Went here to see a George Lopez comedy show. Sat in the upper level, which made it tough to see his hilarious facial expressions, and made me wonder why they could still get away with selling that seat for $70/ticket. BUT, the sound was clear enough and at a perfect volume where we could at least hear him. Some places are either too loud or not loud enough. Not so here. Just perfect. That said, I've never been here for a concert, but I imagine it would be a good venue to go see one, regardless of seating.
The Theatre definitely needs some renovations (ie. Is there a reason they have netting hanging from the ceiling? Are they worried about the crowd getting hit by falling debris?) Cup holders in the seats would also be nice so you don't have to put your drink on the old, yucky floor or have to worry about people spilling on you. Other than being kind of divey, the ticket, drink, and food prices are high, but not surprised considering it's Montclair and considering some of the artists/performers the Theatre hosts.
Funny as long as Wellmont's been around I never ended up there until this passed Friday--a lot of really great acts run through here so now that I've been once I'll have to come back. First off, convenience. Living in Boonton makes Montclair about 25 minutes away because Bloomfield ave is the devil, but all in all it's a quick ride and there's a decent amount of parking options as well as tons of dinner options. Friday it snowed out so the weather made the commute a little hairy but once we were down we found parking pretty quickly on one of the side streets--no meter after 7 so all good. We ate at Cuban Pete's (review to follow), and walked right over as it's maybe 1/2 a block. No weird pat downs or anything which I've become accustomed to at all these shows lately, the people we're pretty nice and we made our way in. It's def an old theatre but that's cool it adds to the charm. We were up on the upper balcony, easy to get to, good view. The sound was pretty good but I did have some issues hearing specifics when they were talking on the mics. We went to see Trey Anastasio--not always my cup of tea but since my husband is determined to make me a Phish fan I've been tagging along to all the shows. The lighting was pretty cool all in all a great show.
They do have alcohol at the Wellmont, I saw Bud, Stella, and Amstel I think on tap--not sure of the price tho because they were offering Brooklyn Brewery IPA and some other Brooklyn beer for $7 so obv I took that instead. $10 for a beer and a water---after my last stint as MSG having to take out a line of credit for a stupid soda I was very happy with this price. The bathrooms were pretty well kept, they have a "work on tips" bathroom attendant. That makes me feel weird, I don't think I should have to tip someone for putting a paper towel closer to me after I wash my hands but whatever I was a sport and gave her $1. As per most of the shows I've been to lately ventilation is a problem. I know it's January and freezing outside guys so open a few doors or something. There's a lot of various smokes in the air and it's hot as Africa---recipe for disaster. I sat most of the 2nd set, too much beer and heat took me out. All in all I was very happy with my experience here--can't wait to go back.
Saw Halestorm here with some friends, and the venue was nice, reminded me of roseland ballroom only in the middle of a quaint NJ town. The police officers outside of the venue were friendly, though they reminded a city-slicker like myself what 'jay-walking' is hmmmm....
The venue is standing room on the bottom with a seated top balcony portion that may or may not be open to anyone during your concert.
I don't see what the big deal about the seats is, but I'm not that big of a person. I fit just fine.
I normally see shows at Bowery and Term 5, and this place *looks* much cooler, being old and art deco-ed and all. Â
The floor is wide. So while it might fit as many as bowery on the floor, it's a better layout. You're closer.
More importantly, there's a *ton* of room in here by comparison. Â Granted, half of the room is in the balcony, which is a bit far from the stage. Â However, that was a lovely tradeoff to be away from the frat guys in the "mosh-pit" below. Silly. When the *band* tells you to stop acting dumb... I mean, really.
However, the *sound* really leaves a lot to be desired. Opening act was a comedian. Wow. Un-hear-able. Like a painful echo chamber.
Second act... all I heard was fuzz.
Main act, I know all of the words, and good thing -- I couldn't hear them. And the mix is awful. Â Back-up mics drown out the main. Drums were quiet. Etc.
Park on street three or four blocks away and skip the $20 Event parking.
No coat check. Dumb.
Drinks are NYC priced.
Popcorn!
