Tierney’s Tavern in Montclair has been a local watering hole for nearly 100 years, remaining in the same family since it first opened in the 1930s. But this week, the neighborhood pub is hitting the silver screen, serving as a filming location for an upcoming project starring Hugh Jackman, Kate Hudson, and other A-list actors. The movie is a musical drama called Song Sung Blue and has been spotted filming around New Jersey throughout the fall — including in Matawan this October. Keep reading to learn more about the latest movie to film in Montclair this week, starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson.
What’s Filming in Montclair?
On Tuesday, December 3rd, an eagle-eyed reader tipped The Montclair Girl that a large film set had taken over Tierney’s Tavern on Valley Road. Instinct led us to suspect that it *might* be Deliver Me From Nowhere, the forthcoming Bruce Springsteen biopic starring Jeremy Allen White, which was filmed at the Montclair Public Library back in late October.
Read More: Signage Spotted for Mashed Burgers on Bloomfield Avenue in Montclair
As it turns out, though, the project is another musically-driven movie. Per NorthJersey.com, Tierney’s Tavern is currently playing host to Song Sung Blue, an upcoming musical adaptation of a 2008 documentary about a Milwaukee couple’s Neil Diamond cover band.
According to Deadline, Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson are billed to lead the film, portraying the “down on their luck musicians” who make up the cover band, ‘Lightning + Thunder.’ Hugh and Kate are joined by Michael Imperioli (The Sopranos, White Lotus), Fisher Stevens (Succession), and Jim Belushi (Red Heat, Curly Sue).
On Monday, December 2nd, Tierney’s Tavern took to Facebook to inform residents of its temporary closure during the week. The Irish pub is set to reopen on Friday, December 6th, just in time for the weekend. The Montclair Girl has reached out to Tierney’s Tavern for more information and this piece will be updated with any additional details.
About Song Sung Blue
Per Variety, Song Sung Blue is based on Greg Kohs’ 2008 documentary of the same name and “follows the true story of Milwaukee couple Mike and Claire Sardina, down-on-their-luck musicians who became local icons by performing as ‘Lightning + Thunder.’ The film also borrows its name from the 1972 Diamond song.”
Variety also reported that producing alongside writer-director Craig Brewer are John Davis and John Fox for Davis Entertainment. Erika Hampson and Kohs are executive producers. The film officially began production in October of 2024.
In Other Film News
It’s no secret that New Jersey has become a hub for movies + TV shows, in large part thanks to state-level efforts to establish it as such. Earlier this fall, Jeremy Allen White and the crew for Deliver Me From Nowhere took over the Montclair Public Library, Bellevue Branch, to film the forthcoming Bruce Springsteen biopic. The actor continues to be seen throughout the state, most recently in Bayonne alongside The Boss himself.
Similarly, all fall, headlines were dominated by Adam Sandler sightings, who was working on the highly-anticipated sequel, Happy Gilmore 2, throughout the state. There were several casting calls for the movie, recruiting locals of various descriptions and appearances.
See More: What’s Filming in Hoboken + Jersey City? An Ongoing List of Movies + TV Shows
To stay up to date on the latest Montclair + Northern New Jersey news, follow @themontclairgirl on Instagram and TikTok, and sign up for our newsletter that shares the top stories in your inbox here.
Where to Get Mocktails in Essex County, New Jersey
While dry January is all about cutting back on alcoholic drinks, there's more to this than just the club soda and a splash of cran with lime. Mocktails are all the rage this Dry January and make for a great alternative for alcoholic beverages. These bars in the Montclair area have crafted some seriously tasty mocktails. Read on for a list of must-try mocktails in Montclair + Essex County, New Jersey.
Bar Franco | 5 Church Street, Montclair
This high-end cocktail bar, located next to its sister restaurant Fresco Da Franco, has three mocktails on its menu. The first, the Aranciata, is made with aranciata di sicilia, grape jelly, and clementines. The second is Limonata, which is made with limonata di sicilia, watermelon juice, and San Pellegrino. Lastly, the San Garibaldi is made with San Pellegrino 'and pressed orange juice.
