Welcome back folks! Here we go, another week, a new fan spotlight! This week let’s hear the story of Adam Fey!

The year was 1991-1992, and Adam can recall being in the 6th grade and being woken up at 7AM by his older brother who was getting ready for school. His brother would listen to music, sometimes Beastie Boys, Living Colour, or R.E.M., but mostly Adam remembers hearing 311’s Unity. “I remember yelling at him to turn it off so I can sleep.  But I remember feeling the energy of that record.  Being 12, I didn’t really recognize what that energy was, but I was hooked.  Fast forward to my junior year of high school, cruising around with a friend of mine’s brother, listening to “Music,” shortly after they released the blue album.  He had never heard 311 before.  I found myself singing along to “Feels So Good” and the next thing I knew, he invited me to join his band and we did a cover.  We ended up playing together for a few years, and although we never achieved greatness, it was the greatest time.  311 inspired all of that, all those years later.”

Show count for Adam he believes is somewhere around 15 and all of them have been in the Omaha area. “My first show was in ’97 in Council Bluffs, Iowa.  Fishbone opened.  It was my first experience in the pit and it was insane.  Buried my front teeth in some guy’s shoulder, by accident.  Jumped, moshed, surfed.  It was magic.”

As far as his favorite show, he said nothing will top seeing them at Sokol Auditorium. “They played clubs during the Soundsystem tour around ’99-’00 and seeing them with Grasshopper Takeover and Hoobastank, in that kind of atmosphere, was indescribable.  Talked with Tim for a little bit after the show as their buses were parked on the street right next to the hall.  The intimacy of that venue, seeing your favorite band, you just can’t beat it.  Then in 2015 for their 25th anniversary show, again at Sokol, they turned back the clock and played a set mostly from Unity and Music.  Also taking my oldest son to his first 311 show, also in Council Bluffs, IA, when they played Grassroots beginning to end, was a very special time for me.  And he’s been hooked ever since.”

The song that means the most to Adam is a tough question to answer. He said being first exposed to songs like “Rollin’,” “C.U.T.M.,” and “Damn” that those will always be his favorites. “But what they did with Mosaic, at that time, was an inspiration.  So, short answer long, “Wildfire.”

As for lyrics, these are some of Adam’s favorites:

“Truth I hid the truth I hid from me, hit the skids I hit the skids only to find the light to light my way home, sun come through.”
“Anytime you will ignore your heart it will come back twice more, never deny your own instinct, reconsider everything.”
“Nod your head to this.”

Adam was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, and still calls it home. He went to the same high school as Nick, Tim and Chad, plus his kids now attend it as well. “I had the interesting experience of being there while the farce of a t-shirt ban was going on.  Thankfully, it didn’t last long, 311 shirts were half my wardrobe.  The following year I wore my 311 Music shirt the first day of school, directly in front of the dean so they had come to their senses.”

The grass industry is where Adam has worked for the last 15 years, and he said no not that type of grass! ” I’ve worked at golf courses and sports fields, with most the appeal being that I can throw in the ear buds and rock out 8 hours a day.” Adam has 3 amazing children, the oldest one being in a band called 622. “He’s the skinny dark haired kid on vocals/guitar.  I brought 311 to him, he brought them to his friends.  It’s such an amazing thing to be able to share music, especially my favorite band, with him.  The other two are a little younger, but I’m working on ’em!” Here is the link to the YouTube video of his sons band:

As previously mentioned, Adam was in a band in high school. What you may not know is that they recorded an album in the same studio were 311 recorded Unity. A talent that Adam has is that he can quote a ton of movie lines. “A blessing and a curse.” Guilty pleasure for him is the 90’s sitcom “Wings.” “It’s pretty bad.  And the cheesy ones, Saved By the Bell for instance.  Ya, Saved By the Bell.”