The Wellmont is an old theatre that could use some renovations (the ceiling has nets, looks like it needs repairs), the seating is very old, but I have yet to sit in one that is unbearably unconfortable. One of the concerts I attended had a bit of a sound issue, but it was quickly addressed. The security staff and the bartenders have always been friendly towards me and I have never had any issues while at this venue.
Whenever there is an event at the Wellmont, there are "event parking" signs posted around town, however if you arrive at Montclair early enough you should not have an issue finding street parking. Â
I've attended three (3) different concerts at the Wellmont Theatre, each time have selected the "seated" tickets which for the shows I have attended have been in the balcony section, because of this, I have never experienced any issues being in a crowded space at the Wellmont.
My favorite thing about attending shows here is that the theatre is in Montclair and its walking distance to my home. Before the show my friends and I meet for dinner and after the show we can go somewhere local for drinks. My only issue is that the lineup rarely has events I want to attend.
Show attended:
Goo Goo Dolls  (2012)
Daughtry, Beta Wolf, Mike Ruocco & Mike Sanchez Concert (2012)
One other show that I cannot remember (oops)
Upcoming
Matchbox 20 (2013) Â Yay!
Excellent acts at the Wellmont and reasonable ticket prices. Â I've been to about a dozen shows, ranging from Steven Wright to Interpol to Fiona Apple to Keane, and none of the shows had bad acoustics. Â Make sure, when you're buying your ticket, that you pay attention to the Floor or Balcony option. Â You'll be deafened if you stand by the sides of the floor, and as usual, the sightline is not good unless you're back by the bar. Â
Balcony seating is not so comfy - tight and probably painful for long-legged folks, and the steps are very steep and dark, so bring a flashlight or sit lower down if you have mobility issues, and take the aisle if you need legroom. Yeah, it's kind of like airplane seating.  No coat check but it's not a club, so sit on your coat.  The bar has the standards - beer, wine, well drinks, pretzels - about $7 for a drink, which is in line with other venues.  Security seems to be ok , though sometimes they act too slowly (I'm talking about you, douchebag screaming 'SHUT THE FUCK UP' at Fiona Apple and your screeching girlfriend) but hey, nothing's  perfect.
Lines for merch after the shows are always insane so buy the stuff early. Â Check your Google map and park on a local street to avoid parking lot costs. Â Elevation Burger, catty corner from the venue, is a good place for a fast bite. Â Walk 5 mins uptown to plenty of restaurants and shops.
I know of no other place in the area where you can see terrific acts for $50 or less, in a place that's not a firetrap and actually get a seat. That alone makes it worthwhile.
fuck you for making elvis costello tickets like, $100. fuck YOU.
in theory i love the wellmont. it's a few blocks from my house, it's an old reformed theatre and therefore quite pretty inside, it hosts some really big music acts and therefore brings commerce in to my beautiful city montclair. when people go to the wellmont, they go to dinner beforehand, drinks after...it's good for montclair. groovy.
however i don't see shows here anymore. the seats are uncomfortable, i sat in the first row of the balcony for a show and was dying. the ceiling is literally falling off, the management here acts like their the god damned secret service, the drinks are too pricey and depending on who you're seeing, the crowd can be super douchey. like, you think it'd be fucking awesome to see hall & oates, but surprisingly they draw a dickface crowd. weird!
Ike from the loop lounge bar tends here, so that's a plus.
also, out of towners: do not fall for the "event parking" signs around town when you come here for a show. you'll get charged $20 to park in a municipal lot. either circle for street parking (free after 7 pm) or go to the parking deck off church street.
I don't get the bad reviews for this place at all! Â After reading here, I was very leery about even going, but we already had our tickets so whatever...
Anyway, last night we went to see Slash there, and as soon as we walked in I was wondering if I had been reading reviews for the wrong place! Â First of all, this venue is gorgeous. My teenage son and his friend had general admission floor tix and my friend and I had balcony, so we split up as soon as we got inside. Â
The bathroom was the CLEANEST and nicest bathroom I have ever used at any concert ever. Â NO LINE for the ladies room the entire night! And there was an attendant keeping everything nice in there. Very much appreciated! Â There were several bars located throughout the venue - we frequented the upstairs one since we were in the balcony. Â Yes the drinks are a little pricey, BUT the very nice bartenders occasionally gave us a free drink (and popcorn!), and we never had to wait more than 5 minutes.
