Nothing More Brings the Carnal Nature Tour to the Wellmont Theater — and Delivers Big
Written by cupor1 on March 2, 2026
February 23, 2026 | Wellmont Theater, Montclair, NJ
By: DJ Bellamix
Nothing More wasted no time making a statement when they kicked off the second leg of their Carnal Nature Tour at the Wellmont Theater in Montclair, New Jersey on February 19. The San Antonio rock band turned the historic venue into a sweat-soaked, emotionally charged evening that reminded everyone in attendance exactly why live music holds a grip on people that nothing else can replicate.
The night kicked off with Columbus-based rock-hip-hop artist Doobie, supporting his 2025 project Give ‘Em Hell Until You Get To Heaven.
Next up, Archers wasted no time making an impression. The band ran through fan favorites “Made For Love” and “Perfect Strangers,” but it was their brand new single “The Dirt” that made the strongest case for new listeners. Archers didn’t overstay their welcome, but they left a mark.
Catch Your Breath followed and immediately raised the stakes. The Austin rock act has been building serious momentum, and their Wellmont set proved they belong on stages of this caliber. Drawing from their 2023 debut album Shame On Me as well as newer singles “Lost” and “Dark,” the band delivered a set that hit hard across the board. But it was “21 Gun Salute” that stopped the room cold. The track was a gut-punch of a track that showcased exactly what Catch Your Breath is capable of when firing on all cylinders. Vocalist CJ Cease commanded the stage with a presence that felt far beyond where the band currently sits in their career trajectory. If Nothing More hand-picked these openers to set a high bar, Catch Your Breath cleared it.
Before Nothing More took the stage, the Wellmont’s second floor lobby had its own moment worth noting. SiriusXM Octane’s Vincent Rockwell, who has championed Nothing More on the channel for years, was there for the show and took the time between the Catch Your Breath and Nothing More sets to catch up. For anyone who has worked alongside Vinnie, running into him at a show headlined by one of his all-time favorite bands felt completely fitting. The band gave Rockwell a shout out from the stage, a nod that felt earned given how long Octane has had Nothing More in heavy rotation. It was a reminder of how small and connected this world really is.
Then, it was time for Nothing More.
From the first note of “House on Sand,” the energy in the room shifted into a different gear entirely. The crowd erupted, and vocalist Jonny Hawkins immediately established that this was not going to be a passive concert-going experience. Nothing More don’t perform for audiences. They perform with them.
The setlist pulled from across the band’s catalog, rewarding longtime fans while giving newer listeners a crash course in why Nothing More has maintained such a devoted following. Tracks like “Let ‘Em Burn,” “Go to War,” and “Don’t Stop” hit with the force of a band at the peak of their powers. From their 2024 album CARNAL, songs like “Angel Song,” “Freefall,” “Stuck,” and the devastating “If It Doesn’t Hurt” proved the new material holds up just as well in a live arena.
One of the night’s most talked-about moments came when Hawkins invited Archers frontman Nathanael Pulley to the stage for a joint performance of “Freefall” — a track that the band had re-released in the deluxe edition of Carnal featuring Chris Daughtry in march of last year. While Pulley’s voice hits more metalcore/pop rock crossover than Daughtry’s post-grunge, radio-forward vocals, Pulley’s performance was cleaner than a screamer but delivered a darker and more textured tone to the track.
But the moment that cut the deepest came mid-set, when Nothing More launched into “Fade In / Fade Out” from their 2017 record The Stories We Tell Ourselves. The track has always been a heavy one, a meditation on loss, cycles, and acceptance, but live it takes on an entirely different weight. For at least one person in the crowd that night, it was too much to hold in. Tears. Full stop. And that’s not a criticism. It’s the point. That’s what a song like “Fade In / Fade Out” is built for. It’s a reminder that the best concerts are emotional release valves. Communal grief and joy happening simultaneously in a dark room with strangers who suddenly don’t feel like strangers anymore. Concerts heal. That moment, more than any stage trick or production element, was the a favorite of the evening.
Speaking of stage elements — Nothing More brought a custom multi-instrument hybrid that saw Hawkins, guitarist Mark Vollelunga, and bassist Daniel Oliver playing simultaneously on one assembled structure. It recalled the spirit of the band’s legendary Scorpion Tail without being a direct replica. Creative, jarring, and undeniably them.
The set closed with “This Is the Time (Ballast),” the anthemic closer that sent the crowd out into the February cold with something warm still buzzing in their chests.
Nothing More’s Carnal Nature Tour continues through 2026. If this night in New Jersey was any indication, every stop on this run is worth showing up for — early enough to catch all four acts, and ready to feel something.
