'80s, '90s Rockers Announced For New Lenox Summer Concert Series Show: Mayor

NEW LENOX, IL — The lineup for the 2026 New Lenox Summer Concert series is firming up, with one date's acts unveiled this week.

Toad the Wet Sprocket and Men At Work will perform Friday, Aug. 7 at the New Lenox Commons, Baldermann said Tuesday. They'll be joined by Japanese pop-punk band Shonen Knife.

Tickets will be $50, with sales limited to residents only for the first two weeks, then on sale to the general public. A ticket sale start date has not yet been set, Baldermann said. An announcement on other bands and dates will come soon, he added.

Toad the Wet Sproket is known for a jangly alternative/folk-pop sound and heartfelt, introspective lyrics that made them popular in the early 90s, with hits like "All I Want," "Walk on the Ocean," and "Something's Always Wrong."

Quintessential ‘90s shows and movies that featured Toad songs, including Buffy the Vampire Slayer (“Little Heaven”), Dawson’s Creek (“All I Want” and “Amnesia”), Fear (“Something’s Always Wrong”), I Know What You Did Last Summer (“Hey Bulldog”), Empire Records (“Crazy Life”) and the platinum-selling Friends soundtrack (“Good Intentions”), their website lists.

Men At Work is a hugely successful 1980s Australian new wave/pop rock band famous for hits like "Down Under," "Who Can It Be Now?," and "Overkill," becoming the first Australian group with a simultaneous #1 album (Business as Usual) and #1 single in the U.S. They blended pop, rock, and reggae, and won a Grammy for Best New Artist in 1983.

Shonen Knife is known for their cheerful, melodic pop-punk with catchy, simple songs about everyday topics like food, animals and pop culture. They're described as a blend of Ramones-style punk, Beatles-esque pop, and Japanese kawaii (cute) culture, often described as "bubblegum punk" or "pop-rock."

They grew popular on the 90s alternative scene, touring with Nirvana and Sonic Youth, influencing bands like The Breeders, and featuring on soundtracks like The Powerpuff Girls.

Formerly known as the Triple Play, the concert series' name was changed in 2025, in expectation that each summer's lineup will include more than three dates. Last year's lineup featured Chris Young, The Revivalists, Rick Springfield, Get The Led Out, Killer Queen and Andy Grammer.