The balcony seats were great!! Nice cushy seats, plenty of space for everyone even though we got there a little late. Â And the view was awesome! Â The balcony is steep stadium type seating, so you never have to worry that the person in front of you will block your view. Â We were toward the back and we still had a great view, nice and high up.
So many reviews had mentioned how hot and stuffy it was inside the Wellmont, and that was my biggest fear, since we were attending a concert in 90 degree August heat. Â I have NO IDEA what those other people were talking about - this place is completely air conditioned and we were perfectly comfortable the entire time, even while dancing high up in the balcony.
The only (slight) issue was some of the acoustics were a little weird where we were - like not being able to hear what Myles Kennedy was saying in between songs. Â My teenage son and his friend had a great time down on the floor, and even though we got there midway through the opening act, they were able to work their way up to about 20 feet from the stage and have a great closeup view.
All in all I have to say this ranks up there as one of my favorite concert venues ever. Â Also great for us being only an hour's drive away. We will definitely come back!
I had a terrible experience at the Wellmont last night.
I was excited to see one of my favorite bands, Gogol Bordello, at the Wellmont because I've been a long time fan of theirs and had always missed the opportunity to see them whenever they were around. Â I bought a "general admission" ticket online, and "general admission" was the only choice on the website when buying tickets. Â
However, I was EXTREMELY disappointed when I showed up to the theater and they told me that I had bought a balcony ticket. Â Now, some might think that I made a mistake and bought a balcony ticket, but there were tens of people who were complaining about the same problem. Â Apparently, there was no difference in price for the tickets either, which makes the situation even more frustrating. Â To add to my frustration, I heard that someone was selling tickets outside and tried to go out to buy some, but the person at the door told me "no re-entry." Â I begged and pleaded that I just wanted to pick up floor seats from my friend, but she refused to let me outside, even for less than a minute. Â I therefore not only had a terrible experience with the employees at the show, but saw one of my favorite bands from a distant, subdued balcony instead of from the energetic floor.
This place is in the business of scamming people into buying overpriced balcony seats without giving proper notice. Â I will NEVER go back there again, and I suggest you check with the ticket office before buying any tickets to make sure you are getting what you are paying for.
Recently attended a Marilyn Manson show here between May 2nd-May 3rd, 2012.
Only had a small issue with the staff upon first arriving at the venue. The front of the line was quite a ways down the street from the entrance, giving it the appearance of being the end of the line. Which caused quite a bit of confusion for people wanting to wait in line. The issues was that one of the staff members was rather overly concerned with where everyone was standing in line and that you had to be behind said barrier. The staff member would come over every 15-20 min to make sure you where in place or he would make a threat that he would make sure that you did not get let in until 8:00-9:00. It was a bit of a put off but nothing major. Overall it's a nice venue and reminded me of the Norva back home in some ways {mostly in age/size of the venue}. Water was given when requested. Security was attentive but seemed ill fitted for a security job {IE: Â looked a bit more like locals/than regular security folk}. Excellent venue over all other than over zealous staff wanting everyone out as fast as possible.
HAHAHA to all of the asshole college kids who shut down the Wellmont Theatre a little over a week ago when they went and brought pandemonium to the streets of Montclair - Barstool Sports, and their Blackout parties have drawn considerable media attention - but this latest shtick made me almost spit way too hot of coffee out my front nostrils. Â SERIOUSLY?! Â It is almost too perfect.... uppity Montclair residents, your wonderful little brood of children are in it for SEX, DRUGS, and LOTS and LOTS of hard alcohol.. HA!
And because the Wellmont is essentially run by monkeys, this doesn't surprise me in any way that they could not handle MSU's drunk, sexually aggravated, half naked student body when it flooded their beautiful little "Bowery presents" theater.
BUT I DIGRESS.
The Wellmont Theater is a beautiful place. Â And it's a nice place for a show. Â If you are over the age of 40.
Other than that, come here already half in the bag, expect to pay 6 bucks for  a water, and to have the management give you the side eye.. because you, tax-paying 20 something, are infiltrating THEIR palace.
Please.
