Three Nights, Three Generations of Music: Stir Cove Welcomes Howard Jones, 311 and Men at Work

7–10 minutes

By Marisa Dawson & Nick Scofield

Stir Cove at Harrah’s in Council Bluffs was alive with familiar sounds and longtime favorites during a busy stretch of August, with three very different concerts bringing fans of ’80s new wave, alternative rock, reggae and ’90s-era hits together at the outdoor venue.

From an ’80s celebration headlined by Howard Jones on Aug. 1, to Omaha natives 311 returning home Aug. 5, to Australian rock legends Men at Work closing out the week Aug. 8, each show offered its own version of a summer night of live music.

Howard Jones brings the ’80s back to life

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The Aug. 1 show was essentially a celebration of the sounds of the 1980s, with Howard Jones joined by Modern English, The English Beat and Wang Chung. SiriusXM host Richard Blade served as host throughout the evening, appearing between sets to take the audience on a musical trip through the decade.

Blade presented a history of music through the ’80s, incorporating clips of the top five new wave songs from each year and highlighting important dates and moments in music history. The presentation helped tie the evening together while giving fans plenty of opportunities to reminisce about the decade.

Modern English was up first, delivering a set of greatest hits and plenty of crowd interaction. The band brought an obvious energy to the stage, repeatedly inviting the audience to participate.

That interaction reached its peak with the final song, “I Melt With You.” As the band launched into the familiar hit, the message to the crowd was clear: “You’re going to be part of it.”

By the end, the entire crowd was on its feet, singing along.

The English Beat followed with its signature blend of ska, reggae and pop. Led by Dave Wakeling, the current touring lineup includes saxophone, keyboards, bass, drums and vocals, giving the songs a full, lively sound. Wakeling is also known for his role in General Public, the band he formed with former Beat bandmate Ranking Roger after The Beat broke up in 1983.

The band appeared to be having as much fun as the audience, keeping the crowd engaged between songs with bursts of ska. Before long, much of the crowd was dancing to the beat.

Wang Chung then took the stage, bringing its own unmistakable piece of ’80s pop culture to Council Bluffs.

The group, known for hits including “Dance Hall Days,” “Everybody Have Fun Tonight” and “Let’s Go,” has also had a notable connection to film. The band created music for William Friedkin’s To Live and Die in L.A. and contributed an original song to The Breakfast Club.

During the Stir Cove performance, Wang Chung leaned into that history, showing a reel of clips from movies and television shows over the years in which the band or its music was mentioned.

The tempo slowed slightly compared with the earlier sets, but the energy remained high, thanks in part to the band’s iconic sound and stage presence.

Then came the headliner.

Howard Jones brought a bright, colorful stage show complete with lights, lasers, sparkles and fog. Jones also made his way into the pit to interact directly with the crowd, stopping throughout the performance to share a few words with fans.

A classically trained pianist, Jones became one of the defining figures of the British synth-pop movement of the 1980s. His 1984 debut album Human’s Lib reached No. 1 in the United Kingdom, while 1985’s Dream Into Action reached No. 2 in the UK and No. 10 on the U.S. Billboard album chart. The latter produced hits including “Things Can Only Get Better” and “No One Is to Blame.”

Those songs, along with “New Song,” their iconic “What Is Love?,” “Pearl in the Shell,” “Life in One Day” and others, filled the Stir Cove set.

Jones also demonstrated his versatility on several instruments throughout the performance, while the crowd danced and sang along through the night.

It was a fitting end to a concert built around nostalgia, but one that still felt very much alive.

311 turns Stir Cove into a hometown celebration

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A guitarist with long hair playing an electric guitar on stage, with a drummer visible in the background. The band's name 'DIRTY HEADS' is displayed on a drum kit.
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Just four days later, on Aug. 5, Stir Cove shifted from new wave and synth-pop to a mix of alternative rock, reggae, funk and hip-hop as 311 brought its “So Glad You Made It” tour to Council Bluffs.

ROME Ramirez got things started with a set that played tribute to his years being the front man of Sublime with Rome, singing songs like “Santeria” and “Take It or Leave It” while mixing in songs from his now solo career like “Slow & Easy.” He got the crowd engaged and ready to be on their feet for the rest of the night.

Australia’s Ocean Alley followed. Their cover of Player’s “Baby Come Back” had everyone singing along to the timeless classic.

They played songs from their 2025 album Love Balloon like “Tangerine” that showed their surf rock, reggae style and kept the momentum going as the middle act, getting everyone excited and ready for the last two headliners.

