311 Fills The Mark With Wild Energy (Quad-City Times, 1997)

311 FILLS THE MARK WITH WILD ENERGY:
(Intensity Was High From Start To Finish)

Energy.

311 guitarist Tim Mahoney said before the show that he hoped the group would have plenty of it to share with the almost 6,000 fans who showed up Friday night at The Mark of the Quad-Cities in Moline.

"We just try to make it like a party atmosphere for everybody," he said "so everyone has a good time and can share good vibes and enjoy a night of music."

From start to finish, the concert featuring opening acts Sugar Ray and Incubus kept the intensity level high and the predominantly young crowd energetic and into it.

Incubus, a five-man crew from southern California, got the crowd jumping early with selections from their two major releases, "Enjoy Incubus" and "S.C.I.E.N.C.E.," during a 30-minute set and kept the event staff busy catching fans being passed to the front of the crowd.

Sugar Ray kept it rolling, getting the crowd involved by bringing a few fans up on stage and teasing them with a quick rendition of The Who's and Twisted Sister's "We're Not Gonna Take It."

As you might expect, lead singer Mark McGrath told the crowd they were the best the band had seen on tour, despite having to put some overzealous moshers in check midway through a song.

"That's not what we're here for," he said, stopping the music and singling out rowdy fans in the makeshift mosh pit.

For the most part, though, the liveliness was welcomed.

"I appreciate the energy," he later told the crowd. "I really do."

The group from San Diego played a variety of songs during their 45-minute set, highlighted by their new single "R.P.M." and capped off by their smash hit "Fly" from their platinum-selling album "Floored"

The main event, 311 emerged from behind a shroud draped with stars and managed an inspired performance despite played their fifth show in as many nights over a span of some 1,300 miles.

As promised, 311 delivered a sampling of all four of their albums, from the breakthrough singles "All Mixed up" and "Down" from their self-titled 1995 album to current single "Prisoner," "Beautiful Disaster" and and "Galaxy" from this year's "Transistor," as well as classics such as "Lucky."

In all 311 hit the crowd with more than 20 songs in just less than two hours, which was more than enough to satisfy the young entourage of followers.

And as 311, Sugar Ray, Incubus and a 30-member crew loaded up the 18-wheelers, hopped in the 45-foot tour buses and headed to the Roy Wilkens Auditorium in St. Paul, Minn., for another show tonight, they took some, but not all of their energy with them.

The rest they left for the Quad-City fans to enjoy.