Outdoor Oasis of Sound: The New Lenox Concert Series

In a time when music is at our fingertips, but mostly heard through headphones, concerts are a uniting force. Upon entering a concert venue, you can expect to encounter like-minded individuals who want to share the effects of music. 

For the New Lenox Concert Series, the music exists without boundaries. Hosting Men At Work, Toad the Wet Sprocket, and Shonen Knife - the New Lenox Commons acts as an oasis of sound, welcoming the community to enjoy the sunshine and one another’s presence. 

Outdoor concerts tend to have a more relaxed atmosphere about them. As neighbors set up their lawn chairs in neat rows, others choose to walk around or stand at the front of the pavilion in anticipation. It’s all smiles, snacks and soft conversations until the first act takes the stage. 

Shonen Knife performs at the New Lenox Commons - Photo Credits: Elizabeth De Young

Shonen Knife opened the concert on Friday, August 7th with their track “Buttercup (I’m a Super Girl),” sporting their classic mod tops. The pop-punk group out of Osaka, Japan has been rocking since the 80s, with their newest album “Let’s Knife Re-Cut” released earlier this year. They’ve appeared on MTV and even opened for Nirvana. Their songs have been described as “bubblegum-punk,” which is very fitting for the girl group whose tracks talk about their favorite foods and sweets. 

Their lyrics are in both English and Japanese, centered around fun and lighthearted topics paired with boisterous drums, deep basslines and deft guitar playing. Shonen Knife has had members circulate throughout their history; their current lineup is composed of two original members (and sisters) Naoko and Atsuko Yamano, on guitar and bass respectively, joined by their newest member, Risa Kawano on drums. 

These women got the New Lenox crowd amped up for the rest of the night with their lively performances - hair whipping in sync with smiles on their faces. Naoko engages the crowd to directly participate in their performance of “Sweet Candy Power,” having them shout “Candy!” as a response to her callout of “a-ma-i,” meaning “sweet” in Japanese. 

After about 40 minutes of sweet rock-n-roll, Shonen Knife exits the stage with a bow and heads over to their merch table to meet and greet fans. They understand that playing is a privilege just as much as listening, and want to further that connection between artists and audience. While getting their autograph adds literal value, the experience of headbanging along with them and hundreds of concert-goers is invaluable. 

Dean Dinning of Toad the Wet Sprocket performs at the New Lenox Commons - Photo Credit: Elizabeth De Young

Toad the Wet Sprocket takes to the stage shortly after Shonen Knife cuts out. The sun is beginning to set, and the crowd settles in when a barefoot Glen Phillips kicks off the set with “Good Intentions.” Parents embarrass their kids by singing along or standing to dance. Generations enjoy the melancholic harmonies that make the band; those who grew up with the music whisper to their spouse, “this is our song.” 

Although the band was broken up for most of the 2000s, Phillips was once again joined by Todd Nichols (lead guitar) and Dean Dinning (bass guitar); the original three have been touring with Jon Sosin (keyboard) and Carl Thompson (drums). Despite the shakeups to the lineup, the group maintains their groove all the same. 

Even between the bands, there’s an air of admiration. Phillips acknowledges that Men At Work was his first concert, transitioning into a cover of another Australian band - INXS’s “Don’t Change.” By the end of Toad the Wet Sprocket’s set, the lawn chairs had been abandoned in favor of moving closer to the stage. 

Often people refer to being “in the pit” for a concert, which comes from punk culture. “The pit” more classically means “moshpit,” in which people crash into one another; however, nowadays people use the term “in the pit” to mean close to the stage. While Toad the Wet Sprocket’s “pit” differs visually from punk ones, the sentiment is the same. Each member of the group not only wants to feel the music themselves, but also desires to feed off the energy of one another. The physicality of listening to music is sometimes forgotten when we do it sitting around at home or in the car, but it’s meant to be a full-body experience.

Colin Hay of Men At Work performs at the New Lenox Commons - Photo Credit: Elizabeth De Young

The closer for the night was Men At Work, yet again another group who’ve had to break apart and reform. It begins to drizzle before the musicians take the stage; most of the crowd still moves to the front of the stage regardless. By their second song, “No Restrictions,” it’s intensely raining, but the band keeps playing as the crowd sings along with hands in the air. 

Outdoor venues are sometimes seen as a risk due to weather, but unpredictability can create memorable moments for everyone involved. Dancing in the rain is liberating rather than limiting; the audience and musicians alike get to experience each song with new sensations. The lights and sound bounce off the drops and crowd, reflecting onto the band. 

Men At Work are humble. Colin Hay, the only remaining original member and lead singer, tells the audience a quick story when introducing “Who Can It Be Now?” He had heard it playing in the store the day before, and told the clerk he had written it without thinking, to which he got the reply: “Would you like a bag?” Hay laughs it off and continues to jam out with his crew composed of: Jimmy Branly (drums), San Miguel Perez (guitar), Yosmel Montejo (bass), Cecilia Noël (backing vocals), and Rachel Mazer (saxophone).

In a smaller venue such as New Lenox, it’s easy for the performers to feel they don’t have to give their all - Men At Work must love what they do, because it’s not work at all for them. As the show progresses, the audience and bandmates form a symbiotic relationship; each feeds off the energy the other gives, resulting in a joyous celebration of music and community. 

Concert-goers enjoying Men At Work's performance in the rain - Photo Credit: Elizabeth De Young

Each band, like each concert-goer, brings a different tone to the occasion; however, they’re all hoping for the same result - a good time with good people. Concerts are truly one of the best ways to experience music, but they also provide us with community and compassion. Whether it’s the call-and-response of Shonen Knife, the nostalgic feeling that possesses those listening to the lyrics of Toad the Wet Sprocket or freely enjoying the music of Men At Work - concerts provide a place to be part of something more. Music helps to make us all feel a little more connected and whole.