311 Press Archive

311 Rocks The Valley! (Little Rat Bastard)

2011-12-20T13:10:00.000-08:00

On the 9th of December, I had the extreme pleasure of covering one of my personal favorite bands, 311. When I found out that they were coming to the valley I immediately put in my request to The J. A couple days later I received the “OK” in an e-mail, stating that I was on the guest list as well as a time frame of when who was going on. After reading it a couple times, because of the excitement, I soon realized that there was 2 set’s that 311 would be playing. Soon after that I lost my lid and got even more excited. I started going through all of their tracks in my head wondering which ones they would perform. I was really hoping they would play a lot of their older stuff from their self titled album, which in fact they did. They have never disappointed and have always come through on all of the great songs.

After shooting the 3 songs, I returned to my seat but I felt like I was stumbling all over the place…second hand smoke. The place was one giant hot box, but that is quite honestly expected at a 311 show! To my surprise no one was removed from the venue and they were not shy about where and what they were lighting up! For me, a $6 beer was good enough to enjoy the show.

We were on our feet damn near close to the entire show because of the set list. They kept mixing it up from old to new to older to newest. Once I finally calmed down and tried to take it all in I looked around the venue and noticed the crowd. It was a good mix of older and younger people. From my experience, I’ve noticed the older generation will generally be in the crowd. I did notice a couple father/son attendees which I thought was real cool! It made me happy to see that just because my generation can share what we went through in the 1990′s to the younger thundercats and keep great music and musicians going through the ages!

Recommendation, if you haven’t checked out a live 311 show, do so. You will not be disappointed and have a blast! They have such raw talent and all of them, Nick, S.A., Tim, P-Nut and Chad will keep you entertained for hours!!! Just wait until they all get on the percussions and P-Nut “beats that thang.”

http://www.littleratbastard.com/?p=15051

A Martinez Music Legacy: 311′s SA Martinez Takes a Music Tradition Laid Down by His Father and Grandfather in a New Direction (The Reader, Omaha)

2011-12-19T09:52:00.000-08:00

Singer-songwriter-turntable artist SA Martinez is a cog in the successful rock band 311 that started in Omaha 21 years ago and is still going strong today from its Southern Calif.-base. Recordings and national tours keep the group, whose founding members remain intact, a popular draw.

While he’s reached musical heights, SA is not the first professional musician in his family. His father Ernie Martinez and late paternal grandfather Jose Martinez preceded him. SA feels part of “a legacy” that extends to his musical siblings.

“We always loved music. We all did it, sang it, performed, whatever…just always had nothing but great times with music. It was just a constant,” says Martinez.

He has only “vague memories” of his grandfather, but he does have his old mandolin as a link to the man and the music.

“I’ll look at the mandolin and wonder just exactly how he came into possession of it and what songs was he playing on this thing.”

Sure, SA’s, a rock star, but his elders made their marks on their own terms.

Jose Bonificia Martinez emigrated from Mexico to the U.S. in the early 1900s. He worked as a water boy on the railroad in Texas before migrating to Gary, Indiana, where he landed in the steel mills. In Sioux City, Iowa, he worked in a packing house and played music on weekends. Ernie marvels that his father learned to play the mandolin, fiddle, upright bass and guitar. Jose met his wife Helen, Ernie’s mother, in Sioux City.

After moving to Omaha in 1930, Jose worked the slaughter house kill floor and played in a band that performed South Omaha house parties.

“I remember him telling me they’d cross the river into Council Bluffs to play festivals in the Hispanic section,” recalls Ernie, who was born in Omaha.

Tired of the dirty, dangerous, backbreaking kill floor, Jose became a hired hand for a livestock producer in Gibbon, Neb., where Ernie and his siblings grew up. Jose found a measure of fame fronting his own band, The Kid and His Friends, on a live show broadcast by KGFW radio in Kearney, Neb. and sponsored by a feed store. The signal reached deep into the Platte Valley, bringing the band new gigs at festivals and fairs.

By the early 1950s Ernie began gravitating to music himself. “I listened to a radio broadcast out of New Orleans coming from the Roosevelt Hotel every Friday night — Tony Almerico and his (Original Dixieland Jamboree All Stars) band.”

Ernie learned to play “off the radio” — “I’d get the note from the first chord they played and I’d go from there. Somehow my dad had acquired an upright bass from a traveling salesman and he built me a little stool and I’d jump up on that stool and start messing around with my fingers, thumping away. Then he’d take me down, put the bass away and he’d show me a few chords on the guitar.”

Fast forward three decades later and Ernie, by then a journeyman jazz guitarist with local house bands, was schooling SA.

“We’d sit down on occasion and he’d try to teach me something, but he didn’t honestly have any patience when it came to instructing on an instrument,” says SA. “I remember setting his stuff up in the basement and kind of tooling around on it and just having fun.”

SA grew up steeped in his father’s sideman life.

“Come the weekend he was getting ready to go play somewhere. I just remember that whole era of the ‘70s — the polyester suits, the jewelry, the cologne. Before he’d go out he’d pat my face with some cologne.”

He came to respect his old man’s chops.

“My dad played bass growing up but he’s really a better guitarist and the style of guitar he plays is very wide actually. He can play like the Wes Montgomery, really dope jazz chords. cool and rich sounding, and then he can bust into some cool folk Mexican stuff. He definitely has a pretty deep memory.

“He had a couple buddies who’d come over from time to time. Johnny Vintore played keyboards. Another guy by the name of Charlie Davis played trombone. Just really cool dudes with loads of talent. They had their good times. It’s really cool thinking back on that whole scene.”

Ernie, who worked a regular job at a truck line, gigged at night spots when Omaha was still a hopping live music hub.

SA never saw his dad on stage, but often witnessed him practice or jam at home. He also absorbed the jazz tunes his pops spun, instilling an appreciation for the standards. Together, they “listened religiously” to KVNO radio’s Primetime Jazz hosted by Bill Watts

“Man, that was a killer show and he played like the bomb jazz,” recalls SA. “We loved listening to that show.”

Immersed in music at home and at school, where he played viola and trumpet and sang, SA was destined for a life in music. “It’s weird, I always kind of knew in the back of my mind something like that would surface for me, I just didn’t know when or how.” 311 took off in the ‘90s here at the Ranch Bowl and the Peony Park Ballroom. He ascribes the group’s unusual longevity to “chemistry” and “just hard work.”

“It really is an experience I’m blessed to be a part of. It’s a never ending rock ‘n’ roll fantasy.”

Last July, 311 had its first homecoming show in a long time when it played the Red Sky Music Festival at TD Ameritrade Park. SA says entertaining family and friends after a show like that is more draining then the concert itself. “But it’s a lot of fun.”

His parents return the favor by visiting him on the coast, where father and son always find time to play a few licks. SA invariably breaks out the old bass his dad owned.
SA’s daughter shows signs of continuing this unbroken line of Martinez music makers. “She loves it. She lights up,” SA says. Ernie’s proud it’s lasted four generations, saying, “It amazes me what my dad started.”

Live - 311: 12-9-11 (The Pier)

2011-12-10T18:20:00.001-08:00

Date: Friday, December 9th, 2011
Line up: 311 & DJ Soulman
Location: Comerica Theatre. Phoenix, AZ

There are no questions about how spectacular a 311 performance truly is. Some fans go to concerts, but 311 puts on a show, and still remains one of the greatest live acts of our generation. On the final full show of their fall tour, Phoenix received bonus music from 311 with 2-full sets of songs, reaching 30 extended live tracks and interludes.

Comerica Theatre in Downtown Phoenix was buzzing prior to doors opening, and even when DJ Soulman from Phoenix manned the turntables inside the venue, the crowd was in a frenzy. It was simple for the crowd to raise their level of excitement as Soulman played classic rock ballads and new-school alternative rock hits ranging from Ozzy Osborne, Led Zeppelin to Rage Against The Machine and plenty of others.

Once the arena was filled to the brim, 311 quickly transformed the club atmosphere into a large-scale festival that would have been ideal for Lallapalooza or Woodstock. The lighting for Phoenix’s showcase was unparalleled. The sound system was top-tier and 311 wouldn’t have it any other way for their double set of live music.

As Nick Hexum (vocals and guitar) led out the other four members of 311 the noise was deafening, with nearly unending cheers and chants of “3-11, 3-3-11…!” For a moment it appeared P-Nut (bass), Tim Mahoney (guitar) and SA Martinez (vocals and DJ) would gaze out into the crowd while absorbing the unending outpour of gratitude. But, it wasn’t long before Chad Sexton (drums) laid down the first beat for “Do You Right”.

There is one thing about 311’s extensive catalog, as a fan, one never knows what to expect from 311’s set list. Friday night followed suit in a similar style. Old Grassroots songs were featured, as well as 1993’s Music had more than a handful featured. With their constantly growing fan base, 311 tapped into every fans soul as they ran through their extensive musical collection, while not leaving out their latest highly acclaimed hit “Sunset in July”.

After releasing their accompanying video for that song over the summer, 311 could have recorded their live performance from Phoenix, and the sound would have been eerily similar. With all of 311’s touring and evolution in the studio, they are no longer performers of music; they are Doctors of the musical sound, at this stage of their careers.

As they unleashed “Come Original” on Downtown Phoenix, that sentiment was apparent throughout the theatre. The crowd was bouncing in rhythm with SA Martinez and Hexum, as nearly every lyric was echoing off the walls. It was an unblemished 311 party as “Freeze Time” and the soulful “8:16 AM” bellowed through the speakers.

For every 311 appearance, something new and unheard of always stands out from their show. On such an occasion, a double set with all the bells and whistles of the highly anticipated 311 Day were present. Bass solos by P-Nut that typically last around one minute were extended to upwards of three minutes, perhaps even three minutes and eleven seconds, but who’s counting?

Along with P-Nut reminding us of the fact that he is one of the premier bass players in the music industry today, his rhythm partner Chad Sexton nearly brought the house down with his drum solo in the second set. But before 311 highlighted their mystifying drumming, a ten-foot-tall bass drum and assorted Latin percussion sets were wheeled out to the front of the stage. The electrical instruments were put aside for a moment as 311’s range and complete mastery of their musical sound flourished. It would be easy to say the crowd cheered on end, but fans in attendance were simply exuberant, maybe even at a loss for words other than, “Oh, my god!”

311 brings a sense of comfort over the crowd, yet still manages to amplify and encourage the most rowdy of fans to bounce and mosh throughout every song. Once the fans caught their breath from the drum circus on stage, 311 seamlessly transitioned into an extended version of another old ditty, “Applied Science”. It was a blast from the past as “All Mixed Up” rang through the crowd, and everyone strapped on their dancing shoes for the timeless hit, but the excitement wasn’t even close to concluding.

After all, “Beautiful Disaster” was yet to be unleashed, and then it happened. The rugged guitar licks of the intro turned the crowd up another notch, something that appeared impossible before the song. It was the height of 311’s set as “Beautiful Disaster” led into perhaps 311’s most infamous song, “Down”.

With over 25 songs already under their belt, 311 exited the stage as pandemonium broke out in the crowd. The lights were dim for only a second, as the Omaha natives returned for another twenty minutes. For some touring acts, it might be difficult to fill three hours of music into one performance, but 311 could have played for another three hours with ease. And no one in the crowd would have left.

It was only appropriate for the last song of the night to be “Creatures (For A While)”. The atmosphere was rambunctious, yet still controlled by the sound coming from the stage. The 5,000-seat capacity theatre remained full, even after the last note was played. For a brief moment, it appeared 311 was going to return for another handful of songs, but Nick Hexum returned to the microphone to thank the fans for coming out for their final show of the tour and making it the most memorable one yet.

If Friday night in Phoenix was any indication, the upcoming 311 Day in Las Vegas, complete with three days of live music, should be absolutely astonishing!

http://thepier.org/live-311-12-9-11/

311's Hexum looks forward to KROQ's 'Acoustic Christmas' (Daily Breeze)

2011-12-02T09:47:00.000-08:00

Singer and guitarist Nick Hexum has gotten into the holiday spirit with KROQ's Almost Acoustic Christmas a number of times.

So it's no surprise he will again be gracing the stage with his band 311 this year, as the 22nd annual two-day concert event kicks off Saturday at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City.

Hexum will be sharing the stage that evening with Blink-182, Bush, Chevelle, Incubus, New Found Glory, Social Distortion and Young the Giant.

Acts taking the stage the second night, Dec. 11, include the Black Keys, Cage the Elephant, Death Cab for Cutie, Florence + the Machine, Foster the People, Jane's Addiction, Mumford & Sons, the Naked and the Famous, and Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds.

In an interview, Hexum discussed his band and KROQ's annual event.

Where did you get the name 311?

For a short period there was a different guitarist and he got arrested for indecent exposure, and the code of that crime was 311. We thought it was funny because he was brought home in handcuffs to his parents' (house) naked. So it was a funny story and it's the code for indecent exposure.

Your sound has a mix of genres. How would you describe it today and how has it evolved?

It keeps evolving and it's hard to know where it's going to go next. When people say "I can't wait to see where you guys go next," I'm kinda like "Yeah, me too." There are always new influences to incorporate in the music. If you had to pick one ingredient, we're a rock band. It's kind of a garage-band setting, but we take our instruments seriously like jazz players. We love reggae, we love hip-hop, electronic music, heavy music, it's all in there and whatever you listen to is going to come out in your writing. We've always felt that anything goes, whatever we like we can put into our music and it's that creative spirit that keeps us interested.

You guys released your 10th album in July. Which has been your favorite?

Well, the magic of for the first time, to go into a big studio and be on a label to record your debut album - I mean, that's a high of excitement that I don't think you can ever get back. We were so amped all the time to be doing that, it was definitely a great memory. And then different albums have had kind of a breakthrough feeling that we're really excited about.

Who writes the music?

I think it's been a collaborative effort. Some songs will be written by one person, other songs will be written by a couple people putting different riffs together. I think for me, I get better results if I try to write the words and the music at the exact same time. So that's kinda lately what I've been doing, but then there's also quite a bit of collaboration on the album so it's kinda tough to make a generalization of how it goes.

I read you end each show with the quote "Stay positive and love your life." Where did that come from?

It was just something that I said as sort of a parting well wish to the fans back early on. And then I put it in a lyric on the "Transistor" album. It was just nice parting words for our fans and we've always had a positive, I wanna say hippie, kind of ideal to us about bringing people together through music and being more on the positive side of things and appreciate what you have. And that's all kinda summed up in that little phrase.

What can people expect from your performance at KROQ's Almost Acoustic Christmas?

Well it's going to be a fun show because so many of the bands that we've been friends with forever are on that bill, and I mean it's really a killer, classic lineup. Only people that have been playing music that long can have the kind of performances that you're going to see that night. Because it's a radio show, you're going to hear the songs that have been on the radio and we'll just do a nice sampling of our entire career. It's definitely going to be a fun night.

This isn't the first year you've done it. What keeps you coming back?

Well, you know, we are on our own label and to maintain our relationship with KROQ. I mean, they were the first station to play us - our first single in 1993 was "Do You Right" and they played it on their own before anyone else did. So we have about an 18-year relationship with them and it's nice to know the programmers there by name and when you have a new song now they will give it a fair shot. So it's a relationship that we keep going.

Do you have any special holiday traditions?

You know, our family is growing quickly. We have two young baby daughters at home and I think this will be the first time they are old enough to really appreciate it, so it's going to definitely be a special Christmas.

http://www.dailybreeze.com/lifeandculture/ci_19457703

On the Town: 311 for the show (The Courier-Journal)

2011-12-01T18:38:00.000-08:00

311 is the Great Plains version of Bob Marley, or maybe Ziggy. The band uses rock, reggae, hip-hop and funk — or, in other words, dance music — to deliver positive messages about peace and love. It’s no wonder that the band is huge on the jam-band circuit, but it may surprise some that 311 has sold more than 8.5 million albums, with six reaching the Billboard Top 10.

Now based out of Los Angeles, Nick Hexum, S.A. Martinez, Tim Mahong, Chad Sexton and P-Nut are performing Monday at the Louisville Palace with DJ Soulman. Showtime is 7:30 p.m., and tickets, from $32.50 to $43.50, are available at the venue box office, by telephone at (800) 745-3000 or on the Web at www.livenation.com and Ticketmaster.com.

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20111202/SCENE04/312020042/On-Town-311-show

Scott Yager’s Top Ten Albums Of 2011 (Campus Socialite)

2011-12-01T13:34:00.000-08:00

8. 311 – Universal Pulse
By far the shortest album on this list, and the shortest album 311 has ever put out, Universal Pulse only contains eight songs. After speaking with both bassist P-Nut and vocalist SA Martinez, it’s clear the album is so short because they wanted to make sure that it was only filled with tracks that were WORTH being on the album, even if that meant coming up a bit short of what people have come to expect from the average LP. Both assured me there was little left on the cutting room floor and that the eight tracks that make up Universal Pulse represent the entire body of content that the band had created during this most recent attempt at adding to their beloved catalog.

311 is a band that tours almost every single year, and some years, like this one, they even went out more than once. 311 is also the type of band that rewards fans for following their career, playing songs from every album they have ever written, regardless of whether or not those songs were singles or hits. The first single from Universal Pulse was “Sunset in July”. For a lot of people, this album will simply be “That 311 Album w/ Sunset in July”, however the single is just one of eight songs that perfectly blend together to create one of 311’s most cohesive group of songs.

Earlier this year, the band put on a weekend-long festival during which they played their extremely lengthy and epic albumTransistor in its entirety, which at 21 tracks, is by far the longest album they have ever recorded. Conversely, this year also marked the release of the shortest 311 record, as the guys attempt to trim the fat and make sure that no songs are on the album just to add length. From the opening track “Time Bomb”, in which Tim Mahoney’s palm-muted guitar riff sounds like a funky rock version of a 90’s rap beat, all the way through the last two songs, “Weightless” and “And a Ways to Go”, two of the most melodic and elaborate 311 tracks ever composed, Universal Pulse comes together as a short and sweet reminder that 311 are five of the best musicians at their particular instruments.

When you have guys who know each other and their instrument so well, it’s a lot easier to produce a record that feels like it belongs just as much as its creators do. Although the days of major crossover hits like “Amber” and “All Mixed Up” might be over for 311, the guys have matured to a point that their goal isn’t just to produce albums that lend new concert-worthy tracks to their repertoire, but to produce an album in which ALL of the songs belong on a set list some day. With Universal Pulse the boys from Omaha Nebraska have done just that.

SA Martinez of 311 on recording the eight-track Universal Pulse and what makes this album special (from a Sound Magazine interview w/ SY conducted 10/25/11)

“I think really we were just kinda’ feelin’ it. Everything was just clicking. Just focusing on just a select group of songs, as opposed to trying to work, you know, 18 to 20 songs and then pulling from that. Just having the time to comb through those ideas is really why that record came together sounding so focused and so energized.” – SA Martinez of 311

http://www.thecampussocialite.com/scott-yagers-top-ten-albums-of-2011-part-i-of-ii/

Casino Scene: This Week's Headliners (Press of Atlantic City)

2011-12-01T10:40:00.000-08:00

311 with DJ Soulman at Trump Taj Mahal

WHO ARE THEY: Formed in Omaha, Neb., in 1990, 311 fused rap, metal and reggae to create their own sound. The band released several hit albums including "Music" in 1992, "Grassroots" in 1993 and the self-titled album, known as "The Blue Album," in 1995. The self-titled release wound up selling 3 million copies in the United States and made it to No. 12 on the charts thanks in part to the singles "All Mixed Up" and "Down."

DJ Soulman first experienced success as the lead vocalist for the rap-rock group The Phunk Junkeez. With his solo career in full swing, DJ Soulman is now known throughout the world.

WHAT TO EXPECT: 311 has been doing things its own way since the band's formation more than two decades ago and continues to do so with its latest release, "Universal Pulse," which is a tight, condensed group of eight songs. Fans will get to hear plenty of new tracks at Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort. In addition to new material, concertgoers can also look forward to hearing hits such as "Down" and "All Mixed Up" as well as other songs from 311's back catalog. DJ Soulman will open the show.

WHAT'S NEW: 311 released "Universal Pulse" in July 2011. The album contains eight new tracks and is on the short side, clocking in at slightly under a half hour in length.

WEBSITES: www.311.com;

www.djsoulman.com

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/ats/entertainment/casino-scene-this-week-s-headliners/article_93a39363-7e65-5389-8bcc-3ebb4b021c73.html

Love, unity keep bringing 311′s fans back (Palm Beach Pulse)

2011-11-30T11:08:00.000-08:00

Saturday night reggae/rock band 311 played Mizner Park Amphitheater in Boca Raton. Opening for the band was local guy DJ Soulman.

311 formed in 1988 in Omaha, Neb., but officially burst onto the scene in 1995 with their self-titled album and a song called “Down”.

I was still in elementary school then, but I’ve been hooked on 311 ever since. Their lyrics, melodies and amazing musical ability are hard to ignore. With a mix of alternative, reggae, rap, and rock (I’m confident there are some other genres that could easily apply) and their message of love and unity, 311 draws a crowd as diverse as the music they play.

Their show Saturday was no exception.

The band opened the show with the song “Beautiful Disaster” and continued on to play two sets – never wavering in their talent or energy.

One of my favorite parts of any 311 show is the group drum solo, where all five guys bang along together, drum-line style.

311 finishes out this leg of their tour with 10 more dates and a break before picking back up again in the Spring of 2012 to spread their message of unity and positivity.

And, as we saw Saturday, the band will personally call you out if you forget their message. One concertgoer was chastised by lead singer Nick Hexum for acting less than positive to others in attendance.

After all, 311 does say “Be positive with love. Just see the good in everybody.”

They play venues in our area regularly, so they’re definitely worth checking out the next time they’re in town.

In the meantime, there’s quite a number of 311 CDs to choose from to get your 311 fix. Their most recent album, Universal Pulse, was released this year and brings their album total to 10 studio releases, four compilations, four EPs and one live album.

http://www.pbpulse.com/music/concert-reviews/live-shows/2011/11/30/love-unity-keep-bringing-311s-fans-back/

311 to Support 'Universal Pulse' at The National (Richmond.com)

2011-11-30T10:56:00.000-08:00

After more than two decades of shaping their reggae-infused rock sound and amassing a faithful fan base, when 311 headed to the studio to record this year’s “Universal Pulse” album, their approach was clear. 311 fans should hear what they love about the band in their new music as easily as they have with their earlier work.

“The focus, more and more, is just nurturing the audience that we already have and not necessarily bucking the trends—it’s more just kind of ignoring them,” said bassist Aaron “P-Nut” Wills, speaking from Los Angeles. “Playing more and more from our heart, trying to just squeeze out what we think our people want to hear from us, not this unseen audience of shadow figures that may or may not appreciate what we do.

“Why augment our creativity to fit into someone else’s sensibilities? We would rather just rock our people and have it spread word-of-mouth from them.”

After forming in 1988, 311’s recorded legacy began with 1990’s indie-label “Dammit!” album. Kicking off a string of gold or platinum albums with ’93’s “Music,” they hit a commercial peak with ’95’s “311,” which spawned radio favorites “Down” and “All Mixed Up.” With each album from that point having reached the Billboard top 10, P-Nut considers what he feels has led to the band maintaining their strong following over the years.

“It definitely starts, and probably ends, with the philosophies within, how people can connect with our solving-problems attitude,” the bassist mused. “It’s easier to smile than make things more difficult for yourself. If you’re going to put effort into both you might as well put the positive spin on it. In that way we’re not for everybody.

“As we were growing up and we were hearing all this angst music that we loved, as we were putting the band together it was like, ‘Wow, that’s not really us. We’re enjoying this. We’re having fun being alive,’ and we just kept with that attitude. It’s easier for us to see the light instead of digging to the dark.”

The biennial event known as 311 Day is coming up in 2012. Starting in 2000, the band began celebrating a holiday of their own every other March 11, with 311 playing for hours to crowds of thousands. The shows were initially staged in New Orleans, but due to scheduling issues the site has since moved to Las Vegas. While enthusiastic about the event and what Vegas has to offer, P-Nut can’t help but be wistful when recalling its Southern origin.

“The bars on Bourbon Street, without prompting from anybody—band, management, fans or otherwise—would start playing our music the night before the show and name drinks after songs. It was made for New Orleans, and the fact that we can’t do it there is a real kick in the balls, if you will.”

Hank3 (or Hank Williams III) recently told this writer that country music is one field where fans are more likely to grow old with the artists they care about. While their music falls well outside of that genre, P-Nut still easily sees a parallel with 311 and their fans.

“We definitely continue to hold our audiences well, as well as (311) constantly refreshing it, so we’re getting the best of both worlds by dumb luck and the nature of the band. It’s cool to see it passed from generation to generation—older fans bringing their kids, those kids playing songs that their parents hadn’t heard. It’s pretty amazing, and it’s really nice to be able to pay attention to the whole thing through Twitter and our website and the Internet.”

http://www2.richmond.com/entertainment/2011/nov/30/311-national-ar-1499340/

For 311, it's still all about the show (The Bulletin)

2011-11-30T10:32:00.000-08:00

Norwich, Conn. — If you ask the band 311 how hard it is to stay true to what earned you fame and fortune, they’ll tell you it’s not that difficult at all.

“It’s always been about the show,” said 311 bass player P-Nut. “It’s been the focus on our whole career for 21 years. We don’t have as much energy as we used to, but we can probably play our instruments better.”

Known for their combination of rock and funky electronic beats, P-Nut and 311 will put on the show they’ve been known for at 8 p.m. Saturday at Mohegan Sun Arena with special guest DJ Soulman.

“If you do anything as much as we play our instruments, you’re gonna be pretty good at it,” P-Nut said.

311 joined forces with Sublime with Rome during the summer for the Unity Tour, hitting amphitheaters across the country, drawing thousands in Atlanta, Boston, West Palm Beach, Denver and more. The tour was in support of its latest album, “Universal Pulse,” released in July.

“I don’t think we’ve hit that 2,000-show mark yet,” he said.

The band has had eight of its 10 albums reach the Top 10 on Billboard’s Top 200 Sales Chart, and nine singles break into the Top 10 on Billboard’s Alternative Chart, including “Down,” “Love Song,” “Amber” and “All Mixed Up.” “Universal Pulse” debuted at No. 7.

“We’ve been lucky enough to have a bunch of radio singles and all that, and gain a larger audience through a dying medium such as radio,” P-Nut said. “But it’s always been about the show.”

http://www.norwichbulletin.com/casinos/x578416081/For-311-its-still-all-about-the-show#ixzz1fP5Q6vIZ

311 Brings Electrifying Live Performance to Mohegan Sun Arena (CT Post)

2011-11-29T20:45:00.000-08:00

311 once blew the roof off the Ed Sullivan Theatre in New York City.

It was 1996, and the rap-rock outfit, buoyed by the success of its multi-platinum-selling self-titled third album, rocked "Late Show with David Letterman" with a rip-roaring performance of "Down."

Fifteen years later, the quintet from Omaha, Neb. -- comprised of vocalist/guitarist Nick Hexum, vocalist/DJ Doug "SA" Martinez, guitarist Tim Mahoney, bassist Aaron "P-Nut" Wills and drummer Chad Sexton -- hasn't come close to duplicating the commercial success of "311."

And while its record sales have dipped, enthusiasm for the band's live performances has not: 311 still plays to tens of thousands of fans every year.

"At one point, things got to be huge and a little out of control," Wills said of the band's mid-'90s success. "The radio attention comes and goes, but the live show is always No. 1."

Fresh off the heels of the release of its 10th studio album, "Universal Pulse" (ATO Records), 311 takes the stage at Mohegan Sun on Saturday, Dec. 3.

In a recent interview, Wills, who has been with 311 since its formation in 1988, discussed the band's shortest album yet, its penchant for positivity and the enduring popularity of its live shows.

Q: With 10 records worth of material under your belt, how do you guys decide what songs to include in your setlists? Are they pre-determined or totally off the cuff?

A: There are times when we feel like we should play what people know, so we can remind them of who we are. But they're at a 311 show cause they know who we are! I feel bad for people who've been to 50 shows and have heard "Beautiful Disaster" 50 times. Now, we see how far we can take it. Anyone coming to these shows can expect some rare stuff. This is a band that really stretches its legs out. We try to play as many songs as we can and we mix in some really interesting stuff in the process.

Q: That's right. I heard you guys once played 60 songs at a 311 Day show in New Orleans. It's interesting because your new album, at just eight songs, is really paired down and concise.

A: Well, what happened is that we had a batch of songs we threw away. They weren't going anywhere. We could have put out an album that had 16 tracks, but we weren't feeling them. We stopped them in their tracks. The eight songs on "Universal Pulse" are songs we could live with.

Q: Listening to the new album, what amazes me is the positivity that still flows through your music. How do you guys maintain that attitude, even with all the tragedy in the world?

A: It's just who we are, who we've always been. We came out when grunge was all the rage. At the time, it was cool to be pissed. We were kind of a counterbalance between the prosperity of the '90s and the junkies running the music scene. We've always been a glass half full kind of band. We can't get away from that. It's an instinct.

Q: Is there a sense that you guys are taking a more populist, rather than selfish, approach to writing music? Are you making music to keep your fans happy and dancing?

A: It's probably 50-50. We're making music that we love and we're helping people through their problems at the same time. People are always thanking us for putting that message out there ... hopefully, we'll be around for another decade or more, pushing the same ideas, helping people through their problems, enhancing individuality and spirit.

Q: I think you guys can make that happen. After 20 years, you're still bringing thousands of fans to your live shows. What is it about a 311 performance that makes it so enduring?

