Sunday, June 7, 2009

311 brings Marley in Unity Tour: Music at USANA

This tour is called the Unity Tour, and it wants to bring people together. People, that is, other than the starting lineup of the Orlando Magic.

The funk-rock band 311 tours on the Unity Tour every summer, and the mini-festivals showcase how music can be universal and not divided into genres. Last year, 311 brought rap star Snoop Dogg on tour; this year, reggae star Ziggy Marley is on the diverse bill.

Not so universal is the support of NBA basketball teams, as the members of 311, from California, are die-hard fans of the Los Angeles Lakers, who are competing in the NBA finals this week vs. the Orlando Magic.

Unfortunately for 311, Game 4 is scheduled for June 11 -- the same night the Unity Tour comes to Usana

Amphitheatre. Thank the music gods for DVR.

Tim Mahoney, guitarist for 311, said in an interview that the band's prediction before the finals was that it would be the Lakers against the Cleveland Cavaliers, not the Magic. The band's roadies, Mahoney said, were all from Ohio, and they would mess with the band's laminated tour badges. The badges featured Laker star Kobe Bryant -- until, that is, roadies superimposed the image of Cavaliers star LeBron James.

Basketball aside, 311 is touring behind its recently released album, "Uplifter," its first album in four years and its 14th since its first release in 1990. It was the longest gap ever between 311 albums, just because the band loves touring every summer, Mahoney said.

Fans listening to "Uplifter" might be surprised at the harder-rocking sound, influenced by producer Bob Rock, who is well-known in the industry for his work with Metallica and MAtley CrA 1/4e. "We like heavy, clean guitars," Mahoney said.

311 asked Marley join the tour because the band is full of reggae fans -- you can hear the influence of reggae in the bass and electric guitars.

Marley, 40, the oldest son of the late reggae icon Bob Marley, is touring to support "Family Time," a children's album, which is a first for him. He decided to record it after hearing what his children were listening to and being disappointed in the lack of educational value. "We're trying to reach children and inspire them, and give them more substance in what they are listening to," he said in an interview.

Besides the party and social anthems Marley is known for, he also wants to play some cuts from his children's album when he is in Utah. "Our [fans] will find the child inside them, imprisoned," he said.

As for sports, Marley was more diplomatic, saying he likes both the Lakers and the Magic. In fact, his favorite sport is soccer, and he is already booking hotels and flights for next year's soccer World Cup in South Africa.

Perhaps devotion to sports is as universal as music.

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