When not listening to 311, Adam loves the sounds of other artists such as Incubus, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam, Linkin Park, Beastie Boys, Buddy Holly, The Beatles, The Who, Van Halen, The Police, and Billy Joel. “Over the last few years my kids got me into Twenty One Pilots as well.”

Adam would like to send this message to 311: “Thank you for being an inspiration to so many through your lyrics, melodies and rhythms.  Chad, send my Chad some sticks.”

Now here are Adam’s words to all his fellow fans:

“I believe it was P-Nut that said in an interview that the band has evolved into something more of a living, breathing organism.  It’s a privilege to be a cell in the soundsystem with you all!  Catch you at the next show!”

There you have the story of Adam Fey! Thanks Adam for sharing it with us all. Of course, much gratitude to all the readers! Thanks for all of the support, have an amazing week!

Much Love – The Runt

Alright here we go, welcome back my friends in 311 nation to the fan spotlight! Here we are at number 300 – I’m so thankful to have been able to interview so many wonderful souls! Let’s get to it shall we? Meet Rick Louis!

Like many, Rick saw the video for “Down” on MTV and that’s how he first heard of 311. However, it was the album “Transistor” that really made him a fan.

For show count, Rick has attended 27, with his first show being at the TLA in Philadelphia, November 10, 1999. “I won tickets from the ticket fairy (ticket raid from Y100 and the fairy was Casey Boy. Yes he was wearing a pink tutu with wings and a wand) at the old Langhorne ski shop. I also won  the top raffle prize from the store, which was a snowboard.  I still have it in my closet. Never used.”

As far as favorite show, Rick said it’s a toss up between his first show and his sons first show back in 2017 at Asbury Park, New Jersey. “He was just 3.5 years old at the time.”

Favorite song for Rick, well there are a couple for different reasons. “Tranquility” is one of them, because the song was released almost a year after his father died from cancer. ” I had missed the 2013 Philly show (was also the first show missed dating back to 1999 and was on my birthday). That song helped me heal, but hearing live for the first time and my first show back in 2014 really hit me.  I’m not an overly  emotional guy, but I was crying during the song.”

The other song he loves is “Creatures (For A While).” When his oldest son was still in the womb, he played that track for him holding headphones over his wife’s belly. “He started moving around in there as if he were going crazy :). The idea of passing the 311 torch to him had me smiling. I couldn’t wait to take him to his first show.” For favorite lyrics, Rick said that pretty much the entire song of “Peaceful Revolution” speak to him. “I’ve always loved this track (my unicorn to hear live one day).  Released in 1990, those lyrics still hold true today. “

Rick was born and raised in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, which is a suburb of Philadelphia. He also lived in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, but now calls Mercer County, New Jersey, his home. “Happily married for 11 years with 2 amazing boys (7 y/o and 18 months).  I was working in the tech sector for almost 20 years, but due to a layoff and then covid, I’m currently unemployed.”

Growing up Rick was exposed to a variety of music thanks to his dad, aunt, and uncle. “Some of my fondest memories was going with my dad to the tower records once a month to pick up vinyl’s and these new things (at the time) called cd’s.  My dad had a system in his old car and we’d just blast music on the way home . We could go from Springsteen to NWA, to The Clash and Yanni in one trip lol.  I remember having my mind blown when I first heard NWA and Public Enemy.” Thanks to his diverse musical upbringing, Rick loves a variety of musicians besides 311, including RDGLDGRN, Oxymorrons, Foo Fighters, Nirvana, Bad Religion, Pennywise, Pulley, Bad Brains, Minor Threat, Rancid, 2 Skinnee J’s, Zebrahead, The Urge, Springsteen, Hendrix, and The Doors.

Rick currently loves spending time with his family and friends. His favorite thing is taking his oldest to shows with him. “I love watching him experience all those firsts like I did when I was younger.  Although my first show was David Bowie when I was 8.  His was RdGldGrn at 3.5.”

