March 6th was a cold and rainy night in Ventura and I spent four hours driving through a thunderstorm to catch 311 and their opener, Sitting on Stacy, at the Majestic Theater… and it was all worth it.
I first fell in love with 311 when I was 17 years old and now – almost 30 years later – I still enjoy their infectious grooves.
311’s Nick Hexum | Photo by Tiny Toyland
With Nick Hexum (vocals and guitar), Doug “SA” Martinez (vocals, turntables), Aaron “P-Nut” Wills (bass), Tim Mahoney (guitar), and Chad Sexton (drums), the rockers from Omaha, Nebraska have been churning out hits like “All Mixed Up” and “Down” since forming in 1988. Don’t get anyone started on their contribution to the soundtrack of “50 First Dates.”
The Majestic Theater is a venue with a lot of character. It has giant, gold frames on the walls on either side of the stage.
The Majestic sells funnel cakes, candy, and popcorn, as well as a having a fully stocked bar. That brings them in, but honestly, it’s the bands that keep them coming back to this historic landmark.
The people in the front row looked out for each other and I didn’t see anyone pushing forward or hurting people. It just seemed like a wonderful group of people came out for an exciting time and cared for one another.
SITTING ON STACY Live at the Majestic by Tiny Toyland
Sitting on Stacy was a welcome surprise for an opening act. The group of young men hit the stage with an abundance of energy that immediately grabbed the crowd’s attention. They were head banging, jumping in the air, and thrashing around with their instruments.
The face of the band’s kick drum was particularly amusing; it matched the cover of their new album, “Looking Past Red Flags,” which features a colorful piece of cake with a stick of dynamite as a candle, with the cake held by a green hand that appeared to be a monster or witch.
SITTING ON STACY Live at the Majestic by Tiny Toyland
Sitting on Stacy did an excellent job and I’m guessing they gained a lot of new fans with that performance.
311 Live at the Majestic by Tiny Toyland
When it was time for the headliner, it was mostly dark as 311 walked onto the stage. There were glowing lights on P-Nut’s bass and the illuminated selenite crystals by Sexton’s drums. The band stunned the crowd by opening with a rarity, “Welcome.”
The fans around me were excited by the song choice and I could feel the energy level in the room begin to grow.
311 Live at the Majestic by Tiny Toyland
They ripped through more than 20 songs and played all the hits the crowd wanted to hear: “All Mixed Up,” “Homebrew,” “Too Late,” “From Chaos,” “Amber,” “You Wouldn’t Believe,” and “Feels So Good.”
Their cover of The Cure’s “Love Song” is one of my favorites and I was thrilled they played it. Simply put, the crowd was electrified as the song started and you could hear everyone singing along as the chorus played in.
There were several fun moments during the show including Chad Sexton’s drum solo, followed by the rest of the band joining him to all play drums together.
311 Live at the Majestic by Tiny Toyland
As the show ended, 311 made their way off the stage, but as you can imagine they were coaxed back out by their adoring fans. The encore consisted of “Eons,” then an eruption to “Down.”
311 played two back to back shows in Ventura before heading out to Las Vegas for the weekend for their infamous 3/11 day celebrations.
And, they just announced the upcoming Unity Tour with Awolnation and Neon Trees. So jump on those tickets because they are coming to a town near you!
