For a band that’s spent more than three decades turning chaos into community, there’s something fitting about Less Than Jake throwing their biggest party of the year right where it all began. The Gainesville ska-punk lifers have announced Wake and Bake 2026, a two-night hometown takeover set for March 13–14 at Vivid Music Hall, promising deep nostalgia, stacked lineups, and the kind of all-day energy only Less Than Jake can sustain.
This year’s Wake and Bake doubles as an anniversary celebration, with the band performing special sets honoring 30 years of Losing Streak and 25 years of Borders and Boundaries — two records that helped define ska-punk’s late-’90s explosion and cemented Less Than Jake as one of the scene’s most enduring forces. Rather than a museum-piece retread, the shows are positioned as living, breathing reminders of why these songs still matter: loud, fast, communal, and joyfully unpolished.
The weekend expands beyond the main stage. Festivities kick off Thursday, March 12 with a 21+ pre-party at Loosey’s Downtown featuring Rehasher, followed by a Saturday afternoon all-ages acoustic set at First Magnitude Brewery. That daytime show doubles as a fundraiser benefiting Bread of the Mighty and Grace Marketplace, reinforcing Less Than Jake’s long-standing commitment to giving back to the Gainesville community that raised them.
On the main nights, the lineup reads like a cross-section of ska-punk past, present, and future. Voodoo Glow Skulls and Teenage Bottlerocket anchor the bill, joined by newer and rising acts including Bite Me Bambi, The Boy Detective, and Joker’s Republic on select nights.
Wake and Bake 2026 arrives at a moment when Less Than Jake feel unusually timeless. Their recent Uncharted EP reaffirmed their ability to evolve without sanding off the edges, while relentless touring continues to keep them plugged into scenes across generations and continents. In an era where legacy acts are often defined by farewell announcements or nostalgia circuits, Less Than Jake remain defiantly present-tense.
Tickets for all events, including VIP packages and hotel blocks, are available now at https://lessthanjake.com/
