Five For Fighting frontman John Ondrasik reflects on 25 years of Superman and upcoming Connecticut dates

John Ondrasik of Five for Fighting photo via Carpe Tempus Photography

Nearly a quarter-century after his breakout hit “Superman (It’s Not Easy)” became a defining anthem of national healing, Five For Fighting frontman John Ondrasik is bringing a stripped-down, storytelling-focused performance to Connecticut for two upcoming concerts.

Ondrasik will bring his popular Five For Fighting String Quartet Tour to Infinity Music Hall Hartford on Oct. 4 and the Sacred Heart University Community Theatre in Fairfield on Oct. 14.

The tour pairs the Grammy-nominated, platinum-selling singer-songwriter with a world-class classical ensemble featuring veteran Broadway musicians: Tony Award-winning concertmaster Katie Kresek (violin), Melissa Tong (violin), Chris Cardona (viola), and Peter Sachon (cello). Folk-rock duo Lace & Lee will open both Connecticut performances.

For Ondrasik, performing with a string quartet provides a rare level of intimacy that allows him to pull back the curtain on his songwriting process and share personal stories from across his career.

“It’s certainly a more intimate show,” Ondrasik said in a recent interview. “It allows me to tell a lot of the stories behind the songs and adventures I’ve had in my career. … One of my favorite parts of the show is I leave the stage and let the string quartet just jam and play whatever they’ve been feeling throughout the tour. I get to join the audience in the standing ovation that always comes afterward.”

The acoustic arrangements give familiar radio hits a new emotional depth while breathing new life into songs originally written without strings. Ondrasik noted that tracks like his 2000 debut hit “Easy Tonight” and the fan-favorite “World” undergo complete transformations when played alongside a quartet instead of a full rock band. Fans can also expect deep cuts on the setlist, including an updated arrangement of his track “The Day I Died.”

Five For Fighting String Quartet Photo by Erin Roosen

The tour comes as Ondrasik continues his long-standing tradition of using his music to honor real-world heroes and offer comfort during crisis.

Following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, “Superman (It’s Not Easy)” became a comforting cultural staple, culminating in Ondrasik’s emotional performance at the historic 2001 Concert for New York City at Madison Square Garden.

Reflecting on the song’s legacy as the 25th anniversary of 9/11 approaches, Ondrasik recalled the surreal experience of sharing the stage with his musical idols while singing directly to grieving families and first responders who had been digging through the rubble at Ground Zero.

“That concert gave them a chance to release their emotions, and it gave me a new insight into why music truly matters,” Ondrasik said. “When a songwriter releases a song, it’s almost not ours anymore. It’s like letting your kid leave the nest. It becomes something that is for everyone else… To see young people singing that song back to me that weren’t alive when I wrote it is a blessing.”

In recent years, “Superman” has continued to evolve. Ondrasik recently participated in the “9/11 Tribute in Light: Live from Lower Manhattan” special alongside Cyndi Lauper and Lainey Wilson, and he previously dedicated the song in Tel Aviv to hostages held in Gaza, performing it alongside the family of released hostage Alon Ohel.

While Ondrasik has released several topical singles addressing global human rights causes in recent years, including “OK (We Are Not Ok)” following the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel, he confirmed he is officially working on the seventh Five For Fighting studio album.

“I actually just finished a song that’s kind of the first normal song I’ve written in a long time,” Ondrasik said. “So I only need nine more for a record. I am on my way to new music.”

Opening the Connecticut dates is Lace and Lee, an emerging folk-rock duo featuring Olivia Lee Ondrasik and Caroline Lace McPherson. The duo, which previously opened for the string quartet tour in 2025, has released six singles this year, including their latest track, “RoadKill”, leading up to their upcoming EP, Mirror Mirror, set for release on Nov. 27. The project was produced by Grammy Award-winner Mikal Blue, known for his work with OneRepublic and Colbie Caillat.

Tickets for the Oct. 4 performance at Infinity Hall Hartford and the Oct. 14 show at Sacred Heart University Community Theatre in Fairfield are available through the official Five For Fighting website and venue box offices.

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Five For Fighting frontman John Ondrasik reflects on 25 years of Superman and upcoming Connecticut dates