One of the stuffiest music venues around, and really, for no good reason. Â The acoustics are meh, the staff is ignorant, the upstairs has crappy views, it's hot as hell....
Only not giving it one star because I go here once every few months because, well, I like the music the Wellmont attracts. Â So there.
When a show is "Sold Out" it really is sold out.... you will NOT be able to move. Â And, on a side note, the clientele that is attracted to shows here tend to be just as bad as the owners, uppity and with zero concert etiquette.. Â Blech.
Surprised by the average star rating here. Â I enjoyed my trip to Wellmont Theatre. Â My friend and I were selling merch for one of the musicians. Â The security had no problem letting us in early and once we connected with our contact they left us alone the rest of the night (something that does not always happen at other venues). Â All of the staff we encountered were very friendly. Â Drinks and snacks are a bit overpriced but this is not unusual for this type of place. Â The theatre itself is very cool...it has good sound best I could tell from one show. Â One complaint I heard from others...no coat check. Â Silly for a place that has general admission standing throughout the entire downstairs...it leaves patrons with no place to put their coat on a rainy, cold night. Â Other than that, I liked this place...and I would go back if someone I really liked was playing here.
Review Source:I attended a concert last night, Brett Dennen and Guster. Â The acoustics were not to Brett's advantage. Â His words were completely lost in the loud instruments. Â What a pity. Â Guster fared better but it still leaves much to be desired. Â This venue is on par with others of the same in New York City, such as Webster Hall. Â Don't they ever adjust for the size of the crowd? Â It shouldn't be ear-busting. Â If it's good music, it doesn't have to break my eardrums.
Review Source:2.5 stars. We went here a few months back for a comedy show - there are MUCH better venues around. Acoustics were good and it was cheaper than many other places, but the seats (we were in the cheap seats all the way up) were tiny and cramped - you become very intimate with your neighbors. The place also feels almost like it's falling apart and is super dingy. They draw some great acts though.
There were a lot of steep stairs, so make sure to check before you go if you have mobility limitations.
Listening to Passion Pit this past week brought back a flood of memories which I had at the band's early New Year (12/30/2010) showcase at Montclair's 'Wellmont Theatre.' I have not had the best experience at venues which do not provide set-seating, so I was apprehensive about venturing to The Wellmont Theatre. Nevertheless, this was the nearest location of which my favorite band was performing, so I decided to take the risk (and rightfully so).
The key to ensuring one acquires seating, and to avoid the mosh pit on the floor level, is to immediately search out and secure seating prior to frequenting restrooms and food counters. Interestingly, fans are often gravitated to the standing-only pit below due to the fact that it is physically in closer proximity of the performing acts, as balcony seating is above the stage. Taking my own advice, my friends and I were able to obtain front row seating without a struggle.
The venue itself is large enough to cater to established artists, yet small enough to not appear threatening. The restrooms are very well maintained and scattered about proportionally, while the bar counters are respectively located on both floors.
I have been to The Wellmont Theatre a number of times since discovering it less than two years ago. Outside of concerts, I saw two comedy acts (Margaret Cho and the Comedians of Chelsea Lately). I should note that when the venue houses non-musical acts, that there is seating on the floor level in addition to the balcony seating. All times, I have been nothing but satisfied with my experience at Montclair's 'Wellmont Theatre.' The ticket prices are more affordable than stadium seating, if you are early you can secure on-street/side-street parking, and if you were to go on a night where there is no set-seating (e.i. during a musical performance) you can easily secure front-row seating if you play your cards right!
I went to the Wellmont once with my GGE or Greatest Girlfriend Ever meeting her brother and her friends for the first time. We saw Jim Norton who was really funny and hilarious. The show itself was good and he had me in stitches with some of his material. The warm-up acts were good but he was far better.
As for the theatre itsef, it is a great place for bands and/or comics to perform. It has a large stage and a seating capacity of probably 700-900. We had seats in the second tier right in the middle and you could hear pretty well. Parking was not a problem and you could find your seat with relative ease. Its a funky little place that cool to go to.