Read More: Date Ideas for Dry January in Northern New Jersey
Bloom | 648 Bloomfield Avenue, Verona
This French and Korean-inspired restaurant does not have any alcoholic drinks on its menu, which means there are plenty of great options for Dry January. Among the highlights are Seren-ade, made with blueberry, yuzu, and lemonade; Pomegranate Fizz, made with organic pomegranate juice, tajin, lime, and ginger beer; Strawberry Milkis, which comes with strawberry, honey, lemon, and milkis; and Mango Marni, made with mango, honey, turmeric, and cayenne.
The Brookdale | 1099 Broad Street, Bloomfield
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Visit this lively spot for brunch, dinner, or an alcohol-free happy hour with friends. Some items on the drink menu here are available as mocktails, including A Little Bit of Cucumber, which is made with cucumber, lime, and rosemary.
Faubourg | 544 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair
Faubourg is a French brasserie located in the heart of Bloomfield Avenue. This upscale spot has multiple mocktails on its menu, including the Virgin Mojito, made with lemon, mint, and club soda, and the Witching Hour, made with pomegranate, ginger beer, honey, and lemon.
Jack's Surf + Turf | 718 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair
This restaurant, which has another location in Short Hills, knows how to turn classic beverages into fun alcohol-free treats. Jack's Surf + Turf has twelve mocktails on its menu, some of which include the Rose-Berry Spritzer, made with cranberry juice, rose water, and club soda, Mango Mule, made with mango pure, fresh lime juice, and ginger beer, and Classic Mojito, made with fresh mint, fresh lime juice, and club soda.
Kai Yang | 345 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair
Kai Yang is a street food restaurant that serves all kinds of Thai food and drinks. Customers can find Thai Iced Tea, Thai Iced Coffee, and fun pink mocktails that are topped with mint leaves on the menu.
McLoone’s Boathouse | 9 Cherry Lane, West Orange
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This restaurant is located within the South Mountain Reservation Complex, which means guests can enjoy the spectacular view of the reservoir while sipping their drinks. McLoone's Boathouse has three non-alcoholic drinks on its menu. The Blueberry Smash is made with blueberry puree, lemonade, orange juice, pineapple juice, and lime juice. The Cucumber Mule-Less is made with cucumber, mint, lime, and ginger beer. The Grapefruit No-Jito is made with muddled lime + mint, simple syrup, and Q Mixers' sparkling grapefruit.
Millburn Standard | 42 Main Street, Millburn
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Millburn Standard is known for its tasty takes on familiar dishes and cozy dining room. The extensive drink list includes various mocktails, like A Tost to Sobriety, made with Tost Sparking white tea, cranberry, and ginger, and Nice List, made with Lyre's Agave spirit, Stella's sparkling peach, cranberry juice, lime juice, and cinnamon syrup.
Montclair Brewery | 101 Walnut Street, Montclair
The husband and wife team who own this brewery keep it stocked with a revolving list of craft beers. The spot also has a selection of non-alcoholic craft drinks, including the MB Root Beer, Cranetown Lemonade, Pineapple Ginger Beer, Peach Lemonade.
Nami Nori | 378 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair
This casual temaki bar caused quite a buzz in town for its open-style sushi rolls. The spot does not have a liquor license so all the beverages are alcohol-free, but that doesn’t hinder the creativity. Try the Yuzu Palmer, made with lemon verbena tea, peach, yuzu juice, and mint.
Pharmacie Bar + Kitchen | 398 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair
This local gem serves pub grub, cocktails, and — of course — mocktails. At Pharmacie Bar + Kitchen, patrons can find a mocktail made with Ritual's Zero Proof Tequila Alternative and topped with a mint leaf.
See More: A Guide to Mocktails in Hoboken + Jersey City
Sweet T's Southern Eatery | 387 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair
For those who like their mocktails fruity, look no further than Sweet T's Southern Eatery. The menu at this spot includes three different fun mocktails, some of which include the Strawberry Lemonade, made with Sweet T's signature lemonade, muddled strawberries, strawberry flavor, and seltzer, and the Blueberry Lemonade made with Sweet T's signature lemonade, muddled blueberries, and seltzer.
