Grayscale at The Wellmont, Montclair, NJ 9/12/25

After four years since their previous album Umbra was released, Philadelphia alt-rock band, Grayscale, released their fourth album The Hart this January. The Hart captures emotions of additions, death, struggles of religious faith, and the emotional rollercoaster grief takes on you. 

Earlier this year in the spring, they opened for pop-punk icons, Mayday Parade in addition to Microwave and Like Roses. This fall, they hit the road again, this time opening for metalcore band Our Last Night, The Final Tour along with Wind Walkers. On September 12th, they performed at The Wellmont in Montclair, NJ. Lara Ziccardi, photographer, writer, and co-founder here at Punk Pulse Media, went to catch the show!

My first thought when this tour was announced was, “who put Grayscale and Our Last Night together?” I thought this was such an odd pairing: an alt-rock band opening for a more hard rock, metalcore leaning one, I really thought it was an odd choice. But honestly, I’m glad they did. Especially, because that means Grayscale stopped by to play in my college town of Montclair, NJ. Shout out to Montclair State University’s radio station, WMSC, where I got my start of shooting concerts. For those who don’t know, I had a music show at my college radio station, My Emo Phase, and let’s just say I’ve played these guys quite often. 

I fear Grayscale is my most photographed band - this is my fifth time shooting them, and my sixth time seeing them in concert (funnily enough, tied with All Time Low). I can’t explain it, there’s something about their energy when they perform live that’s just so addicting.

To open up the night, Grayscale performed the first three songs off their new record, the introduction track to the album “The Hart” followed by “Kept Me Alive,” “Through The Landslide,” and “Let Go.” While I enjoy the studio tracks, there’s something special when Grayscale performs live. We’re already off to a great start. 

One of my favorite Grayscale songs of all time, “Dirty Bombs” was up next. I have no idea what they put in this song, but it’s so electric. While I’m a little heartbroken “Babylon (Say It To My Face)” or “Motown” didn’t make the cut on this tour, I’m glad we got “Dirty Bombs.” The Nella Vita song of the tour is “In Violet.” Nella Vita is my favorite Grayscale album and I was a little disappointed we didn’t get “Just Right,” “Painkiller Weather,” or “Twilight (My Heaven)” but “In Violet” still delivered. Ugh, Nella Vita, you will always be famous to me!

I’ve noticed they only played one song from each previous album on this tour, which I was a little sad about. While I was satisfied with them performing songs off their new record, I wish there were some older songs in the mix.

I was absolutely thrilled they played “Talking In My Sleep,” one of my favorite songs off the new record. “Talking In My Sleep” is such a rollercoaster of a song, which represents the ups and downs and the constant, painful struggle one can experience when going through grief - not just with its lyrics, but with the actual music of the song itself. “Talking In My Sleep” starts off beautifully with an acoustic guitar, almost like the start of you drifting off to sleep, and then generally progresses into percussion, guitars, more intense vocals, etc. where I feel like it represents R.E.M., the deepest part of sleep and often where dreams happen. There’s lyrics about keeping a strong, emotional front during conscious waking hours, but then in your sleep, a vulnerable state, you’re expressing hardship in your subconscious. And oftentimes, can remind you of your most traumatic moments. Genuinely, I could write a whole essay about this song but I’ll save that for another day. This song is so heartbreakingly beautiful and heaving. I’m super glad they decided to play this one.

Next up on the list is “Mum II” - on their 2017 release Adornment, they have a song titled “Mum.” This is a heavy song and honestly, I was kind of surprised to hear them play this live. When I first listened to the album from to back when it came out, it just wasn’t my personal favorite. I think it’s a very beautifully dark and emotional song about lead singer’s mom, Collin Walsh. I was pleasantly surprised with this song live - I thought it was going to be more of a dull moment in the set but I was glad I was proven wrong; it was so beautiful and serene. It was exactly what the vibe needed and I thought it transitioned quite nicely from “Talking In My Sleep.”

The yearning kings are BACK! “Dance With Your Ghost” is my other favorite song off the new record. I’ve always described Grayscale as the professionals of yearning - between “Twilight (My Heaven),” “Just Right," "Old Friends,” actually almost all the songs off their 2019 release of Nella Vita are written with so much yearn. This is what the ladies were talking about when they asked for yearning and Grayscale has captured their yearning craft to a tea. 

I really danced along to this song. “Dance With Your Ghost” is about yearning for a past love. Yearning and missing them so much where settling with their ghost is good enough because it hurts too much to let go. Not only do the lyrics eat, musically, the song is a banger. “Don’t turn on the lights, I’m missing the days when you were mine” are you kidding me? Who hurt this man? This is another song I could interpret to every last note but again, I will save you from my rambling.

The song they decided to play off of Adornment was (my favorite), “Fever Dream.” I thought the crowd was going to get hyped for this one, the pit was going to be more intense but… no. It was quite mellow. Overall, there were about two crowd surfers that almost got dropped and that’s as crazy as it got. 

I wasn’t expecting Grayscale to perform a cover in our godforsaken year of 2025, and that cover was “Panama” by Van Halen. Yeah, I have to say, this went hard. I need more classic rock covers from Grayscale in the future.

“Not Afraid to Die” closed off their set, which was released about two years ago this September. Where did all the time go? This is another one of my all time favorite Grayscale songs so I was very happy it stayed in the setlist. And there’s something so amazing about the live version I just can’t put it into words. 

Off topic but I have to say, did they remaster that song on The Hart? Because it sounds so off and the single version sounds so much better to me.

I know I sound like a broken record, but they’re great performers and musicians. Not only is The Wellmont and Montclair so special to me, this was the first show I got to photograph with one of my close friends, Amber- not only is she a dear friend of mine but she’s also one talented gal. 

Alright, Grayscale, I’ll catch you next time!