Lyle Lovett Sings With A Celebratory Spirit

I admit it. Until last night, I was a Wellmont virgin. Yes, having just moved to Montclair a year ago, I had never before found time to go to a show at the Wellmont Theatre. I'd driven by it. I'd read about it. I'd even written about it. But, again, I'd never stepped foot inside the Wellmont until last night.

And what a night it was. After being appalled by the $20 parking fee in a lot by the theatre, I easily found a free spot on a street near the Montclair Public Library.

After grabbing a beer, I found Lyle Lovett and His Large Band members to be, especially from the fifth row, larger than life. The performance — which showed off Lovett's extreme talent for being a team player — featured a wide range of instruments and a diverse collection of songs. One of the best was "That's Right (You're Not From Texas)." It was impossible for anyone in the audience to keep from tapping a foot or swaying back and forth.

Another highlight was when Lovett brought out Gloria Reuben, known for her role on ER. Among the songs she sang along with was Cute as a Bug. (She's as cute as a bug, short as a minute, she's a pretty little package with everything in it.) This one I'm downloading on my iPod today! 

Born in Klein, Texas, Lovett is a slow-talking singer who displays deadpan humor. In between songs Sunday night, Lovett talked about the charming New Jersey boys who had swooped into Texas when he was in high school, stealing away all the pretty girls.

At the start of the concert, it was hard to look at Lovett, who doesn't seem to have changed a bit through the years, and not think of Julia Roberts, whose movie "Eat, Pray, Love" was just released on Friday. Roberts married Lovett in 1993, famously walking down the isle barefoot. The union lasted just two years.

But by the end of the concert, all I could see was a singer/songwriter with one of the most distinct voices in the business. I grew up in Texas and Lovett remains a fervent ambassador for the Lone Star State. His music is celebratory in nature and vigorous in soul.

And what about the Wellmont? The theatre re-opened on Sunday night just two weeks after being shut down by building inspectors when a chunk of ceiling plaster came down on concert-goers during a Deadmou5 show on July 27.

It wasn't until late Friday that Montclair Township building inspectors reinstated the theater's temporary Certificate of Occupancy, allowing the Lyle Lovett concert to go on.

But there was no mention of this Sunday night. For sure, this is one theatre I plan to re-visit again and again. The venue's intimate setting matched the timeless quality of the tunes being played on stage.

Coming up at the Wellmont:

Counting Crows on August 17 and 18

Tears for Fears on August 21 (sold out)

Foreigner on August 26

Aziz Ansari: Dangerously Delicious Tour on September 15

Tony Bennett on December 3