Posted August 7, 2026
Christian rock band Sanctus Real returns to Hensville Park
Founded in Toledo, Ohio, Christian rock band Sanctus Real is returning to Hensville Park on Sunday, August 23 for a night of lively entertainment.
Sanctus Real takes the stage postgame Sunday. The band last performed in Hensville about eight years ago.
“I remember the atmosphere,” Mark Graalman, Sanctus Real drummer, said. “I have memories from the (last Hensville) show … that's not really the case for a lot of shows. The fact that I remember it really well tells me that I enjoyed myself. When I found out we were getting to do it again, it was really awesome.”
Graalman went to Rogers High School while the other founding members, Matt Kollar, Matt Hammitt and Chris Rohman, attended Toledo Christian. The four high schoolers were mutual friends, and formed Sanctus Real in the mid-90s after conjoining their two separate bands.
“They would get together after school in Chris’ basement, where they started learning stuff they were hearing on the radio,” Graalman said. “I think they played one or two shows for their church youth group … Then I just got invited to go to Chris’ basement and jam with them. A couple months later, we named it Sanctus Real.”
Kollar, bassist, was not in Sanctus Real for long, leaving in 1999 to join the Marines. Hammitt, vocalist, left the band to pursue solo ministry in 2015. Current Sanctus Real members include Graalman, Rohman, lead guitarist, and Dustin Lolli, lead vocalist.
With 30 years of music under their belts, Sanctus Real has produced more than 10 studio albums, eight number one singles, two Grammy nominations, and one platinum single. Some of the band’s hits include “Confidence,” with nearly 144 million hits on Spotify, and “My God Is Still The Same,” with 97 million hits on Spotify.
Graalman said he hopes the Toledo crowd brings their energy and singing voices to Hensville Park.
“Our families are here, our friends and people who have been with us our whole lives,” Graalman said. “It is definitely a show that will feel like a big family reunion. Lots has changed for us since the last time we played at Hensville, we’ve got a lot of new music.”
Tickets for the August 23 game can be purchased online.