311

When I first moved to Los Angeles 16 years ago I struggled to get my bearings straight in a new city. Within 6 weeks of my arrival one of my favorite bands from my college days, 311, played at the Palladium in Hollywood, it was one of the first times I realized how many more concerts I was about to be able to see by living in the heart of the record industry.   I’ve seen dozens of 311 shows since then, but Friday night at the Palladium they played as tight and strong and as energetic as they did the first time I saw them at the Capital Ballroom in DC in 1995. 

Matisyahu was the opening act, and he actually had the most touching moment of the night.  Earlier in the week I happened to see a You Tube video of Matisyahu singing harmony with an unsuspecting Ukelele player at a coffeeshop that was coving one “One Day”.  A few days later and Matisyahu brings the young man out on stage to play and sing the song in front of a sold out audience.  What a moment!

311 started off at full speed, opening with “Beautiful Disaster”.  And then right into “Freeze Time” over the years they would do a thing for this song where they instructed the audience to yell “Yeah” one bassist, P-Nut, raised his hand.  The audience needed no such instructions or prompting to shout at the appropriate time. Then one of my all time favorites “Do You Right” which when they played it so early I knew the show was going to go off the rails. Matisyahu joined them on stage for a rap/reggae style interlude during their cover of The Cure’s “Love Song”.

I’m a bit of a die hard 311 fan I’ve seen them more than 30 times, more than any non-local band, but there was a guy at the show who was at his 200th show, and the band played “Hive” in his honor. Awesome.  Followed by P-nut playing a bass solo that spanned the range of the bass, I don’t think he left a fret un-played.   Then the went right into “Flowing”, another of my all time favorites. 

During “Who’s Got the Herb” I turned to a friend of mine and said I don’t know why they never play the end to this song. And then they played it. I went insane.  During “Applied Science” Chad Sexton played his drum solo in the usual spot, but what a solo.  They’ve toned down the gimmick of the full band joining in the drum solo a little bit, which is a bummer for first time 311 concert goers, but leaves more room for another song for the rest of us. 

“Omaha Stylee” was the first encore and it was the song I didn’t realize I needed to hear to make the night complete.   And ended the night with “Creatures” my favorite song of theirs to ever receive radio airplay.

Overall the rude boys from Omaha Nebraska who checked the temp and moved to LA, delivered one hell of a show.  Sexton’s drums were steady, true and driving,.  P-Nut’s base was played so strong it transcended passed rhythm.  Tim Mahoney’s lead guitar flows through all the tracks varying between smooth sailing and speedboat.  It will take you where it wants you to go, you’re just along for the ride.  Nick Hexum and SA Martinez were as active and as energetic with even stronger vocals then they’ve had in the last decade.  I’m regretting not going on a mini tour with them.

1. Beautiful Disaster

2. Freeze Time

3. Do You Right

4. From Chaos

5. Rub a Dub

6. You Wouldn’t Believe

7. Random

8. Love Song*

9. Hive**

BASS SOLO

10. Flowing

11. Revelation of the Year

12. Who’s Got the Herb***

13. Friday Afternoon

14. Applied Science

15. All Mixed Up

16. Gap

17. Feels So Good

18. Don’t Stay Home

19. Amber

20. Come Original

21. Down


Encores:

22. Omaha Stylee

23. Beyond the Gray Sky

24. Creatures