On Friday, March 11, hundreds of dedicated fans poured into the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, where their favorite band–311–took the stage for their biennial 311 Day celebration.
311 Day isn’t just a concert. It’s a performance that packs an impressively long set list, beautiful theatrics and special guests into a single show. It’s something of a holiday, and the band’s fans treat it as such, with revelers flying in from all 50 states, and even other countries, just for the event.
311 was formed in Omaha, NE in 1998. The group’s clever mixture of rock, reggae and hip-hop soon drew a huge fanbase that is still going strong almost 30 years later. The band began celebrating the unofficial holiday in 2000 and has continued to host the extended concert every two years since then (with six of them taking place in New Orleans) In 2014, 311 Day featured over 60 songs in a single night. This year’s performance was a bit different, as the band chose to spread the holiday over two days, allowing them to play upwards of 40 tunes each night.
The concert began with a video-montage of people from all over the country joyfully yelling “Happy 311-Day!” Participants included Eric Stonestreet of Modern Family, as well as members of Slightly Stoopid, The Dirty Heads and Incubus–all bands with similar fanbases. Those at the show itself were adorned with 311 merchandise, but clothing wasn’t their only means of showing dedication: I met plenty of people who had tattoos that permanently expressed their love for the band.
As the video came to a close, and the lights dimmed, the crowd began to chant “311”–in an almost cult-like manner–in anticipation of the show. When vocalist, Nick Hexum, guitarist, Tim Mahoney, vocalist/DJ, S.A. Martinez and drummer Chad Sexton took the stage, the crowd erupted into a frenzy of screams and applause.
After an up-beat guitar intro, the band began with rap/rock infused “Hive,” then moving into fan-favorite, “Come Original,” a song that almost every person in the arena seemed to have memorized. As is the staple of 311 Day, the band also performed deep cuts such as “We Do It Like This” which inspired as much enthusiasm from the crowd as the classics.
The audience became a living example of 311’s philosophy of positivity and optimism, as their joy persisted throughout the night. The floor pulsed up and down in unison during the live debut of their new song, “Hey Yo,” with colorful lights shooting down from the stage. Glow sticks, balloons and more regularly shot into the air, passing over top of bumping fists and puffs of smoke.
“Omaha Stylee” marked the end of the first set, and gave way to a twenty-minute intermission; a small break for the sweat drenched band members. The second set included hits such as “Amber, ” a sweet tune that brought couples closer, and faster paced songs like “Jackpot” which ignited the audience into dance once again. However, the biggest surprise of the night was the guest appearance from gospel choir The Voices of Peter Claver, who put an unconventional twist on the show. The singers piled onto the stage–dressed in all white–during a riveting solo from Aaron “P-nut” Wills. The bassist was covering Daft Punk’s neo-disco hit “Get Lucky,” while a disco ball projected sparkling lights across an arena that twisted and turned with the music.
The Voices of Peter Claver’s contribution began with “When the Saints Go Marching In” before moving on to “It’s Alright,” “I’ll be here Awhile” and “Tranquility,” a tune that was brought to life by the choral group’s harmonies. The choir’s departure signaled the end of the second set, eventually giving way to the night’s encore.
311 went back to their roots for the finale. The band began with “It’s Getting OK Now,” during which a combination of lights projected the illusion of moving rainbows across the arena. The rougher sounding “Feels So Good,” and the laid-back “Don’t Stay Home,” comprised the rest of the encore. Finally, the show came to a close with fan favorite “Down.”
“Thanks for helping our rock and roll dreams come true,” Hexum told the loyal crowd as the band made its way off the stage. It was a dream that most in the audience were more than happy to be a part of.
All photos by Clare Welsh. Click here to view the full gallery on Flickr.
Photo by Clare Welsh