A: When Capricorn, our first record label, signed us 20 years ago, they said, "You're going to go out on the road and keep doing your live show." That's why they signed us -- because we kick ass live. Any success beyond that, the label said, "will be because of your live show." We might not be selling millions of records anymore, but if you're on stage, sweating it out, making the audience move to what you're doing than you have that success.

http://www.ctpost.com/news/article/311-brings-electrifying-live-performance-to-2306917.php#ixzz1fA21GUKc

Special Post-Thanksgiving Message from Scott Yager and Podcast Interview w/ 311 Vocalist SA Martinez (Campus Socialite)

2011-11-28T17:13:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving everybody! Want to thank everyone who has listened to the show over the past year. I am very thankful for you. I have a great time shooting the shit with the best in the world in music, sports, and comedy. After a short corny message from myself you can check out an interview I did with SA Martinez of 311 from a few weeks back where we talk about their latest album Universal Pulse (which appears on my Top Ten Album of the Year List), what cool stuff they’ve got coming up, how he stays so young and why he sweats so much. Enjoy the show and thanks again for all the support! -Scott

Podcast Powered By Podbean

http://www.thecampussocialite.com/special-post-thanksgiving-message-from-scott-yager-and-podcast-interview-w-311-vocalist-sa-martinez/

International Press (BRAZIL)

2011-11-18T06:28:00.000-08:00

http://www.rollingstone.com.br/noticia/311-no-swu/

http://www.jb.com.br/heloisa-tolipan/noticias/2011/11/14/com-candidato-a-muso-do-swu-no-palco-311-traz-o-ska-ao-festival/

http://www.territoriodamusica.com/swu/?c=27446

http://musica.terra.com.br/festival-swu/2011/noticias/0,,OI5470582-EI18803,00-Banda+coloca+a+plateia+para+pular+no+SWU.html

311 (South Flordia Insider)

2011-11-17T11:14:00.000-08:00

Unified for so many years, 311 recently kicked it into overdrive with one of their most chilled out albums to date, Universal Pulse. -interview with Nick Hexum in light of his upcoming show at Boca Raton's Mizner Park.

With the constant chaos that seems to unfold with countless bands, how have you guys managed to work so cohesively over the years?
Nick- We realize that we are so fortunate to be able to do this for a living. While there are stresses and disagreements in any band, we just stay committed to our fans and our music.

A long time ago when you toured with Hoobstank I saw you come out with steel drums and while out of the ordinary it definitely worked. Is that how you guys keep things fresh for yourself and your fans while touring?
Nick- Musical evolution is definitely the best way to keep things fresh. I'm excited to see where our five minds take us next time we're in the studio!

Now your latest album Universal Pulse has just 8 tracks, is that because you have other songs stashed for another album or are you just focusing on other areas?
Nick- Well, we started many songs, but decided just to focus on the best of the best. Quality over quantity.

People in Florida are already amp'd for another go of the Pow Wow festival, which you debuted last year. How did you like it?
Nick- That was an amazing experience. When I watched the video trailer I got overwhelmed by what an amazing thing it was to be a part of.
http://vimeo.com/30679802?iframe=true&width=80%&height=80%

What projects are you currently working on? (Tours, albums, cover tracks, singles, etc.)
Nick- We have a touring schedule that keeps us really busy. I'm also working really hard on my guitar playing. We've started kicking around ideas for new music.

Over the years you guys have played all over the world, but is there a place that you're still waiting to check off the list? (Not necessarily city or state, but like a sporting event, rainforest, desert, etc.)
Nick- I want to play Manila, Philippines. That's the next place on my wish list.

Lastly, what does the future hold for 311?
Nick- Rock, sweat, funk, and love.

311 to hit Mohegan Sun Arena on fall tour (Boston Music Spotlight)

2011-11-16T11:11:00.000-08:00

311 have announced dates for a fall tour in support of their latest album, Universal Pulse. The Omaha-based rockers will hit the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut on Saturday, December 3. Tickets are on sale now through Ticketmaster for $35.

Universal Pulse, the band’s tenth studio effort, debuted at #7 on the Billboard 200 and #2 on Billboard’s Rock Albums chart after its release in July. Produced by Bob Rock (Aerosmith, Metallica), it features lead single “Sunset in July”. With only eight songs to its name, the record barely makes the cut as a full-length album versus a shorter EP. But 311 manages to retain their positive tone in their shortest album yet.

“We’re rocking for positivity,” drummer Chad Sexton said in an interview with Artist Direct this past summer. “We always did that when we were young. We like being happy. We’re fans of happiness, and we like walking that fine line of balance of hard rocking and beautiful. That’s where we think we’re nailing our stride.”

Vocalist Nick Hexum also emphasized the importance of the band’s connection with their fans. “We’re making music for them to listen to and dance to,” he said. “They feed off the energy as much as we do, and that’s the core of what we do. The album was meant to support that rather than the other way around.”

To celebrate 11-11-11, 311 are giving away a free MP3 download of their 2011 concert at Red Rocks. Recorded live on August 16 at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado, the complete show is available as a free download on the band’s website for the month of November.

In other 311 news, the band have announced plans for their annual 311 Day celebration. The band will return to Las Vegas next March to celebrate the occasion with two shows at the MGM Grand Arena. Then in May, they’ll host their own Caribbean Cruise. The band will take over an entire Carnival Cruise Line bound for the private island of Half Moon Cay from May 10 to 14. More information on both events is available on the band’s official website.

http://www.bostonmusicspotlight.com/news-311-to-play-mohegan-sun-arena-december-2011/

En Six Flags (WARP Magazine)

2011-11-14T12:35:00.000-08:00

WARP Magazine Mexico review calls it "one of the best shows of 2011": http://www.warp.co.mx/311-en-el-DF

Después de un buen rato de espera en el teatro chino de Six Flags, era de esperarse que la banda que se presentaría esa noche esperaría a que dieran las 11:11 p.m. para salir al escenario, varios años pasaron para que 311 pudiera venir (o que algún promotor tuviera un destello de luz) a México. Lleno casi en su capacidad, el teatro chino recibió a mas de 3,000 personas la noche del 11.11.11, una fecha que como bien dijo la banda, era muy especial para ellos, así que un rato después del acto abridor (un Dj) que calentara motores en el Ajusco en una fría noche, 311 salió al escenario para abrir con ‘Beautiful Disaster’, momento en el que se notó que el 90% de los asistentes realmente eran verdaderos fans de la banda, que aunque fue formada a finales de los ochenta, comenzó su popularidad en los noventa con ese particular estilo entre el rock, reggae, rap y ska.

Siguieron haciendo un recorrido por su historia con canciones como ‘Sunset In July’, ‘Come Original’, ‘Love Song’ (cover a The Cure), que fuera coreada hasta por los hipsters perdidos ahí en el recinto, ‘All Mixed Up’, ‘Creatures (For a while)’, para que entre canciones Nick agradeciera al público y sobre todo mencionar que era una fecha especial para el grupo; siguieron los brincos de parte de la audiencia, recordando esos conciertos en los noventa donde sí se podía saltar al beat de una canción, Doug “SA”, no paraba de bailar en el escenario y hacer el paso del robot, realizaron un set con percusiones y un solo de bajo como buena banda noventera, canciones como ‘Homebrew’ y ‘Amber’ no podían faltar, para cerrar con la rola que los hiciera populares fuera de su país, ‘Down’.

En definitiva uno de los mejores shows de este 2011 en cuanto a buenos recuerdos y buena música.

311 Answers Call To Play Taj & Sun (NY Daily News)

2011-11-04T10:56:00.000-07:00

In 1990, a group of white boys from Omaha, Neb. defies the odds and fuse reggae with rap-metal to form the band 311 - the call sign of the Omaha Police Department's for indecent exposure.

They've done very decently ever since. Over 20 years later, Chad Sexton, Nick Hexum, P-Nut, Tim Mahoney, and S.A. Martinez are still touring well into 2012 with their latest CD, "Universal Summer".

They will be at the Trump Taj Mahal on Dec. 2 ($45 a ticket) and at Mohegan Sun on Dec. 3 ($35).

311 translated its regional sucess to international recognition with several key albums, including "Music" (1993), "Grassroots" (1994), and the self-titled "311" (1995 aka "The Blue Album"), which sold over 3 million copies in the U.S. The CD reached No. 12 on the Billboard 200 chart and spawned hit singles "Down" and "All Mixed Up."

Some fans may frown that "Universal Summer" has only eight tracks, but, as P-Nut says, the band decided to sacrifice length for quality. "Time Bomb" and "Wild Nights" are prime examples.

311 - Universal Pulse (Little Rat Bastard)

2011-11-03T14:39:00.000-07:00

Since their debut in 1993 have been chugging along putting out tunes the have amassed them a fiercely loyal fan base and landed themselves a few hits along the way. I was first introduced to 311 by my good friend Mark “Dead Mark” McCarty when he blasted ‘Grassroots’ out of his ’85 Chevy Chevette everywhere we went for about a month straight in 1994 or thereabouts. The music hooked me immediately, from the ska/reggae influence, to the hip-hop segments provided by S.A. Martinez, but mostly it was the smooth melodic delivery of lead singer Nick Hexum that really made me take notice. I immediately picked up ‘Grassroots’ and the latest at that time self-titled CD and played them for everyone I knew. This was an awesome new sound and needed to be heard.

Now some ten albums into their career 311 is back again with ‘Universal Pulse’ and what I love most about this record, like almost all their records, is that it is exactly what you want from 311. They are not randomly changing things up to fit in with current radio trends or drasticly changing up their line up. No, 311 continue to drop solid albums in the style that they have pioneered and built over the past almost two decades. ‘Universal Pulse’ is by far that shortest full-length release from 311, and it does tone down the island influence a bit more than before, but it is still half hour of perfection that is well worth listing to.

Sometimes you need to change things up to stay relevant or too sell to the masses, 311 has got a winning formula that just doesn’t quit. Go check it out for yourself and try and tell me I’m wrong.

Track Listing:
1.Time Bomb
2.Wild Nights
3.Sunset In July
4.Trouble
5.Count Me In
6.Rock On
7.Weightless
8.And A Ways To Go

July 19, 2011 - ATO Records

http://www.littleratbastard.com/

311 Going Strong (The Vignette)

2011-11-03T14:33:00.000-07:00

311 is an Omaha-based rock band. They have sold over 8.5 million albums worldwide.

311 are known for their passionate fan base and epic live shows. They are playing The Midland Dec. 6. Vocalist/rhythm guitarist Nick Hexum recently wrote in to discuss opening for Fugazi, 311′s songwriting process and the mindset that has kept them going strong for over 20 years.

For more info on 311, check out http://www.311.com/.

What did you enjoy most about the early days of the scene in Omaha?
We had weekly all ages shows on Monday nights at the Ranch Bowl. The Ranch Bowl was a now-defunct entertainment center where we cut our teeth and learned how to rock a crowd. That was a blast.

Do you remember your first show together?
Sure, opening for Fugazi at Sokol Hall was the ultimate launching point for us. 1,000 kids ready to mosh!

How do you approach live shows differently than your studio work?
The trick is to keep live shows and studio work somewhat similar. It’s important to bring that passion and energy that we have live into our recordings. We’re getting better at that.

Do you have a favorite motto or quote that you live by?
Stay positive and love your life.

Are there any artists or albums that you always find yourself listening to?
The Beatles.

You easily mix musical styles together, creating a sound that is all your own. How does your creative process work when songwriting?
Sometimes people bring in fragments and sometimes people bring in completed songs. We’ve learned to open up and let each other in our songs more which helps them develop to the best they can be.

311 has been together for over 20 years. What have been the biggest challenges you’ve had to overcome in your career and lessons you’ve learned from being together so long?
Learning to accept not getting your way is really important. When you’re in a band you have to surrender to democracy and have faith that the group as a whole will do the right thing even when it’s not to your liking. It always works out in the end!

http://www.the-vignette.com/arts-entertainment/311-going-strong/

Checking the Pulse with 311's SA Martinez (Sound Mag)

2011-11-01T11:31:00.000-07:00

Click Image to View Article

“311 Day” 2012 Coming to MGM Grand Garden Arena March 10-11 (Las Vegas News)

2011-10-14T11:49:00.000-07:00

Every other year on March 11 (“311 Day”), the multi-platinum rock group 311 holds a special concert event that attracts thousands of fans from around the world. This year’s “311 Day” will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena with special performances Saturday, March 10 and Sunday, March 11, 2012. Tickets are on sale now and the purchase of one ticket grants access to both performances.

Billed as “the ultimate 311 concert experience”, “311 Day” is the premier event for 311 fans to gather and celebrate their love of the band and to witness an extraordinary show. 311 plays an extended setlist of hits, rarities, covers and classics; backed by a state-of-the-art light and special effects show. Past shows have also included appearances by circus performers, aerial acrobats, fire twirlers, stilt walkers, drumlines, and marching bands.

March 11 is considered a holiday to 311 fans around the globe and the band’s dedicated fans will travel to the “311 Day” show from far and wide. 311 Day was last in Las Vegas in 2010 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. The show sold out in advance and tickets were sold to fans in all 50 U.S. states and 13 different countries. The band played a five-hour show (60 songs) for the sold-out crowd. Due to the huge success and excitement surrounding the 2010 show, the band decided to return to Vegas for a two night celebration in 2012.

It’s clear that “311 Day” has become more than a concert. It’s a true happening; an event that began organically and has taken on a life of its own. On March 10 & 11, 2012, Las Vegas will be swarming with 311 fans from around the country & around the globe – meeting together to celebrate and experience the music of 311.

The “311 Day” concert at MGM Grand Garden Arena, scheduled for March 10 and 11 is on sale now at any MGM Grand Box Office outlet, all Ticketmaster locations, and online at www.Ticketmaster.com or www.mgmgrand.com. Tickets priced at $102 and $135 (plus fees) are limited to six (6) per person.

For fans anxious to purchase seats to highly anticipated concerts and events like 311 Day 2011, M life – MGM Resorts International’s new loyalty program — provides members with exclusive access to pre-sales for sporting events and concerts. The program also features rewards, benefits and once-in-a-lifetime experiences at the incomparable collection of MGM Resorts’ world-renowned destinations. To join, or for more information, visit mlife.com.

311’s new album Universal Pulse was released July 19th and debuted at #9 on the Billboard Top 200. Their first single “Sunset in July” reached #7 on the Alternative radio chart and their brand new single, “Count Me In” was released to radio last week.

For more information on “311 Day”, visit www.311.com.

http://www.vegasnews.com/59699/311-day-2012-coming-to-mgm-grand-garden-arena-march-10-11.html

12/13: 311 brings 'Universal Pulse' tour to Comerica Theatre (AZ Central)

2011-10-05T13:39:00.000-07:00

A near-constant presence on modern-rock radio formats since they topped the charts in 1996 with "Down," 311 will bring their "Universal Pulse" tour to Comerica Theatre on Friday, Dec. 13.

Released this summer, "Universal Pulse" became their seventh consecutive Top 10 entry on the Billboard album charts (or eight if you throw in their greatest hits collection). Rolling Stone said "Universal Pulse" finds 311 "embracing their role as ambassadors of summer fun." And this being Arizona, there's no reason not to have some summer fun in mid-December.

Tickets are $48 and $38, or $99 for a 4-pack, going on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 7, at livenation.com, the Comerica box office, all Ticketmaster outlets or, by phone, at 800-745-3000.

http://www.azcentral.com/311-tour-concert-phoenix

Rock band 311 to headline another Carnival cruise (USA Today)

2011-10-05T10:40:00.000-07:00

The rock band 311 will be heading out to sea again in 2012, this time on a cruise to the Bahamas.

Atlanta-based music cruise organizer Sixthman this week announced the chart-topping alternative rock group will be holding its second annual fan cruise next May on the 2,642-passenger Carnival Destiny. The four-night trip will kick off May 10 in Miami and include a call at a private island in the Bahamas.

The band's first fan cruise, a four-night trip to the Turks & Caicos, took place in March and was a sell-out success, Sixthman says.

In addition to holding two performances, 311 plans to host a Q&A session with fans on the upcoming voyage. In an unusual twist for fan cruises, the band also says it'll pose for a picture with every fan who wants one.

Details of the new sailing are online at 311cruise.com, and fans can begin signing up for spots on the ship this week, though formal bookings won't be taken until October. Fans who sailed with the band this year can formally book the new trip starting on Oct. 10; all other fans can book beginning Oct. 18.

http://travel.usatoday.com/cruises/post/2011/09/rock-band-311-carnival-cruise-/549560/1

311 Set To Perform Live At Mohegan Sun Arena (Mohegan Sun Newsroom)

2011-10-03T12:24:00.000-07:00

Performance in Mohegan Sun Arena on December 3rd

Alternative band 311 will bring their unique sounds to Mohegan Sun Arena with special guest DJ Sowman in support of their latest album Universal Pulse, on Saturday, December 3rd at 8:00pm.

Tickets are $35.00 and go on sale Friday, October 7th at 10:00am through Ticketmaster. Ticketmaster customers may log on to ticketmaster.com; call Ticketmaster’s national toll free Charge By Phone number 1.800.745.3000; or visit any Ticketmaster outlet. Tickets will also be available at the Mohegan Sun Box Office starting Saturday, October 8th, subject to availability.

Fans will be treated to sounds from 311’s latest album Universal Pulse, in addition to hits from the band’s previous nine studio albums. The band has sold over 8.5 million units in the U.S. since the late 80s when the band was formed by vocalist/guitarist Nick Hexum, vocalist/DJ SA Martinez, lead guitarist Tim Mahoney, drummer Chad Sexton and bassist P-Nut. 311 has had 9 singles reach the Top 10 on Billboard’s U.S. Alternative Chart (including the #1 singles “Down,” “Love Song” & “Don’t Tread On Me” along with “Amber,” “All Mixed Up,” “Come Original,” “Creatures (For a While)” and “Hey You.”)

Mohegan Sun Arena is ranked the 4th best venue by Billboard Magazine and was the 2008 and 2010 recipient of a Country Music Award for “Casino of The Year.” For more information on concerts and other great events at Mohegan Sun, visit mohegansun.com. For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711, ext. 27163.

http://newsroom.mohegansun.com/2011/10/03/311-set-to-perform-live-at-mohegan-sun-arena.html

311 Cruise (Salt Lake Tribune)

2011-10-03T12:01:00.000-07:00

311 and the music-cruise company Sixthman just announced that the band is taking fans on vacation once again, launching the second annual 311 Caribbean Cruise May 10-14, 2012, on the Carnival Destiny.

The ship will leave from Miami and dock in Half Moon Cay (a private island in the Bahamas), staying for two days of music, sand, sun and fun before returning to Florida.

In addition to seeing two special 311 shows and performances by many supporting artists and DJs, every fan on the cruise will get a personal photo with the band, and will have the opportunity to participate in a Q&A session with the band.

From the press release:

On the previous cruise 311 band members even participated in various events onboard. Bassist P-Nut played in a basketball tournament with fans, Vocalist Nick Hexum judged a 311 Karaoke contest and Vocalist SA Martinez did a DJ session at one of the ships nightclubs. The 2012 311 Caribbean Cruise will once again include lots of onboard games & activities (casino gambling, swimming, karaoke, 311 trivia contest, cannonball contest, bingo, movie screenings, late-night dance parties, etc) and many excursions will be available on Half Moon Cay (snorkeling, horseback riding, jet-skiing, fishing, biking, etc) making this an unparalleled fan experience for 311 fans from around the world.

Last year's cruisers had the time of their lives - and 311 & Sixthman plan to make the 2012 cruise even better. The 2011 311 Caribbean Cruise included fans from all 50 US States and 12 countries. It's this extreme affinity for 311 that the band and Sixthman are excited to celebrate on board. Last year's cruise sold out quickly; fans who want to come along should book quickly. When was the last time you cruised to a private island with your favorite band? Get on the boat with 311!!!

The full website is at www.311cruise.com. Booking begins October 18.

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/blogsburger/52671407-53/311-cruise-band-fans.html.csp

311 to Host Second Annual Caribbean Cruise Aboard Carnival Destiny (Cruise Diva)

2011-10-02T17:53:00.000-07:00

311, formed in 1990 in Omaha, Nebraska by vocalist/guitarist Nick Hexum, vocalist/dj SA Martinez, lead guitarist Tim Mahoney, drummer Chad Sexton and bassist P-Nut has sold over 8.5 million units in the US, had 7 albums reach the Top 10 on Billboard's Top 200 Sales Chart, and 9 singles reach the Top 10 on Billboards's Alternative Chart. After years of incessant touring, 311 has earned a reputation as one of the most influential and entertaining live bands in the US, with an extremely dedicated fanbase. Now, Sixthman is excited to announce that the band is taking those loyal fans on vacation once again, launching the second annual 311 Caribbean Cruise May 10-14, 2012, on the Carnival Destiny. The ship will leave from Miami and dock in Half Moon Cay (a private island in the Bahamas), staying for two days of music, sand, sun, and fun before returning to Florida.

In addition to seeing two special 311 shows and performances by many supporting artists and DJs, every fan on the cruise will get a personal photo with the band, and will have the opportunity to participate in a Q-and-A session with band members.

On the previous cruise 311 band members even participated in various events onboard. Bassist P-Nut played in a basketball tournament with fans, Vocalist Nick Hexum judged a 311 Karaoke contest, and Vocalist SA Martinez did a DJ session at one of the ships nightclubs. The 2012 311 Caribbean Cruise will once again include lots of onboard games and activities (casino gambling, swimming, karaoke, 311 trivia contest, cannonball contest, bingo, movie screenings, late-night dance parties, etc) and many excursions will be available on Half Moon Cay (snorkeling, horseback riding, jet-skiing, fishing, biking, etc) making this an unparalleled fan experience for 311 fans from around the world.

Last year's cruisers had the time of their lives and 311 and Sixthman plan to make the 2012 cruise even better. The 2011 311 Caribbean Cruise included fans from all 50 US States and 12 countries. It's this extreme affinity for 311 that the band and Sixthman are excited to celebrate on board. Last year's cruise sold out quickly; fans who want to come along should book fast. When was the last time you cruised to a private island with your favorite band? Get on the boat with 311 by visiting their 311 Cruise website. Alumni who sailed last year can opt-in to the pre-sale from Sept 26-30, and begin booking Oct 10. All other fans can sign up starting Sept 26 through Oct 10, and begin booking Oct 18.

http://cruisediva.com/2011/09/311-to-host-second-annual-caribbean.html

Cruisin’ With 311 (Pollstar)

2011-10-01T08:21:00.000-07:00

311 will return to the sea when the band embarks on its second ocean cruise in May.

The “311 Caribbean Cruise” departs Miami May 10, taking the band and its fans on a roundtrip voyage onboard the Carnival Destiny to privately owned Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas for two days of fun, beach and music before returning May 14.

Along with pleasures only found when soaking up that Caribbean sun, 311 will perform two special shows, pose for a personal photo with each and every fan and partake in a no-holds-barred Q&A. There will also be plenty of music provided by support artists and DJs.

Arranged by Atlanta-based Sixthman, the 2012 cruise marks the second time 311 has sailed with the company. On the band’s first time at sea bassist P-Nut played in a basketball tournament with fans, SA Martinez took on the roll of DJ at one of the ship’s nightclubs and Nick Hexum judged a 311 Karaoke contest.

For this cruise Sixthman is promising plenty of onboard games and activities, including casino gambling, swimming, movie screenings, late-night dance parties and pretty much everything you would expect from four days at sea with 311.

You wanna go? Veterans of the first 311 Caribbean Cruise can join in the pre-sale going on now through Sept. 30 and book their accommodations beginning Oct. 10. First-timers can also get in on the pre-sale but must wait until Oct. 18 to begin booking the trip.

But you need to visit the official 311 Caribbean Cruise website to get the ball rolling. Just click here.

http://www.pollstar.com/blogs/news/archive/2011/09/29/783103.aspx

Rock Band Coming to Greensboro (WGHP)

2011-09-27T14:38:00.000-07:00

Rock band 311 will perform at 8 p.m. Nov. 29 at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex's Special Events Center.

Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday and can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com, charge-by-phone at 1-800-745-3000 and the Greensboro Coliseum box office.

The price is $37.50 and $42.50. The group is promoting their new album "Universal Pulse" and will be joined by DJ Soulman.

311's music is described as a hybrid of rock, reggae, hip-hop. They were formed in 1990 and are known for songs including "Down", "Love Song" and "Don't Tread On Me."

http://www.myfox8.com/news/wghp-story-311-greensboro-110927,0,503531.story

311: Universal Pulse (Pop Matters)

2011-09-22T20:17:00.000-07:00

If there is one word to describe rap/funk metal fusionists 311, it is consistency. The Nebraska alt rockers have had the same lineup since 1992, continue to sell out arenas around the U.S. despite only moderate mainstream success, and even rapper/turntablist S.A.’s Martinez’s on-stage dance moves haven’t changed. Musically, depending on whom you ask, 311 puts out a consistently infectious melding of rock, reggae and rap; or they continue to put out a formulaic, white middle-America hijacking of said genres.

So maybe polarizing is another word to describe 311. Their 10th studio release, Universal Pulse, does little to bridge the divide. For fans, this material represents a return to form—the tightest, most focused album in years. Clocking in at less than 30 minutes and with only eight songs, there is little room for dub inspired filler (see Transistor) or forays into indie rock influences ( Uplifter). Detractors, on the other hand, will point to the same old frat dude reggae rock and lame lyrics of pseudo-philosophy and self-adulation. Rolling Stone, a publication that has never given the band a three star rating or higher, described the album as “blunt, dimwitted, (and) completely formulaic”.

Album opener “Time Bomb” kicks off the retro 311 love fest with upbeat guitars, Nick Hexum and S.A. sing/rap interplay, and a chorus of “Let me introduce you to the excitable crew/This is just how we do/Ticking like a Time Bomb, watch me go off”. “Wild Night” continues the party with drug fueled nostalgia. “Where would be/Without the Wild nights/Barely getting by/The days of getting high”. The raging alt rock is bolstered by S.A.’s hip-hop interludes and a funk solo from lead guitarist Tim Mahoney. Hexum explores the lessons he learned from his drug days over a Caribbean/ska groove on “Trouble”, only to come to the conclusion that the problem was the six inches between his ears, “The bullshit, the trouble was coming from me, honestly”.

Lead single “Sunset in July” is the perfect radio friendly summer anthem: solid production, a catchy hook, innocuous upbeat lyrics, floating vocals and some scat thrown in for good measure. “Sunset in July/Rockers by my side/And time is flying by/Ba da dop dop da dee-yah”. The song’s twin cousin “Count Me In” combines a crafty mix of ska, power chords and wa-wa pedals with some less crafty lyrics, “We’re not living the Dream/We’re living the Life”.

311 saves the best for last with the last quarter of the album. “Weightless”, an airy but energized track, is one of the catchiest songs in the band’s catalog. The repetitive chorus “So weightless, weightless/All weightless, weightless/We’re all weightless, weightless/ Everyone of us is weightless”, in the context of the music, actually drives home the theme of the song without sounding redundant. Veteran producer Bob Rock (Aerosmith, Metallica) does a flawless production job on the album closer, “And a Ways to Go”. The track shifts back and forth between ethereal and crunchy guitars better than any song since Evolver’s “Beyond the Gray Sky”. About three minutes in, the song somewhat abruptly shifts gears with an excellent P-nut bass solo that sounds straight out of the YES repertoire. Despite the slightly awkward song structure, it is the strongest track of the album.

http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/148300-311-universal-pulse/

2011-09-21T05:41:00.000-07:00

It's punk, it's pop, it's loud, it's quiet, it's chaos and it's art. Nirvana's "Nevermind" sucked us all in when "Smells Like Teen Spirit" slammed into us with its intro of twisted power chords and popping drums. "Nevermind" so defined a generation that some can recall exactly where they were when they first heard it. And, when asked how they got into rock 'n' roll, some musicians simply say "Nirvana."

But what if we're not talking about your generation? No matter. You should pay mind to "Nevermind," and Kurt Cobain, the genius behind it, say music journalists and historians, pop-culture watchers and academics alike.

It has influenced nearly every piece of popular music released in the last two decades. Along with countless other bands, The Flaming Lips and The Black Keys — both with recent top 10 albums — say they wouldn't exist without Nirvana. Even Miley Cyrus (who was not yet born when the album debuted) has covered "Smells Like Teen Spirit" in concert.

"Kurt Cobain's guitar sound on Nirvana's 'Nevermind' set the tone for '90s rock music," read a 2001 retrospective in Guitar World.

That's not an overstatement. When Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden burst onto the national scene, hair bands and pop were out.

"I think what 'Nevermind' did was brilliant and that Cobain was brilliant . It was a melding of what Neil Young had done and what punk had done," said Scott Anderson, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln professor who teaches rock history. "I read an interesting interview with (Talking Heads frontman) David Byrne who said ('Nevermind') is finally where punk got its due," long after it began in the late '70s and early '80s.

The best evidence? "Nevermind" unseated Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, from the top spot on the Billboard albums chart.

From the Jan. 11, 1992, issue of Billboard: The Seattle-area alternative band's 'Nevermind' surges from No. 6 to No. 1; Jackson's 'Dangerous' drops from No. 1 to No. 5."

We asked local and national musicians, readers and others one question: How did "Nevermind" affect you? Read on for their impressions.

"The first time I heard Nirvana rip into the opening chords of 'Smells Like Teen Spirit,' I felt like it was an explosion in my frontal lobe. Everything changed. A few years later, 311 recorded a lot of our 'From Chaos' album at Sound City, which is the same place 'Nevermind' was recorded. That was really cool for us."

— Nick Hexum, 311

" 'Bleach' was the coolest album ever when it came out. So, we (me and my super-cool friends) all bought 'Nevermind' soon after its release. The huge sonic step forward wasn't a detraction from the raw band we all loved. Their success was no surprise; they bled honesty, pain, and sacrifice through their words and instruments. Brilliance is the word, I do believe."

— P-Nut, 311

For more of this article, go to:
http://www.omaha.com/article/20110920/LIVING/709209987#the-band-that-changed-the-course-of-modern-music

311 Day 2012: Live in Las Vegas (The Pier)

2011-09-17T23:46:00.000-07:00

This time around, renowned reggae-rockers 311 will not have a 311 day, but don’t be disappointed. The twist for this year’s 311 day comes with an entire weekend of music, not just one performance. The setting for this year’s annual festival will take place in the “city that never sleeps,” Las Vegas, Nevada.

