Thursday, October 30, 2008

Counting Crows Launch New Jersey’s Newest Rock Venue: Wellmont Theatre in Montclair, New Jersey

It's another cold, cold October morning commute on New Jersey Transit from the Bernardsville train station to our office in New York City, and again the Newark
Star-Ledger is keeping me warm, or at least up to date on the latest happenings in the Garden State. In the Thursday H&G (home & garden) Today section, the Star-Ledger's Jay Lustig reviewed Tuesday night's Counting Crows show, part of a three-night stand ending tonight (Thursday, October 30th) at the Wellmont Theatre in Montclair, New Jersey. If you check out Lustig's review in the Star-Ledger and are inspired to see the show, tickets are still available for tonight's Counting Crows, with Wild Sweet Orange opening, performance at the Wellmont Theatre. Call (877) 935-5668 or visit the Wellmont web site.

Montclair's Wellmont, originally built in 1922, closed in 2006 after having degenerated from old-fashioned elegance to a cookie-cutter triplex. Lustig reports that "the bright interior… features a peach, gold, blue and white color scheme, classically inspired columns and friezes, and a domed ceiling. The floor was open for this show, but will be covered with seats for others, with the capacity for some [shows] sinking as low as 1,800… With the triplex divisions gone, it has turned back into the classy old theater it once was," creating an intimate setting for a rock concert and filling the void in the North Jersey concert scene created by the closing of Passaic's Capitol Theatre in the mid-90s.


Tuesday night's Counting Crows show launched a busy 27-show calendar of events, with an emphasis on rock, pop, R&B and blues, upon the completion of the $3 million renovation of the 2500-capacity Wellmont Theatre. Upcoming performances include:



  • B.B. King

  • Tony Bennett

  • Steely Dan

  • New Year's Eve Celebration with Jersey indie-rock heroes Yo La Tengo and The Feelies

  • Saturday, November 8: Bill Maher

I'm looking forward to seeing a show at the Wellmont Theatre in Montclair. Since Rex and I left New York City's West Village in October 2003 to move into our home in Mendham Township, New Jersey, my Jersey Girl roots have taken hold. From the newly renovated Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, New Jersey to the Mayo Center of the Performing Arts (see my review of last week's Joan Jett concert) in Morristown, New Jersey to the Paper Mill Playhouse (we're taking London and Maddie to see a live performance of Disney's High School Musical there in November) in Millburn, New Jersey, to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) and the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, Roxy's home state has given our family a wide range of opportunities to see great live performances without the stressful drive or train trip in to Broadway or the New York City concert venues.


The Wellmont Theatre


5 Seymour Street


Montclair, NJ


(877) 935-5668

1 comments:

Chandira said...

I've seen Counting Crows a few times live, and they're great. :-)