311 Rocks Myth Live

Jon Wayne & The Pain opened the night with some mellow rock tunes and were a logical paring to play with 311. The dread-headed band used a plethora of eccentric instruments including an electric clarinet, flute, bongos, and a melodica for an eclectic sound.

311 brought a fan-service set of genre-melding hits spanning their twenty-seven year career. Touring for the eighteenth consecutive year, Omaha natives Nick Hexum (vocals), S.A. Martinez (vocals), Tim Mahoney (guitar), P-Nut (bass), and Chad Sexton (drums) performed a hype show at Myth Live.

The quintet opened with their 1999 track, “Freeze Time.” The song utilized heavy metal-influenced powerchords, Martinez’s rapping (and magnificent popping and locking), and Hexum’s robust vocals to set the tone for their hip-hop, rock, funk, and ska hybrid sound. They continued with fan-favorite, “All Mixed Up” highlighting P-Nut’s groovy bass line and continued with new song, “Perfect Mistake.” Over the years 311 have gathered a bit of a cult following and die-hard fans responded to their new music just as positively as they did with their tunes from the 90’s.

Sexton was able to use his elaborate setup of drum heads and cymbals for his solo during “Applied Science” before the entire band brought out even more drums for an extensive percussion battle.

They included quite a few songs off of their latest LP, Mosaic, including single, “Too Much to Think,” which Hexum states is about “the highs and lows of life- seeking an escape from the everyday stresses of life.” The song impressively remains true to their original sound, but still has a modern twist. Their ability to remain relevant while putting out solid music for longer than some of their fans have been alive is an impressive accomplishment.

“Sick Tight,” “Down,” “Livin’ & Rockin’,” and “Creatures (For A While)” closed out their set with light moshing but high energy from the crowd. 311’s tour will continue through early November and as always the band will celebrate 311 day with a weekend of shows in Las Vegas. Find tickets for remaining shows here and listen to Mosaic here.