Most partisans of a good time head to the Vegas strip for excitement. 311 fans worldwide will flock to “Sin City” to catch their favorite band in their own element. With three dates set for March 9-11 at two separate venues, fans will have a better opportunity to capture 311’s sound up close and personal.

311 will perform two shows during the three-day weekend at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on the Las Vegas strip. The opening night of entertainment kicks off with a fan party at The Joint inside the Hard Rock Hotel.

Past 311 day concerts have historically sold out in a matter of minutes. With the Las Vegas nightlife as another enticing lure with the constant party-vibe, tickets are expected to go just as quickly as previous shows hosted by 311 on their very special day.

Since March 11, 2000, 311 has hosted their very own “311 Day” in various cities across the country, with their first concert held in New Orleans. During 311’s set on that memorable day, the band performed 47 songs, their longest setlist ever at that time.

After each year, 311’s setlist grew to upwards of 60 songs. In 2004, 311 Day: Live in New Orleans was released on DVD containing 60 of the 64 songs performed that night.

Constantly referred to as “The ultimate 311 experience,” the band has performed for well over 5 hours, playing fan favorites, rarities, classic covers, entire albums, while also keeping the crowd’s senses entertained from all surroundings including circus performers, aerial acrobats, fire twirlers, and much more. With the three-day-event taking place in Las Vegas, this year’s festival will be the largest to date.

Clearly, the intimate setting of a cruise ship from last year’s extravaganza was not enough for the devoted fans of 311. It was only right to bring 311 day to back to Las Vegas, the site of the 2010 311 Day, to reach the thousands of loyal fans from across the globe.

Once again, this will be an experience unlike any other featuring your favorite band. Tickets for the event are on sale to the public today (9/17/11) and are selling at rapid fire pace. One ticket will allow you access to both shows. However, group sales and VIP packages are available for the 2012 rendition.

For the latest on tickets and up-to-date news about 311 Day visit: 311 Day 2012

311 Day 2012 Fan Party at the Joint (Vegas News)

2011-09-17T09:15:00.000-07:00

In honor of 311 Day 2012, The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino hosts the ultimate fan party and official kickoff of 311 Day weekend on Friday, March 9 at 9 p.m.

311 Day is an annual celebration by alternative rock group 311. 311 fans from around the world will gather in Las Vegas to meet each other and to celebrate the band and their music during this special three-day event. The 311 Fan Party kicks it all off with drink specials, exclusive entertainment and a DJ spinning 311 tunes all night.

311 will not be performing at this event.

With their fusion of rock, reggae and hip-hop, 311 formed in Omaha, Neb. in 1990. The band has released 10 studio albums, one live album and three DVDs…selling more than 8.5 million units in the U.S. The band’s most recent album is 2011’s Universal Pulse featuring the hit single “Sunset in July.”

Tickets, starting at $24.00 (plus applicable service fees), will be available Saturday, Sept. 17 at 10 a.m. at the Hard Rock Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com or charge-by-phone at 800.745.3000.

http://www.vegasnews.com/57347/311-day-2012-fan-party-at-the-joint-at-hard-rock-hotel-march-9.html

311 still has a 'Pulse' (San Francisco Examiner)

2011-09-16T13:26:00.001-07:00

Who knew?

Virtually under the noses of the mainstream media, that quiet, jam-leaning rock band from Omaha, 311, has been creating an entire alternate world for itself, starting with its recent album “Universal Pulse” — its eighth consecutive record to debut in Billboard’s lofty Top Ten.

The group also just headlined its ninth annual Unity Tour, playing to 10,000-plus fans each night, and even orchestrated a 311 Cruise this summer, as well as a brand-new 311 Pow Wow Festival in Live Oak, Fla., where they performed alongside The Deftones, Ozomatli and Sublime With Rome.

But wait — there’s still more.

This Saturday at 10 a.m. PST, tickets go on sale through www.ticketmaster.com for next year’s 311 Day, a biannual fanfest/holiday held in Las Vegas, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Traditionally, 311 plays extended sets for the event, containing hits, covers and catalog rarities, which can last as long as five hours. Past shows have also included aerial acrobats, circus performers, fire twirlers, even drumlines and full marching bands. (Again: Who knew?)

The three-day fest begins with a fan party on Friday, March 9 at the Hard Rock Hotel’s The Joint, followed by two consecutive MGM concerts on March 10 and 11.

Don’t believe us? Visit www.311.com for even more details.

http://www.sfexaminer.com/blogs/backstage-pass/2011/09/311-still-has-pulse#ixzz1Y9JKLcYe

Three Days of 311 (Pollstar)

2011-09-15T13:26:00.000-07:00

Next year’s edition of 311 Day will be three times as fun because the band’s bi-annual celebration is expanding to a three-day event.

The 2012 event is scheduled for March 9-11 in Las Vegas because of course the festival had to include that special day that only comes once a year: 3/11.

The weekend kicks off March 9 with a fan party at The Joint @ Hard Rock Hotel/Casino followed by two unique shows March 10-11 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Fans can expect their favorite band to play an extended setlist of hits, rarities, covers and classics complete with a state-of-the-art light and special effects show.

311 will be sure to show off tunes from the band’s latest album, Universal Pulse. The group’s tenth studio album was released in July on 311 Records/ATO Records.

Billed as “the ultimate 311 concert experience,” past shows have included setlists that last up to five hours and appearances by circus performers, aerial acrobats, fire twirlers, stilt walkers, drumlines and marching bands.

Pre-sale tickets went on sale to 311 Hive members earlier this week. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Saturday at 10 a.m. PST through Ticketmaster.com. No single-day tickets will be sold.

For more information, click here for 311’s website.

http://www.pollstar.com/blogs/news/archive/2011/09/15/781721.aspx

311 Announced Details for 311 Day 2012 (Concert Confessions)

2011-09-15T09:39:00.000-07:00

311 have announced the initial details of 311 Day 2012. The event will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada on the weekend of March 11th, 2012 (get it?). Known for marathon gigs often lasting over five hours, for 2012 the band will use an entire weekend to celebrate the day that Bobby McFerrin was born.

On Friday March 9th, 311 will throw a fan party at the Joint (Hard Rock Hotel & Casino). On March 10th and 11th the band will take over the MGM Grand Arena for two unique concert experiences. The best part of the deal is that one concert ticket will get you into both shows at the MGM Grand Arena.

Pre-sale for 311 Day 2012 is already underway. Click here for ticket information/travel packages and all the dirt on this highest of holidays for fans of 311.

http://concertconfessions.com/2011/09/311-announces-details-for-311-day-2012/

News: 311 Day 2012 Announced (RocBloc)

2011-09-15T09:37:00.000-07:00

311 have announced their plan for next year’s 311 Day. The event will be held in Las Vegas, NV and will included two concerts at the MGM Grand, a private fan party, and more! Click here for the full details and check out the schedule below.

3/9 – Fan Party @ The Joint (Hard Rock Hotel)
3/10 – 311 Show 1 @ MGM Grand Arena
3/11 – 311 Show 2 @ MGM Grand Arena

311 will be promoting their latest album Universal Pulse, released back in July of this year.

http://www.rocbloc.com/2011/09/15/311-day-2012-announced/

311 Announces Next Year's 311 DAY (Dying Scene)

2011-09-14T09:15:00.000-07:00

311 have just released some details about their annual celebration – 311 Day 2012 in Las Vegas. For many fans, 311 Day (March 11th, get it?) is a joyous occasion, creating the opportunity to meet tons of other fans and enjoy a weekend filled with great music. The first celebration of 311 Day happened back in 2000 in New Orleans. As for next year, the band will play three nights and you can check out the dates here.

The band’s latest full-length, Universal Pulse, came out last July on ATO Records.

March 9, 2012 – Fan Party at The Joint (Hard Rock Hotel)
March 10, 2012 – 311 Show 1 at MGM Grand Arena
March 11, 2012 – 311 Show 2 at MGM Grand Arena

http://dyingscene.com/news/311-announce-next-years-311-day/

Surviving 311 Pow Wow (Festival Survival Guide)

2011-09-13T09:58:00.000-07:00

Well, the 311 nation did it again! 311 Pow Wow, 311′s very first multi-day music festival, went off with great success in Live Oak Florida at the Spirit of Suwanee Music Park. The music was unbelievable and the good vibes flowed heartily all weekend long. I’m not sure I can adequately describe in words the level of fun to be had at 311 Pow Wow but after all these years I am still convinced that 311 fans are the best people on Earth.

A great time was had by all but as with every festival there are some unique challenges to be ready for, so here’s a little rundown.

This festival was held in one of the most beautiful venues in the Southeast. The Spirit of Suwanee Music Park hosts many festivals all year long which never disappoint, and the Pow Wow was no exception. The music park is spread over many Oak tree covered acres with winding dirt roads and lots of fun amenities. All the nature is great but nature can be a bitch sometimes! Example A: FIRE ANTS! Anyone who was in attendence this year can attest that the godforsaken fire ants were more than just tiny meneces but rather a huge problem. One could not stand in the same place for more than a few seconds without looking down to make sure their feet were not covered in the little bastards. They are mean and they bite! Some areas were worse than others but I do know that our campsite was more than overrun with them. Within a few minutes of setting up camp they helped themselves to the groceries I had just purchased. I had unpacked them out of the hot car into the tent. When I looked at the food crates they had become moving, crawling blobs. I half expected to see a bag of chips being carried off into the field. Needless to say, my snacks were ruined. My advice to you when going to the Pow Wow is to prepare for the ants. You can do this in a few ways like wearing “real” shoes. The flops and sandals are nice for the heat but tennis shoes will give you that extra barrier from the little monsters. You can also try and keep your food in sealed tupperware or other boxes to make it impenetrable to the ants. If you can keep it off the ground a little bit (like on top of a crate) that will help a little but your best bet is to just make sure everything is sealed off completely. Those of you who are not from the South may not have battled these beasts before so for your information they can climb anything and can find their way into any unsealed bag. You should also get strapped with a can of Raid fire ant killer. They only thing that kept them out of my tent was spraying a perimeter all around the tent in a thick layer. Putting bug spray on our feet also helped a little in detering the ants but only for an hour or so. You should also make sure your trash bags are tied to a tree or otherwise kept out of the way of your chill zone. Bringing a few extra trash bags can help you out also because at some point you will have to take the trash to the dumpster, so if you cover it with a second bag and tie it tight you can avoid having your hands and arms covered with ants.

Besides the damn fire ants, the only other big challenge was the heat. I have been convinced on several occasions in my life that I could not physically be any hotter. The first was in Acopolco, Mexico, on the beach in the summertime. The second was Wakarusa this summer, which if you attended you experienced the windless, cloudless, still hot sun for yourself. Yet none of these could hold a melting candle to the humid, unrelenting heat of Live Oak in August. Again, if you are not familiar with how things work in the South, let me just tell you, we have our own brand of heat which is unreal if you have never experienced it. The humidity is at like 90% so it is a muggy,heavy sort of heat. A nice breeze blew through often which was pleasant and refreshing, but the biggest life saver in the heat was the river. The Suwanee river has natural springs and while it was almost like bath water, it was still a refuge to sit and chill in. The river was also just straight up fun as hell! The sandy beach made you feel like you were in a great vacation spot and the rope swing was a constant form of entertainment. One could chill in the river for hours and watch the amazing belly flops, the float jumpers, and the streakers go off the super high rope swing. It was a true blast and brought the water logged 311 Nation together even more. Live music as well as blaring stereos could be found by the river as well keeping the good vibes flowing, and the Canoe Outpost station was staffed with great people to help you out if you want to do some river exploration. Vessel!

To beat the heat it is also advised to scope out the campgrounds thuroughly before picking a location. The Spirit of Suwanee Music Park has lots of shady areas to pick from so take a minute when you enter to find a good spot to set up. There is not assigned camping with the exception of RV hookups and a few other spots so you pretty much have your pick of locations. You should also bring some shade with you, whether in the form of pop up tents or even just hanging tarps, blankets, or tapestries.

Free showers are also available for use throughout the grounds so it is possible to get cleaned up if you want, however I suggest going during “off peak” times because the line can get a little long. Not outrageous, just about 10-15 minutes, but since you will likely just get sweaty and gross within minutes of the shower anyway you may as well wait til later in the afternoon to save some time. Also, the showers use sulfur water so don’t be alarmed by the rotten egg smell. It’s good for you, just hold your nose and power through.

Drink water! I repeat, DRINK WATER! The heat and humidity causes one to sweat intensely so hydration is very important. Take water with you everywhere and refill it often (water refill stations are available everywhere inside the venue and out). Don’t wait until you are thirsty, just drink water constantly throughtout the day. If you are drinking booze this is especially imortant. Don’t let your fun by ruined by heat exhaustion and dehydration, there’s too many good times to be had!

As far as entering the grounds and security goes, I’m sure you have questions so I will try to let you in on what I saw. Entrance times are pretty lax. This is not a setup like All Good or Wakarusa for example where you need to get there by a certain time to wait in a long line to get in. This park is a camping and outdoors resort when there is not a festival so people are welcome to come in whenever. My friends for example got to the grounds the Monday before the festival and spent the week conoeing, playing disk golf,camping, and hanging out with their dog (please note that pets are not allowed during the festival, but there is a nice kennel near by so if you do bring them pre-fest you can drop the doggies off there). If you choose to come early you will have to pay for the days you are camped there which is about $20 per night for regular days and $30 the night before the festival. I arrived on Thursday afternoon around 3:00. I stopped at a gas station right off the interstate to stock up on ice and gas before entering (which I recommend). There was no wait for gas and the place was fully stocked with reasonably priced ice bags. I then headed right into the festival grounds. There are plenty of signs and people to guide you every few feet, and there was no line. My car was not checked by security whatsoever. Once into the grounds I just found my friends in the spot we had picked out and set up shop. Easy as pie.

Once inside the grounds you are able to leave and come back if you choose. This allows folks to leave and go to the nearby gas stations or Wal-Mart if you want to grab any supplies you need. If you are like me and choose to stay “unable to drive” all weekend, you can also go to the general store on the premisis for beer, food, batteries, etc. They do not jack up the prices too much or anything so this is a good option for anyone who does not want to drive. If you want to drive down to the river rather than walk this is allowed too, but parking is limited and PLEASE do not drive if you are intoxicated. There are lots of pedestrians and trees to hit so please just use your judgement well!

When you enter the music venue the security was also pretty lax. You are not allowed to bring outside beers into the venue so finish those up before you get to the gates. It depended on what security people were there as to how heavy the search was. For example most days my backpack was not even looked at, opened, or anything. My friend’s fold up chairs were opened and checked however, so I’m not sure what the method of searches was but either way it was not intense.

This festival was one of the most amazing times I have had all year and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in good vibes and great people! I think i speak for the whole 311 Nation when I say that this first year was spectacular and we all hope this is a continuing tradition for years to come. So let everyone gather, the more, the better!

http://festivalsurvivalguide.com/surviving-311-pow-wow

Sixthman Plans 311 Cruise (Go Carribean)

2011-09-12T09:58:00.000-07:00

Ska band 311 will lead the party during the 311 Caribbean Cruise, slated for May 10-14, 2011. The Sixthman cruise will depart Miami and sail to Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas. Pre-sale begins in October. Other 2012 music-themed cruises from Sixthman include a TCM Classic Cruise, Kiss Cruise, Elvis Cruise, Weezer Cruise, and Rock Boat XII. Check out the full list on the Sixthman website.

http://gocaribbean.about.com/b/2011/09/12/sixthman-plans-311-cruise.htm

CD Review: 311 "Universal Pulse" (ThisIsModern)

2011-09-08T14:42:00.000-07:00

311 continue to put out solid albums and their latest is no exception. The difference here is that the album only consists of eight tracks and leave true fans wanting more. Regardless, it features a couple of killer tracks that should translate well to 311's amazing live show. The song "Sunset In July" is an instant classic with singable lyrics and their signature hard-rock-meets-reggae vibe. The album doesn't feature any real slow or mellow tunes (like "Amber" or "Love Song") but rather shows of a throwback to their earlier independent days and the mid-nineties alternative rock feel of their debut self titled album. Rock bands come and go but 311 have proven that not only do they have staying power but they continue to write, record, release, and perform at the top of their game. The new music is a welcome addition to an incredibly expansive and influential catalogue.

http://thisismodern.net/

311 Unity Tour at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater (OC Reloaded)

2011-09-05T17:57:00.000-07:00

Arguably not as good a lineup as last year, 311’s Unity tour came into town Saturday with Sublime with Rome. Regardless, even with no Offspring and Pepper to get things started – the Irvine stop was still all that.

Once the gates opened at around 6PM people were already lined up. Many also were in line to buy tickets to the special event and those that came just for 311 were still partying in their cars waiting a couple of hours before heading in. The parting at a 311 show is a bit of a different scene then at what you would typically see at a normal concert. Lots of interaction between people who just met. It’s interesting to see music bring people together and quite possibly create new friends between folks that would normally not socialize with each other.

While walking in around 7ish between the time I got from the gate to the stage, the “3 mile walk” at Verizon Wireless amphitheater no less than 4 groups of people chatted with me. We would discuss things like music, the venue, other concerts, and the weather. Mind you, personally I am more reserved and less outgoing then the majority of concert goers, but just being in the venue, in the atmosphere that 311 fans create, seems to bring out the social part of me I didn’t realize I had.

When Sublime with Rome took the stage you could hear a few people complain about Rome’s voice. What they forget is it’s really not the same band. Don’t get me wrong, there were some DIE-HARD fans out there who were nonstop dancing in their seats from the first note out Rome’s mouth but still it seemed a small percentage of sublime fans were disconnected watching the set. I’ll be the first one to admit, when I first heard Sublime with Rome, they sounded more like a cover band. I’m talking about their first show at the palladium (though, technically Smokeout Festival in 2009). Back then Rome refused to interact or even say a word to the crowd.

Now however things are a bit different. Rome is filling out nicely and coming around. With one record behind the new group and at least one hit song, “Panic”, Rome is becoming more of the front man he should be. Even in the earlier shows it was rare to hear Rome say anything in-between songs. It was just song after song with a few random “thank you’s”. This time around however Rome expressed how grateful he was throughout the set. In-between the weed jokes (or were they jokes?), explaining how “fucking happy” he was to be here in southern California and playing for the Irvine crowd.

Sublime with Rome’s setlist included just two songs I could identify as new, “Panic” and “PCH”. It was mainly made up of older songs and older hits. They mixed up the setlist with hit songs to lesser known songs. Highlights? “Smoke two joints”, “Wrong way”, “Santeria” and “Date Rape”. Did I forget “Panic”? I heard it from the bathroom so I can’t judge it by the crowd reaction – however I can assume it was crazy.

When 311 went on stage most people were scrambling to get back to their seats from getting more drinks and grabbing a bite to eat. Everybody that was walking down to lower parts of the venue could be seen running for their life to get back to their seats. Who could blame them? 311 started off with “Beautiful Disaster”. The perfect start to what would end up being a great set.

The 24 or so song set list wasn’t just song after song. Easily two of the highlights of the night were “P-nut’s” bass solo and Chad Sext’s drum solo. For Chad’s drum solo, in the end, everybody grabbed a drum and joined in as well. It was great to see the entire band up there banging away. The crowd, not surprisingly, was going crazy as well. It was electrifying to watch. But we already knew the group had talent didn’t we? This is nothing new! What is new is getting the entire crowd very excited to a bass and drum solo though. Music as exciting as a complete song with lyrics. P-Nut after the show said on his twitter, “I cannot stress the greatness of being able to speak without words on my bass.”. Well, I cannot stress the greatness it was hearing him on his bass.

SA Martinez’s and Nick Hexum’s chemistry on stage is epic. Both guys, with such incredible chemistry switch back and forth seamlessly between versus. During the show I had a chance to speak with concert goers who came just because their friends made them come but were very public about now becoming 311 fans, a group they previously didn’t know much about it.

http://www.ocreloaded.com/concert-reviews/418-311-unity-tour-at-verizon-wireless-amphitheater.html

Summertime in Santa Barbara (Musicial Apparal)

2011-09-05T16:58:00.000-07:00

Well, I know it’s late, but I had to comment on the Sublime and 311 show at the Santa Barbara Bowl back on August 21st. The Bowl is set in a foothill neighborhood in Santa Barbara. Depending on your seat, there is an ocean view, beautiful place for live music. First off, let me say, I have seen both of these bands, several times since their inceptions. 311 is still rockin’ a heavy sound, mixed with hip hop, rap and driving back beat, and they are getting better. They sounded so tight and clear. Their maturity as musicians is evident in their tempo changes and aerial arena sounding songs that never leave you standing still. These guys are able to bring EVERYONE to their feet to move and groove. As usual with 311 shows, the scent of northern californian indica permeated the air with a welcoming additive to the whole experience.

http://www.musicalapparel.com/summertime-in-santa-barbara
Sublime... What can I say except, take me back to the sound I’ve been missing since Bradley left us hanging onto a little of what was gonna be coming... Like Stevie Ray Vaughan opened the door to what modern blues could sound like, so did Sublime with ska and reggae music. Pure roots music that is so over looked. Well they did not disappoint, infact they left us wanting more and more. Next year hopefully they will be a headliner and that will be a show to see. If you missed Sublime this year, shame on you... Get a Musical T and then you’ll be ready to rock!

Top 20 Concerts (CNBC)

2011-09-02T12:33:00.000-07:00

The Top 20 Concert Tours ranks artists by average box office gross per city and includes the average ticket price for shows in North America. The previous week's ranking is in parentheses. The list is based on data provided to the trade publication Pollstar by concert promoters and venue managers.

TOP 20 CONCERT TOURS

1. (1) U2; $6,655,685; $93.84.
2. (2) Taylor Swift; $2,035,634; $73.47.
3. (3) Kenny Chesney; $1,974,059; $74.40.
4. (5) "Glee Live! In Concert!"; $1,427,019; $82.25.
5. (New) Sade; $1,351,955; $101.99.
6. (6) Phish; $1,035,786; $52.23.
7. (7) New Kids On The Block / Backstreet Boys; $842,387; $73.53.
8. (8) Usher; $822,778; $68.82.
9. (New) Rush; $688,049; $72.51.
10. (10) Rascal Flatts; $662,125; $35.20.
11. (11) Michael Buble; $553,844; $75.28.
12. (12) Motley Crue; $506,027; $55.89.
13. (14) "American Idols Live"; $480,206; $53.73.
14. (13) Katy Perry; $478,826; $41.61.
15. (16) Josh Groban; $433,929; $79.05.
16. (15) Keith Urban; $432,768; $53.03.
17. (17) Sugarland; $394,774; $47.90.
18. (New) Luis Miguel; $393,595; $90.54.
19. (19) 311 / Sublime With Rome; $289,658; $29.09.
20. (New) Chelsea Handler; $278,411; $72.09.

For free upcoming tour information, go to www.pollstar.com

http://www.cnbc.com/id/44361080

311 (Detroit Live Magazine)

2011-08-30T14:19:00.000-07:00

Unity Tour – 311 + Sublime With Rome @ Marymoor Park – August 26, 2011 (Backbeat Seattle)

2011-08-29T13:21:00.000-07:00

The planets aligned, the meaning of life was revealed and, in the immortal words of comedian Bill Hicks, my third eye was squeegeed quite cleanly. That was just from the contact high. In all honesty, of the countless shows I have been to over the years I have never seen and smelled as many people light up as I did at the final 311 Unity Tour stop at Marymoor Park. With Sublime With Rome in tow the “smoke free” venue was bathed in the distinct smelling haze of marijuana cigarettes most of the evening. 311 has some of the best crowds of any band I know. The Sublime fans were pretty mellow as well.

The show, scheduled to start at 6, actually kicked off earlier. By the time I showed up, 6 on the dot, the opener Del Mar had already left the stage. Sublime With Rome took the stage and kicked off with “Wrong Way.” It took me a few songs to warm up to the fact that obviously Rome was not Bradley Nowell. I have to admit, he did a great job and in front of so many die-hard Sublime fans, there’s no way it was an easy task. The new songs, especially “Take It Or Leave It,” sounded great and versions of the old songs were at the very least listenable and enjoyable. The crowd sang along to old favorites “What I Got,” “Santeria,” “Badfish” and “Smoke Two Joints.” Some of the highlights included a psychedelic cover of the Grateful Dead’s “Scarlet Begonias,” the reggae beat of “Don’t Push” and the energetic, set closing “Date Rape.” This is Sublime: The Next Generation. Bottom line is: they were better than I thought they would be and think they’ll stand well on their own.

While the quality of 311′s studio output has slowly declined over their last few albums, their live show is still unbeatable. I think 311 knows their recent material isn’t their strongest. Their set reflected this by shying away from all recent albums besides their newest release. Universal Pulse, their new album, clocks in with 8 songs and is under 30 minutes long, feeling more like an EP than an LP. Their setlist and Unity Tour closing show at Marymoor was one for the ages.

They kicked off with “Beautiful Disaster” and “From Chaos” before launching into “Sunset In July” right as the sun was descending towards the horizon. They followed this up with the old school 311 of “All Mixed Up” and the funkiness of their first single “Do You Right.” They threw in some songs for the dedicated fans, deep cuts they don’t play as often live. “Starshines” is a funky rap-rock mash-up from their excellent Transistor album. As a huge 311 fan the only song I used to loathe in the 311 cannon was “Brodels.” The song live isn’t half bad and is a tribute to their friends and crew. I might have to go back and re-evaluate that one.

Halfway through they kicked into “Applied Science” and broke out the now obligatory communal drumming interlude to accompany Chad Sexton’s amazing drum solo. No matter what you think of 311′s music there’s no denying they are immensely talented musicians. P-Nut’s bass solo later in the set was a highlight as were guitarist Tim Mahoney’s solos interspersed throughout the show. Nick Hexum and S.A. Martinez were vocally spot on all night and I stood in awe that S.A. could still spit out rhymes with the same energy he had 15 years ago.

Out of all the other new songs “Trouble” shows the most promise as a hit, the most connection with the fans. They closed out the show with the live favorite “Who’s Got the Herb?” (apparently about ¾ of the crowd at Marymoor) and a high energy “Down,” dedicated to all the old school 311 fans in the house. Live, 311 has still got it. I hope the day will come again when their new studio music returns to the same high quality level of their live shows.

http://backbeatseattle.com/wordpress/2011/08/29/show-review-photos-unity-tour-311-sublime-w-rome-marymoor-park-%E2%80%93-august-26-2011/

311 - Chad Sexton (Pearl)

2011-08-27T18:49:00.000-07:00

For most, 311’s Summer Unity Tour means exactly what the title suggests; the coming together of fans from all different backgrounds to celebrate the summer, and the love of music, all throughout the country. This year’s Summer Unity Tour proved, once again, to be the epitome of the perfect summer night, with 311 continuing where they left off during last year’s trek, making an unforgettable night for all. This year, 311’s annual summer tour seemed especially magical, with the band touring the states for the first time in support of their latest studio album, Universal Pulse, which hit the shelves just last month. Universal Pulse includes the hit song, “Sunset in July”, which instantly climbed to the top of the charts and became the song of the season for the millions of 311 fans around the world. This album, along with the 9 previous albums, have molded 311 into one of the biggest bands of today, in part to their endless series of hits, multi-platinum selling albums, and their unbelievable live concerts.

Pearl artist, Chad Sexton, is revered and idolized greatly in the drumming world. Having stormed onto the drumming scene with 311 over 20 years ago, Chad has continued to build up his reputation as one of the world’s finest drummers through his rock-solid playing and beautiful use of his well-versed rudiments. Chad’s clean and tasteful playing continue to be a major factor in the band’s success, with Chad always concentrating on the overall outcome of the song, putting the right drum parts to the right sections, and only displaying his chops when the musical piece allows enough space for it. This style of patient playing has become Chad’s signature technique, and has influenced thousands upon thousands of drummers who have grown alongside with 311’s remarkable career.

With the new, hot album, chart climbing single, and the quintessential summer tour on the docket, Chad unveiled his gorgeous new Pearl Reference Series kit, to keep up with 311’s theme of new and amazing. Chad’s new Reference Series kit has already made a big splash and stirred up a huge amount of interest, and compliments, throughout the drumming world, and for a very good reason. The custom finish, which was designed by Chad and perfected in Pearl’s Factory, serves as the perfect centerpiece to 311’s stage, with the stunning teal and white burst capturing the audience’s attention and adding a whole new visual factor to the band’s performance. The specs on Chad’s new kit are as follow:

Reference Series: Custom teal/white burst

6x6- rack tom
8x7- rack tom
10x8- rack tom
12x9- rack tom
13x10- rack tom
14x14- floor tom
16x16- floor tom
20x14- gong drum
22x18- kick drum
14x5- Free Floating Snare Drum (maple)

Along with the noted special order drums, like the 6x6 rack tom and the 20x14 gong drum, Chad also uses a set of Pearl Rocket Toms, which serve as a major part to 311’s signature drum solo, and also throughout various sections of the band’s set. Both the Rocket Toms and the Gong drums were custom painted to match the rest of the kit. For his snare, Chad went back to his old ways with a 14x5 maple Free Floating Snare Drum, which has been his go-to snare drum throughout his lengthy career. Between the free floating maple shell, and his technique, Chad is able to pull a varied amount of full-bodied tones and a large amount of crack from the shallow snare, along with, and including, the high-pitched ringing tone that he is often recognized by.

The Pearl name is proudly displayed throughout the aforementioned drum solo, which serves as the highlight to any and every 311 concert. Composed and designed by Chad himself, this year’s solo included a set of Surdo drums, from Pearl’s Brazilian Percussion line, along with multiple 12x5 Firecracker snare drums, and a gorgeous 36x16 PBE Concert Bass Drum.

Although 311’s Summer Unity Tour is sadly coming to a close, the band will be back in a big way soon, with plans for their second Caribbean Cruise in the works, along with their biyearly 311 Day, which will be held in Las Vegas. For more information on 311 and Chad Sexton, please be sure to visit the band’s website at www.311.com. Also be sure to pick up a copy of 311’s new album, Universal Pulse, which is available wherever music is sold.

http://www.pearldrum.com/Artists/Featured-Artists.aspx?id=22

311 w/ Sublime with Rome @ Verizon Wireless Amp – Review (YouTellConcerts)

2011-08-24T17:03:00.001-07:00

Prior to attending this mini-Reggae fest, Sublime with Rome and 311, I will not lie…I was not looking forward to seeing Sublime with Rome. For one, I am not to fond of Sublime’s new song, and two, I felt like it was wrong seeing Sublime with Rome. They are not the genuine Sublime band that I grew up listening to.