I am a concert junkie and the Wellmont is the best. Â Great venues and great people. I have gone to many concerts there and have about 6 for this year booked. Â The place rocks and the audience is full of participation. Morristown they are stiffs just sit, no dancing, clapping, standing boring--- Wellmont I feel so alive and happy when I go to a concert there. Â Past weekend, Chicago, go pictures outside with them, and Fab Faux (front row and meet and great) were amazing. Â
Ada R
This used to be an old movie theatre. Â It has brought a lot of great bands to NJ.
What i like most about the Wellmont is the inside layout. Â After the Pit area in front of the stage the rest of the floor in sectioned off in level's. Â This breaks up the crowd and provides better sight lines. Â There are also seats on the upper level.
I have seen Vampire Weekend, The Fab Faux and Pete Yorn Here. Â The Vampire Weekend show was especially good because the lead singer was from the area. Â The sound at The Wellmont is exceptional as are the drinks and staff.
Aside from being a great venue to see a show, the city of Montclair is a great place to eat and walk around. Â I would recommend getting to Montclair early and grabbing a bite to eat. Â Too many good places to name.
There is a huge parking garage within walking distance of the venue as well.
I highly recommend seeing a show here.
I don't go there for the drinks. Who cares? I go there for the music. I am so happy this little theatre opened up in North Jersey. We go anywhere for music and the Wellmont is 20 minutes away in Montclair, NJ. Everyone seems to be complaining about the drinks, too hot, acoustics, security, etc. Well you should have gone to places like the Capitol Theatre in Passaic in its heyday. You would have killed it but I miss that place and all the music we saw there. So the Wellmont comes onto the music scene and I am peaking to see great musicians in Montaclair. Some of my favorite shows so far have been Levon Helm, Ray Davies,
Ryan Adams and Tony Bennett. Yes, that Tony Bennett.
As a lover of good concert venues, this is not one of them. Â Honestly, it's sufficient at best. Â
First, Â the good: Â
- They book decent bands
- Lots of free/easy parking in the area.
Now the bad: Â
- Not a lot of bars (1 in lobby, 4-6 inside, 1-2 upstairs) which always have sizable lines due to slow bartenders. Â
- Acoustics and audio can be pretty bad, have heard screeches and feedback from two of the four shows I've been to, once was pretty painful.
- Security will randomly move people for "fire code issues"
- The sight lines aren't great, and if I'm saying this as the tallest person in the room, it's gonna be rough for most people.
- Air circulation is bad - best they'll do is open the side doors to let cold air in.
- No coat check - everyone drops them on the walls everywhere.
- Only one set of bathrooms (upstairs) which can get very crowded, even for the guys
- Pit is set up well for crowd surfing, so if you like that that's a good thing, but I don't
So net net, there are many better places to see shows, just not in New Jersey. Â Bad audio, annoying layout, no coat check . . . yeah.
For New Jersey-ites, the ability to see great concerts...the flaming lips, modest mouse, the national...without having to go into NYC is absolutely fantastic. Â The theater is close to great places to eat/drink before shows, and convenience factor is off-the-charts.
So how could I give the Wellmont only 3 stars then? Â
First off, during the modest mouse concert, it was so oppressively hot--with no air circulation, that my sister and I could barely stand to be there anymore. I've been to plenty of shows where everyone is going crazy, and sweated through my clothes. Â That's not the problem. Â I've never, before or since, had that same feeling of being distracted from the show because I was so focused on standing still, and sweating, and trying to breathe. Â And we were on the floor level...with all that body heat rising up, I can't imagine how my friends in the balcony made it through. Â
Second, I found myself in a situation with one of the security guards that seemed a little too close for comfort to a Larry David "Curb Your Enthusiasm" moment. Â Here's the deal...there's a big aisle/ramp that goes along the wall of the general admission area, separated from the rest of the crowd by a concrete wall. Â At the front of that aisle, next to the stage, is the emergency exit. Â There were about two dozen people standing in that aisle, right next to the stage, so my sister and I found a spot against that concrete wall to lean on that was closer to the middle of the general admission area. Â
About a half hour later, between bands, the security guard walked right past the people in the aisle by the stage, and told my sister and I (and the people around us) that we were all standing in the emergency exit route. Â He informed the crowd that us standing there would be a safety hazard, and we were required to find a new spot off of the ramp, so that in the unlikely event that we needed to use it, no one would be blocking the exit. Â Fair enough. Â Granted we missed our chance to get a better spot in the main area because the crowd filled in while we were up there, but safety first. Â Surely he was about to go clear out the area next to the stage, that was directly in front of the emergency exit. Â
Nope. Â He walked right past them. Â As he approached the area that we had moved to, I asked him how come those people were allowed to stand in the aisle, but he made the other group move. Â He responded that those people had VIP passes on, and that was the area for VIPs to stand. Â I told him that I thought it was a safety hazard to stand in the aisle because that would be blocking the exit, and he repeated that the front was the VIP area, and you could only stand there if you were wearing the VIP pass. Â I asked if a person wearing a VIP pass was somehow less of a safety hazard to block the exit than a non-VIP concert-goer, but he just repeated that it was a safety hazard to stand in the aisle, but the front was reserved for the VIP section.
