The renovated Wellmont Theater, a Bowery Presents venue, opened in October 2008, when Counting Crows was scheduled for a two-night run. Mama and her friend drove about four and a half hours in the rain, only to find out as they pulled up to the venue that the show had been canceled because Adam Duritz had the flu. While Mama was extremely disappointed, you shouldn’t feel too bad for her because she and her friend rolled with the punches, scooted over to the Meadowlands and saw Coldplay instead (Carter is the Coldplay fan in the family and didn’t speak to her for two days, but he got over it when she took him to see them for his ninth birthday).
As such, this was the first time either of us had been to the venue. Mama had plans to meet up with and interview the winner of Tri State Indie’s ticket giveaway before the show (read the story and see Brandywine Photography's great photos). We spent the afternoon road-tripping to get there with two of our nearest and dearest, and arrived early enough to meet two other friends for dinner before the show.
Carter: The Wellmont felt like a really big Capitol Theater, without seats.
Mama: I’d agree with that description. It was a pretty cool place. The Capitol, in some ways, is a little better preserved.
Carter: There were nets on the ceiling to catch debris, which made me scared.
Mama: The nets were so you didn’t have to be scared. If anything would have fallen, the net would have caught it.
Carter: The show was awesome.
Mama: It was really good. Counting Crows played “Anna Begins," which I’ve only heard live a few times, and guitarist Dan Vickrey sang lead on a song – something I don't ever remember seeing. I really liked Augustana’s newest songs, like “Steal Your Heart Away,” during which all the members of Counting Crows joined them onstage. It was also fun to see NOTAR perform so close to home. He had some friends and family that came out to show him some love, and it seemed like he was having an especially good time.
Carter: I wore my Toy Soldiers T-shirt and I got about 15 stains on it at dinner, so I got a NOTAR shirt and put it on over my dirty one.
Mama: So you were totally THAT GUY.
Carter: No, I wasn’t! I think that rule doesn’t count if you have the dirtiest shirt ever.
Mama: I think it was all a big trick to get me to buy you a NOTAR T-shirt.
Carter: You would have bought me one anyway.
Mama: Yeah…that’s probably true.
Carter: After the show, Mama went to talk to the lady who won the tickets, and I was in the parking lot with our friends. The backstage area was right by the parking lot and a crew member gave me a setlist. So I ran out front and found NOTAR and his bandmates. He was getting a picture taken with someone else and when he saw me, he remembered me from the Musikfest show and said, “Hey bud, where’s your mom? Have you been practicing your trumpet?” I got everybody to sign my setlist and we framed it.
Mama: When I was walking out of the show, the two kids walking behind me were talking about how much they liked NOTAR. I’m really excited to see what happens after his album comes out (EP drops September 14!).
Carter: I love NOTAR’s song “Matador,” and in the car ride home, I was singing “minotaur” instead.
Mama: We were a little delirious on the way home. Next time we go to a show that far away, we really need to make plans to stay overnight. It was so late when we got back home.
Carter: It was totally worth it.
Mama: It was another great adventure in live music.
Check back soon for our reviews of these live shows: Hot August Blues in Cockeysville, MD, featuring Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears, Keb Mo, and Lyle Lovett & His Large Band, Lee Harvey Osmond at Ourhouse in York, Carolina Chocolate Drops at the Capitol Theatre, Rhett Miller at the Capitol Theatre, and Spoon at The Forum in Harrisburg, PA.
I like how you snuck in a PCU link. Very nice, Pop Culture Queen.
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