Review: 311 still sounds like there's gas in the tank (Reno Gazette-Journal)

On the road to its marathon four-plus hours show that will happen Thursday in Las Vegas, 311 crammed 20 years worth of songs into a 100-minute show Monday at the Knitting Factory.

The band known for its hybrid style of rap, rock and reggae was able to pick through nine albums of material for a set that represented 311 well — from its first album, 1993’s “Music,” to last year’s “Uplifter,” — but skipping entirely 2003’s “Evolver” and 2005’s “Don’t Tread on Me,” (which was perfectly fine with me).


Opening with a song that goes back to the band’s Nebraska roots, 311 pulled out 1994’s “Omaha Stylee” and wasted no time burning “All Mixed Up,” one of the band’s 1995 breakthroughs.


The band played for a crowd of about 900, respectable for a Monday night. Sound was over-the-top loud and muddy near the front, which has been the case for several shows recently at the Knitting Factory. The room seems to be facing the challenge of firing sound all the way to the back of the narrow space that also loses half of its sound to the second floor. What’s a sound engineer to do, but make it as loud as it needs to be to reach the back? Sound did improve, however, near the mixing board and behind.


311 is good at working a crowd, with rapper-scratcher SA Martinez pacing and bouncing around the Knit’s stage, which was crowded with five musicians and Chad Sexton’s drum set massive enough to rival Rush. Martinez wasn’t the only one bouncing around, as many of the band’s songs are natural pogo inducers, and the crowd didn’t hold back.


While I could have done without the bass solo, each of the musicians are masters of their instruments and do so much more than strum a few chords. Chad Sexton is not an economical drummer by any means. Numerous fills and extra beats are the norm for him. But instead of the typical drum solo, the band halted 1994’s “Applied Science” for a full-band drum solo, bringing out a set of tom-toms and cymbals for each member of the band to bash. It’s the best example of a drum solo I can recall.


While the band’s arsenal runs from heavy rockers to ballads that could have been sold to the Carpenters, the set on Monday stuck mostly to the harder stuff. But the reaction was probably strongest for the mellow “Amber,” played under amber lights, natch.


Since 311 has based a career on positive messages and uplifting songs, though, some of the oldest material no longer seems relevant. While “Feels So Good” and “F--- the Bull---” are good songs, the vulgarity of the lyrics in both seem like they should be retired, particularly when they’re played right before singer Nick Hexum advises to “stay positive.”


But the band has outlasted most of its peers from the 1990s, and still draws a lot of fans. Aside from Hexum, who is now 39, seeming to struggle to reach some high notes, 311 still sounds like it could be around for years to come.