In addition to the hundreds of die-hard 311 fans, known collectively as, “The Hive,” were the two opening acts, Unwritten Law and Papa Roach. It was still light out when Unwritten Law started their set, which gave the concert a festival-like feel, but the young punk rock band from San Diego didn’t benefit from the lake-side acoustics one bit. Their set was unremarkable except for the performance of their single, “Seein’ Red,” and a spunky moment when front man Scott Russo dedicated the song, “Teenage Suicide,” to a heckling fan. Instead of antagonizing the fans, however, Papa Roach did all it could to satisfy them. At the outset they thanked 311 for bringing them on tour and then wasted no time before ripping into an hour of head banging rap/rock. Their act seemed more than a little choreographed for a band that had skulls on their speakers, but lead vocalist Jacoby Shaddix sang his heart out on every song and even walked into the crowd after a rousing rendition of, “She Loves Me Not.” After just under an hour, Papa Roach finished their set having played all of their hits and still managed to leave the fans wanting more. As they exited the stage, the lights of the Chicago skyline slowly blinked on and the sky grew to night leaving only the headliners left to perform.
When, finally, the five members of 311 jogged into view, it was instantly clear why these guys were the headliners of the tour. From the moment they touched the stage, before a single note was played, the crowd went crazy for them. And as the reggae infused, funk, rap, rock band started their first number, “Homebrew” the sea of people in front of the stage simply became a mass of waving arms and bobbing heads. The next number, “Freak Out,” kept the energy up, starting with a funk riff followed by a Beastie Boys style rap…all in the same verse.
311 is a hard band to nail down from song to song, even within a song, because they do draw from so many musical forms. And despite this, or more likely, because of this unique style, 311 has built a devoted and intense following. When the band started to mix not-yet-heard tracks from their upcoming album into their set the fans didn’t miss a beat.
The album’s title track, “Don’t Tread on Me,” carries an upbeat message laid on top of a reggae beat. “Thank Your Lucky Stars,” cautions the listener not to take their life for granted, and the most complete sample from the CD, “Frolic Room,” mixed every element of the band’s eclectic nature to create a loose and upbeat number drawing a huge cheer from the crowd. All in all, the new tracks didn’t do any more or any less than promise more of the same from these consistent and obvious crowd pleasers.
The highlights from the show, however, unsurprisingly came from their previous hits. “Down,” which hit No. 1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Chart, “All Mixed Up,” which reached No. 2, and “Amber,” which is the mellowest song you can play and still be jamming, had the crowd singing and swaying with every word, a true showcase for the veteran performers. Another song, one that deserves special notice above even their own hits, was the beautiful and haunting cover of The Cure’s, “Love Song,” which the band originally laid down for the soundtrack to Adam Sandler’s movie, “50 First Dates.” “Love Song,” shows all of the talent and all of the potential that 311’s unique mix allows for. It really is something to behold, and it will hold on to you long after it’s over.
If you’ve never seen 311 before, or if you are among the many who have seen them too many times to count, this show is well worth watching. The quintet has come a long way since their start in Omaha, Neb., but to all of their fans it must feel like they haven’t changed a bit. It was a great concert and a real experience for anyone who wants to escape for a few hours and to preview what promises to be another successful 311 album release in just a few days’ time.
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