour someday opening for Brian Setzer’s Rockabilly Riot! or his Christmas show with my original band. And put out a single that hits.”

In the meantime, Bambino relishes his time with Setzer. The hotel-suite hangout, he said, “was the best day of my life besides my two sons being born.

“To meet my guitar hero and have him be so generous with his time and remain friends to this day is a dream come true.”

For more information on the Mauch Chunk Opera House or to get tickets, visit www.mcohjt.com.