To my surprise, however, Rome’s voice almost identically matched the beloved and legendary Bradely Nowell’s vocals. If you were to close your eyes and just listen to the music, it was almost as if you heard Bradley’s voice through the new frontman. Rome continues to sing out and play those guitar riffs in remembrance of Brad. So, although it was not the original band member up there, it was still amazing to hear someone sound so close to the original Sublime “sound.” I greatly enjoyed listening and singing along to the old Sublime tunes that I once loved.

Photo by Jorge Meza

Sublime started off the night with “Smoke Two Joints,” and that was exactly what the crowd did. Everyone pulled out their rolled joints and started lighting up; but pipes and joints were not the only things that were being lit up.

Up in the meadows, which was the furthest “pit” overlooking the stage and whole arena, the fans went wild. You found crazy hardcore fans burning cups, their clothes, and whatever one was able to find or willing to burn. They created their very own homemade bonfire in a knocked over trash bin. As flames burned from the grass, the security guards could only stand there as they watched those unstoppable fans tumble over, mosh around and run over this fire pit while Sublime with Rome continued on with their performance. This attitude and behavior reminded me of the 90′s, when Grunge, Ska and a mixture of Punk Rock were put together to create an “eff the world, eff the norm” mentality and mannerism; I felt like we were back in the 90′s.

All together, the whole crowd’s vibe was in tune. As you stood there singing and dancing to the all-time classic songs “Wrong Way,” “Santeria,” and “Summertime,” you felt everyone’s energy in sync with the old Sublime fans and even the new Sublime with Rome fans. As the favorite jam, “What I Got,” was performed, Rome pointed the mic out to the audience inviting every fan out there to sing aloud the well-known ending lyrics repeatedly, “Lov-in’… is What I GOT. I said Remember That.”

As Sublime with Rome stated that they were about to play their last song for the night, the crowd “Boo”ed as they screamed “We love you!” “Date Rape” started up and the crowd lost it. Thousands of fans screamed along to the song as their fingers and hands waved in the air. The song came to a close, and the band thanked the fans for all their love and support as they exited the stage. The crowd called for an encore, but sadly they did not return.

Fresh off of their first 311 Pow Wow festival, 311 rolled into Verizon Wireless Amphitheater and delivered on the promise of their new album, “Universal Pulse,” and put on a perfect summer show.

Photo by Jorge Meza

They stormed out with a fan favorite, “Beautiful Disaster,” to get the crowd going and never let up. 311 played many of their older tunes and mixed in “Sunset in July” and “Wild Nights” from their new album as well. The extremely loyal following that 311 have developed was in full force singing their hearts out through most of the set. 311 bypassed some of their more popular slow jams such as “Love Song” to keep the energy going. The pinnacle of the show was their famous drum solo. There are few better concert experiences than watching Chad Sexton rip into his drum solo in the middle of “Applied Science” with the other members of the band joining in on their own individual drums. By the time they break back into the end of the song, the whole crowd is jumping up and down to the beat. 311 brought the show to an end with their cover of Bad Brain’s “Who’s Got the Herb” coupled with “And A Ways To Go;” finishing up with “Creatures For Awhile.”

With 20 years behind them, the only negative to a 311 show is that you leave wanting more. All you hear around you while exiting is people in the crowd talking about what they wanted to hear. I scratched that itch by hitting up a local karaoke bar in Irvine and helped some friends belt out a few more 311 jams.

http://youtellconcerts.com/reveiw-311-w-sublime/

311 and Sublime With Rome (Hollywood Jesus)

2011-08-24T11:15:00.000-07:00

Marking Santa Barbara Bowl’s 75th anniversary, this summer’s lineup has already been an incredible one, and isn’t letting up anytime soon. The Bowl has already played host to big names like Katy Perry and Incubus this past month, and upcoming highlights include Ray LaMontagne, Fleet Foxes, Journey, and Death Cab For Cutie. As always, incredible acts keep flocking to this gorgeous venue, and any trip there makes it easy to see why.

On their sixth annual Summer Unity Tour, 311 once again returned to sunny Santa Barbara, this time with the newly (re) formed Sublime With Rome along for the ride. Fans, young and old, packed out the Bowl on a beautiful August afternoon last weekend, to hear both bands, and to experience a whole heap of what summer has to offer.

After a short set by Del Mar, a female-fronted surf rock band, which also feature’s Sublime’s drummer Bud Gaugh, Sublime With Rome took the stage and the crowd officially went nuts. After the untimely death of Sublime’s lead singer, Bradley Nowell in 1996, Gaugh and bassist Eric Wilson let the band die off as well, and pursued other side projects throughout the years. Not until 2009, when they met a young Rome Ramirez, did they decide to put the band back together, so to speak, not to try to replace Nowell, but to play on in his honor.

The old familiar sounds of 40oz. to Freedom all rushed back, as the band opened with the same sound clips and samples that peppered their 1992 debut album, and crashed into a non-stop mashup of Sublime’s old hits. It’s incredible how much Ramirez can sound like Nowell when he’s trying, and his youthful energy and punk-rock spirit seemed to uplift Gaugh and Wilson, while breathing new life into the music.

The crowd sang along, moshed in time with, and generally took a trip down memory lane, as the trio, backed by a DJ and a saxophonist, rocked their way through familiar tracks like “Badfish” and “Santeria,” as well as lesser known gems like “Right Back” and their cover of the Grateful Dead’s “Scarlet Begonias.” It’s amazing what an impact Sublime still has to this day, and it’s a huge credit to Nowell’s impressive legacy to see that many fans singing along to just about every song.

Also mixed into the session were a few of the new tracks off of Sublime with Rome’s first official album, Yours Truly. Tunes like “Panic” and “Murdera” held up pretty well against some of the older songs, but you could tell that the classics were what the fans really wanted to hear. SWR returned the favor and closed with an inspired version of “What I Got,” as well as Sublime’s first hit, and subsequent crowd favorite, “Date Rape.” While I can’t say I ever had the privilege of seeing Sublime live in person, I’m pretty sure this is as close as I’ll ever get, and it was a great show.

SWR could have been the headliners, and it still would have been a stellar concert, but thankfully, 311, one of the best live bands out there, still had a few hours left to jam and close out the evening. Boasting the same lineup for almost twenty years now, Nick Hexum (vocals/guitar), Doug “SA” Martinez (backup vocals/programming), Tim Mahoney (lead guitar), P-Nut (bass), and Chad Sexton (Drums) are all incredible masters of their instruments, and have really perfected the art of the live stage show. While they may not be putting out as many hits on the radio as they used to, their fan following has remained enormous, and their concert experience is one of the best out there today.

The minute Mahoney’s guitar started crunching out the intro power chords to “Beautiful Disaster,” the Bowl erupted. The quintet bounced around stage, displayed their musical prowess, and the resulting energy in the crowd was so positive and vibrant. With a style definitely all their own, the best way to describe the band comes off the lyrics from their 1999 hit “Come Original,” where Hexum sings “Funk slap bass mixed with the dance hall, and hip hop beats and punk guitar, and deadly on the mic is the one SA, the name is 311 and you know it ain’t easy.”

Hexum and Martinez traded lyrical licks like some sort of rap leapfrog game, while the rest of the band cranked through hits like “Prisoner” and “All Mixed Up,” and it was hard to ignore the talents of both P-Nut and Sexton. P-Nut got his own chance to shine, as the audience roared in awe of his bass solo, as there are few out there who can “slap da bass” like him, and then the highlight of the evening was when Sexton got his own drum solo. Playing some of the fastest and most ridiculous beats on one of the biggest drum kits I’ve ever seen, everyone was up on their feet cheering him on, for over five minutes. That then led into a 311 concert standard, where the entire band gets on a drum, and bangs along in time impressively, like some kind of crazy Vegas show act.

With ten albums to their names, and such a huge catalog of hits, it was really cool to hear them go deeper into the vaults with live versions of tracks like “Large in the Margin,” “1,2,3,” and “Do You Right.” They truly own their entire collection, and the energy never let up or took a break. Fans even seemed to be digging the new songs off of last month’s release Universal Pulse, especially their new unofficial Unity Tour anthem, “Sunset in July.” As the musical harbingers of the summertime, their lyrics “Sunset in July, rockers by my side, and time is flying by. Watching you dancing and having the time of your life, and it’s getting me high” rang true throughout the Bowl that evening.

I’m pretty sure everyone in the crowd sang along with lighters up to the mellowed out hit “Amber,” but by the time they closed the show with “Down” they were all back on their feet again in happy little mosh pits, and the inevitable encore brought on a few more past hits, including one of my favorites, “Creatures (For A While).” Another incredible showing by the five guys from Omaha, Nebraska, and over twenty years since the band’s birth, they showed absolutely no signs of slowing down.

http://live.hollywoodjesus.com/?p=8539

311 Comes Home (Westside Wired)

2011-08-23T20:32:00.000-07:00

311 proudly took the stage Tuesday, July 19, in their hometown of Omaha in the RedSky Music Festival. With 7,300 fans welcoming their performance at TD Ameritrade Park, the band felt right at home. The concert was a mixture of all their classic songs but also a number of new singles from their newest album, Universal Pulse, which was released the Tuesday of the festival.

The excitement of performing in their hometown and promoting their brand new album certainly had 311 feeling much excitement. However, 311 weren’t the only ones excited. No amount of heat or sweat could have kept all the screaming fans away.

Opening earlier for 311 was another famous and classic band, Sublime. Sublime started off the day full of music. With their upbeat alternative music, fans were already jumping around and singing along early afternoon. Fans all over the stadium were feeling the great atmosphere the outdoor venue had to offer.

Throughout the afternoon, a large water hose poured over a section of the stadium allowing energetic fans to cool off the summer heat while showing off their dance moves. With all the dancing either in the water or the moshpits between the 7,000 fans, all who attended showed how they were enjoying the return of 311.

http://www.westsidewired.org/311-comes-home/

Eclectic Bands Team Up At Shoreline (KTVU)

2011-08-22T18:34:00.001-07:00

Founded in Omaha, Nebraska, during the early '90s, alternative rock quintet 311 has built up a loyal fan base since appearing on the national scene with their debut recording, 'Music,' in 1993. Touching on the Red Hot Chili Peppers funky punk while adding elements of hard rock, hip hop and reggae, the group has maintained it popularity through over two decades of existence since being founded by lead singer/guitarist Nick Hexum with relentlessly touring, a positive message and a high-energy stage show.

311 has maintained its popularity despite being unable to match the chart success of their mid-1990s hits "Down" and "All Mixed Up," selling out their annual "311 Day" marathon concerts (held each year on March 11th) and embarking on their well-attended Summer Unity Tours teamed with such acts as Ziggy Marley, The Expendables, Snoop Dog, Offspring and Matisyahu. This year, the group partners with equally eclectic reunited '90s band Sublime with Rome.

The Long Beach-based punk/ska band was on the cusp of a mainstream breakthrough in 1996 when singer and principle songwriter Bradley Nowell died of a drug overdose in San Francisco while on tour. Having already built up a strong regional following as part of Southern California's early 1990s ska revival alongside the likes of No Doubt, Sublime's mix of ska, reggae, punk, surf rock, and hip hop on its self-released debut '40 Oz. to Freedom' scored the group its first hit with "Date Rape." The group eventually scored a deal with MCA, but was dealt a tragic blow with Nowell's death just months before their eponymous third album came out to wide acclaim and huge sales fueled by alt-rock radio hits "What I Got," "Wrong Way" and "Doin' Time" (a creative, sample-driven version of George Gershwin's "Summertime").

While surviving members Bud Gaugh (drums) and Eric Wilson (bass guitar) initially disbanded the group to work under the Long Beach All-Stars moniker along with other projects, two years the pair brought on Bay Area singer/songwriter Rome Ramirez. The partnership, forced by legal reasons to work as Sublime with Rome, has been largely embraced by fans and recently issued its first album 'Yours Truly.'

311 and Sublime with Rome
Tuesday, August 23, 6:30 p.m. $15-$70
Shoreline Amphitheatre

http://www.ktvu.com/entertainment/28931659/detail.html

Sublime with Rome and 311 Headline Verizon Wireless Amphitheater (Neon Tommy)

2011-08-22T18:32:00.001-07:00

Long Beach, California natives, Sublime with Rome lit up Saturday night’s clear sky at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater as they split the stage with 311. The two 90s and 2000s modern rock artists, while very distinct from one another, brought together a magical blend of rock, ska, and reggae in the amphitheater.

While many devoted Southern California fans, with a median age around the mid 20s, showed up to hear their favorite bands perform back to back, Sublime’s new front man, Rome, still had to prove himself to some very loyal original Sublime (with deceased guitarist and vocalist Bradley Nowell) enthusiasts.

Sublime and 311 represent more than music; they represent an attitude, a culture, and a lifestyle – often associated with (whether deserved or not) marijuana.

Just as the exit off the 405 towards the amphitheatre started to no longer back-up and spill onto the freeway, Sublime with Rome, whose genre-blending style incorporates dub, reggae, punk rock, rockabilly and several, other genres, took the stage as the sun was going down.

While drummer, Bud Gaugh, and bassist, Eric Wilson played well live, as presumed, controversial guitarist and vocalist, Rome, needed to perform even better to please the eager crowd.

For this writer’s ears, Rome disappointed from time to time in his vocalist capabilities, but still managed help put on a fantastic set overall, playing many Sublime favorites amidst songs such as ‘Panic’ and the light an catchy, ‘PCH,’ off their early July 2011 album, Yours Truly.

Still, ‘Santeria’ was perhaps the biggest crowd-pleaser based on the amount of audience members singing along. Even though a man twirling fire in the grassy terrace section of the amphitheater stole a few minutes of attention away from the stage, Sublime with Rome’s closing song of the night – ‘Date Rape’ – tasted like sweet perfection, peace, and love.

Sublime then gladly introduced their friends – 1995 mainstream alternative rock breakthroughs – 311.

311 is composed of Nick Hexum, Doug "SA" Martinez, Tim Mahoney, Aaron "P-Nut" Wills and Chad Sexton. Hexum and Martinez were a superb vocal collaboration; the effortless bouncing between Hexum’s deep and strong voice and Martinez’s higher and whinier pitch was as smooth as melted butter on toast.

While Sexton pumped out a strong performance on the drums throughout the entire show, towards the middle of the set, he went into a long, heart-pounding, drum solo praised and applauded by his fans.

Similar to Sublime with Rome, 311 played many old favorites, like ‘All Mixed Up’ and ‘Loco’ – a song inspired by mushrooms – mixed with more recently written songs off of there newly released (July 19) album, Universal Pulse.

The set jumped between heavier, more metal and rap infused songs to pump up the crowd and light, relaxing melodies to reflect the audience’s generally mellow state.

Yes, there was (to my reluctance) audience arm-swaying, yes, there was lots of genre bending, and yes, it was, as Hexum declared, “a big positive celebration” that was a hell-of-a (notice the dashes Northern Californians) good show.

http://www.neontommy.com/news/2011/08/sublime-rome-and-311-headline-verizon-wireless-amphitheater-0

Live Review: 311 & Sublime with Rome at Santa Barbra (Examiner.com)

2011-08-22T18:13:00.000-07:00

Last night, 311 and Sublime with Rome lit up the Santa Barbara Bowl to a packed house of devoted fans and followers.

The whole evening had a celebratory vibe, from the pre-show music courtesy of DJ Soulman to the familiar sounds of both bands.

Taking the stage and going right into Smoke Two Joints, Sublime with Rome had the crowd up on its feet throughout their hour-long set.

Original Sublime band members Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh slammed through the songs that put the Long Beach band on the map in the mid-1990s, while new vocalist/guitarist Rome Ramirez did an impressive job channeling the spirit of former front man Bradley Nowell.

The band mixed between classic Sublime tracks like Santeria, What I Got, Wrong Way, April 29 1992, Badfish, Date Rape, and Scarlet Begonias (a Grateful Dead cover) and tunes from the band's new album Yours Truly (such as Murdera and Panic). In all, their set was a lively trip down memory lane for many of the fans in attendance, and hearing some classic Sublime songs live was a pretty enjoyable and fun way to get warmed up for 311.

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Hitting the stage amid a great light display and fevered anticipation, 311 launched right into mega-hit Beautiful Disaster, from the band's 1997 album Transistor. Vocalist/rhythm guitarist Nick Hexum, rapper/DJ Doug "S.A." Martinez, bassist Aaron "P-Nut" Wills, guitarist Tim Mahoney and drummer Chad Sexton reciprocated the crowd's energy throughout the set, which touched on songs from all throughout the band's career.

The band delighted hardcore fans with rarely-played songs such as Stealing Happy Hours, Large in the Margin, Purpose, 1,2,3, Six, Eons, and From Chaos, while also appealing to fans of the band's more well-known tunes like Come Original, All Mixed Up, Down, Flowing, Amber, and Creatures (For Awhile), which ended the encore.

In all, 311's set demonstrated the band's ability to entertain a devoted audience with a diverse, crowd-pleasing set list of songs. In addition to reaching back deep in their catalog, the band showcased some new jams from the recently-released Universal Pulse, including Sunset in July, Rock On, Count Me In, and Time Bomb, and each had the typically crisp 311 live sound to them already. It's clear the band enjoys playing the new songs just as much as the classics, and it comes across in the quality of their live show.

By the time the show ended around 10 pm, everyone left satisfied. 311 puts on one of the best live shows around, and considering the band is nearing its 20th year with the same lineup, that's really saying something.

This show came at the tail end of the band's 2011 Unity Tour. After this, 311 will rest up a bit before hitting the road again in the spring, culminating in another 311 Day event in Las Vegas. A 2-day concert this time, the weekend will be a festive celebration of the band by fans who will gather in Sin City for an unforgettable event. For more information about 311 Day 2012 and also the band's recently-announced Cruise, visit their official website.

http://www.examiner.com/music-in-los-angeles/live-review-311-sublime-with-rome-at-santa-barbara-bowl#ixzz1VoI6hn00

311 and Sublime with Rome at the Santa Barbara Bowl (Santa Barbra Independant)

2011-08-22T17:29:00.000-07:00

If I had to make one overarching generalization about human behavior based solely on the recent Sublime with Rome and 311 show at the Santa Barbara Bowl, it would look something like this: people prefer the familiar, give them a tune they know versus something they’ve never heard and chances are they will go bonkers for the former.

Lucky for the near-capacity and generally quite enthused Sunday evening crowd, both Sublime with Rome and 311 are quite adept at delivering both familiar and beloved jams. As the Bradley Nowell-less Sublime rocketed through a set list comprised almost entirely of the genre-bending, hyper-brilliant catalog penned by their late frontman, the audience—an all-ages blend with a definitive affinity for tasteful arm tattoos and hipster fedoras—ate them up joyously in big cloud of cannabis smoke. Songs like “Santeria,” “Wrong Way,” “Summer Time” (the saxophone of which was certainly something worth remarking), “What I Got,” and “Date Rape” all caused full on, Bowl-wide sing-alongs, and even the occasional mosh pit. However, when the tunes took a turn toward the new—specifically Sublime’s singles off their new studio album—folks were not nearly as impressed. “Take It or Leave It” and “She’s a Murderer,” though not entirely bad, sounded pedestrian when stacked up next to the old school Sublime hits.

Paul Wellman
311
The headliners provided no exception to my hypothesis. Anything but a stranger to the Bowl, the boys from 311—who seem to have played here virtually every year since our little sandstone amphitheater first opened—put on a show Sunday night as energetic and inspired as perhaps they have ever done before for the Santa Babylon crowd. From “Beautiful Disaster” to “Amber” to “Come Original,” 311 was all bounce and energy, injecting just enough edge in their staple hits to inspire a whole new generation of teenage fans to go out and get a speeding ticket while driving their parent’s car.

Paul Wellman
311
Though they didn’t elicit quite to the same “Wow, this really misses the mark” reactions as Sublime’s new songs, 311’s cuts from their recently released Uplifter (“Time Bomb,” “Sunset in July”) seemed to fall a bit short for the crowd. Heads were bobbing and beer was being spilled, but not many seemed motivated to aim their cameras and press “record.” All of this was quickly forgotten though as bassist P-Nut embarked on a truly epic solo, and the ganja smoke rose once again into the flashing blue lights of the stage. The audience, now grooving on something they knew by heart, took a collective step back into the bliss, screaming with pleasure and raising their phones in the now universal sign of concert-going approval.

http://www.independent.com/news/2011/aug/22/311-and-sublime-rome-santa-barbara-bowl/

Fans party up with 311, Sublime with Rome (OC Register)

2011-08-21T18:35:00.000-07:00

As soon as the lights went out, screaming ensued and the band kicked into “Beautiful Disaster” -- but there was nothing disastrous about the beautiful show 311 put on Saturday night in Irvine. The Omaha band that for decades has blended cool rock, rap and reggae into the catchiest of songs returned this weekend to a familiar O.C. stomping ground, Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, for the second of three Southern California stops on its annual Unity Tour, this year also featuring Sublime with Rome.
There was plenty of head-bobbing, moshing, jumping and everything in between Saturday night, thanks to lead vocalist Nick Hexum’s energy, SA Martinez’s rapping (though it was nice to get a break from that during the likes of “Amber” and “Beautiful Disaster”) and the rest of the band’s talents, all showcased throughout the set, including via an entertaining solo from drummer Chad Sexton.

“What we have here is a whole positive celebration!” Hexum said to cheers while dedicating “Down” to “all the old-school 311 fans in the house.”
There were plenty on hand, from moshers in the pit to devotees squeezed onto the lawn, and they took in a show packed with favorites. Among the more hardcore of songs was “Jackpot,” which brought out the intensity of the crowd, many of whom threw their hands up while screaming the title.
Not hearing “I’ll Be Here Awhile” or “Don’t Tread on Me” in the mix was a disappointment, but 311 outdid itself when the band joined Sexton in a brief but awesome drum session, banging large tom-toms in sync before Hexum tossed his sticks to two lucky fans and launched into “Come Original,” causing hands to go up in the air. Their set lasted nearly two hours, and while some made their way to the exits early (beating typically bad traffic out of Verizon), most stayed behind until the stage's bright green, purple and at times red lights went dim.

This also was a homecoming (of sorts) for Sublime with Rome after touring the states for some two months. “I f***in' love this sh**, man. We’re home, we’re playing for you m*****f******,” said 23-year-old replacement vocalist and guitarist Rome Ramirez - although, Fremont native that he is, he wore a Giants cap for this visit. (Drummer Bud Gaugh and bassist Eric Wilson are the ones from Long Beach.)

A mix of Sublime staples and a few (like standouts “Panic” and “PCH”) from the band’s July debut with Ramirez, Yours Truly, kept this T-shirt-reppin’ crowd (most of whom smoked more than two joints) in a nonstop frenzy. It was a sight to see, a Sublime fan base that pulled from both corners of the spectrum, from older fans who remember the late Bradley Nowell like it was yesterday (and possibly wanted to check out his vocal doppelganger) to a new generation of youth, some young enough to sit on their parents’ shoulders, who were too young to have seen the real thing.
The consensus was clear, if the two fans behind me were any indication: “He’s cool,” said the energetic blond about Ramirez. “I know,” replied the older gentleman next to her.
Far from a tribute band, Sublime with Rome proved they have a growing, well-deserved following for both their revival and new material. It was easy to see why Saturday night as soon as Ramirez opened his mouth, given his uniquely beautiful voice and the distinctive falsetto he often places at the ends of verses. (His rendition of “Rehab,” inspired by Amy Winehouse’s passing last month, really shows off his skill. Too bad he didn’t perform it here.)

Comparing him to Nowell doesn’t do either singer any justice: Ramirez should be praised for his chops as much as Nowell should be remembered for his mercurial talent.
The new Sublime got through as many classics as they could in the 90-some minutes they had, managing to include “Doin’ Time,” “Wrong Way” and “Badfish” (my all-time fave), all of which had the ska lovers in attendance joining in and grooving to the beats, with bodies swaying and hands flailing. I almost chuckled when Rome asked who knew “Santeria” to help sing it -- as if any self-respecting Sublime fan wouldn't. (I’m sure he deliberately mentioned that for the reaction it evoked.)
During one of Ramirez's finer guitar solos, some concert-goers were temporarily distracted by a guy burning a fire (using who-knows-what) in the lawn area, as has happened at so many Weenie Roasts in the past. Kinda cool, but I couldn't help but wonder: Where was security?

Audience participation during “What I Got” (abetted by a guitarist Ramirez called Cheese, if my ears didn’t deceive me) was at a high level, the frontman sparking another singalong: “It’s your turn, Orange County!” he said, holding the mic toward the crowd, who then chanted the chorus.
Rowdy fans were quick to show their dismay by yelling “no!” and booing at the mention of the set coming to a close; clearly they hadn't had enough and weren’t ready to see the band go. The vocalist quickly put a stop to that, however, re-energizing the crowd for the remainder of the show. It was as if they had read the crowd’s mind in choosing to end with “Date Rape.” “Orange County, one last time, let me hear you f***in' scream!” Ramirez shouted as he rocked out, feeding off fans' energy.
Chants of “we want more” after they left the stage were in vein. Yet Sublime with Rome still left concert-goers with fun memories from a band whose original spirit is being kept alive by a strong new voice.

311, new Sublime bring positive vibes to Verizon (OC Register)

2011-08-21T18:09:00.000-07:00

As soon as the lights went out, screaming ensued and the band kicked into “Beautiful Disaster” — but there was nothing disastrous about the beautiful show 311 put on Saturday night in Irvine. The Omaha band that for decades has blended cool rock, rap and reggae into the catchiest of songs returned this weekend to a familiar O.C. stomping ground, Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, for the second of three Southern California stops on its annual Unity Tour, this year also featuring Sublime with Rome.

There was plenty of head-bobbing, moshing, jumping and everything in between Saturday night, thanks to lead vocalist Nick Hexum’s energy, SA Martinez’s rapping (though it was nice to get a break from that during the likes of “Amber” and “Beautiful Disaster”) and the rest of the band’s talents, all showcased throughout the set, including via an entertaining solo from drummer Chad Sexton.

“What we have here is a whole positive celebration!” Hexum said to cheers while dedicating “Down” to “all the old-school 311 fans in the house.”

There were plenty on hand, from moshers in the pit to devotees squeezed onto the lawn, and they took in a show packed with favorites. Among the more hardcore of songs was “Jackpot,” which brought out the intensity of the crowd, many of whom threw their hands up while screaming the title.

Not hearing “I’ll Be Here Awhile” or “Don’t Tread on Me” in the mix was a disappointment, but 311 outdid itself when the band joined Sexton in a brief but awesome drum session, banging large tom-toms in sync before Hexum tossed his sticks to two lucky fans and launched into “Come Original,” causing hands to go up in the air. Their set lasted nearly two hours, and while some made their way to the exits early (beating typically bad traffic out of Verizon), most stayed behind until the stage’s bright green, purple and at times red lights went dim.

http://soundcheck.ocregister.com/2011/08/21/311-new-sublime-bring-positive-vibes-to-verizon/59501/

311's Nick Hexum Loves The Beatles, The Clash, and The Smiths (Audio Ink Radio)

2011-08-19T15:42:00.000-07:00

Over two decades have passed since 311 first got together and started dreaming up reggae-inspired alternative rock nuggets such as “Creatures (For a While)” and “All Mixed Up.” The guys are back this year with a new album, Universal Pulse (which dropped in July), and a mega tour with fellow alternative rockers Sublime with Rome.
Nick Hexum, frontman for the Omaha-based group, says bands such as the Clash and the Smiths started it all.

“The Clash… was the band that totally blew my mind,” he told Westword. “They had the energy of punk with reggae mixed in. They had this attitude that anything goes. We’ve been influenced by that. I also went through a huge Beatles phase. I listened to a lot of the Smiths, the Cure, when alternative was truly alternative…”

As for 311’s unrivaled longevity, Hexum always knew the guys had a chance to make it long-term.

“I believed it was definitely possible,” he said. “In fact, you really have to believe in yourself. You go through disappointment and rejections, and people tell you it’s not going to work, but you have to believe in yourself. I was betting everything on it. I thought we were going to be successful, but it has exceeded a lot of my expectations.”

311 will rock out on a special Caribbean Cruise from May 10 to 14, 2012, running from Miami to Half Moon Clay in the Bahamas. Tickets will go on sale in early October. Check the band’s official website for updates.

311, the De Facto Jam Band (OC Weekly)

2011-08-18T19:12:00.001-07:00

The more than two-decade path to stardom for Omaha rock combo 311 has taken the outfit down a circuitous path—from early grassroots fans, weed-loving frat guys, mainstream radio fodder-eaters and back to the grassroots set. For a band to survive this length of time, and keep its lineup wholly intact, is not only rare in this day and age, it may never happen again.

For better or worse, 311 are what the majority of up-and-comers should strive for. Yeah, their hipster indie cachet is probably almost as low as Good Charlotte's or whatever crap-slanger is penetrating the likes of KROQ these days, but their résumé thwarts any flash-in-the-pan argument at the door. The band started in garages, played parties, hit the road, struck radio gold and platinum multiple times, and now have a loyal following bent on hearing the old stuff and not buying the new stuff.

That's all any ambitious young outfit can hope for. In today's setting, playing the party circuit—or hell, even the garage—and slapping a catchy tune on YouTube can take a collection of unknowns directly into the public eye. Longevity is basically out of the picture. It's write a snappy tune or two—maybe—and then on to the next thing. That's just the facts of the current paradigm, under which record companies hardly make any money and just hope to rake in as much as they can while the iron is hot.

"A lot of the bands that were around when we started, even 10 years after, aren't doing it anymore," 311 mouthpiece, guitar player and general overlord Nick Hexum said. "They fizzled for a number of reasons, but I think the reason we've been able to stay around is because we've always been a band that loves playing live and connecting with people."

