Article Contributed by Jamie Huenefeld
Published on January 30, 2026
On a bitterly cold January night in northern New Jersey, Lettuce absolutely cooked at The Wellmont Theater, turning frozen sidewalks into a distant memory once the band took the stage. This show already felt like one of those legendary nights — tight, confident, and burning with groove from the very first note. The band played a few tunes from their brand new album, Cook, as well as a notable cover. They also sold adorable kitchen aprons at the merch stand.
The boys did not waste any time getting to work, opening the night with “The Mack Krewe”, which immediately established the deep-pocket funk they’re known for. Eric “Benny” Bloom stepped out early with the first solo of the night, setting a bold, brassy tone that carried seamlessly into “Insta Classic.” The segue felt effortless, less like individual songs and more like one long funk conversation.
“Purple Cabbage” kept the groove rolling before the band leaned into momentum with “Keep On,” from their recent release Cook, where Nigel Hall added some encouraging words and inspired vocals. “Storm Coming,” another Cook tune, followed while the rhythm section fully flexed its muscle. Adam Deitch and Erick “Jesus” Coomes were locked into that unmistakable, jazzy push-and-pull, driving the room without ever rushing the pocket.
Midway through the set, “7 Tribes” completed the Cook hat trick and emerged as a standout, stretching the band’s rhythmic vocabulary and giving the crowd something with real depth to chew on. The first set wrapped with “Sam Huffs,” closing an hour of music that felt both disciplined and loose in all the right ways, with no wasted space or filler, just groove.
Before launching into the second set, guitarist Adam “Shmeeans” Smirnoff took a moment to ground the night in all things Jersey by sharing that his wife is from New Jersey and that he’s spent a lot of time in the Garden State. He also noted that Deitch’s parents were in attendance. It was a small moment, but it added a layer of warmth and familiarity to an already energized room.
From there, the second set heated up immediately with “Mt. Crushmore.” “Lett Bobby” and “Everything” kept the energy climbing, while “Vamanos” injected a sense of forward motion that never let up.
One of the undeniable peaks of the night came during “Larimar,” featuring a standout solo from Ryan Zoidis that cut cleanly through the groove without breaking its spell. From there, “Do Your Thing” and “Chameleon” by Herbie Hancock kept the dance floor fully engaged before “Blast Off” lived up to its name, sending the room into a full-throttle funk frenzy to close the set.
Lettuce returned for an encore that felt both playful and triumphant, opening with “Elephant Walk.” This segued into a symphony-intro that eased into the show-ending “Madison Square,” which was a fitting exclamation point that left the room buzzing long after the final notes faded.
This show stood out for its clarity of execution. The band sounded sharp, purposeful, and deeply connected — not just to each other, but to the room and the Jersey crowd. On one of the coldest nights of the winter, Lettuce transformed The Wellmont into a pressure cooker of funk, proving once again that when this band is locked in, there’s nothing casual about it. They didn’t just warm up Montclair, but rather they scorched it.
Lettuce is set to continue their 2026 Lettuce Cook tour with more highly anticipated dates that will give fans multiple ways to catch the band in peak form. Upcoming shows include the State Theatre in Portland, ME on January 30 and The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY on Jan 31, both of which will feature live stream options on Nugs.net for fans unable to attend in person. They head next to The Paramount in Huntington, NY on Feb 1, then pivot south to Charlottesville, VA on Feb 3. The band will finally see warmer temperatures in Savannah, GA on Feb 4, St. Petersburg, FL on Feb 5, and Orlando, FL on Feb 6. They set sail on Jam Cruise 22 on Feb 7. Head on over to their tour page for more details on these shows and the rest of their schedule.
Check out more photos from the show!
Band: Lettuce
Date: January 22, 2026
Venue: Wellmont Theatre
Location: Montclair, NJ
Set One: The Mack Krewe, Insta Classic > Purple Cabbage, Keep On, Storm Coming, 7 Tribes, Sam Huffs
Set Two: Mt. Crushmore, Lett Bobby, Everything, Vamanos, Larimar, Do Your Thing, Chameleon > Blast Off
Encore: Elephant Walk > Symphony (intro) > Madison Square
