(Five for Fighting with String Quartet | Photo Courtesy of Five for Fighting)
Following on from April + May dates, Grammy nominated, platinum-selling artist, Five for Fighting (aka John Ondrasik) brings his Five for Fighting (FFF) String Quartet Tour to Arizona and the West Coast this October, beginning October 21 in Tucson, Arizona (all dates below) tickets are on sale now HERE.
Top Broadway musicians will join Five for Fighting including Tony-Award winning concertmaster and co-orchestrator of Moulin Rouge! The Musical Katie Kresek (Violin), Melissa Tong (Violin), who toured with Post Malone in 2023, and Broadway’s Chris Cardona (Viola) and Peter Sachon (Cello). The unique nature of the shows allows Ondrasik to go behind the music and tell stories while the format allows for a deeper dive into the catalog, while there is always a surprise or two in store. Lace & Lee, who opened the dates on this year’s string quartet tour will return as the opening act. The folk rock duo of Caroline Lace and Olivia Lee, features ethereal vocals heavily influenced by the mystical wisdom of ‘60s and ‘70s storytelling with a twist of humor and bard-like prose.
“I can’t wait to bring the Five for Fighting and the fantastic FFF String Quartet out on the road again this Fall! I’m looking forward to telling some stories, sharing new songs, and recent arrangements while welcoming to the stage our opener, the fantastic Lace & Lee, my favorite new duo,” says Ondrasik. “As always, this will be a family show that recognizes our troops and first responders, I can’t wait to tour again with these world class musicians who have become my second family. See you soon!”
Five for Fighting played headline rock shows this August with special guest Vertical Horizon. Ondrasik brought along his band, drummer Randy Cooke (Mick Jagger, Ringo Starr, Dave Stewart), bassist Sean Hurley (John Mayer, Ringo Starr, Alanis Morissette), and guitarist Peter Thorn (Chris Cornell, Melissa Etheridge, Don Henley), to play the songs his fans have loved for over two decades along with his recent viral hits.
To date, Five for Fighting, has released six studio albums, including the platinum certified America Town and The Battle for Everything; and the top 10 charting Two Lights, along with an EP and live albums. Ondrasik has penned major hits, including the chart-topping 100 Years, The Riddle, Chances, World and Easy Tonight, which have earned tens of millions of streams and place him as a top ten Hot Adult Contemporary artist for the 2000s. The reflective 100 Years has joined Superman (It’s Not Easy) as part of the American Songbook and continues to stand the test of time at weddings, birthdays, graduations, memorials, and many a home video. Five for Fighting’s music has also been featured in more than 350 films, television shows, and commercials, including the Oscar-winning The Blind Side, Hawaii Five-O, The Sopranos and the CBS drama, Code Black.
Ondrasik has also been writing non-political songs about key events around the world from a humanistic perspective including OK (We Are Not Ok) in response to the October 7 Hamas attacks in Israel, while addressing the cultural aftermath both in America and around the world. On April 13 Ondrasik performed in Tel Aviv hours before Iran’s missile attack on Israel. Now, Superman (It’s Not Easy), takes on new meaning as a tribute to Alon Ohel, a 24-year-old hostage still held by Hamas. Ondrasik performed alongside Alon’s brother Ronen, his mother Idit Ohel, and a community of friends who gathered in Hostage Square, Tel Aviv. Ondrasik’s revised lyrics turn pain into resilience. Watch the video HERE. The song will be available on all streaming platforms on June 27. Ondrasik also wrote Can One Man Save The World? which was inspired by the courage of President Vladimir Zelenskyy and the people of Ukraine. He performed the song in Ukraine with the Ukrainian Orchestra amongst the ruins of the Antonov Airport in front of the Ukrainians’ beloved Mriya, the world’s largest cargo plane that Russia destroyed at the outset of the war.
And as a longtime supporter of music education, Ondrasik teamed up with Let Music Fill My World again this year, a privately funded nonprofit launched by Tullman Family Office. They announced the return of the Music Matters Challenge, a nationwide competition aimed at rekindling the transformative power of music education in schools across the country. The Music Matters Challenge offers a chance for participants to compete for prizes while making a lasting impact through the power of music. The finalists will be announced later today with the winner to be announced on June 21.
Five for Fighting October String Quartet Tour Dates:
- October 21 in Tucson, Arizona at Fox Tucson Theatre
- October 22 in Scottsdale, Arizona at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts
- October 23 in San Juan Capistrano, California at The Coach House
- October 24 in Fontana, California at Stage Red
- October 25 in Monterey, California at Golden State Theatre
- October 26 in Napa, California at Uptown Theatre Napa
- October 28 in Salem, Oregon at Elsinore Theatre
- October 29 in Kirkland, Washington at Kirkland Performance Center
- October 30 in Bend, Oregon at Tower Theatre
For tickets to the Tower Theatre show in Bend October 30 go here: towertheatre.org/event/five-for-fighting.
fiveforfighting.com • Instagram • Facebook • Twitter • YouTube • Threads