The human connection takes time to hone. One song can penetrate the general consciousness but it takes time on the road and proving you can write other songs to really make an impact. 311 found their connective message in a place where a lot of their contemporaries refused to go. The late '90s, the band's apex of popularity, found them doing battle on the charts with the likes of Korn, Limp Bizkit, Papa Roach and myriad other rap-metal clones preaching messages of anger and frustration. 311 set themselves apart with their message of joy, nonstop partying and fun. After a while even the surliest of bastards gets tired of being angry. But joy? And fun? That never gets old.

"Everybody seems to be able to relate to something in our songs," Hexum said. "I think that's why people enjoy watching us play live. . . . We're able to help people have a good time because they can see that we're having a good time, too."

The instrumentally astute 311 have also become a de facto jam band in the same way that Pearl Jam have—with good reason. People follow them around, year after year, on the road, because fans love dancing to their good-time music. So the band have taken their live efforts to a new level. The group headlined their very own Pow Wow Festival in early August, where they were joined by multiple other acts such as the Deftones, G. Love & Special Sauce, Ozomatli, and plenty more. The three-day affair featured four sets from the headliner including a start-to-finish performance of its 1997 platinum breakthrough, Transistor.

"I think rock & roll tourism, actually making a concert into a destination event, is what people are looking for," Hexum said. "There is so much disposable music out there, but something like this with great bands and musicians playing live is something that fans of bands that have had real careers really appreciate."

http://www.ocweekly.com/2011-08-18/music/311-nick-hexum/

311: 'Universal Pulse' – 4.5 out of 5 stars (Maneater)

2011-08-18T15:43:00.000-07:00

If you are a fan of 311, then Universal Pulse will not disappoint. The band continues to bring fans its familiar sound but has done it in a way that still makes it interesting.

The first three tracks on Universal Pulse display the heavier side of 311. The first song, “Time Bomb,” starts out with a slow driving riff that builds up quickly. The song becomes even more rowdy as the chorus kicks in, “ticking like a time bomb, watch me go off.”

The lead single, “Sunset In July,” creates the transition on the album from heavy to calm. The song starts out with a light, relaxing guitar line and keeps switching from a soft to heavy sound between the verses and chorus. “Sunset In July” encompasses the relaxed feeling that many people try to construct for themselves during the summer months.

The album then leads into its lighter side with the song “Trouble.” This song features more of the reggae-style rock that has attracted many people to the band, which includes playing the guitar with up-strokes and rapping during the verse. The band continues this sound into the very next song, “Count Me In.”

After the two reggae songs, the band gets heavier again on a song with the fitting title of “Rock On.” “Rock On” features another heavy riff with a slow rhythm that almost makes the listener head bang. That is until the bridge of the song, where it transitions smoothly into another soothing sound that continues during the the next two songs, “Weightless” and “And A Ways To Go.”

“Weightless” is a song that puts you in the mood to sit around and enjoy the day, or however you relax when you listen to 311. The feeling in the song is again set by the guitar line, and during the drum fills in the chorus, you may feel urged to sing along with the words, “weightless, weightless, everyone of us is weightless.”

“And A Ways To Go” rounds out the album on a high note. As it continues with the laid back feel most of the album has made, the song climaxes during a bass solo that shows why P-Nut is one of the best bass players around.

Universal Pulse shows what 311 is all about and shows that a band can continue to bring something interesting to fans while remaining to keep its same sound.

http://www.themaneater.com/blogs/arts-entertainment/2011/8/18/311-universal-pulse-45-out-5-stars/

Live review: 311, Sublime with Rome @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre (Denver Post)

2011-08-17T12:11:00.000-07:00

Welcome to 1995 in 2011. Sublime with Rome and 311 brought their Unity Tour house party jams to Red Rocks Amphitheatre for a venerable throwback night.

Sublime with Rome is still mostly playing the same material that was recorded with original singer Bradley Nowell in the early 1990s, while 311 has recorded 10 studio albums that haven’t evolved the band’s sound much further than their breakthrough self-titled album in 1995. You might even accuse these bands of being “cover” bands of their own material. Their members have grown older, but their music and stage persona is stuck in the ’90s, and they almost appear to be filling roles they created for themselves 20 years ago.

So what does that leave us with? A highly entertaining show, a wildly enthusiastic crowd and one of the more enjoyable nights at Red Rocks I’ve experienced this summer. It was about the whole experience. While the music may not be as fresh as it once was, the bands surely have a perfect “summer in Colorado” vibe.

Of course Sublime with Rome opened with “Smoke Two Joints” and set the crowd on the path for the evening. Speaking of the crowd, on my row alone was a group of middle school girls with matching braces, a group of high schoolers with their hats sideways and an unstoppable urge to dance, some mid-20 somethings that still shop at Hot Topic, all the way to balding 40+ crowd with their own kids in tow. And while it sounds like an awkward combo, it was actually pretty great to see them all united in dance under the cool Colorado sky.

While it is somewhat humorous to watch a bevy of white suburban kids enthusiastically yell, “187 on a motherfucking cop” during the chorus of “April 29, 1992,” a year in which many in attendance were born, it was clear most people were in attendance to dance, then smoke, then dance some more.

311 opened with “Beautiful Disaster” and quickly moved through a series of songs from the new album “Universal Pulse,” as well as more crowd favorites such as “All Mixed Up” and “Amber.” While new tunes such as “Sunset in July” sounded poppy to the point of boy-band status and caused notable lags in the crowd energy, ultimately the crowd danced and swayed at every opportunity to do so. And I have to say that I’m a sucker for drum solos that evolve into whole-band drum circles, no matter how pre-rehearsed.

According to 311′s lead singer Nick Hexum, this was the band’s 10th visit to Red Rocks, and by the large and relatively young crowd, it is probably a good bet that this won’t be the last.

This was the music of my high school years, and in the end I can say I have aged about as gracefully as the tunes in the air on this damp summer evening. That is to say not as well as I had hoped, but still fun in the right circumstances.

http://www.heyreverb.com/2011/08/17/sublime-311-red-rocks/

REVIEW: 311 and Sublime with Rome at The Backyard (The Horn)

2011-08-17T10:49:00.001-07:00

A couple of bands that need no introduction, 311 and Sublim with Rome, played at The Backyard Sunday. Eli Watson was there to record his fond memories of the bands' sets, especially the distinct aroma of marijuana...

Reggae rock band 311 performed at The Backyard at Bee Cave on Sunday, August 14. Opening up for them was ska punk group Sublime with Rome, and DJs Trichrome and Soulman.

Do 311 really need an introduction? Rhetorical, I know. Having debuted in the late 80s, 311 is just one of those bands that have refined their sound with each new record they put out. The group is comprised of talented musicians, and they are completely malleable. You want a funk rock head-banger? Check out “Down.” You want a song you can serenade your significant other to? Check out “Amber.” These guys have a very eclectic sound, and seeing them live was an absolute honor.

As the sky turned black, a multitude of lighters broke through the darkness. People were getting in one last hit before 311 took the stage, and considering the amount of smoke I saw, they were making it count. Suddenly, blue lights flickered on, sporadically shining over vocalist/rhythm guitarist Nick Hexum as he went into “Jackpot.” The band immediately received applause as they ended “Jackpot” and went into “All Mixed Up.” Everyone was moving around and dancing as the band effortlessly went through the classic hit. After going through other songs such as, “Do You Right,” “Wild Nights,” and new songs from their latest album, Universal Pulse, the band went into “Applied Science.”

“Applied Science” melted everybody’s face. Drummer Chad Sexton took control of the song, going into a drum solo that, undeniably, would have left his influences (Buddy Rich, Ginger Baker and Bill Bruford) impressed. Sexton is not the only member of the band who likes hitting things; so does the rest of the band.

Lead guitarist Tim Mahoney was hitting pots and pans, while Hexum, vocalist S.A. Martinez and bassist P-Nut played on an assortment of drums. Throwing sticks in the air and hitting on just about anything they could, these guys could give the Blue Man Group a run for their money.

Continuing to showcase the band’s all-star roster, P-Nut blasted through a bass solo, where he was “slappin’ the bass” and then some. Throwing in some effects, finger taps and other things that made him look like a master of bass, P-Nut had the crowd going crazy. Keeping the energy high (no pun intended), the band went through fan-favorites, such as “Amber” and “Come Original,” before ending their set with “Down.” The band walked offstage for only a few minutes, before taking the stage again for an encore.

“Who’s got the herb,” asked Hexum as the band went into the identically song. People responded to Hexum’s question the best way they knew how to; by lighting up, and letting the smoke make its way to the stage, Hexum and the rest of the group in a trance-like state as the song mellowed everybody out. Luckily, that mellow only lasted momentarily as the band ended with “Creatures (For a While).” Walking offstage, the band thanked everybody for coming out, with Hexum ending the night with two final words: “stay positive.”

Those two words, I believe, resonated with everyone as we all left The Backyard. We all arrived at the venue, sweaty and hot, waiting for the moment when The Backyard would open its gates to musical happiness and take us away from the problems of a rough week. When we all left, we were smiling. Some of us were reciting 311 songs, while others were reciting Sublime with Rome songs. Regardless, we all left that show feeling good and rejuvenated, ready to face another week.

Underneath the cloud of smoke, empty beer cans and water bottles, was a very important message that Hexum never hesitated to say. “Stay positive” seemed to be the theme of the show, and considering the large collective of people there who left satisfied, blaring 311’s discography all the way back home, I think it is safe to say that Hexum is not only a man of music, but a man of wisdom.

We all have to make the best of our lives, and when we are going through hard times we deserve to treat ourselves to something that will remind us that life is not as bad as we make it out to be sometimes. 311 and the artists that played at The Backyard on Sunday were a treat to everybody that attended, and their performances will be something that will be cherished and remembered, for many years to come.

http://www.readthehorn.com/lifestyle/48375/review_311_and_sublime_with_rome_at_the_backyard

311 frontman Nick Hexum on the Clash, being from Omaha and dealing with the haters (Denver Westword)

2011-08-16T15:41:00.000-07:00

Hailing from Omaha long before bands like the Faint, Cursive or Bright Eyes became that city's chief exports, 311 (due tonight at Red Rocks with Sublime with Rome) was making its mark with its amalgam of rock, reggae, hip-hop and funk. Eight million records later, the outfit is still doing its thing. In advance of the act's return to Denver in support of a brand new album, Universal Pulse, we spoke with frontman Nick Hexum about growing up in Omaha, the influence of the Clash and dealing with the haters.

Westword: So it's been a long, long time since Unity. Did you ever think 311 would get so big?

Nick Hexum: I believed it was definitely possible. In fact, you really have to believe in yourself. You go through disappointment and rejections and people tell you it's not your going to work, but you have to believe in yourself. I was betting everything on it. I thought we were going to be successful, but it has exceeded a lot of my expectations.

Being from Omaha, Nebraska, what do you think of the indie rock scene that has evolved out of there over the past decade or so?

I'm proud of Omaha. I'm glad to hear that Omaha music is getting the attention it deserves. I always say Omaha is a lot cooler than people might think. When we were first coming out people were like, "Oh maybe this could be a hot spot for music." Now more bands have come out, and that's cool.

You're about to release your twelfth studio album. What keeps you inspired?

I guess it's just that we're music lovers fist. So we're fans of music, and we're always checking out new stuff -- like new styles, lyrics and sounds to be inspired by. There are whole new frontiers to be inspired by. Some people sound like old fogies and say that they won't listen to this or that, but there is something I like in every genre. I get inspired. I even like dub step.

Who were some of your musical influences as a kid?

The Clash. That was the band that totally blew my mind. They had the energy of punk with reggae mixed in. They had this attitude that anything goes. We've been influenced by that. I also went through a huge Beatles phase. I listened to a lot of the Smiths, the Cure, when alternative was truly alternative. Like R.E.M. was on the radio when I was in high school. It's interesting that there's always that one word. It's funny to me when a word has such a huge connotation. I know the word "alternative" is kind of obsolete. It's been replaced by indie rock in my opinion.

In the video for "Amber," you're wearing a Bad Brains shirt. Are you still a fan?

I'm a huge Bad Brains fan. I found the spirit, the music and the chaos of that band to be really cool.

How do you think growing up in Omaha shaped your musical style?

I feel like because the scene was kind of in the middle of America, it was a metaphor. We got the punk from L.A., the hip-hop from New York City and the reggae from Jamaica. We were always grabbing bits and pieces. I used to stand down at that music store, Drastic Plastic, to get any information I could get. It's so different with the internet now. You had to work really hard to get the music back then. We were so hungry for it that I think our work ethic is something unique. In California, kids kind of expect everything to be handed to them.

Do you think it is easier now to get signed? Does that bother you?

I don't feel any kind of bitterness. The truth is because we had to do it by word of mouth, we really developed ourselves. Some viral video will happen so quickly that they get a bunch of attention, but they aren't ready. They haven't developed enough so people lose interest. We were toiling away in the underground for so long we were ready for the attention. .

In this digital era, what is the most challenging aspect of the music business?

People really in the know of the music business say, "Okay, we're not really in the record sale business anymore; piracy killed it, so we moved the focus to the live show." That's what 311 was about anyway, so it hasn't had that much of an effect on us. In fact, we probably got more fans that haven't heard about us. You used to be have a career by staying home and just making albums, but that's not possible anymore. I wouldn't want to do that anyway.

What do they have to say to all the haters? Or is that just the quote-unquote "vocal minority" talking?

I don't even respond. There's just a world of so many opinions. You can't please everybody. No music is for everybody. Promoters do the best they can. I met a lot of artists and actors since I moved to L.A. When they get into their zone, they figure, 'Hey I'm not for everybody." There's other stuff to go listen to. I'm comfortable with it all.

What's the most important lesson you've learned about the industry over the years?

We were on Capricorn for fifteen years, five years on Jive and this is our first record on 311 records. It's a joint venture with ATO records. We just figured it's time to do it for ourselves. You have to expect to have to work and don't expect for things to come to you. We're doing remixes and art videos for a handful of songs. We're handing promotions for ourselves. You cant just write a song and hand it off to management. You have to help.

Any particular reason Universal Pulse is only 8 tracks? It's shorter than all of your previous records.

It's true. We just decided to put quality over quantity. We did four tours last year, and were on the road so much. We figured our fans would want to hear something sooner. We just picked the best songs and pursued them to the level of quality. I feel like this is our most solid album to date.

http://blogs.westword.com/backbeat/2011/08/interview_311_nick_hexum.php

Concert Article: 311 Pow Wow Fest (The Pier)

2011-08-15T23:59:00.000-07:00

Date:August 4th – 6th, 2011
Line up: 311, Sublime With Rome, Dirty Heads, SOJA, G. Love, Ballyhoo, The Movement, Supervillains & More
Location: Florida’s Suwannee Music Park in Northern Florida
What: 311 Pow Wow Festival

“I def left my heart at Pow Wow! I’m hooked and can’t wait to go to another!”

“Pow Wow was an experience I will be talking about in 30 years. Thanks for putting together an AMAZING weekend!”

“Words can’t describe!!! It was more than a concert – it was a community of positivity and love!”

“The only thing that could possibly top what went on there would be Pow Wow 2012.”

The above sentiments are just a small stash of the abundance of love being out-poured on Facebook and Twitter showing appreciation in the aftermath of 311’s first annual Pow Wow Festival held the weekend of August 4, 2011.

The vibe of musical-unity oozing from the enthusiasm is just a natural carryover from a concert-experience that had a chief aim of bringing people together in a celebration of melodies and lyrics.

It was revelry of song, dance and community that spread across the 500 acres of Florida’s Suwannee Music Park for three days. The Dixieland-like environment provided an ideal backdrop and honed in a picturesque “pow wow” ambiance, with its old-time scenery of cypress trees, Spanish moss and spring-fed lakes.

A tie-dyed scene of tents, RVs, canopies and pavilions bustling with mostly-bare bodies clad in bathing suits and colored with tattoos sprawled across Suwannee’s nestled campgrounds. Over the course of the three-day festival, the feet of thousands of music lovers frolicked and danced across the winding trails and sprawling fields of the park with a common mission of letting go and letting the loving take a hold. We were there to soak up the bouncing bass lines, thrashing drums, shinning horn sections, howling harmonicas and scratching vinyl of bands and DJs like Ozmatli, The Supervillains, Dirty Heads, Streetlight Manifesto, Ballyhoo!, G. Love and the Special Saude, DJ Soulman, SOJA, Deftones, Sublime with Rome and, the host of the whole shindig, 311.

By day, concertgoers of 311’s first fest spent afternoons doing whatever they could to deal with the wrath of Florida heat at its worst, which was made possible by the perfect combination of a cloudless sky and beaming sunshine mixed with plenty of humidity. To deal, methods included posting up under the nearest shady tree, which would provide an automatic relief, escaping to vehicles pumping air conditioners, walking through brilliantly provided spray mister-fan areas, or taking a dip in the coffee-colored and cool Suwannee River.

I am super disappointed to admit that where I camped was a hike by foot to the river, so I never made it down. However, I was given various first-hand accounts from some fellow campers hailing from Pennsylvania. I was told it was a whole lotta naked guys and gals jumping from rocks and enjoying complete freedom in the great outdoors. Again, not-so-stoked I missed out on these scenes of inhibition-less, carefree fun in the name of music.

People-watching at Pow Wow organically became a pastime, with one memorable snapshot being girls in trippy tutus twirling about with hot pink, yellow and purple feather headdresses as the Dirty Heads sang what they sang and everyone just sailed away on their percussion-infused rock-rap. As the Huntington Beach bros flowed on sudsy bass lines, I watched as their smart-ass yet silly and sensitive stylee washed over the crowd. By the middle of DH’s set, everyone was dancing, up off their tapestry blankets, hula hooping, blowing bubbles and grooving to the beach-street sounds of songs like “Believe,” “Stand Tall,” “Ring the Alarm,” “Paint it Black,” “Check the Level” and more off their debut album, Any Port in a Storm (EMG, 2010).

Rome Ramirez of Sublime with Rome joined the guys on stage to perform their collaboration radio hit, “Lay Me Down,” with a little rendition of Bob Marley’s “Hammer” mixed in as a prelude. A natural camaraderie between Ramirez and the urban-beach boys could be felt in the musical chemistry of the song, which personified what Ramirez told The Pier in a recent interview, “Anytime I get to kick it with the Dirty Heads I’m a happy guy.”

Following the Dirty Heads on Friday night, it was Ramirez’s turn to rage the Pow Wow stage as the front guy for a little band known as Sublime. Sublime with Rome played to a slightly sauced crowd and took the audience into a nighttime vibe, with the sun setting while the resurrected band mixed in tracks from their new album, Yours Truly (Fueled by Ramen, 2011), with the classics of OG Sublime. In the same interview, Ramirez told The Pier that the new tunes off Yours Truly were blending in nicely to sets on their 2011 tour. The sentiment was backed up on Friday as Bug Gaugh thrashed the drums and Eric Wilson walked the bass, jamming out tunes like “Panic,” “Badfish,” “What I Got,” “Lovers Rock,” “Date Rape,” and “Same Old Situation” for a set that was raucous and full of verve.

Each night, when the sun was gone and evening fell upon Pow Wow there was an electricity in the air accented by glow sticks and streams of string lights illuminating pathways to music and little tent communities that were beginning to feel more and more comfortable to those inhabiting the grounds for the weekend.

SOJA played the first night, Thursday, conjuring a musical-infused buzz that hummed through the air and exuded freedom and a no-worry vibe for all those taking part. The D.C.-bred, dread-head rockers dominated the stage with go-go infused reggae blended with bombastic bass lines, vibrant horn sections and Jacob Hemphill’s passionate and prolific lyricisms.

G. Love played into the sunset on Saturday night, serving up a stellar set of classics like “Cold Beverage” and “Basketball” mixed with the jug-chuggin’, down-home tracks off his latest release Fixin’ to Die (Brushfire Records, 2011). Songs like “Milk and Sugar,” and “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover,” were well received in the Suwannee venue and the raw, tangy-fresh energy of G. Love was an undeniable force that got everyone moving and shaking on the Pow Wow field.

311 played stellar sets on both Friday and Saturday evenings – each approximately two to three hours long. The hosts of the show played all of Transistor (Capricorn Records, 1997), tracks off their latest release, Universal Pulse (311 Records, 2011), and many 311 classics like “Come Original” and “All Mixed Up.” On Saturday night, I was right up at the front-right of the stage and definitely lost myself in song after song, while watching Nick Hexum guide and play to the energy from the stage. Sometimes it seemed that as the audience sang and screamed with 311-love he was getting off on it all more than we were, and it was a special thing to watch the whole sonic-wave interaction between audience and rock star on the final night of a music celebration.

I’m sure a lot of amazing parts and performances of Pow Wow didn’t get mentioned in this recap, but feel free to share your stories in the comments. Ultimately, it was a weekend of musical escape from society where everyone was free to enjoy summertime when the living’s easy. I’m counting on a 2012 Pow Wow, but my only suggestion would be a different time of year, like spring or fall. It was so damn hot.

Viva la Pow Wow!

http://www.thepier.org/concert-article-311-pow-wow-fest

311 & Sublime With Rome at Gexa Energy Pavilion (You+Dallas)

2011-08-15T16:25:00.000-07:00

After forty consecutive days of triple-digit heat here in Dallas, 311 and Sublime With Rome brought the cooler weather and great vibes on that Saturday night.

Doors opened at 6:30PM and shortly after Sublime With Rome surprised the audience when they walked onstage well before their scheduled set time. A lifelong Sublime fan, I was curious to see how the crowd would react to Sublime With Rome, the reconstructed version of the California band, after the death of lead singer Bradley Nowell.

Sublime With Rome blew the doors off with Sublime song “Smoke Two Joints” to the delight of the crowd. They played a couple new songs off of their new album Yours Truly with the same reggae jams that fit the expectations. There were the same characteristics of Sublime with their style, audience and two-thirds of the band members. It was an awesome concert, but for me, Sublime was way more edgy with their lyrics in comparison to Sublime With Rome.

“Wrong Way” was played five songs in and it was then that the crowd really woke up. Many knew all the words and Rome let the audience fill in a couple of verses. Jared Watson, lead singer of the Dirty Heads, joined Rome to produce a unique sound. They ended their set with two fantastic Sublime covers, “What I Got” and “Santeria”.

Then the guys I have seen over 20 times in concert took the stage. Opening with “Beautiful Disaster” the crowd was jumping and singing like it was the greatest moment of their life.

The majority of the band members are in their 40′s and they are still going super strong. They played the drum solo as usual with a combo drum for S.A. and Tim, then the same for Nick and P-Nut. From what I can recall, the reaction from the audience was much stronger than usual during Chad’s beginning solo.

Old school favorite “All Mixed Up” really had the crowd feeling the jive. “Looks like another one of those nights here in Dallas!” said Nick.

“Amber” slowed it down and the crowd sang the entire song. Then Nick introduced P-Nut who played a solo ending with his usual fist in the hand ritual. 311’s most well known song “Down” was played to perfection before the encore where the crowd was out-of-control loud.

They came back for the encore with “Omaha Stylee” and ended with “Creatures” for another perfect 311 show.

After seeing 311 twice in Las Vegas, New Jersey, Kansas City and even for “311 Day” in New Orleans, these guys just know how to put on a show.

311 consistently perfects from beginning to end each song and gives their fans the crowd experience that they anticipate each show. These guys never cease to amaze me.

311 (In This Week)

2011-08-15T11:50:00.000-07:00

Click to view

Friday Night: 311 & Sublime With Rome At The Woodlands (Houston Press)

2011-08-15T11:12:00.001-07:00

311, Sublime With Rome
Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
August 12, 2011

Aftermath could smell the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion before we even crossed the street for Friday night's 311/Sublime With Rome concert. The whole place was like a giant white-rasta vaporizer. In fact, we probably had a contact high by the time we'd walked in the gate as SWR played "Wrong Way."

After an hourlong DJ set of standard Beastie Boys and Dr. Dre "hype" songs, 311 came to the stage without much of an introduction, opening the set with "Freak Out" from their 1993 debut album, Music. Not much has changed with the lineup in the past 19 years; lead singer Nick Hexum is still yoga-skinny sexy. DJ and vocalist SA Martinez still has the same high-pitched voice and pop-lock energy. The two still have their dual harmony on lock.

The next song in the set, "Beautiful Disaster," caused some loud clamor from the older people surrounding us. The man standing in front of us had his arms raised up high in the air, with a corndog in one hand and a beer in the other.

311 also played their latest single, "Sunset In July," from their most recent album, Universal Pulse. "Weightless" was probably our favorite track they played from the new eight-song LP, although it's incomparable to '90s 311 and sounds a little too overproduced for our taste.

It's impossible to play the same kind of music for 19 years without tweaking some things and exploring with different sounds and even new audiences. Fun fact about the record: Hexum plays the guitar on every song. Evidently the album before Pulse, Uplifter (2009), wasn't very well-received by longtime 311 fans. One of the biggest diehards we know informed us that it seemed like the band was completely ignoring the album. They didn't play a single song from it.

At this point, only four or five songs into the set, a girl in the row in front of us started puking. Rookie... we remember our first 311 concert. Initially, we laughed at her, but the joke was on us.

Suddenly Aftermath missed the previously unsettling smell of weed and corn dogs. We had to take a break during the drum solo to get a refreshment.

When we came back, Hexum had taken off his shirt. The young lady next to us asked, "Isn't he hot?" We replied, "His eyebrows are at least four inches from his eyes..." She bragged with some fan facts, "Well, he's married and has kids."

We tuned her out when they started playing "Wouldn't Believe." Bassist "P-Nut" took the stage by himself for an extensive bass solo that included a variety of techniques: fingering, slapping, double hand-tapping, and flamenco strumming. (Insert sexual innuendoes here or in comment box at bottom of page.)

311 seemed to be speeding through their; set, maybe they were tired. Houston was only their second stop since a huge festival they played in Florida a few weeks back. "Come Original" was followed by "Creatures (For a While)" which ended the 90-minute main set.

They came back for a three-song encore: "Jackpot", "And a Ways To Go" and "Down."

Personal Bias: Dug the pre-millennium 311, didn't dig SWR. There was a lot of fake patois, weed, and Jamaica-themed clothing. It reminded us of this.

The Crowd: Hawaiian shirts and cargos in the front, Bob Marley shirts on the lawn.

Overheard in The Crowd: "Let me stop here for a minute so I can get my chronic out of my sock."

Random Notebook Dump: We found out that someone we know used 311 lyrics as their senior quote for the school yearbook.

http://blogs.houstonpress.com/rocks/2011/08/311_sublime_with_rome_the_wood.php?page=2

311 - Sunset in July (MFIP Voice)

2011-08-14T15:50:00.000-07:00

You probably would not find the genre of reggae that condensed in 311 new songs released this past June. Conversely, a strong impression will rock burst of melody. Yup, this is the song “Sunset In July” dubbed as the first single from their tenth album, Universal Pulse. Bob Rock produced famous for its cooperation with the band Metallica, this song is perfect to accompany you a little relaxing summer this year!
For a moment we might have thought that this song is a loud song that will not let us relax, however, wait until the vocals Nick Hexum signed until mid-song. With the tone upbeat and fun, it turns out we are given the opportunity to sit back and enjoy the music with a fairly quiet until the end – though it does not mean we can not wiggle a little weight, because this song is also quite fun to sing with the lyrics are catchy and like to tell us to enjoy life by relaxing with people we love.

311 – Sunset In July

The lyrics themselves are written on the view of “311″ to his fans. As quoted in their interviews with the media, Hexum said that they were delighted to see the audience enjoy the songs that they bring directly, which makes them inspired to make this as their chorus that goes, “Rockers by my side and time is flying by / dop dop ba da da dee-yah / Watching you dancing and having the time of your life / and it’s getting me high / time is flying by / Whoa-oh oh-oh.”

Well, whatever the reason, as the band has two more decades of working in the music scene, one might say “311″ remain consistent in a career and work also proves the existence in the international world until now, without losing their distinguishing features so far. Need proof? Surely you have heard the whole album contains only eight tracks it.

http://mfipvoice.com/2011/08/14/311-%E2%80%93-sunset-in-july/

311 and Sublime With Rome at Gexa Energy Pavilion Tonight 8.13.11 (You+Dallas)

2011-08-13T16:24:00.000-07:00

Let’s face it, It’s miserably hot outside, and the Texas Gulf in no way conjures images of vacation bliss. But this weekend, Gexa Energy Pavilion will host 311 and Sublime with Rome, who will make your weekend at least sound like the beach.

[311 Q&A Session provided by 311 management]

What can listeners expect to hear?

SA: Our fans are gonna love this album [Universal Pulse, Released July 2011]. I think it’s a return to form in many ways, yet refined. We’re all refining. Stylistically I think our old-school fans will appreciate the character of some of these songs. I guess that’s what I mean when I say a return to form. The energy is great.

How does the 311 touring machine continue to get bigger and stronger over the years?

NICK: We just do our best every night. The vibe at the shows is a co-creation of us and our fans. It’s really cool to be a part of.

P-NUT: People come to our summer shows to have fun with other positive people. We put on a physical rock show that people want to see over and over. I can’t explain why but I sure do appreciate being able to do what I love and spread the funk all over you. Hehe.

Are you excited for the upcoming Unity Tour: 311 and Sublime with Rome? What can people expect from the shows?

NICK: This is going to be a great summer for sure. We have a nice, long summer tour planned and we are stoked that Sublime with Rome will be out on the Unity Tour. And the 311 Pow Wow Festival (our first multi-day camping & music festival) will be especially amazing!

P-NUT: I am very excited about playing with Sublime with Rome. This is a dream tour for us and our fans. Everynight of everyshow anywhere in the world, there’s always a Sublime shirt or fifty in the audience. This tour will be nothing short of bliss and fascination.

Any other words to your fans?