It was then that I felt myself beginning to slide down the slippery slope into madness...I thanked the guard for his time and unsuccessfully tried to block the conversation from my memory. Â
Sorry Wellmont, you're down to three stars.
I visited the Wellmont for the first time to see The National. Considering that the Wellmont featured the band, while venues in NYC did not, automatically qualifies the theater for 5 stars.
There were many inconvenienced Brooklynites in attendance. It was fantastic. This along with the fact that their recent offerings (Temper Trap, LCD Soundsystem) are in tune with my musical tastes leaves me extremely impressed.
While I would give 5 stars for the amazing and ever changing roster, there are a few negatives that warrant a less than perfect high dive score. Thus, let the retraction of stars begin:
-.25 A previous reviewer mentioned that it was hot in the balcony. That's interesting. We were Fuh-Ree-Zing! We were convulsing like we were having drug withdrawals. Wear layers. Don't do drugs.
-.25 The drinks and snacks are overpriced. What's new? "Charge um' while ya got um' captive" is the law of the land.
-.25 This theater is not aesthetically pleasing. The seats are worn and the ceiling looks like it's falling down. No, it doesn't look like it. I think it is. There is this weird net...
-.25 The service charges are exorbitant. Â If you can find time to visit the theater, buy your tickets in person. However, the online quoted ticket price is usually a few dollars higher in person.
Overall, it is a great experience if you buy your tickets in person, pick lower level seats and drink/eat before you arrive.
Went for the LCD Soundsystem concert last month and it was pretty fun! Definitely a bit of a trek from Brooklyn. Well worth it though because everyone was high or rolling or crowd surfing. Lots and lots of crowd surfing. I had a great time and the staff were all really nice.
This is totally the LA in me but there were security guys at the front and I TOTALLY thought they were going to search us but all they did was check IDs. Wtf? haha awesome.
TIP: You can request your tickets to be held at will call if your billing address is anywhere else not in NYC or Jersey.
Never again will I travel to this theater for a show. The sound is atrocious--I'd waited all year to see LCD Soundsystem and could barely hear the vocals. It basically sounded like all the music went through a Charlie Brown Teacher sound filter, rendering the entire show a muffled mess.
Other things to hate-on:
The bar: $7 for a shot of Jameson and no mixers whatsoever. Ridic.
No coat-check: you have to schlep all your shit around with you, which definitely cramps my (world-renowned!) dance style.
Location: getting to New Jersey from Manhattan at night is never fun, but especially horrific when going through the Port Authority Bus station.
I repeat: never agaaaayyynnn! I can't. I shan't.
A. Was a crappy movie theater prior, due to old, uncomfortable seats
B. Way better as a music venue, good acoustics, roomy and easy to move around in...oh yeah, and easy to get to the restrooms
C. Stting in the front row of the 2nd tier with no one obstructing my view was sick
D. Beers were like 6-7 duckets...served by either old dudes or hot-ass chicks
E. The area has lots of places to eat before and drink after shows so its a prime spot
Oh, I'll hit it up again.
I've seen more than a handful of shows at the Wellmont. Â I'm going to try and list them.
