Modest Mouse at The Wellmont Theater

Circa 1922

Artists often dream of selling out big stadium tours, and rightly so, as more ticket sales correlate to more income. However, as a concertgoer, I always had a strong preference for smaller venues, and that is exactly what I got this weekend for, more or less, the first time.

I travelled a few towns over to Montclair, NJ‘s Wellmont Theater, part of the Bowery Presents Chain. I felt like I was stepping into the past. The Wellmont was once a functioning one-roomed movie theater in the 1920’s and remained so until the ripe year of 2008. The acoustics were not so great, but the smaller venue depleted that distant ambiance felt in larger stadiums, and created an atmosphere where even fans farthest from the stage can feel a certain mental connection not often achieved in most concert halls.

We saw Modest Mouse. Although they’ve been around for a while, most are unfamiliar with this particular indie rock band that rarely crossovers to the realms of “too-poppy,” as many of their counterparts do. I was pleasantly surprised by their set. They did not play many songs that I knew (probably only 4 to 5), but I found myself bobbing my head to the beat nonetheless.

When we first arrived at the venue, what we thought were general admission tickets turned out to be balcony seats.

Yes, our view wasn’t horrible, but the acoustics were more-than-dreadful. The opening act was The Felice Brothers, practically a country-rock tribute to Bob Dylan. I heard the instruments and vaguely heard the singer’s voice, but it is hard to verify if I was truly enjoying what I was hearing at the time, mostly due to the horrific acoustics.

My boyfriend eventually scored us general floor tickets, so we secured our bright lime green wristlets, bought a beer and headed to the fifth row.

I’d certainly say that our night, and view, turned out for the better. We met some cool people, waited for the show and enjoyed our night. As my first official experience at a small venue, which probably held roughly a few thousand on both the balcony and the floor, I was thoroughly pleased. You don’t get that sort of connection in a large stadium. Whether I was in the front, on the balcony or even the back of the floor, I felt like the artists were only a few feet away, able to see each and every one of their fans lip syncing to the words, laughing and dancing drunkenly with themselves or with others.

Firstly, I highly recommend seeing Modest Mouse. I really wasn’t expecting the high-quality show I received and was oh so very pleased. Secondly, if you ever have the option to go to a smaller venue, even if it is just a few towns over and not in the haughty music-capital city, do it. It is amazing; you won’t regret it and you’ll have a concert experience like no other.

"The World at Large"

"Dramamine"

"Ocean Breathes Sally"

"Dashboard"

"Float On"

Also: "Bury Me With It," "Dance Hall," "Bukowski," "This Devil's Workday," "The View," "Satin in a Coffin," "Black Cadillacs," "One Chance," "The Good Times Are Killing Me," "Missed the Boat," "Fire It Up," "Florida," "Fly Trapped in a Jar" and "People As Places As People."