SA: All I gotta say is you all are the bee’s knees! You make a grown man cry. Love, love you guys!

http://www.youplusdallas.com/cityblog/arts-entertainment/2011/08/311-and-sublime-with-rome-at-gexa-energy-pavillion-tonight-8-13-11/

311 outdoes themselves at Pow Wow Festival (Surf Rhythm)

2011-08-11T19:43:00.000-07:00

311 played four sets in two days, which is approximately 6 hours of performing live in 90 plus degree heat. Sure it was evening time when they played, but still it was hot. I got tired just standing there watching, so I can’t imagine what it must have been like for Nick, S.A., P-Nut et al.

It was clear that despite the stellar lineup throughout the festival, most of the thousands of people enduring the heat, crowds and weird hippies were there for 311, naturally. It would take a book to cover their four sets in entirety, so I’ll get to the point. 311 played every song I wanted to hear, and I’m fairly certain most everyone there feels the same way. The one thing that everyone got wrong is guessing when they would play Transistor in its entirety.

Whether you love, like or are indifferent to 311′s music, their sets were performed with energy and conviction all the way through. They have become one of my favorite bands to see live because I know I’m going to see a top-notch show every time. I’ve never been a 311 freak, but I’ve listened to them since the beginning, and it’s refreshing to see a band harness its potential and greatness for so long; and clearly there is no stopping them any time soon. Thanks to 311 and their crew for pulling of a great festival. Here’s to hoping they do it all again next year.

http://www.surfrhythm.com/?p=1968

311’s Pow Wow Festival In Live Oak, FL (Music Industry News Network)

2011-08-11T19:29:00.000-07:00

Veteran rockers 311 recently held their first ever three day music festival at the Spirit of the Suwanee Music Park in Live Oak Florida. From August 4th- 6th, fans from around the country witnessed 17 bands and djs perform on two stages. In true festival spirit, the audience of 20,000 also participated in camping, hiking, swimming, and canoeing along the historic and beautiful Suwanee River. Each day was a new adventure full of highlights for 311 fans and everybody on the grounds.

Day 1: Thursday August 4th

Arriving throughout the day, ticketed fans were given access to primitive camping sites as well as RV parking and VIP tents and spent the day setting up camp, touring the campgrounds and enjoying the natural essence of the Spirit of the Suwanee Music Park. Promptly at 6 pm, DJ Trichrome began spinning classic reggae and dancehall hits on the second stage. One of the great things about the Pow Wow Festival was that every performance began promptly according to schedule. Mixing reggae greats from Buju Banton to Bob Marley, DJ Trichrome spun hits throughout the dinner hour, with many campers dancing around tents and playing a few rounds of beer pong.

As 7:30 pm rolled around, audience members made their way to the main stage to witness hip hop artist Murs take the stage. Murs began his set with a few of his hip hop pieces, but quickly changed direction as he introduced Jacksonville's Whole Wheat Bread, a punk rock trio that, together with Murs, made up the group they called The Invincibles. The foursome played punk covers for the bulk of their set, including a rocking medley of 90's dance hits like "It Takes Two," and a punk cover of "Walk Like An Egyptian," at which time Murs and the crowd displayed their best dance impressions of Carlton from The Fresh Prince of Bel Aire. While Murs may have admitted to missing a verse, and guitarist Aaron Abraham may have inadvertently knocked the 1/4" inch cable out of his guitar, who cares? This was punk rock, and Murs and Whole Wheat Bread proved that punk's not dead.

Following Murs was a breathtaking performance on the main stage by Virginia-based reggae band SOJA. Playing for over an hour, SOJA captivated its audience with lead singer Jacob Hemphill's Bob Marley-like stage presence. Their set was highlighted by a twenty-something minute long medley that introduced bassist Bobby Lee's baritone vocals and knee length dreads, and crossed genres from rocksteady to ska, metal to punk. The sound engineer did an immaculate job balancing the horns, backing vocals, and guitars as they played their single "I Don't Wanna Wait." SOJA was truly a highlight of the festival, bringing an essence to the atmosphere that must have transcended from Jah.

After SOJA's performance, Sacramento's Deftones took the stage at 10:30, rounding off the night on the main stage. While lead singer Chino Moreno's vocals were way to low in the mix, it was guitarist Stephen Carpenter's lack of stage presence and typical one or two chord patterns that left this writer unimpressed. Of course, I have never been much of a fan of the Deftones, even after seeing them live approximately four to five times. Plenty of audience members were impressed, however, and that's what counts. It was apparent though, that the Deftones have become a more cohesive band recently as opposed to seeing them live several years ago.

DJ Soulman brought the night to its end as he turned the second stage into a nightclub, playing club hits that encouraged the continuation of alcohol consumption till the 2 am marker.

Day 2: Friday August 5th

The main stage sound engineer did a wonderfully sarcastic job waking up the near 20,000 attendants by playing Britney Spear's "Hit Me Baby One More Time" for a 9:30 am sound check. At one point during the sound check, Jacob Hemphill and Bobby Lee of SOJA joined Whole Wheat Bread on the second stage for an impromptu jam session in which they covered Outkast's "Rosa Parks" among others. Scheduled bands started shortly after, with The Movement at noon, followed by Full Service and Streetlight Manifesto.

The main stage started off the afternoon hosting The Dirty Heads at 4 pm, and it was during this set that fans witnessed Sublime's lead singer, Rome take the stage for the first time that day. The Dirty Heads and Rome played their current single "Lay Me Down" at the close of their set, which was well played throughout its entirety.

Reel Big Fish, the next scheduled performance, cancelled their set at Pow Wow due to lead singer/guitarist Aaron Barrett falling ill. According to Absolutepunk.net, the band cancelled the Pow Wow Festival and one other tour date after doctors decided it best to hold Barrett overnight for monitoring.

To compensate for the dead time on stage, Sublime with Rome took the stage at 6:30 as opposed to 7 pm. The crowd at the main stage had grown to bountiful numbers by that time, and all in attendance joined in karaoke-style for every original sublime song the quartet played (a dj took the stage with them). The highlight of the performance occurred as Sublime with Rome played several songs from "Yours Truly," their new album. These songs, including "Take It Or Leave It" and "Lovers Rock," rival original sublime hits with their lyrical quality and add new dimensions as Rome's vocals take a slightly different direction from Bradley Nowell's. The new songs from "Yours Truly" should see radio success and plenty of spins in the near future.

As the sun went down, and Sublime with Rome wrapped up their mosh-pit and karaoke inducing set with "What I Got," the crowd centered their chi, and everyone prepared for 311's first night of double sets. 311's first set rocked the audience with solos by drummer Chad Sexton and legendary bassist P-Nut. Of course, the hoards of nearby Florida State University students initiated the Seminole warchant during the set, adding meaning to 311's already crisp and intricate performance.

The stage lighting was on point during both sets, adding an additional visionary realm to their well-rehearsed and energetic performance. The sound was crystal clear as everything from Doug Martinez's scratching to Tim Mahoney's guitar riffs were perfectly nestled in place. The crowd was on point with glow sticks and lighters as they added to the visual stimulation of the performance. After the double-set by 311, DJ Soulman again ended the night on the second stage by recreating your classic nightclub scene... except in this nightclub, everyone wore bikinis and boardshorts.

Day 3: Saturday August 6th

The sound engineer once again thought it would be hilarious to wake up all the campers with obnoxious music during sound check. This time, he played a bit of John Travolta and "Grease Lightning." Congratulations to him, he successfully pissed off everybody at once for the second day in a row.

DJ Trichrome again started the day by spinning on the second stage, drawing a crowd of noon-time drunk partiers to enjoy the sunshine and reggae/dancehall mix. Shinobi Ninja followed with a shockingly energetic performance at 1:30 pm. A mix of rap, metal and ska, Shinobi Ninja left an impression for many audience members seeing them for the first time. The only female vocalist on the festival's bill, Baby G sounded somewhat similar to Zack de la Rocha of Rage, which helped for songs like "Blaow," and when they went into a montage of metal/rap in the middle of their set.

Ballyhoo followed with a 3 pm performance. The Baltimore quartet delivered their signature ska sound, trumping The Supervillians, who followed immediately after on the main stage. Their socially awkward pop-punk/ska sound was a bit disappointing as it didn't translate to the stage as well as one might have imagined. Ozomatli's performance was one of the highlights of the festival, as they initiated a drum-circle jam session amidst the crowd only to conclude their set with thousands howling the "Ole, Ole" soccer chant as they marched backstage.

G-Love freshened up the atmosphere, paying tribute to the land of the Suwanee with his southern blues swagger and down-south-grit harp. Breaking out covers from the Wu and others, he jazzed his way through some unusual combinations of rap, delta blues, and zydeco influences.

Doug Benson, star of the cult-classic documentary "Super High Me," took the stage with Graham Elwood, but they were too high to tell any jokes.

311 played the second night of their show, which felt like a continuation of the first night. Oddly enough, frontmen Doug Martinez and Nick Hexum were wearing the same clothes, and guitarist Tim Mahoney forgot to change his pants. It was almost as if they were planning to edit the two nights together for a 4-hour live dvd. I had honestly expected that, given the artistic freedom that comes from playing four 90 minute sets, 311 might have experimented a bit more. An acoustic set would have been amazing, or at the least a few more breakdowns and solos.

Mixmaster Mike wrapped up the 3-day event by taking over the club scene at stage two, with a superior mix of hip hop, rock and trance. His drops, scratching patterns, and heavy trance and techno grooves completed the rave vibe under-toning the entire festival. The set ended around 2 am, at which time the campers continued with their own sporadic jam sessions until the wee hours of the morning.

Throughout the festival, there seemed to be no serious problems over the three days. The park staff was friendly and inviting, the crowd was fun-loving and responsible. The sound guy was a jerk, but the resulting comedy was well worth it. 311's first attempt at hosting a three day festival was a success. The highlights for me were Murs, SOJA and Ozomatli's performances. Doug Benson still didn't tell any jokes. Overall, 311's Pow Wow festival was a good investment in time and money. But really, Doug... no jokes?

http://mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=144977

311’s Unity Tour Coming to California (OC Reloaded)

2011-08-11T19:24:00.000-07:00

If history acts as an accurate indicator, 311 will entice California audiences when the group brings the ninth annual Unity Tour to the Golden State from Friday, August 19th to Tuesday, August 23rd. Recently 311 reached a milestone releasing their 10th studio album Universal Pulse. In a Q & A about Universal Pulse the band revealed a passion for touring. Vocalist SA Martinez commented “Everyone is good at one thing. Ours collectively is touring!” The Unity Tour will first come to California with a stop in San Diego Friday, August 19th. From there 311 travels to Irvine on Saturday, August 20th, Santa Barbara Sunday, August 21st and San Francisco Tuesday, August 23rd.

Last year OCReloaded’s very own Melissa Garcia reviewed the Unity Tour commenting “These guys know how to have fun, and crack a few jokes throughout their set.” This year Sentimentalist Magazine’s Dennis McLennand praised 311’s Chicago concert saying “311’s power as a live group is stronger now as a mature entity than it ever was and really shouldn’t go unnoticed.” During the Universal Pulse Q & A when asked about performing Martinez said “We put a ton of energy into the shows - night after bloody night. I think we're still mastering the art of showmanship but we're inching closer and closer.”

Garcia in her 2010 311 Unity Tour review wrote “They (311) looked like they were having the time of their lives on stage.” Ironically 311 shares a similar sentiment in their new hit song “Sunset in July.” 311 vocalist and rhythm guitarist Nick Hexum explains "‘Sunset in July’ is about what we love most about being in 311, playing live. (The lyrics) ‘Watching you dancing and having the time of your life.’ We get off on watching our fans as much as they do us!”

When two groups feed off each other’s delight, a joyful occasion bounds to emerge. McLennand noted this when reviewing this year’s Chicago show for Sentimentalist Magazine saying “I’ve never seen fans so quick to stop and talk with complete strangers and embrace them like long-time friends.” 311 bassist P-Nut observes this too. “People come to our summer shows to have fun with other positive people.” Hexum gives the band’s fans credit for the atmosphere saying “The vibe at the shows is a co-creation of us and our fans. It's really cool to be a part of.”

With such a receptive environment who knows what the Unity Tour could mean for you. Perhaps you will find someone to hook up with after the concert or establish a meaningful relationship with. Maybe you will meet someone as passionate about music as you leading you to start a band. Hey, it could happen. Stone Temple Pilots started because Scott Weiland and Robert DeLeo met at a Black Flag concert.

For 311 the Unity Tour this year brings some extra excitement because Sublime with Rome will join the band on the road. P-Nut exclaimed “I am very excited about playing with Sublime with Rome. This is a dream tour for us and our fans. Every night of every show anywhere in the world, there's always a Sublime shirt or fifty in the audience.” During an interview with COS’s (Consequence of Sound) Kevin Barber P-Nut expanded on this thought “You can’t go to a 311 show without seeing a Sublime shirt, and you can’t go to a Sublime show without seeing a 311 shirt. So, it’s perfect. It’s a concert that was sort of made to happen.”

Sublime with Rome, like 311, knows how to energize live audiences. Your ears will ring from others screaming joyfully around you when Sublime with Rome hits the beginning notes to “Date Rape.” While 311 performs “Love Song” you will likely find yourself waving your lighter, or perhaps more realistically your cell phone, up in the air with the many others in the crowd. Basically 311 and Sublime with Rome will create an electric thrill too powerful to let you stand or sit still.

As the summer rapidly comes to an end there seems no better way to say goodbye to the hot weather and good times than 311’s Unity Tour. The fun begins Friday, August 19th at San Diego’s Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre. The following day the Unity Tour will take over the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Irvine. On Sunday, August 21st 311 closes out the weekend with a concert at Santa Barbara’s Santa Barbara Bowl. To finish the 2011 Unity Tour’s California swing 311 plays San Francisco’s Shoreline Amphitheatre at Mountain View Tuesday, August 23rd. If you don’t have your Unity Tour tickets yet, you can still purchase them at livenation.com.

http://www.ocreloaded.com/local-concerts/408-311s-unity-tour-coming-to-california.html

311's Chad Sexton (Modern Drummer)

2011-08-10T10:48:00.000-07:00

Summertime means one thing for good-time seeking concertgoers: the return of 311 headlining amphitheaters. Since the early 2000s, 311 has bucked the corporate structure of touring solely to support a new album, and has toured every summer purely to revel in the positive communal experience they share with their devoted fans. This year’s tour happens to coincide with the release of the band’s tenth studio album, Universal Pulse. “With how we go about touring, it helps that we have a new album,” says drummer Chad Sexton, “But we look at it as the album is supporting the tour, rather than the tour supporting the album.” MD caught up with Chad to discuss the band’s longevity, recording the new album, the summer tour—and, of course, drums.

MD: What’s been the key to keeping not only the band but the same lineup intact for twenty years?

Chad: It’s about finding balance and growing together. Maintaining a reasonable attitude is important, because with five guys, you’re not going to get your way every time, but you can’t go quitting a band every time things don’t go your way. We all got into this with the idea that we really love music, making music, and playing live.

MD: Bob Rock returned to the producer’s chair for Universal Pulse. What’s it been like working with him on the past two albums, and has his presence changed how you approach your drum parts?

Chad: Bob’s helped me become a better player. When recording, you sometimes get so caught up concerning yourself with the execution and nailing the changes that you forget the basics, like just laying back on 2 and 4. Bob’s perspective is great because he never lets you forget the small stuff. He also simplified some of my fills and made the space mean more. As a band we try to find a balance between space and complexity in our grooves. He’s a great musician too, so his input overall helped the songs get to a place where they felt complete.

MD: You mixed the album as well.

Chad: Yeah. Mixing is also about finding the proper space within all the instruments, and making the mixes more enjoyable for everyone that’s listening, not just making the drums sound good. For 311, we care so much about the energy in the performances, which actually helps the mixing process because the transmissions of the band guide the mix to some degree. We believe in the healing properties of music, which is something that’s felt more than heard, and lives in the energy of our performances. It’s all a big puzzle—the sounds, the recording process, and the mixing process all culminate in a representation of energy.

MD: How long did you spend on getting drum tones?

Chad: It was fairly normal, a day or two on tones. I get to the point where I say, “Yeah, that sounds about right.” Using that method, as opposed to overanalyzing every sound, has a more organic result. At our studio, the Hive, we built out the live room, and we’re pleased with how the drums are sounding in there. I also never use triggers, and nothing is ever gridded, replaced, or sampled. It’s all natural sounds, which I love. Up until 2009, we recorded every album analog. We switched to digital on Uplifter. On Universal Pulse, we tracked everything digital, and then I dumped everything to analog for the mixing process. Some people might think this is crazy, but we’ve gotten letters from people saying how our music and the vibrations that make up our music have helped people. Music is powerful, and if you trigger and beat-replace every note, you’re taking the natural vibrations out and killing the essence.

MD: Did you go to any extremes when tracking drums, like swapping out snares for each tune?

Chad: I only used one snare, but I tuned it differently per the song. On one record, I switched out snares for each song, and in the end when I listened back I really couldn’t tell the difference between all the snares.

MD: Any changes to your setup now that you’re with Pearl?

Chad: I switched over to Pearl in 2009, but I actually had played Pearl early on. The first three albums were all recorded with Pearl. I have always used Pearl hardware too. As for my setup, it changes as I go. I have about eighteen total drums on my kit this tour. I added a 6″ mounted tom up top, which I haven’t incorporated for a while, and it’s amazing how much one drum can expand the dynamic range of the kit. There’s a great span of sounds from high to low, including some Pearl Rocket toms, five mounted toms, two floor toms, a 20″ suspended gong drum, and a 22″ kick. Soloing to amphitheater crowds, you won’t keep the audience’s attention strictly relying on chops and intricacy. I incorporate rhythms that use a range of tones, which gives the audience some good ear candy. I never put anything on my kit that I don’t play. It all gets used.

http://www.moderndrummer.com/site/2011/08/311s-chad-sexton/

311 Pow Wow Boosts Local Economy (Suwannee Democrat)

2011-08-09T20:47:00.000-07:00

Live Oak — The very first 311 Pow Wow Music Festival 2011 happened this past weekend at the beautiful Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Fla, bringing about 20,000 fans to the area over the course of three days. In these gloomy days of financial downturn and stock market declines, there was little evidence of that in Suwannee County during this big event.

In fact, most of the fans drove thousands of miles or flew in for this first 311 Band festival held on the banks of the famous Suwannee River in Florida‘s largest privately owned and most active music park in the south. While the water levels might have been a bit low on the Suwannee River, the enthusiasm of the fans and appreciation of the community businesses was absolutely running over.

Checking with various businesses at I-10 and US 129 business area and in downtown Live Oak was revealing.

“Yes, the Pow Wow has helped with sales here at Walmart,” Live Oak Walmart co-manager Leandra Howard said. “They are buying beer, camping supplies such as tents and chairs, water and such.” Howard added that Walmart always prepares in advance with an adequate supply of camping equipment on hand when the SOSMP is having large events such as the Pow Wow because those fans always spend money there. She said since this was the first Pow Wow, there was no way to know exactly how many might attend but her company estimated in advance to be prepared for about 20,000 people. They hit it right on the button.

Manager Andrew Carlucci was working hard on the grill at the Huddle House Saturday and couldn’t stop for an interview but a waitress there spoke on his behalf, saying people from the Pow Wow had stood in line during the breakfast hours for days waiting for tables and the restaurant had generally been packed.

Econo Lodge Assistant Manager Lydia Lloyd said Saturday the hotel has “been full for the past two days. We generally only are booked up during Wanee and the Jam but this one is new.”

Lloyd said Econo Lodge always does a lot of business when the SOSMP has large events.

Neighboring hotel Best Western was another business that was happy to see the festival.

“We were sold out,” said clerk Heather Johnson on Monday.

“There’s been a steady flow of people since Thursday,” Holiday Inn Express front desk clerk Shannon Luyando said Saturday. In fact, she said, the hotel had been completely sold out for days. “Although we tell people we have no vacancies, the heat is causing folks to want to have at least one night in the hotel so they keep coming back and checking with us and some have gotten rooms when others checked out to go to other events.”

The S&S Food Store at US 129 and I-10 was busy on Thursday and Friday and steady on Saturday, the last day of the event. One person reported they went into McDonald’s at 3 a.m. Saturday morning and had to wait in line for 45 minutes due to the large crowd of people there. Cha Ching.

Suwannee Plaza at I-10 Subway employee Rashenia Wood laughed Saturday afternoon when asked if Subway’s business had been impacted by the SOSMP’s Pow Wow.

“It has very, very much (been impacted),” she said. “We have a lot of business from the Pow Wow and have had for days before it started.”

Downtown Live Oak also got a lot of business. Pizza Hut Assistant Manager Jeremy Clark said the restaurant served a lot of customers from the SOSMP’s Pow Wow for days during the event, and his business appreciates it.

“We always get a lot of customers from the park’s events,” he added.

Local eatery Dixie Grill felt the impact as well.

“Yes, we had some of them today (Saturday), some for breakfast and lunch and some said they were coming back for dinner,” said a spokesperson for the Dixie Grill in downtown Live Oak.

CEO and President of SOSMP James Cornett said the Pow Wow brought Live Oak a new set of fans who may come back for a visit. He indicated that over the course of the weekend the festival drew some 20,000 fans to the SOSMP and to the North Florida area.

“The fans are mostly from New Jersey, New York and that area with some from South Florida,” Cornett said. “They are mostly 25-40 year olds and all smiles.”

Since this is the first 311 Pow Wow, the fans are basically new to the SOSMP and the North Florida area, Cornett said.

“This festival has given area residents and businesses a rare opportunity to develop a relationship with an entire new set of fans, some who likely will return to visit this area’s springs, rivers, resorts and perhaps even purchase property in the North Florida area as a result of their first impressions during this weekend,” Cornett stated. “We have been very fortunate to have attracted the crowds we have to our wide range of music festivals,” Cornett stated. “However, under current conditions, we have not been successful at attracting promoters of more diverse and upscale events due to the lack of a variety of motel rooms and dining facilities.”

Not only does the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park, it’s festivals and events such as 311 Pow Wow, Magnolia Fest, Labor Day Get-A-Way, Fall Suwannee River Jubilee, Blackwater Music Festival, Old Tyme Farm Days, Jambando In The Park II, Bear Creek Music and Art Festival, Raid On The Suwannee Civil War Re-enactment and more impact the economy, but the tourism it and other industry brings brightens the economic future of the entire North Florida area. The SOSMP is open 365 days a year with approximately 80 full time employees—not counting the numerous civic groups and others who work the special events. Throughout the year approximately 600,000 guests annually visit the park, many of whom frequent surrounding community businesses like the guests at the 311 Pow Wow, who are now raving on the Internet about the festival and the hospitality displayed by residents in this area.

http://suwanneedemocrat.com/suwannee/x906053938/311-Pow-Wow-boosts-local-economy

Music Preview (In This Week)

2011-08-09T13:50:00.000-07:00

When Sublime formed in 1988, Rome Ramirez was just being born. Little did anyone know that 21 years later, Ramirez would be the lead man for the new version of Sublime, Sublime with Rome.

Ramirez joined original Sublime members Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh in 2009, and the trio has been making music ever since. Since becoming the frontman for Sublime with Rome, Ramirez has had to win over old-school Sublime fans who might put pressure on Ramirez for being the guy taking the place of the late Bradley Nowell.

The pressure had not phased Ramirez though and, if anything, fans seem to be more excited that Sublime with Rome is making new music rather than showing concern that the new frontman is a good 20 years younger than the original leading man.

Now performing and touring for two-plus years, Sublime with Rome recorded their debut album, “Yours Truly,” which was released on July 12 of this year. The release was perfect timing as it happened a mere six days after the start of the 311 Unity Tour, which Sublime with Rome is co-headlining.

“It’s been amazing. We’re having a really good time. The dudes in 311 run a real family-oriented kind of tour. Everyone gets along. It’s fun to be on the road every day, to be traveling with them. We’re stoked, we’re having fun,” says Ramirez, who took a break to do a phone interview with IN.

Over the phone, Ramirez is calm and collected and perhaps a bit distracted by what’s going on around him. It is obvious by the way he quickly answers questions that he has been doing a lot of interviews lately, but despite his hurried manner, he is excited to talk about Sublime with Rome and their new album.

“The album took us about six weeks to record. We’ve been writing songs for the past year and a half. A handful of songs are songs that I had previously written a couple of years ago. It’s like a mesh of the whole time that we have known each other and been jamming and creating,” explains Ramirez. “We’re definitely confident about it.”

Part of making an album with the original members of Sublime includes harking back to what old-school fans fell in love with, and Ramirez acknowledges this. For Sublime with Rome, the best way to do this was to create a few songs that are reminiscent of what fans were initially drawn to.

“We wanted to write an album that we would like to hear, that paid respect to the original sound, but feeding in to some new influences as well. We’re pretty confident that we captured that aim, so to speak,” says Ramirez.

Listening to the album proves Ramirez’s statements to be accurate. It’s a little weird as there are times on the album where you have to remind yourself that you are not listening to Bradley Nowell. Ramirez has a voice that is easily compared to the original frontman but is also expressed in a style that is his own, and every now and then can easily be compared to guitar god John Mayer. Some elements of the album speak to the ska-punk fans of music while others are just good ole classic reggae with a bit of funk and horns. Some even speak to fans of hip-hop.

“At the time, I was listening to a lot of blues, a lot of motown. There’s a real kind of soulful vocals throughout the album. Just different styles and tunes. We have a nice rap track with Wiz Khalifa on there. There’s new twists and some new style of music in there,” says Ramirez.

The album certainly captures the influences that Ramirez references and though it is a bit tame compared to original Sublime sounds, fans should be content with what they hear. It is, after all, a new band, at least one third of it is.

While the rest of the world might focus on the fact that Ramirez is not Nowell, the young musician is not allowing himself to be overwhelmed by the size of shoes he has been filling for the past few years.

“I don’t really look into it too much. I just do everything from the heart. If you do everything from the heart, it’s funny, good shit tends to happen,” says Ramirez. “I don’t switch up the formula, I just make sure that I am doing it with respect and doing it with respect to others and everything kind of works out in my favor. It’s weird like that.”

His good intentions have received a lot of positive feedback. The 311 Unity Tour has had some pretty big acts on its bill in the past (think Snoop Dogg and The Offspring), and the opportunity to be a part of the tour has given Sublime with Rome the chance to not only get their names back on the brains of music fans but also to perform in front of hundreds of thousands of 311 fans.

“We’ve been definitely growing as far as our fan base [goes]. We’re so stoked about it. A lot of 311 fans that come out don’t even know that Sublime is back on the road with a new dude. And a lot of Sublime with Rome fans that come out haven’t even seen 311 in a very long time. It’s been beneficial for everybody,” says Ramirez.

As our interview winds down, Ramirez says that Sublime with Rome should be headlining their own tour this winter, and he encourages people to come check out the new music.

When asked what he would say to someone who has not seen Sublime with Rome, Ramirez answers with confidence: “Go to the show. I will give them free tickets. If they love it, which I am sure they will, they will come back every summer. And if they don’t, it’s probably not their style of music,” says Ramirez.

Seems like a good enough reason to go. If nothing else, you can’t miss the chance to see the “new dude” in Sublime.

http://www.inthisweek.com/view.php?id=2528476

CD Review: 311 - "Univeral Pulse" (Premier Guitar)

2011-08-09T13:03:00.001-07:00

Universal Pulse—311’s tenth studio release—is rife with their signature tasty-waves-and-a-cool-buzz vibe. The Omaha, Nebraska, bunch acknowledges that much of their success and fan base has been built off years of relentless touring, so word is they took to their Hive Studio looking to create stage-ready songs.

With producer Bob Rock onboard again—he also worked on ’09’s Uplifter—Universal Pulse’s guitar parts are larger and thicker than life, with articulate crunch, and they even tastefully dip into arena-rock mode during guitarist Tim Mahoney’s harmonized solos in “Rock On.” Mahoney’s gritty, ska-rock riffing on “Time Bomb” and “Wild Nights” creates the familiar head-bobbin’- and-hypnotic vibes that go so well with the good-time rhymes of Nick Hexum and S.A. Martinez. The album’s first single, “Sunset in July,” has Mahoney going back to his bag of riff tricks and conjuring a snake-charmer-style intro that hearkens to Transistor’s “Beautiful Disaster.” Its super-simple, groovin’ rhythm and sing-along chorus are classic 311. While the album doesn’t boast any true ballads—something they’ve excelled at on previous recordings—“Trouble” starts with P-Nut laying down a creeping bass line that’s countered by an intoxicatingly barebones distorted guitar riff that carries the song toward upstroke-driven euphoria. And “Count Me In” is a fun-loving jam that has Mahoney using his trusted Mu-Tron III for bubbly tones à la From Chaos’s “Amber.” And the funky arcade-game-like “And a Ways to Go” is driven by a galloping, envelope-filter-treated bass line.

While Universal Pulse has only eight songs, it’s more of the same tasty 311 cocktail—a shot of reggae, a shot of rock, and a garnish of funk—that’s perfect for summertime chillin’, coastline cruisin’, or afternoon grillin’.

http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazine/Issue/2011/Aug/CD_Review_311_Univeral_Pulse.aspx

311 and Sublime prove they’ve survived the test of time (Times-Leader)

2011-08-06T23:11:00.000-07:00

For music fans, the ‘90s were like a chameleon. The decade started with the blown-out hair rock from the likes of Poison, and ended with the invasion of boy bands and more bubblegum pop stars.

While many other genres were introduced during the ‘90s, two of the decade’s most appreciated acts, 311 and Sublime, have been embraced by the public well beyond their heyday and the subsequent pop takeover. To further prove the bands’ music perseverance, the two have joined forces for a fiery summer tour, which included a near-capacity stop at the Bethel Woods Center in Bethel, New York Monday, July 25.

Taking the stage around 7, Sublime with Rome – as it’s now known after a lawsuit from the estate of late original frontman Bradley Nowell prevented the trio from touring as ‘Sublime’ – hit fans with a tight “Panic,” the lead single from its newly released album ‘Yours Truly.’ Although the trio – Rome Ramirez on guitar and vocals, Bud Gaugh on drums, and bassist Eric Wilson – delivered a half dozen cuts from the new album, the band realized and respected that most fans were there to revisit the music that helped define a generation.