Ocean Alley, which hails from Sydney, describes its sound as a blend of psychedelic and surf rock. Love Balloon, released in September 2025, features 10 tracks and was produced by Nick DiDia, whose credits include Bruce Springsteen and Rage Against the Machine.

When Dirty Heads took the stage, there was a huge change in energy.

From the moment the band hit the stage, fans from all ages were bouncing to every beat and guitar riff. There was nothing but positive vibes as they played some of their classics like “Vacation” and “That’s All I Need.” Hit after hit was non-stop dancing throughout their set.

Their chemistry with the audience was incredible, mixing in a cover from Joe Walsh, “Life’s Been Good,” and turning Stir Cove into a summer celebration as hundreds sang every word back to the band.

The band brought Rome back out to join them for “Lay Me Down,” the Dirty Heads song featuring Rome. The original recording of the song reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Alternative Songs chart in 2010.

For the Omaha natives 311, this was very clearly a homecoming for the band.

From the moment they stepped foot onstage, the crowd was with the band on every note. Fans sang every lyric to every song, creating one massive chorus that could be heard clearly from outside of the venue.

They opened with classics like “All Mixed Up,” “Beautiful Disaster” and “Come Original.”

311 was formed in Omaha in 1990 and went on to develop a distinctive sound combining alternative rock with reggae, hip-hop and funk. The band’s 1995 self-titled album went triple platinum and produced some of its best-known songs, including “Down” and “All Mixed Up.”

They reminded everyone why 311 has remained not only a band from Omaha but one of alternative rock and reggae’s best spanning over decades.

Every mention of Omaha got a deafening applause, and every familiar riff seemed to carry a little extra emotion.

311 showed why they are billed last, bringing Omaha and Council Bluffs alive with their hometown pride.

From start to finish, the “So Glad You Made It” tour delivered.

Men at Work closes the week with a trip Down Under

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A musician wearing a plaid shirt and hat plays an electric guitar on stage, with microphones and equipment in the background.
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A drummer performs on stage, smiling while playing a wooden drum set featuring a bass drum with the logo 'MEN AT WORK'.
A musician in a black suit performs on stage, playing an orange electric guitar. Bright stage lights and a drum set are visible in the background, with an audience watching in the foreground.
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Stir Cove’s busy stretch continued Saturday, Aug. 8, when Men at Work headlined a show with Toad the Wet Sprocket and Japan’s Shonen Knife.

Shonen Knife, a three-woman group from Osaka, Japan, got the night started with an energetic set. The trio brought plenty of personality to the stage and appeared to be having as much fun as the crowd, making them a fitting way to get the audience moving.

Toad the Wet Sprocket followed, playing songs spanning its catalog. The crowd remained engaged throughout the set, dancing and singing along to familiar songs from the band’s ’90s alternative-rock catalog, including “All I Want” and “Walk on the Ocean.”

By the time Men at Work took the stage, more weather had moved into the area, but the weather did little to dampen the enthusiasm. The house remained packed, and the party pit was having a great time.

Men at Work played a wide variety of its greatest hits, with the biggest songs saved for later in the set.

During “Down by the Sea,” frontman Colin Hay joked that the song was “definitely better if you’ve had a spliff or two,” drawing another reaction from the crowd.

The set showcased the unusual combination of instruments that helped make Men at Work’s music so recognizable, including flute, saxophone, harmonica, keyboards and percussion alongside the traditional rock instrumentation.

That musical variety is part of what made the Australian band stand out when it broke internationally in the early 1980s. Formed in Melbourne in 1979, Men at Work became global stars with songs including “Down Under,” “Who Can It Be Now?,” “Overkill,” “Be Good Johnny” and “It’s a Mistake.” The band won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1983 and was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 1994.

The current touring lineup is led by Hay on vocals and guitar, with Allen Hinds on guitar, Yosmel Montejo on bass, Jimmy Branly on drums, Rachel Mazer on saxophone, flute and keyboards, and Cecilia Noël on harmony vocals and percussion.

The combination brought the band’s familiar recordings to life while giving the songs a distinctly live feel.

One of the most notable aspects of the evening was the age range in the audience. Fans from multiple generations filled Stir Cove, demonstrating how songs first released more than four decades ago continue to connect with listeners.

For three nights in one August week, Stir Cove offered three very different musical experiences, but the common thread was clear: familiar songs, enthusiastic crowds and performers who were still enjoying the opportunity to play them live.

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