311 Fans Hunger For Live Show (Fresno Bee)

Expect more than a concert Thursday when 311 performs at the Rainbow Ballroom. Expect a community gathering.

It's because the relationship the band has with its fans is one of the rare kinds where people travel to see 311 and build friendships.

And because the band has been locked up in the studio working on its new album "Evolver" (in stores July 22) and hasn't toured since last September, hungry 311 fans are restless.

A glance at the message board on the group's official Web site shows the community of fans is eager for the upcoming tour, of which Fresno is the second stop.

There are posts from fans requesting specific songs to be played at Thursday's show; posts from fans listing the different places they are driving from, such as Las Vegas, Novato and Petaluma; and posts from fans trying to congregate before or after the show.

"We've just been fortunate to have built a fan base," says singer S.A. Martinez. "The one thing that I cite over and over, [is] when we first came out, it took groundwork to build our fan base. It wasn't an overnight thing at all. We were able to hone our craft for two consecutive albums and build a fan base that really has been in place since '93. It's just grown from that; the kids falling in love with us and growing with us. We're always picking up new people on the way. It's just a really cool community."

So cool, in fact, that 311 holds it own 311 Day shows yearly, which serve as a gathering of the community. They usually are held in New Orleans on -- surprise, surprise -- March 11.

This year, the band didn't have a 311 Day because it was in the studio, hard at work on "Evolver."

"You get the hardcore fans from all across the country," Martinez says of 311 Day. "You feel something electric about it."

The group is trying to pump some electricity into this tour by dipping into its catalog to give fans a taste of old and new tracks. The set list changes every night.

There are two reasons: One: 311 has seven albums' worth of material to draw from. Two: The set lists usually make it onto the Internet message board by the next morning. The group has to keep fans guessing.

"It's something that our hardcore fans are going to appreciate," Martinez says. "They're not going to see the same show every night if they go to more than one."

One of the songs that the Internet fans are asking for is "Sweet," off the band's 1995 self-titled album.

"We might [play 'Sweet']," Martinez says. "There're a lot of songs that we'll be pulling out."

Again, have to keep the fans guessing. One of the keys to a good tour. And if there's one thing 311 knows about, it's touring.

"That's how we came to be who we are," Martinez says. "Touring is our bread and butter. It's really what makes or breaks the band. Bands can do really well in the studio, but sometimes can't translate that to the stage. That's one of our strong points. The main attraction to the band is our live show. Our fans love that aspect about us."