With energetic runs through fan-favorites like “Date Rape,” “Smoke Two Joints,” and “Wrong Way,” it was nearly impossible to find someone who wasn’t dancing during the 70-minute set. Having the music make people get up and dance while giving a feel for life in the Long Beach region of California may have been one of the most appealing aspects of the original lineup, and the new version is doing a fine job in carrying on that tradition.

After grabbing the audience with the old cuts, the trio managed to do one of the hardest things in music: keep the crowd dancing with new material. Tracks like “Lovers Rock” and “Same Old Situation,” have the same ska-funk sound that Gaugh and Wilson have built a career on. And Rome, sounding almost too eerily like Nowell, is the perfect choice to make the outfit whole.

However, the biggest pops of the night occurred during the older cuts like a spot-on take of its cover of the Grateful Dead classic “Scarlet Begonias,” which included Nowell’s original rap about life following a band on the road. On other classics such as “April 29, 1992,” “Badfish,” and the original lineup’s Number One hit “What I Got,” you could go deaf from the mutual screaming of 15,000 rabid fans reliving its younger days. After a brief break, the trio returned with a blistering version of its reggae-fused hit “Santeria,” which served as the perfect ending to a nearly-perfect set.

Following a half-hour break, the funk/rock/alternative/reggae collective 311 took the stage for a ferocious 20-song set, which kicked off with a rousing version of the crowd favorite “Beautiful Disaster.” Much like Sublime with Rome, 311 – Nick Hexum, S.A. Martinez, P-Nut, Tim Mahoney and Chad Sexton – brought out material from its new album ‘Universal Pulse.’ Early in the set, the lead single “Sunset In July” proved that the band never lost touch with its almost rap/rock roots.

Other rap/rock bands of the time, like Limp Bizkit, have lost its staying power, but the music and the message of 311 have always continued to thrive and elevate the band to new thresholds, like its headlining status today.

But, like any good live act, the Omaha, Nebraska outfit realizes where its fans hearts are at: the older material. And like any good live act, they didn’t disappoint. Ripping through cuts like “Come Original,” “All Mixed Up,” “My Stoney Baby,” and “Amber,” 311 kept the fans out of the seats and sent them into a dancing euphoria, with its mix of funk and rock, interspersed with a trippy light show.

After ending the main set with the new “Time Bomb,” before launching into its early-era Number One hit “Down,” the band encored with a fitting “Who Got the Herb?,” followed by “Creatures (For A While).”

If this tour can prove anything, it’s a wake-up call to people who remember the 90’s as nothing more than a decade full of imposter boy bands and wannabe pop stars. Yes, they were a huge part of the decade, but where are most (not all) of them now? Surely not filling amphitheatres like Sublime With Rome and 311. Then again, that was the 90’s, and things change.

And the beat goes on…

http://www.timesleader.com/pittstondispatch/columnists/omalley/311_and_Sublime_prove_they_rsquo_ve_survived_the_test_of_time_08-06-2011.html

311 Pow Wow Festival - Special Edition Baggo® Bag Toss Games (Digital Journal)

2011-08-06T13:48:00.000-07:00

Live Oak, FL (PRWEB) August 06, 2011

In conjunction with 311's first ever multi-day music festival, Baggo® announced two new custom bag toss game board sets: A Special Edition 311 Baggo® and a Commemorative Pow-Wow Festival model. Baggo® will also on-hand to celebrate with the band and its fans at the Suwannee Music Park in northern Florida Thursday, August 4 – Saturday, August 6, 2011.

Festival organizer and headliner 311 will play four sets (two on Friday and two on Saturday). And for the first time ever, 311 will play their album TRANSISTOR in its entirety! Baggo® couldn't think of a better venue to launch its new line of Baggo Bands custom bag toss game sets. "We are so thrilled that the band enjoys playing our game and were honored when 311 asked us to be part of this event, in our own small way," said COO of Baggo® Inc, Brad Braughton.

With three full nights of music beginning on Thursday evening and ending late on Saturday night--and camping allowed and encouraged--it made sense to add the evolution of the cornhole game, Baggo®, to the list of Pow Wow Festival activities that include canoeing, hiking, disc golf, miniature golf, fishing, biking, and more.

"Baggo® is the perfect picnic, backyard, beach or tailgate party game so it fits right into the culture of a music festival," said Braughton. "We look forward to throwing bags with 311 fans and will even have opportunities for mini tournaments and prizes throughout the festival."

The lineup for the Pow Wow Festival includes 311, Sublime with Rome, Deftones, The Dirty Heads, Ozomatli and many more. Fans can follow the action at the show at http://www.311powwowfestival.com and on Twitter @311powwowfest or @mrbaggo. Games are available for sale online at The Official 311 Merchandise store, http://www.the311store.com, and at http://www.Baggo.com.

http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/384665#ixzz1UNW3NdVc

311 Pow Wow Festival 2011 ends at 2 AM Sunday at Spirit of Suwannee Music Park (Suwannee Democrat)

2011-08-06T13:46:00.000-07:00

Live Oak — Famed band 311 will conclude its multi-day festival at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park (SOSMP) in Live Oak, Fla. with the last show at 2 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 7.

The 311 Pow Wow Festival 2011 will highlight the “Unity Tour” which 311 began earlier in July and runs through August. While the band, made up of Nick Hexum, S.A. Martinez, P-Nut, Tim Mahoney and Chad Sexton, has been touring for many years, this is the first multi-day festival the band has put on.

Other bands performing include 311, Sublime with Rome, Deftones, G-Love & Special Sauces, SOJA, The Dirty Heads, Mix Master Mike, Ozomatli, Streetlight Manifesto, MURS, DJ Soulman, The Supervillains, Ballyhoo! Full Service, The Movement, Shinobi Ninja, DJ Trichrome, Doug Benson and Graham Elwood.

Gates opened Thursday, Aug. 4 at 10 a.m. with the last show ending at 2 a.m. Sunday.

After 20 years as a band touring all 50 states, playing Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Jamaica, Indonesia, Guam, much of Europe and also headlining with acts such as Jay Z, Snoop Dogg and the Offspring, 311 joined with LiveNation to hold its own festival at the SOSMP in 2011. The 311 Pow Wow Festival 2011 features two stages with great bands playing day and night for three nights and two days of great music. For the first time ever, 311 will play its album, TRANSISTOR, in its entirety! Also, 311 will play four sets (two on Friday and two on Saturday). You just can’t miss this event!

WHEN: Ends Sunday at 2 a.m.

TICKETS: Saturday's ticket price is $95. Children under 6 admitted free.

Besides lots of live music, the campground offers cabin rental, camping (for tents & RVs), canoeing, hiking trails, disc and miniature golf, fresh water fishing, biking and more with some free, others for a small fee. There is also a great restaurant, Store of the Village and food and beverage booths on the festival grounds plus bathroom and shower facilities. Indoor activities in the Music Hall will most likely include stand-up comedy, your favorite beverages, bingo, karaoke, flip cup, yoga and much more.

 THE MEANING OF POW WOW: A powwow is many things. It's a time of celebration, a homecoming, a gathering of friends and families and so much more. Powwows are centuries-old traditions for many American Indian nations. These summer gatherings bring together members of each tribe for music, songs and dancing. Welcome to 311 Pow Wow Festival 2011, a celebration of music and community. The band 311 looks forward to sharing this amazing experience with all of you!

For more information about the SOSMP or to book overnight or longer reservations for cabins, primitive camping or RV sites for this event or any of our upcoming events, call the SOSMP at 386-364-1683, email spirit@musicliveshere.com or go to www.musicliveshere.com. You may also contact the SOSMP to inquire about any of the many exciting events coming up this year at the SOSMP such as Magnolia Fest, Blackwater Music Festival, Labor Day Weekend Get-A-Way, Jambando In The Park II, Thanksgiving weekend with Thanksgiving dinner, Old Tyme Farm Days and the opening of the Festival of Lights, Bear Creek Music and Art Festival and much, much more!

The Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park is located at 3076 95th Drive 4.5 miles north of Live Oak, Fl off US 129 at the famous Suwannee River. The park is 4.5 miles south of Interstate 75 and 4.5 miles north of Interstate 10 off US 129. Keep an eye out for the SOSMP sign and white painted board fence!

Billboard Top 200

2011-08-06T10:39:00.000-07:00

Fuse Noise: 311 & Sublime with Rome Talk Joint Tour (FUSE)

2011-08-05T17:21:00.000-07:00

In Today's Fuse Noise... Out on tour together this summer, 311 and Sublime with Rome talk to Fuse about sharing the stage.

Plus, find out how Sublime's new frontman, 23-year-old Rome Ramierz, first crossed paths with 311 over ten years ago.

Watch today's Fuse Noise below.

http://fuseblog.typepad.com/fuseblog/2011/08/fuse-noise-august-4-2011.html

311 Pow Wow Festival (Tampa Bay)

2011-08-04T19:45:00.000-07:00

Add this to the list of music fests taking place this summer: Rap/metal group 311 is launching its own rock/reggae festival in north Florida.

Inaugural lineup includes: Sublime With Rome, G.Love, Soja, the Dirty Heads, Reel Big Fish, Ozomatli, Streetlight Manifesto, the Supervillians, Ballyhoo, DJ Soulman and DJ Trichrome. 311 will perform two sets each night, including the entire Transistor album.

Read an interview with 311's Nick Hexum, who talks about the logistics of planning such an event. "It’s hard to describe, but the energy and love at these events is amazing. Doing any type of event show for the first time definitely takes a lot of work and planning, but it’s worth it because we see how much the fans enjoy it."

http://www.tampabay.com/things-to-do/events/2011/8/6/311-pow-wow-music-festival/43939/

311 to host first-ever Pow Wow Festival (Gainsville Sun)

2011-08-04T15:23:00.000-07:00

Since 1990, the group 311 has shattered musical boundaries and sold 8 million-plus albums with its power-blended mix of rap, rock and reggae; it's built a following that has made its annual "Unity Tours" one of the most popular on the amphitheater circuit and it's performed for five hours straight on special March 11 ("3-11 Day") shows. Last spring, it even headlined its own 311 Caribbean cruise for fans (which set sail on 3-3-11). And this weekend, the five-member band takes a bigger leap into the pop-cultural waters by hosting its own, three-day music festival, the 311 Pow Wow, today through Saturday at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park near Live Oak.

Along with two nights of performances by 311, the festival will feature 15 bands including Sublime with Rome, Deftones, G. Love, Ozomatli and others playing on two stages.

And the event, which also features comedians Doug Benson and Graham Elwood, five DJs, a "Chill Zone," weekend camping and other draws, puts the Nebraska-formed band on the same level as such other groups as the Allman Brothers Band, which hosts its own Wanee Festival at the same location in April, while offering fans experiences they can't get elsewhere.

"It's a big thing," said 311 drummer and co-founder Chad Sexton. "We've been on the road for a while now but this is a kind of new thing for us still. And what we realized with the 311 Days or any of our specialty event shows ... is that our fans really enjoy when we play a little bit longer and dive into our book of songs that goes back to 1988 at this point."

To that end, the band will play two sets each, starting at 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with no songs played more than once and a performance of its fourth album, "Transistor," played in its entirety, including all 21 tracks.

"That'll be just a special thing at the festival," Sexton said. "Some of those songs (from "Transistor") we haven't played in years, like there's one song I know we haven't played in 15 years," he said.

While its core members began playing together in the late '80s, 311 officially formed in Omaha, Neb., in 1990 with the nucleus of singer/rhythm guitarist Nick Hexum, bassist Aaron "P-Nut" Wills and drummer Sexton later joined by lead guitarist Tim Mahoney and Doug "SA" Martinez on vocals and turntables.

And from the start, the band 311 honed a blend of hard-edged sounds rounded out by hip-hop vocals, dollops of reggae and other melodic vibes for a hybrid sound that catapulted its 1995, third CD, "311" (often called "The Blue Album") to ultimate sales of more than 3 million copies and introduced such hits as "Down."

"Transistor" further solidified the band's approach in 1996 — when it entered the Billboard Top 200 at No. 4 and launched such hits as "All Mixed Up" and the title track.

"We've been [mixing rock, reggae and hip-hop] since the late '80s, when it wasn't too common to do that," Sexton said. "But, luckily, now it's more acceptable because that's our style obviously and we love doing it and trying to blend it to where it's seamless and actually goes together in a song rather than it being hard-core left turns or something."

Other bands on the 311 Pow Wow, including Deftones, which performs at 10:30 tonight, and Sublime with Rome and Reel Big Fish (which both appear Friday starting at 5:30 p.m.) and G. Love and Ozomatli (which perform Saturday starting at 5:30 p.m.) represent individual facets of such sounds and together illustrate how they can complement each other.

"We're real excited about the lineup," Sexton said. "We've worked with G. Love before so it's going to be exciting to see G. Love again. And we played probably our first show with The Deftones in 1994 in a show in Berkeley where it was 311, Korn and Deftones in this small club.

"And then there's a whole slew of bands, Ozomatli, Murs, Dirty Heads, Sublime with Rome and many others, so we're trying to cover a variety of music; Deftones [which are] really, really heavy, to reggae bands and sort of jam-band styles like G. Love has to offer."

To that end, the band picked the name "Pow Wow" to illustrate a coming together of styles if not a tribal-like collective of simpatico approaches.

"We're big variety guys, and so we like to bring in a bunch of different music styles, bringing together different tribes, basically," Sexton said. "Having a ‘Pow Wow' is just more based on the concepts of healing and vibrational energy.

"And since we're here, on the North American continent with Native American philosophies and traditions and relating to music and vibration, those two concepts kind of pushed together and there you go."

http://www.gainesville.com/article/20110804/ARTICLES/110809913/1006/NEWS?p=all&tc=pgall

Q&A: 311's S.A. Martinez on the Pow Wow Festival, and Universal Pulse (Broward Palm Beach)

2011-08-04T15:18:00.001-07:00

It's not easy to maintain the same energy, verve and passion you started out with when you've been doing something for 20 years. Just ask 311. They've been at it for more than two decades. What was once five starry-eyed kids in Omaha became a platinum-selling, genre-smashing entity. Now, scores of fans faithfully made pilgrimages to partake of their stories live celebrations.

But you certainly wouldn't know it listening to their tenth studio record, Universal Pulse, which just released in July. Both fans and the band seem to agree that the sound on the eight-song album is vintage 311.

County Grind caught up with vocalist/DJ S.A. Martinez before he and bandmates Nick Hexum, Tim Mahoney, Chad Sexton and P-Nut travel to Northern Florida for the much anticipated 311 Pow Wow this weekend.

More in this week's print edition here, but here's a little taste.

County Grind: Universal Pulse just dropped recently. Tell us about it.

Martinez: When we finished it, I was listening to it nonstop. And it's a short record, so it goes by quick, which is great, because you want to hear it again. You don't get lost, you're not skipping ahead, necessarily. I think the songs get to the point. It's vintage 311. It's got a very signature 311 sound to it, which I think is definitely resonating with the fan base. The fans are really responding in a positive way, so I think that says something. We really kind of put the record together with that in mind.

And it's something that we might play the whole thing soon too [like the upcoming Transistor performance at Pow Wow].

Yeah, you definitely display some very vintage 311 on there.

Right. And that's something that I think we've been missing, that energy. That was, I think, a little bit of something that we all had to get on board with. Not to say that we weren't. Just, is this 311 energy when you're putting songs together?

There are some deep discussions going on in the process, and really getting at it, and making sure we're all feeling it. Because if we're not all feeling it, it's not going to happen. And I think that's the key to the record. You know, we all felt this energy, and felt strongly about it to develop it. That's why there are only eight songs.

You worked with Bob Rock again on this one. How did he influence that?

He was a large part of that discussion. And guys like him come in and they're cool. You're comfortable with him, but he doesn't pull any punches either. He's going to speak his mind, and let you know how he feels.

So it's good to have that ear in the room, and someone who can help that process, and help the energy get channeled in the right way. Because there are times when it can get too tense, and nothing gets resolved. But he's a very good mediator, and you need that when five guys who've been together so long are working together.

Nick Hexum has said that the focus of the album is good energy and happiness, and that's really something that's been at the root of all your previous albums. We actually talked a bit about it when you were getting ready to launch Uplifter, and you told me you thought there was, "a little overcast on the American soul. And that music made everything seem all right." What are your thoughts on the present time and place that Universal Pulse is releasing to?

You know, very much the same. The thing about living here, in this country, is the amount of programming that we're all exposed to. And propaganda. And the media's just so saturated. It's everywhere and you can't turn it off.

It's great being on the bus with P-Nut, we don't ever turn the TV on. Which is great [laughs]. We keep ourselves busier throughout the day. He goes and shoots hoops; I like to ride my bike. It's great to get away from all that.

And the thing about music--perhaps the most wonderful thing--is that it takes you away from all that and opens you up to something else equally beautiful, something that you're needing. And hopefully Universal Pulse is that for some people.

311 Pow Wow takes place next Thursday, August 4 through Saturday, August 6 at the Spirit of Suwannee Music Park (3076 95th Dr., Live Oak) in Northern Florida. 311 perform two sets Friday and two more. They're joined by Deftones, Sublime with Rome, G. Love & Special Sauce and more. Tickets cost $145.

311 Comcast Center Mansfield MA Photos (Audio Perv)

2011-08-04T12:57:00.000-07:00

311′s on their summer Unity Tour in support of their newly released album Universal Pulse. They played the Comcast Center in Mansfield, MA recently and our photographers Phil DeSimone and Jennifer Murtha (both from FromThePhotoPit.com) were there to get some truly spectacle shots of the band. Check them out below and catch 311 on the very first Pow Wow Festival this weekend and on tour this summer.

http://theaudioperv.com/2011/08/04/311-comcast-center-mansfield-ma-photos/

A Festive Weekend: 311 Evolves Into Pow Wow (Westwood One, Rip Read And Rock)

2011-08-04T06:49:00.000-07:00

Today is the day many 311 fans have been waiting for. The official kickoff of the 311 Pow Wow Festival takes place today at the Spirit Of Suwanee Park in Florida. The three-day event is a massive undertaking, but after years of support from the fans, it’s something the band wanted to test out. “It was either crazy ambition or foolishness,” laughs singer Nick Hexum. “I think it’s going to be really good because we’re offering something that fans have been wanting to see. They’ve been asking for a long time to hear ‘Transistor’ in its entirety. And we’ve been aware of festivals and been part of a few of them.” Bassist P-Nut says this is just a natural next step after the overwhelming success of 3-11 Day over the years and more recently their sold out 311 Cruise. The weekend features not only multiple sets from 311 and a performance of their “Transistor album, but also performances from Sublime With Rome, Deftones, G. Love & Special Sauce, The Dirty Heads, Reel Big Fish, Mix Master Mike, Ozomatli and many more. (see CLIPS)

Unity Tour feat. Sublime With Rome and 311 at Festival Pier in Philadelphia 7.26.11

2011-08-03T16:48:00.001-07:00

The first time I saw 311 perform, I was only a few weeks finished with my freshman year of high school. I remember piling into the car with a bunch of my friends and heading to what used to be known as the Tweeter Center in Mansfield, Ma. It was the first time I was really going to a concert with friends. I was a rookie at the whole concert-going thing. I wasn’t sure what to expect and I didn’t know how to act, all I knew was that I was really freakin excited. Neither 311 or The Roots (whom they performed with) had been a staple in my music library. And, to be honest, I was so new at the whole music thing that I didn’t have much good music in my library at that point anyways. I fell in love with that concert and continue to listen to both bands on a regular basis. I am not sure if it was the music or if it was the fact that I had this new wave of independence and excitement about life that gave me such fond memories about these bands, but I don’t think that the reason is as important as the feeling. This memory is what made shooting this show so special for me. If someone in that packed full car had turned around to me and told me that eight years later I would be photographing the band I was about to see I would have given them a look of utter confusion. I hadn’t even picked up a camera at that point. But, life surprises you. 311 did not disappoint. They performed an even better show than when I first saw them almost a decade ago. I would recommend for anyone to go see this band, listen to their music, and enjoy these photos!

http://rachaelcerrotti.wordpress.com/2011/08/03/810/

Live review: 311 (Creative Loafing)

2011-08-03T16:47:00.001-07:00

The Deal: 311 returns on its (usually) annual summer run, bringing along the new incarnation of Sublime — Sublime with Rome.

311 hit the stage and kicked off their set with "Down" and their latest single, "Sunset in July." They played a solid mix of old and new touching on some favorites and obscure tracks in the process. During "Applied Science," the band broke out extra drums and cymbals and performed a five piece drum solo, including tossing sticks to each other. Later on, bassist P-Nut had a moment to shine of his own during a solo. The band performed 22 songs during the set before leaving and returning for a two-song encore including "Beautiful Disaster" and "Creatures."

The Bad: With an extensive catalog, 311 changes up its setlist on a regular basis. I'm glad to see that their cover of The Cure's "Love Song" has dropped out, but "Amber" remains a nightly song — and it's not one of their best. I know it's their one big hit, but why not mix it up completely? When some favorites are left off a setlist, it gives people a reason to go back in hopes of hearing something different the next time. 311 went on stage at 9 p.m. and left for an encore around 10:20 and the show was done around 10:30... early considering they can play until 11, but I'm sure those with day jobs aren't complaining.

The Verdict: Rome is a good fit with Sublime, but the upbeat music didn't help the band members get any more active. They looked bored for the most part, though they said they were having fun and rarely cracked a smile. 311 hasn't lost a step after the decades they've been performing. They offer a high-energy set mixed with old and new songs to win over fans of all ages.

http://clclt.com/vibes/archives/2011/08/02/live-review-311

ALBUM REVIEW: 311 still has its 'Pulse' (Weekender)

2011-08-03T16:46:00.001-07:00

In addition to creating great music, for one reason or another some artists also seem to typify a state of mind. 311’s unique fusion of rock, rap and reggae definitely does just that. The band recently released “Universal Pulse,” its tenth studio album, and the second produced by industry legend Bob Rock. With just eight songs and clocking in just shy of 30 minutes, the album ends almost as soon as it begins and barely seems to qualify as full-length. However, the flipside of that is that there is not an extra note, lyric or crash of the cymbals here — only what’s needed, no more and no less.

Starting with “Time Bomb” and concluding with “And A Ways To Go,” “Universal Pulse” is exactly what one would expect from 311: The kind of music to play and zone out to on a laidback day or night when one doesn’t plan on doing very much at all. While some tracks, such as “Wild Nights,” “Rock On” and “Trouble,” open up with somewhat of a hard edge, sooner or later they mellow out and find a trance-like groove to follow. Other songs, such as “Count Me In” and “Sunset In July,” are smooth and laidback from the beginning, and it is all but impossible to not sit back and just enjoy life while listening to the aptly named “Weightless,” which may be best track on the album.

“Universal Pulse” follows 311’s trademark sound note-for-note, and for all intents and purposes, the songs could have been released in 1995 instead of 2011. However, while some critics may write off a band for following a tried-and-true formula with little variation on that theme, one must also recognize that consistency throughout a career and being the artist that writes an almost inimitable type of music for just that right moment carries some value as well. While “Universal Pulse” certainly won’t surprise anyone, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t a lot of fun to listen to.

http://www.theweekender.com/music/311_still_has_its__lsquo_Pulse_rsquo__08-02-2011.html

311 Pow Wow Festival 2011 set for Aug. 4-6 at The Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park (Suwannee Democrat)

2011-08-03T10:39:00.000-07:00

Live Oak — Famed band 311 is coming to the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park (SOSMP) in Live Oak, Fla. Aug. 4-6 for the band’s first multi-day festival! The 311 Pow Wow Festival 2011 will highlight the “Unity Tour” which 311 began earlier in July and runs through August. While the band, made up of Nick Hexum, S.A. Martinez, P-Nut, Tim Mahoney and Chad Sexton, has been touring for many years, this will be first multi-day festival the band has put on, and it is expected to be sensational!

Bands confirmed include 311, Sublime with Rome, Deftones, G-Love & Special Sauces, SOJA, The Dirty Heads, Reel Big Fish, Mix Master Mike, Ozomatli, Streetlight Manifesto, MURS, DJ Soulman, The Supervillains, Ballyhoo! Full Service, The Movement, Shinobi Ninja, DJ Trichrome, Doug Benson and Graham Elwood.

Gates open Thursday, Aug. 4 at 10 a.m. with the last show ending at 2 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 7.

After 20 years as a band touring all 50 states, playing Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Jamaica, Indonesia, Guam, much of Europe and also headlining with acts such as Jay Z, Snoop Dogg and the Offspring, 311 joined with LiveNation to hold its own festival at the SOSMP in 2011. The 311 Pow Wow Festival 2011 will feature two stages with great bands playing day and night for three nights and two days of great music. For the first time ever, 311 will play its album, TRANSISTOR, in its entirety! Also, 311 will play four sets (two on Friday and two on Saturday). You just can’t miss this event!

WHEN: Thursday, Aug. 4 - 6 - gates open at 10 a.m. Thursday, music begins Thursday evening and ends Sunday at 2 a.m.

TICKETS: General admission advance weekend tickets are $157 for all ages; gate price is $182 (anytime during the festival). Weekend event tickets include access to all shows on both stages for three nights and two days; 3 nights of primitive camping (tent style camping); parking for regular passenger vehicles; additional fee applies for RVs; Thursday day gate price is $25 (no camping included); Friday day gate price is $40, (no camping included); Saturday day gate price is $50 (no camping included); taxes and fees may be additional on all tickets. A limited number of VIP tickets are available with various pricing and amenities to please everyone. Go to the SOSMP website at musicliveshere.com, click on events and 311 Pow Wow for more information on those prices and more info on this event. Children under 6 admitted free.

Besides lots of live music, the campground offers cabin rental, camping (for tents & RVs), canoeing, hiking trails, disc and miniature golf, fresh water fishing, biking and more with some free, others for a small fee. There is also a great restaurant, Store of the Village and food and beverage booths on the festival grounds plus bathroom and shower facilities. Indoor activities in the Music Hall will most likely include stand-up comedy, your favorite beverages, bingo, karaoke, flip cup, yoga and much more.

 THE MEANING OF POW WOW: A powwow is many things. It's a time of celebration, a homecoming, a gathering of friends and families and so much more. Powwows are centuries-old traditions for many American Indian nations. These summer gatherings bring together members of each tribe for music, songs and dancing. Welcome to 311 Pow Wow Festival 2011, a celebration of music and community. The band 311 looks forward to sharing this amazing experience with all of you!

For more information about the SOSMP or to book overnight or longer reservations for cabins, primitive camping or RV sites for this event or any of our upcoming events, call the SOSMP at 386-364-1683, email spirit@musicliveshere.com or go to www.musicliveshere.com. You may also contact the SOSMP to inquire about any of the many exciting events coming up this year at the SOSMP such as Magnolia Fest, Blackwater Music Festival, Labor Day Weekend Get-A-Way, Jambando In The Park II, Thanksgiving weekend with Thanksgiving dinner, Old Tyme Farm Days and the opening of the Festival of Lights, Bear Creek Music and Art Festival and much, much more!

The Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park is located at 3076 95th Drive 4.5 miles north of Live Oak, Fl off US 129 at the famous Suwannee River. The park is 4.5 miles south of Interstate 75 and 4.5 miles north of Interstate 10 off US 129. Keep an eye out for the SOSMP sign and white painted board fence!

Unity Tour Comcast Center Masfield, MA (MAME Magazine)

2011-08-03T10:35:00.000-07:00

Leading up to this year’s Unity Tour, I couldn’t decide who I was more excited to see. I have yet to turn off a Sublime song when it hits the radio which includes the new one with Rome entitled “Panic”. However, 311 has been a part of my summers for years now and it just wouldn’t be right to have a beautiful Saturday afternoon slip by without a cold Bud and some “Don’t Trend on Me”. Similarly, 311’s new single “Sunset in July” is perfect for rolling down the windows. This year, the Unity Tour really came in with a bang.

Still equipped with an excellent lighting show and of course, great music, but this year adding Sublime with Rome, upped the excitement. There are few opening acts that can command such audience attention. As the entire crowd knows every word, even the light-weight drunk kid who’s passed out on the lawn is mumbling along. Then you have the die-hards that are right up front, using their hands and entire bodies to scream and express absolutely every lyric. These aren’t just songs, they’re summer memories. And at the Unity Tour, nothing feels more true than “summertime/and the livin’s easy”.

Then, there’s 311. And the best thing about touring bands like 311 is that they carry an extremely loyal fan base that come year after year to genuinely enjoy some music. Because of their regular touring schedule, the fans have a general sense of calm where they’re excited but know the drill and wander in shortly before show time in order to maximize the cheap drinking that takes place in the parking lot. This year, that wander started a bit earlier due to Sublime with Rome, but still, there was that slow meander that eventually led everyone to their seats.

This year, 311 was able to showcase their new album Universal Pulse. Still with their signature sound and laid-back mentality, the album fits seamlessly into their catalog. It has an excellent flow that makes it one of the rare ones these days that allows you to listen to the entire thing straight through, the way it’s meant to be heard.

The band, including the ever attractive lead singer Nick Hexum, showed no favorites though last weekend at the Comcast Center. The energy was high throughout the entire night with the leg kicks and head-banging never letting up. While the lyrics from their new hit single might be a bit creepy coming from someone else, Hexum’s deliverance made them seem personal.

“Watchin’ you dancin’ and havin’ the time of your life.”

http://www.mamemagazine.com/unitytour

Limelight Extra: Entertainment events around Tallahassee (Tallahassee.com)

2011-08-02T19:46:00.000-07:00

'GRASSROOTS' MUSIC: Over the course of two decades, 311 has built such a strong cult following that it's now hosting its own festival with kindred spirits G. Love, Ozomatli, Streetlight Manifesto, Deftones, Sublime with Rome, Reel Big Fish and more. The inaugural 311 Pow Wow Festival kicks off at 6 p.m. Thursday at Spirit of the Suwanee Music Park near Live Oak and runs through Saturday. Tickets are $180 and include camping and parking. VIP packages are available, as are single-day tickets for Thursday and Saturday. Call 386-364-1683 or visit www.311powwowfestival.com.

http://www.tallahassee.com/limelight0entertainment

311's Nick Hexum talks Pow Wow Festival, 'Transistor' and touring with Sublime with Rome (Tampa Bay Soundcheck)

2011-08-02T16:28:00.000-07:00

Forget tours. Forget cruises.