Bill Maher
Gwar
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Hole
Aaron Lewis of Staind
Yes
Gregg Allman
Crowded House
Counting Crows (Traveling Circus)
Dropkick Murphys
Les Claypool
Michael and Michael Have Issues Live Tour
The Cult
30 Seconds to Mars
and I will be seeing the National in September. Â I live one town away and I love the venue. Â The sound is a little iffy at times but if you bring earplugs (as one should at any show, especially an intimate one), it sounds great. Â I do not drink so the prices of drinks doesn't affect me. Â If you don't mind walking a block of two, you can always find free parking. Â The customer service is great if you aren't a douche. Â Security doesn't really bother you unless you are, again, a douche. Â It's a good local place to enjoy music. Â There's also a Red Mango and many other great restaurants within walking distance so you can grab something before the show (and probably see some of the acts playing that night enjoying the local fare as well).
EDIT just saw Foreigner the other night. Â While their first two songs had PA problems, they were quickly fixed and then sounded EXCELLENT (not because I like the band, I mean the sound system sounded great)
the sky is still falling at the wellmont. Â i would have thought that in two years time they would have fixed that whole falling ceiling issue. Â
from <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nj.com%2Fentertainment%2Fmusic%2Findex.ssf%2F2010%2F08%2Finterpol_concert_canceled_as_m.html%23incart_rh&s=2b9289c674bbd34e23dd37d072ffb686f47f6b38d1fac784a317c0f1d7e7d936" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.nj.com/entert…</a>:  "A small area of the ceiling broke loose and smashed into the balcony seats.
Nobody was seriously hurt, but the township of Montclair confirms that a few concertgoers suffered minor injuries. One spectator was taken from the Wellmont in an ambulance. The Montclair buildings department immediately closed the converted concert hall."
One of the only things that will get me to Jersey is a Wilco show, and that's how I wound up at the Wellmont Theatre on a recent Saturday night.
Located in Montclair, NJ, the Wellmont is a historic theater that's actually pretty easy to reach by car or train. I took the 1 to the 2 to Penn Station, then transferred to NJ Transit for a 15-minute train to Newark followed by a 15-minute train to Bay Street in Montclair. Total time about 50 minutes. Â
The theater itself was pretty cool. It reminded me of the Moore Theater in Seattle, which was once the site of an old-school Pearl Jam video for "Even Flow," during which Eddie climbed onto the balcony before jumping into the crowd...
Anyway the Wellmont looks like the Moore, which is to say it's a classic old joint. It's got an open floor with a big steep balcony. Tweedy and the boys got the crowd jumping -- a bit -- but I would imagine this place really rocks at times.
I like to knock the Jerz more than most people, but I gotta give it to the Wellmont for being a cool spot.
Apparently, I'm filled with hidden spontaneity - it only takes a confluence of events to make it pop out and take hold of my normally routine life.
My friend was rudely left in the lurch two hours before her concert was to start. A concert at a venue she had never been to before and thus was a little less than pleased to go to on her own. Lucky for her, my only plans that evening consisted of trying to find Donut Plant and restraining myself from buying too many donuts.
A quick text message exchange later and I found myself on NJ Transit, rolling on over to Montclair, NJ - where the Wellmont was (and where Wilco* was playing).
I have to admit, as far as music venues go - it was pretty decent. Well lit, easy security and a decent size. Decent for a small crowd. I was surprised to see not only the usual Coors or Bud on tap, but lo and behold - a decent stout. And only $7 for the plastic cup I purchased of said stout. This is better than the $10 I pay back home at concert venues.
As for the actual concert experience - pretty enjoyable. While the venue is on the smaller end, they did a decent job of crowd control so that we didn't feel like sardines in a can. The acoustics were great for the music played (indie folk rock?), and worked with both the "big moments" and the "quiet ones", i.e. lots of guitar riffs and crazy tempo drumming to quiet strumming and a soft snare.
Now, I only came out here because my friend was in need and I try not to let a friend down ever. But I am happy to add this location to my list of venues. And it's only 30 mins from Penn, so not too scary for someone who doesn't normally enter "the other state".
A-OK
*I never heard of Wilco before seeing them here...it was interesting. Especially the seemingly epileptic couple standing next to us. Or maybe they were dancing?
