The first time I saw 311 was at the tender age of 18. I stood staring in awe outside at the Justin Herman Plaza at a band I had only ever seen on a TV screen back when MTV still called themselves “Music” Television. My first live show, for free, and they played for at least two hours. It was a show totally worth skipping my early morning chemistry lab for. I walked away with each band member’s autograph written in black Sharpie on my arms. I felt so cool at the time.
Seven years later I find that 311 can still rock my world.
Their sound is so distinctive and so very 311. For me, they represent a significant part of the sound that made up ’90s, and are severely underrated. The show tonight didn’t sell out, but like any good band that has been touring for the past two decades, they had a slew of dedicated fans wearing 311 t-shirts from past shows. All of them eager to relive the awesomeness that is 311 live.
They kicked off the show promptly at 9:35pm with the classic “Omaha Stylee,” filing the theatre with their personal brand of white-boy stoner reggae rock. Each time the lights dropped, a string of glowing lights would float on stage, emanating from P-nut’s bass. Throughout the set, each band member performed his respective trademark move, from Nick’s leg kicks, to SA’s head bobbing. Along with the quintessential drum solo, and the band drum-a-long. It’s my own personal belief that Chad Sexton has the fittest forearms in the business, and he must surely carry around some hand weights for strength conditioning.
The only thing that marred the show’s energy was the muddled sound that made it seem like I was watching the show behind a wall. But I was pleased with the band’s decision to not play too many new songs from their new album, Uplifter. I’m very partial to the classics.
The set list:
1. Omaha Stylee
2. All Mixed Up
3. Homebrew
4. India Ink
5. Come Original
6. 8:16 AM
7. From Chaos
8. Visit
9. 1, 2, 3
10. Applied Science
12. Flowing
Bass Solo
13. Nutsymtom
14. Amber
15. You Wouldn’t Believe
16. Mix It Up
17. Beautiful Disaster
18. Beyond the Gray Sky
19. Jackpot
20. DownENCORE:
21. Creatures (For a While)
22. Fuck the Bullshit
311 is a band that has forged a symbiotic relationship with their fans over the years, and never fail to deliver exactly what they want.
Ms. Hernandez you shoot those pics? Très bon.
Haha, No, Ben I’ll have to take credit for the photos.