Nobody knows what to expect out of show crowds these days. Presales are going down across the nation, and Baltimore/D.C. is no different. So it was eery that just before Ballyhoo opened things up Pier Six remained sparsely filled. Ah, that didn't mean anything the minute Howi Spangler hit the stage with his guitar and beer, and led Ballyhoo into 50 minutes of energetic and finely tuned rock/reggae. The place immediately filled up, not quite to capacity, but encouraging nonetheless.
They were greeted warmly by the local throngs, nearly all of whom displayed enthusiastic support when urged by Spangler, "Make some noise out there if you know who we are." The response indicated Ballyhoo is rightly appreciated in their home town.
So with a strong turnout of 3500 properly warmed up, 311 took to the stage, spurring the crowd into stirring around, moving almost en masse as if collectively a liquid form, through the seats, up the aisles, and back out around the side again. And repeat. Fans wanting to get close to Nick Hexum got close time and again, only to be repelled by the all-business Pier Six security. (Note: why don't they just put in a barricade here? It would make things a lot easier for security and photographers alike.)
311's set was an hour and forty minutes long, and included their tried and true best material from earlier albums mixed with newer stuff from Uplifter (2009). All in all, they brought a solid set that pleased the crowd, but the heavier songs and sections sounded off, just so slightly. Melodic tunes like "Amber" were nearly pitch-perfect while songs like "Down" flattened out at the upper ranges, or so it seemed. The output didn't unsettle the fans, however, who remained right through to the final note.
All in all the show was a success for both bands. The nod goes to Ballyhoo, though, for the quality of their sound. Word has it they recently brought a new sound guy on board. If so, he has his act down.
311 continues on tour, visiting Knoxville, TN, tomorrow, then on to South Carolina, North Carolina and finishing up with their special Halloween show in Atlanta.
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