If you really want to throw your weight around as an artist these days, you need your own festival.

This year, Dave Matthews Band, Pearl Jam, the Roots, Wilco and Phish are among the bands curating their own multi-day music festivals. This weekend, another group will join them: 311.

The Nebraska stoner-metal-hip-hop group is expanding its annual “311 Day” — a concert and party held on March 11 — into a full-fledged weekend. The first ever 311 Pow Wow will take place Thursday through Saturday (Aug. 4-6) at Spirit of the Suwannee Park in Live Oak.

Among the 20 artists on the bill are big names like Deftones, Sublime with Rome and G. Love and Special Sauce. But the highlight of the weekend will be four full shows by 311 themselves, including a performance of their 1997 album Transistor in its entirety.

A few days ago, we swapped e-mails with 311 singer Nick Hexum, above, about the logistics of planning such a huge event.

311 did a cruise this year, and now you’re doing a festival. What was the planning process like for the cruise, and how does that compare to what you’re going through for the Pow Wow?

Several years ago, it became clear to us that the 311 concert experience was becoming more and more about community and shared experience. Fans were loving the shows, but they were also loving being with each other, connecting with the music and with fellow fans, and just celebrating that connection. So, we started working on these event shows to really bring our fans together to celebrate this bond.

We’ve done several “311 Day” events, the 311 Caribbean Cruise, and now we’re about to have the first 311 Pow Wow Festival. They’re all unique events, but they share a common thread. It’s hard to describe, but the energy and love at these events is amazing. Doing any type of event show for the first time definitely takes a lot of work and planning, but it’s worth it becasue we see how much the fans enjoy it. After the cruise, a lot of fans remarked that it was literally the best time they’ve ever had in their life. That obviously means a lot to us, and we’re hoping we can create that magic again with Pow Wow Festival.

You’ve been on the other side of the festival industry for a long time. But since this is YOUR festival, what are you guys doing to be good hosts and take care of the other artists on the bill? Does being an artist yourself change the way you do business with other bands?

Well, a lot of the bands on the festival are bands that have toured with us in the past, so it will be a nice reunion and should be a lot of fun. Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park is also a really unique setting, so we hope the other bands will just enjoy being there and doing something a little different.

You’re playing four sets throughout the weekend. Does that mean you had to re-learn any old songs that you haven’t played in years? What are some deep cuts people might hear?

Yes, four sets. So we’ll definitely be playing some rarities. We rehearsed a lot of songs before heading out on this tour, and we’ve been re-learning some songs on our buses and playing songs during soundchecks of our current tour. With 10 albums, we definitely have a lot of material to cover.

We haven’t figured out the setlists yet, but one of the deep cuts that we’ll be playing is Tune In, which is a song off Transistor that we’ve actually never played live before.

You’re playing Transistor in its entirety. Why Transistor, and not, say, 311 or From Chaos?

We chose to play Transistor because it’s such a fan favorite, and we just thought it would be the right album to play in this unique setting under the stars, where everyone is camping together and experiencing nature together. Some of the songs on Transistor have outer-space themes and some of the songs are about interconnectedness, so we thought it would be a really good fit for this event.

You’ve been touring with Sublime With Rome, and they’re performing at the Pow Wow, too. Have you spent much time with Rome Ramirez? What’s your take on how that band has evolved in the past year?

Doing this tour with Sublime with Rome has been great. I think the fans of both bands are loving it. Rome is great. And it’s exciting that they’re now playing songs off a new album along with all the great Sublime classics.

311 has had the same lineup since the early ’90s. Could you see your band reforming and reinventing itself if you lost a member, like Sublime did?

We feel really blessed and really grateful to be together in the same lineup for so many years, and to share all these great experiences together. We’re really like brothers. It’s family. And we’re really grateful for that.

-- Jay Cridlin

http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/soundcheck/content/311s-nick-hexum-talks-pow-wow-festival-transistor-and-touring-sublime-rome

311's P-Nut talks Transistor, Pow Wow Festival, and their new label (Examiner.com)

2011-08-02T16:22:00.000-07:00

311 are riding a wave of excitable energy. Within the past month they released their tenth studio album, Universal Pulse, on their own label, 311 Records, and kicked off the eighth annual Unity Tour alongside Sublime with Rome. This year the tour culminates with the first ever 311 Pow Wow Festival in Live Oak, Fla., where they are to perform their 1997 classic, Transistor, in its entirety. Between last week's Philly show and this weekend's festival, bassist P-Nut made some time to chat with Examiner about Transistor, their new label, and how sweet their fans are.

Examiner: Transistor contains your first solo composition on a 311 record, “Creature Feature.”

P-Nut: My only.

Examiner: How did you feel during the initial process of bringing your own song to the band, as opposed to collaborating?

P-Nut: Obviously it was a little bit of an exercise in futility. I don’t really like relying on my kind of…If it’s just me writing music it’s either gonna’ be too weird or too simple. I so much prefer, and my career shows it, to collaborate. It’s so much more interesting. It’s so much more satisfying. I know what I’ll come up with. That doesn’t do anything for me, but to bounce ideas off of the rest of the guys in the band…and I stretch them out. I think Nick especially. When he and I work together he wrangles me in, makes me a sane person, and I make him a little more crazy than he normally acts, and I think it really works out well. I think we have a pretty good track record of writing really damn good songs together and what is cool is they end up being on the radio most of the time. I love it.

Examiner: Some of the songs from Transistor were not performed until many years after it was released. How does it come together at rehearsal when you go over seldom played songs?

P-Nut: Well, there’s a song on Transistor, called “Tune In”, that we’ve never played live, so…it’s a trip. “Tune In” is a dictionary of riffs and it’s so much fun to play, and it’s very difficult, so I think those things just fell out of the loop. Never got into the mix…we have so many other songs to play. It’s hard to find ones. Some songs get buried and that one has never seen the light of day, unfortunately, which is really a trip.

Examiner: How much of a process do you have to go through to get it to sound like you’re ready to bring it on stage?

P-Nut: Two or three rehearsals, just running through it, and then time on your own running through it four or five times. Any song that we took to the studio and pre-produced and perfected in our non-perfect way...it’s still in there. It only takes you a quarter of a second to remember songs for the rest of your life, and as touring musicians, memory is a real kind of an unsung asset that you’ve gotta' have on stage, so it’s in there. It’s really not all that difficult. It’s a little bit of a struggle and people make too big of a deal out of...you know what, I play basketball and jam my finger and people are like, “Oh my God! You use your hands for your living,” and I’m like, “What do you use? Do you use your nose?” We all use our hands…I’m just a guy. My machine I use is an electric bass and I’m lucky enough to play in front of lots of people but, you know, it’s funny. We’re spoiled. We’re totally spoiled and I like calling us out on it.

Examiner: Staying humble.

P-Nut: Gotta' try. It’s a struggle. People don’t want you to be, but it’s who I am. It’s who I’ll always be.

Examiner: What lyric, on [Transistor], do you feel best represents your personal outlook?

P-Nut: I love the line, it’s in “Jupiter”, Nick says, “I gotta’ say before sales dive, be positive and love your life.” Cause we knew we were making an album that wasn’t gonna’ be a commercial success compared to the blue album. It’s a completely different beast and I think that what’s allowed us to stick around for so long. If we had just made three and a half minute pop songs and filled up albums with that from our career past Transistor in ’97 it wouldn’t be very exciting. It certainly doesn’t seem like it would be as exciting as it is for us now. We can do whatever we want. We can do ballads and super-long, drawn-out songs, and we can do rockers, and we can do funk, and it’s just great. Transistor was our big middle-finger to the people who thought we were gonna’ make blue album number two…we don’t regret it for a second. Longevity is so much more sexy than burning out real quick.

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Examiner: What were some considerations made deciding to cut Transistor down to a single disc?

P-Nut: Well we wanted to make as much music as people could cram onto one disc and not have to pay for two; like have it be a double album but you only pay for the regular amount of music. It’s a love letter to the people that we knew were gonna’ support us years afterwards, even though it was a musical curve-ball.

Examiner: Has a compilation of the unheard Transistor and Soundsystem outtakes been considered?

P-Nut: We’ve got a library of tons of unfinished songs. Yeah, that’s always being considered. I think It’d be cool for the fans to hear the evolution, even if…something got stopped in the making of a song from a classic period of the band, if that is considered a classic period of the band. Yeah, I mean it’ll happen eventually. It’s just a matter of time.

Examiner: Now with Universal Pulse, you’re on your own imprint, 311 Records. Would that allow anymore liberty in making that happen, or are those masters controlled by Volcano [Entertainment] now?

P-Nut: Those masters are controlled by Volcano as far as I know. The great thing about us being on our own imprint is that live shows from this point on and other little stupid things that we wanna' do, we’ve got a lot more freedom to release music, so look forward to that in the future.

Examiner: What caused you to choose Transistor to perform at [Pow Wow Festival]? I know you’ve performed Music, Grassroots, and blue all the way through before. Is it just a natural choice?

P-Nut: Yeah. For me, when the specific came to “we’re gonna’ play another album”, it was we’re gonna’ do Transistor next, because it’s the fans’ favorite. If we’re gonna’ ask them to come out to the middle of nowhere in Florida and hang out for a couple of days in a tent, we better be playing them their favorite music, so it was pretty easy decision to make.

Examiner: Any surprises up your sleeves?

P-Nut: Yes. (laughs)

Examiner: Bustin’ out “Damn” finally?

P-Nut: Right, no, no. I think a lot of those really old Omaha songs probably will never get played. I mean, chances are…those have been retired. We played ‘em so much back in Omaha, and we’re such a different band now that it would be hard to reprise some of those. There’s things that are really close to our heart that we’ll get in and out every once in a while, but something like “Damn” or “Push It Away”; those are probably gone.

Examiner: You’ve been playing 311 Day for about 10 years now, and now you have the cruise and the Pow Wow. It seems like you guys keep raising the bar of what you’re gonna’ surprise [the fans] with.

P-Nut: Our fans just push us into it. They support us so much…playing something special for them is just great. It’s just so much fun. I think our fans really get into it and our fans are at an age that some of them can afford to, if they’ve got money saved up for a vacation, they can come out on a cruise with us and have the time of their lives, and be with their favorite band…it’s great. I’m so happy that Sixth Man approached us and said that we had the right fame for it. Man, they were right. We broke records…for alcohol sales on our cruise. It was so much fun…we’re definitely gonna’ do it again.

Examiner: Since Transistor there seems to be a pattern of putting out an album with an “er” suffix every six years: Transistor, Evolver, Uplifter. Is that intentional or just a product of what you happened to feel at the time?

P-Nut: It’s just the way the language works. We really like singular word titles most of the time, so for one word to be the descriptive of all this information and all this music it’s gonna' have to take on the suffix of one who does, like farmer: one who farms. It has its own kind of identity like that. You’re making me read way too far into this and I’ve never heard that before. That’s a real good observation. The old one was every other album had a song that was the title of the album and we broke that cycle this time through, which I think is cool. Traditions are meant to be broken.

..

http://www.examiner.com/alternative-music-in-philadelphia/311-s-p-nut-talks-transistor-pow-wow-festival-and-their-new-label#ixzz1TutR4quy

311: Celebrate 21 Years of Unity with Universal Pulse (Campus Circle)

2011-08-02T13:53:00.001-07:00

“Compromising, listening, good communication and valuing the input of the other members is really important,” says 311’s Nick Hexum, referring to the magic behind the band’s longstanding relationship. “Ego will often make it so certain people feel like they don’t need to listen anymore. Our band has successfully avoided that; we’re very blessed.”

Dr. Phil has no words of wisdom to impart on keeping a band marriage together for 311, solid for 21 years and counting. Making music with its five original members and happily intact, this brotherhood has stood the test of time. A rarity in the fickle and trend-driven music industry, the band continues to live by its own lyrical themes of unity, staying positive and loving life.

Known for rock-reggae-rap hits such as “All Mixed Up,” “Amber” and “Beautiful Disaster,” fans from across the globe flock to witness that special feeling absorbed at a 311 live show, the same feeling the band admits they receive from their fans. “Sunset in July,” the first single from their new album, Universal Pulse, reflects on this energizing interaction.

“There’s a pivotal line in the chorus, ‘Watching you dancing and having the time of your life, and it’s getting me high,’” says Hexum, about the band’s experience onstage and the feeling they receive from their audience during a live show. “Seeing people with a huge smile on their face, moving their heads back and forth like they’re in another dimension, I really get a charge out of that. We realize the power of music over people; it’s like a drug.”

The band will release Universal Pulse on its own record imprint, 311 Records. After decades of touring and putting on special events such as 311 Day, a show containing their entire setlist of over 60 songs and five hours of music, the band has built a huge grassroots following which has allowed them the freedom to go with their own independent label and call their own shots.

Hexum explains their decision behind moving away from a major label: “If you’re a brand new band and you’re breaking, then a major label brings a lot to the table. For us, we already have a direct relationship with our fans. We wanted to have more of a slow burn of touring and doing promotion, stretching it out and letting the word of mouth do the promotion for us.”

This year’s Unity Tour will find 311 with old friends Sublime with Rome, coming to the L.A. area Aug. 20. The band will also headline the first Pow Wow Festival on Florida’s Suwannee River, a three-day communal celebration taking place Aug. 4-6. The band will perform four sets along with the album Transistor in its entirety, sharing the stage with other heavy live-show hitters such as Deftones, Reel Big Fish, Ozomatli, G Love & Special Sauce, Mix Master Mike and the Dirty Heads.

“The festival that will be nothing but a good time,” says bassist P-Nut with a grin. “We’re still trying to bring in a couple more bands to add to the list to make it even more impressive. It will be like a mini summer camp.”

Hexum agrees, “We knew it would be a good fit for our fans because it’s kind of like going to a Dead show. It’s not just the music, it’s the whole environment; the tailgating, the whole cultural experience of going to a 311 show. It just seemed like a perfect fit.”

After livin’ and rockin’ for the past two decades, the band’s mighty roots have survived the ever-changing musical landscape, continuing to live the words that end each and every show: “Stay positive and love your life” – not a bad gig that began with five friends who grew from teenagers to grown men, having sustained a unique and flowing musical synergy.

“We feel like we’ve stumbled on a great chemistry, a special group, that only the five of us could offer, and we value it,” says Hexum. “‘Unity’ is the coolest word in the world and to have it be associated with our band sort of like a brand, it’s a really cool thing.”

Universal Pulse will be available July 19. 311 perform Aug. 20 at Verizon Amphitheatre. For more information, visit 311.com.

http://www.campuscircle.com/review.cfm?r=13595

Don't Stay Home: Behold the Majesty of 311 Pow Wow (Broward Palm Beach)

2011-08-02T13:40:00.000-07:00

Much of the career and extensive catalog of 311 has been devoted to promoting positive values and unity. This means facing sea after churning sea of diehard fans with a smile.

The Los Angeles-based band with Omaha roots hasn't been content to merely establish a fan base and spread its message through music over the course of a 21-year career, though. Much in the tradition of bands like the Grateful Dead and Phish, the guys have attracted rabid fans who not only turn out to see them whenever they come to town but also follow en masse to events on a grander scale.

"We're always trying to think of new ways to bring that community together and give them a great time," says MC and vocalist S.A. Martinez, who shares vocal duties with Nick Hexum. "Unique sets and things they're wanting but not necessarily getting their fill of at a typical 311 show."

These efforts have spawned the annual 311 Day, which has been staged in different cities around the country every March 11. It always boasts massive set lists and has drawn attendees from around the country to New Orleans, Las Vegas, and, this past year, a Caribbean cruise that embarked from Fort Lauderdale.

Now, the focus is getting out in nature with the 311 Pow Wow Festival, which was announced earlier this summer and goes down at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in northern Florida this weekend.

"Ever since the advent of 311 Day, we've noticed that our fans have always come and said how much they want us to do other things like it," explains Martinez. "And that was when those seeds were planted. Essentially, it's just other experiences, other ways to see the band. Yet you create a unique community around it too."

With bits of reggae, hardcore, hip-hop, and straight-ahead rock 'n' roll to pull from, 311 has continued to grow, from rawer early work to its self-titled 1995 pop breakthrough to the just-released Universal Pulse. But the band's bread and butter has always been the live setting.

And what a Pow Wow it shall be. Spanning three days and two stages, the festival features the Deftones, Sublime With Rome, Dirty Heads, Reel Big Fish, Ozomatli, G. Love & Special Sauce, and plenty from the fest's founders. 311 will play two sets on Friday and another two on Saturday, including one set featuring the 21-track 1997 release Transistor performed in its entirety for the first time.

In response to some prodding about the surprises in store, Martinez says, "It's all continuously being planned as we go along. Sound check is obviously when we get to approach some of these things that we're going to be doing and seeing how they're going to work."

Organizing the festival represents a whole new direction and new challenges for the group, he adds.

"It's been a huge learning experience for us," he says. "And it hasn't even happened yet. But I think we did a pretty good job, and I think it's a very respectable lineup, and the bands are really going to enjoy themselves."

Whether this event turns into a yearly outing, like the beloved 311 Day, remains to be seen. 311 isn't getting ahead of itself, but it certainly isn't discounting the possibility.

"We're going to see how it goes, but so far, it's off to a good start," Martinez says. "It's definitely something — the concept, the idea — that we'd like to continue, if it goes off."

Readers might recall that 311's choice of Spirit of the Suwannee for the Pow Wow Festival sparked some controversy on our music blog, County Grind, some weeks back. However, Martinez is convinced fears of a rougher, edgier crowd are unfounded.

"I don't know what those grounds are used to," he says. "Maybe the festival fare is generally a little lighter. I think perceptionwise, people need to open up a little more and realize that people are cooler than they give them credit for. It's not going to be like Woodstock '99."

He adds that they expect the same positive energy and common thread of civil behavior typical of 311 outings.

"Our fan base is very respectful of their environment," he says. "We just got a letter from a fan in Omaha who said our show was the first time they'd heard a person crowd-surfing say 'Excuse me.' Polite crowd surfers. When does that ever happen?"

http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/2011-08-04/music/don-t-stay-home-behold-the-majesty-of-the-311-pow-wow-festival/

What's Happening Around Northeast Florida This Week (WJXT Jacksonville)

2011-08-02T11:44:00.000-07:00

311 Pow Wow Festival
Popular Band 311 is coming to the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak for the band’s first multi-day festival. The 311 Pow Wow Festival will showcase the “Unity Tour” which the group started in July and runs through August. Gates will open on Thursday at 10 a.m. with a late show ending at 2 a.m. on Sunday. For more information and ticket prices, go to www.musicliveshere.com.

http://www.news4jax.com/entertainment/28734719/detail.html

Musicians, readers share MTV memories (Omaha World Herald)

2011-08-01T15:55:00.000-07:00

MTV was a huge help to 311. I remember when "120 Minutes" debuted our "Do You Right" video. It was the last video they played that night. We were at Sharky's Brewery in Omaha after having just played a big hometown show. We were jubilant. Lots of high-fiving.

People ask us when did we feel like we really made it. I'd have to say it was in '95 when we had a MTV Buzz Clip for "Down" and then played on Letterman. We were like, "OK, now we've arrived."

— Nick Hexum, 311

Of course the cool kids had MTV first and we all hung out at their houses. And when we got it at home, we never wanted to leave. MTV's Headbanger's Ball changed my life. It showed me how cool it looked to be a touring musician. I had to at least give it a shot. 21 years later...

— P-Nut, 311

http://www.omaha.com/article/20110801/LIVING/708019970

311 Pow Wow Festival (Miami.com)

2011-08-01T13:55:00.000-07:00

The dog days of August are upon us, and that means your lazy, crazy days of summer are numbered. So why not give in to your wanderlust while you still can, before the sobering realities of back-to-school or back-to-the-grind kick in? Take a road trip - it's good for the soul!

And there's no better destination for your carload of fun-loving friends than the first-ever 311 Pow Wow Festival, a three-day music, camping and just hanging-out event from Thursday-Saturday (Aug. 4-6). It all goes down at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Fla. (directions at left), and features top alt-rock, blues, ska and jam bands such as 311 (of course), the Deftones, Sublime With Rome, G. Love & Special Sauce, The Dirty Heads, Reel Big Fish, Ozomatli and many more. There are even DJs (Trichrome and Mixmaster Mike) and comedians (Doug Benson and Graham Elwood) to shake things up. Call it one last hurrah, a fond farewell to the Summer of 2011.

"It's like a three-day, good-time summer camp," says 311 guitarist Tim Mahoney. "A little escape. Maybe turn your phone off and just enjoy living for a little bit. It's really hard to let loose from your responsibilities."

So what inspired 311 - an alt-rock band from Omaha, Neb., that mixes rap, reggae, ska and funk into its sound - to take on this endeavor?

"We've always been throwing around the idea of a multi-day camping event where people can hang out for more than one day, and you can play two nights in a row," says Mahoney. "We've been thinking about it for years, and that site down in Florida just kind of came up, and we were like, well, maybe we should give it a shot to get our feet wet."

Not surprisingly, you can expect a healthy dose of songs by 311, which is best known for the hits "All Mixed Up" and "Down," and also just released its 10th album, "Universal Pulse," on July 19.

"We're gonna do four sets over the course of two nights, with the Deftones playing the Thursday night before," he says. "So it's a good three days' worth of music. "We're gonna do "Transistor," our fourth record, in its entirety in one of those sets, just for fun. That's something we've never done, so that will be interesting. And we'll go through all the songs from "Universal Pulse" over the course of those two nights, and everything from our back catalog."

For fans of 311's older sound, hearing the new album performed live should be a true highlight of the festival.

"I think "Universal Pulse" is almost like getting back to our roots, if that makes sense," says Mahoney. "It's more to the point, straightforward kind of rock and a little more high-energy. To me, it's like we're getting back to an energy that we've gotten away from for awhile."

http://www.miami.com/311-pow-wow-festival-article

Lollapalooza 2011: Q&A with 311 (USA Today)

2011-08-01T10:33:00.000-07:00

After reaching mainstream success in the mid-'90s, American rock band 311 has sold over 8 million records and recently just released the album Universal Pulse. No stranger to festivals, the group was asked to perform in Santiago, Chile, in April to help kick off Lollapalooza's overseas debut. The group's vocalist and rhythm guitarist, Nick Hexum, 41, talks about that concert, the legacy of Lollapalooza and the new album.

Q: You recently performed for Lollapalooza Chile. What was the crowd like?

A: That was a perfect place to launch our South American experience, to have such a big crowd give back so much energy, like they were chanting and singing along. I've never heard a crowd singing the guitar leads back to you like they did at that show. That was crazy.

Q: Was it a major change from crowds in the United States? How were they different?

A: There's an uninhibited-ness that was really remarkable.

Q: It's been 20 years since the first Lollapalooza. How has the festival evolved?

A: Well, I attended the very first one. We were still living in Omaha, and when the festival came to Kansas City I remember (thinking) "Wow, Nine Inch Nails and Ministry!" Everything really kicked in by the time Jane's Addiction came on, and that was just a jaw-dropping experience. I definitely was really hoping to be on that stage one day. To get to finally share the stage with Jane's Addiction in South America … it was kind of a big deal for me.

Q: So Jane's Addiction was a major musical influence? Who were some of your others?

A: Absolutely. I mean, in the early days there was a handful of bands that really blew our minds about how you could combine super-high-energy punk with interesting musical style. Jane's Addiction, Bad Brains, Chili Peppers, Fishbone … those were some of our biggest influences. It was like a religious experience to see them back in the day because they just tapped into an energy that was amazing. I remember after I'd see them I'd say, "You know, this should be headline news on the front page of the newspaper." (Laughs) You know, like "Jane's Addiction destroys venue" because it was just such a big event in my mind. It was really quite pivotal.

Q: What's the contrast between starting out and performing in front of a few dozen people, to going to performing in front of thousands and thousands of fans?

A: I guess it was just so incremental between now and then that there wasn't any sort of big turning point. But, I think there's more focus on musicianship, and in the earlier days it was more about the energy. Now we make the shows more precise and listenable, but we realize a lot of bands mellow throughout the years, and we still focus on keeping the energy up.

Q: Tell me about your new album.

A: Universal Pulse is intended to serve the live show. Some albums that we've made were like, "Let's not even worry about whether these songs are going to be good or even capable on a live setting." This one we were like, "What's going to rock the crowd?" because there's been a general sort of shift for us to realize we are ultimately a touring band, and playing live is the core of what we do.

Q: What's behind the name of the album?

A: It's about making a connection through music and finding that commonality, that pulse that runs through everybody. Music is the universal language. To have an experience to go to a new country like we did in Chile and see them getting off to your music when this is the first time they've seen you, it really affects you on what a powerful force music is.

Q: When you're playing at a festival like Lollapalooza, is there any type of competition between you and the other artists? Is there a sense that you want to outdo the last performer, or is it more of a camaraderie of groups performing together?

A: I think you want to bring your "A" game definitely, because you know there are other bands watching and it's all top-quality talent on the show. So I don't go with the attitude of outdoing, but just naturally with a good band going out there with you, you're going to step it up. So I suppose there's a little healthy competition.

http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2011-07-29-lollapalooza-2011-with-311_n.htm

311 Tickets : The Band Continued To Attract Record Crowds To Their Shows In Recent Years (EZine)

2011-08-01T01:14:00.000-07:00

311's first independent release was the Downstairs EP, which was recorded in 1989 in Nick Hexum's basement. Unlike many of their releases, it had no cover art. A copy of this EP can easily be found circulating in bootleg circles and tape trading communities.

The Downstairs EP suffers from guitar so scratchy that the instrument produced an unintended grinding "ringing" sound so high-pitched that it distorted the sound of the tape upon recording; the sound is so abrasive and scratchy that it has caused listeners of the EP to the suffer the phenomenon known as Tinnitus. On this EP, "Right Now" is one of the songs most afflicted with the grinding, ringing guitar noise. Owners of original copies of the EP report that the grinding, ringing guitar noise is in fact present on the original source material.

In 1991, 311 released their second independent release, Unity, recorded at Rainbow Recording Studios, Omaha, which was released with far greater numbers than their first release Dammit!, which was also recorded in 1989 and released in the following year. While Dammit! only printed 300 cassettes, Unity had 1000 CDs and 500 cassettes printed and was distributed through consignment and also sold at shows.

The band began to headline shows in local clubs, such as The Ranch Bowl and Sokol Auditorium, and became a local success.In 1992, S.A. Martinez, who had been making various appearances with 311 over the past years as a vocalist, had officially been asked to join the band. The newly formed 311 recorded a six-track demo, called Hydroponic, and moved to Los Angeles. Within their first few months, 311 was signed to Capricorn Records.

311 considers their first show to be held on June 10, 1990, opening for Fugazi in Omaha, NE, at the Sokol Auditorium.Their seventh major release, Evolver, came in 2003 and marked a return to the straightforward guitar-heavy sound that the band had become known for. Evolver debuted at #7 on the Billboard 200, and the single "Creatures (For A While)" reached #3 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart.In 2004, 311 covered The Cure's "Love Song" which became a #1 hit on the Modern Rock Tracks chart.

It also reached #59 on the Hot 100, their first single to reach that chart. It was featured on the soundtrack for the motion picture 50 First Dates and then a few months later on their own Greatest Hits '93-'03. The compilation debuted at #7 on the Billboard 200 and was certified gold. The album also featured two new songs. "How Do You Feel?" and "First Straw". Of these new tracks, "First Straw", was released as a single and reached #14 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart.

On August 16, 2005, 311 released their eighth studio album, titled Don't Tread on Me. "Don't Tread On Me", the first single, reached #1 on the Billboard Modern Rock chart and #1 at R&R. The next two singles, "Speak Easy" and "Frolic Room", did not receive the same success as the first, neither of which made it past #20 on the Modern Rock Charts.Neither of their newest studio albums, excluding Greatest Hits, have received an RIAA certification yet.

On July 20, 2006, 311 kicked off their Summer Unity Tour, playing 37 shows in 27 states and featuring opening bands Pepper and the legendary Wailers. Though their album sales have declined in recent years, the band continued to attract record crowds to their shows. Over 18,500 people came to see the band in Atlanta, their largest audience ever in the city. Other cities with high turnouts included New Jersey, Boston , Washington DC, Omaha , Kansas City, and Colorado.

After completion of the tour, 311 announced they would be taking a break, their first official one in over eight years.
In January 2007, 311 stepped back into their Hive Studios with Nick's younger brother Zack Hexum. They recorded a cover of Toots & the Maytals song Reggae Got Soul for the soundtrack from the film Surf's Up, which was released on June 5, 2007. 311 is also one of the selected group of bands that have been able to successfully tour "off-cycle", headlining amphitheaters each summer.

Their Summer Unity Tour in 2007 included supporting acts Matisyahu and The English Beat. In 2008, they featured opening acts Snoop Dogg and Fiction Plane.In 2009, they had another Summer Unity Tour which featured opening acts Ziggy Marley and The Expendables while in 2010, supporting act The Offspring and opening act Pepper were featured.]In 2011, Sublime With Rome and DJ Soulman & DJ Trichrome will be opening on the Unity Tour.

http://newezinearticles.com/Art/382468/6/311-Tickets-The-Band-Continued-To-Attract-Record-Crowds-To-Their-Shows-In-Recent-Years.html

What's Trending (CBS News)

2011-07-31T10:52:00.000-07:00

The number one downloaded song of this week was still LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem," which has beaten out all the newer songs entering the chart. One surprise however, was seeing 311 becoming the ninth most download artist of the week, thanks to the latest release, "Universal Pulse." The eight-track album features "Sunset in July," and if you're a fan of this band's low key, reggae influenced rhythms, you'll find this song right up your alley. Time will only tell if this song has enough legs to make it past this month.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504943_162-20086045-10391715.html