I've lived within 20 miles of this theater most of my life, but never knew that it even existed, until a friend called me with a spare ticket to see Levon Helm. Any venue this close to home that books big name acts is a good thing, however, this place pales in comparison to the Community Theatre in Morristown, the State Theatre in New Brunswick, or the Count Basie in Red Bank.
I sat in the balcony, and as another reviewer has noted, there is an echo up there. There is no legroom, and the seat rows are not staggered, so the sightlines to the stage are poor, especially if someone tall is sitting in front of you. My friend, who is 6'4", had to sit sideways the whole night. Fortunately, he had an isle seat, but was still uncomfortable.
Why do concert venues like this one have to sell alcohol during the show? If you want to get drunk, go to a bar. I'm trying to listen to music and watch the artists play, and people are constantly getting up and down to buy beer. There was a bunch of stupid idiots sitting near me, carrying on, laughing, talking, and yelling all through the performance. Not to mention the people fidgeting with their illuminated cell phones all through the show, checking their email, texting, etc. it was very inconsiderate and distracting.
The performance by Levon and  his band was great, but the overall experience was not as much fun as it used to be. Either I am getting crotchety, or others are getting ever more rude.
I used to live close to Montclair but I actually never heard of the Wellmont Theatre till my boyfriend found an ad for a John Legend concert being held there. We attended that JL concert back in November 2008. Parking in the area is hard if you prefer to park on the street. There are several parking decks and lots in the area for a small price. There are several great restaurants around, as well, for before or after show dinner. The location is ideal but the venue is sub par.
The sound system wasn't that great, it was just okay. It's a pretty old venue that used to be a movie theater. But overall, since it was a John Legend concert, I had an awesome time. It was well worth the price we paid. And the venue was convenient for us.
Went last night to check out Morrissey.
Had never heard of this venue before...frankly, didn't know it existed...but it wasn't that bad. Can't comment on the drink prices 'cause I didn't get my drink on...however, the friends definitely got more than one drink & weren't complaining.
The organization within the venue wasn't that bad either...the employees weren't complete dicks & pretty much kept a good venue flow going.
The sound system was good, really good, actually...no need to comment on the music...as I consider Morrissey next to Godliness.
What I didn't appreciate was the exorbitant amount of police & firefighter officials in the venue. Really? You need that much 'security' for a MORRISSEY concert?!? Dude, it's Morrissey & his followers...not a NWA or Public Enemy concert.
I think because this venue is located in the heart of this, what seems to be conservative, lil' NJ town, it's like anything going down at the Wellmont is reason enough for the whole Montclair police squad to get their panties in a bunch & come out to get a feel for *some* kind of work.
Finding parking around was a bit of the pain of the ass, 'cause it's not like the venue itself has it's own parking lot.
Cops with sticks up their ass harassing concert attendees is a major buzzkill after a great show.
I saw Dark Star Orchestra there on Dec 30, 2008 and I thought the place was great. Its no Beacon, but its a lot closer and easier to get to for me.
Drinks are expensive and there were other problems but the bartender said that they were a work in progress.
Sound was great. We were about 10 to 15 feet from the stage, pretty much dead center.
I've seen 2 shows at The Wellmont and I'm not a great fan of the place. Â Sound was just ok. Drinks expensive, only available upstairs, LONG lines. Roaming "glowing" concessions were very distracting throughout the show. This has got to stop!
For the first show, I was 8th row center, seats were tight, uncomfortable, no leg room, like banquet chairs tied together. Â Not good. Â
Was first row of the orchestra for my second visit. Â Its great to be front row, but the Wellmont stage is HIGH. Â Best seats in the house are in the front loge. Â
I'm sure if you are a local, its great to have a venue that attracts top acts without having to travel into the city. Â But this place is no Beacon Theatre.
I was there for Brian Wilson on Sunday night, and I had a great experience. The theater, which was a run down wreck, has been beautifully refurbished. Unlike the vast majority of concert venues, the staff was extremely polite, and seemed appreciative of my patronage. The sound in the theater was wonderful, and I had no delays in getting in. My tickets were at Will Call, and I didn't have to wait at all.
I noticed the bar, but didn't visit. There are plenty of bars and restaurants in Montclair, so if the bar in the theater isn't adequate, there are plenty of opportunities to drink before the show.
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