NEED A PICKUP? – SILVERSUN PICKUPS TOUR ACROSS NORTH AMERICA
Silversun Pickups | Wellmont Theatre | Montclair, New Jersey
August 23rd, 2025
Photographed by Haley Petrone
Have you ever had a frog in your throat? How about a spider? This is something singer Brian Aubert teases on stage, accompanied by the most moody performance one has ever seen. This is a typical Silversun Pickups show, a band that everyone needs to see within their lifetime. On tour across North America, Silversun Pickups stopped at New Jersey’s Wellmont Theatre on August 23 where they delivered a powerful and captivating set. Dedicated fans crowded the floor, some even arriving earlier that day for the band's VIP exclusive soundcheck. Opening with a boisterous performance from sister duo Girl Tones, this show was a night to remember.
Girl Tones are a high-energy rock duo, composed of sisters Kenzie and Laila Crowe. All the way from Kentucky, both sisters grew up as classically trained musicians. What started out as Kenzie on the cello and Laila on piano eventually turned into Kenzie on guitar and Laila on drums, with powerful vocals from both sisters.
The duo began their set with electrifying energy, sure to get the crowd buzzing and ready for Silversun Pickups. Kenzie took a commanding role on the stage, interacting with and hyping up the crowd. Laila took a more nonchalant role behind her drums, still playing a crucial role in keeping that energy high. The sisters often played off each other, with Kenzie shredding guitar while facing Laila. Towards the end of their opening set, Kenzie called to the crowd, her voice sharp into the microphone, “Do you like heavy shit?” The crowd rumbled and cheered in response, and the sisters proceeded to do exactly that. The girls ended their set with as much energy as when they had started, their final chords ringing out like an exclamation point, leaving an unforgettable impression on the whole room. Girl Tones’ set provided the perfect spark, setting the stage for Silversun Pickups to take over.
An alternative rock band from Los Angeles, Silversun Pickups officially formed in 2000 and is made up of Brian Aubert (lead vocals and guitar), Nikki Monninger (bass and vocals), Christopher Guanlao (drums), and Joe Lester (keyboard). As the band hit their 25th year together this year, they decided to take a trip around North America to celebrate — and longtime fans continued to show up and show out. Gathered across the first floor and balcony of the Wellmont Theatre, fans enjoyed the show from every single spot in the venue, with some cheering atop the balcony and others dancing around in small groups at the back of the floor. The band began their set with the track “Well Thought Out Twinkles” off their second album Carnavas. Throughout the entire night the crowd sang along to every lyric. The band even paid tribute to Ozzy Ozborne during their song “Panic Switch,” opting to include a “Crazy Train” instrumental during the intro.
Photographs @haleypetronephoto
In a lighthearted and quirky manner, Aubert told an anecdote about his famous vocal range. It’s about a frog, he said, who was cold and asked to live in Aubert’s throat. He agreed, only for the frog to reveal itself as a spider who handles all the high notes. With a grin, he admitted “we have a lot of those,” and challenged the crowd to out-sing the spider — a playful way at hinting at the strain those notes can put on his own voice. Later on in the night, Aubert joked again that some fans might have bought tickets to their show for “the girl that sings,” only to realize it is a man hitting those notes.
Throughout their performance, it is very telling that they have all been doing this together for many years and they still love every second of it, as do their fans. The band moves between punchy, upbeat numbers and more moody tracks keeping the set dynamic, and the interplay between members adds a sense of playfulness and spontaneity that livened their performance. A fan called out to the band “we love you,” and Monninger responded cutely with a hand heart.
With the end of their set nearing, the band played their final song “Dots and Dashes (Enough Already)” and walked off the stage, cheers flowing through the crowd. The lights dimmed, and the audience erupted into chants that begged for an encore, with the lights pulsing in time with claps from the crowd. In the few moments the band were off stage, the crowd never once gave up cheering. It all paid off when the band came back to stage for three more songs. Silversun Pickups finished off their electrifying performance with “Lazy Eye” — fans had been waiting for this moment all their life.
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