Rick said he was a pretty average kid growing up, but at 16 he followed in his dads footsteps and became a volunteer firefighter. “Did that for almost 4.5-5 years and one of my only regrets was not making that a career.” Interesting fact about Rick, his father was the first person in Bucks County to be granted joint custody. “Back in the 80’s it was unheard of that a father would be given joint custody.  My dad fought for me and won.”

Something that makes Rick unique is his love for helping others. Back in 2010 he found a way to take his hobby of playing poker and was able to raise money for some charities and foundations. ” I’m proud to say that these efforts have helped raise over $56k in 10 years.” Rick said he also likes to beatbox and has been doing it since he was little. Guilty pleasure for him is Sheryl Crow. “It’s a running joke between my wife and I.  During our dating years, she was going through my iPod and saw Sheryl Crow’s “All I wanna do” on there and I “jokingly” said she was my guilty pleasure.  Not gonna lie,  I have turned it up and belted it out in my car from time to time lol.”

Back in 2012, Rick’s wife bought him meet & greet tickets so he would be able to meet the band. “The morning of the show, I must have rehearsed what I was gonna say to each of the guys . When it was time to “perform” all I was able to muster up was “I like your t-shirt” to P-nut. He told me he had gotten it in Japan.  Waited 12 years (up to that point) and I completely blew it.  Still was a cool experience and the show was amazing (had front row seats on P-nut’s side).”

We close with Rick’s message to all the other 311 fans out there:

“Can’t wait to see y’all at live shows again.  Don’t be shy if you see my fam and I.  We love  high fives and fist bumps!”

Thank you so much Rick for sharing your story about your love for 311! That wraps up fan spotlight #300. I want to really thank everyone who has participated in this journey and to all the amazing readers of my little project! Sending so much love to you all, stay well, and thanks for being there as we continue on this journey!

Much Love – The Runt

Welcome again friends in 311 nation! Who’s ready for fan spotlight #298? I know I am! Let’s meet Keith Soljacich! 

Between Keith’s freshman and sophomore year of high school, the year was 1994, was when he discovered the sounds of 311 because his musical tastes began to change. “My eyes and ears were opened wide after going to my first Nine Inch Nails concert and I quickly left behind pop music and formed my musical tastes from a combination of hard rock and hip-hop.  I started leaning in to more Pearl Jam and Nirvana, but eventually making my way to bands like 311, Sublime, Primus, The Urge and Incubus.   311 always stood out amongst the mid-90’s bands though with their blend of musical styles.  Listening to 311 in the mid-90’s was like having my own personal Spotify.  If I wanted a hard rock song I had Unity, if I wanted a Hip-Hop song I had Lucky or if I wanted to chill out I had Lose or Nix Hex.  Back then I got everything I needed out of music from 311.”

Keith didn’t keep track of shows attended when he started out, but he believes his number is somewhere between 70-80. “ In the early 2000’s my friends and I didn’t miss a single show that was within 100 miles of Chicago.  We’d hit Milwaukee, Detroit, Chicago on every Summer and Fall tour.  If they were playing, we were there.” First show for him was at the Metro in Chicago, on October 22, 1994. “ Back then my friends and I would go to The Metro almost weekly to see bands like Hole, Ween & Primus.  It didn’t matter who was playing, it was what we did, and we ended up seeing some of the biggest acts in the world before they got famous on that stage.” 

There have been many memorable moments for Keith over the years at the shows he’s attended. He filled his bucket list by going to 311 Day 2016 in New Orleans. He said though that without a doubt that being part of the “Creatures (For A While)” video shoot was his favorite experience. “I actually lied on my casting application and told them I lived in LA and once I got cast, jumped on a plane to fly out there.  I was cast as an extra, but that wasn’t going to stop me from making sure I made it in to the video!  I jumped in to the basketball scene with P-Nut when they called for extras and squeezed myself in to those tight old-school basketball uniforms.  Then, when we were filming the mosh pit solo scene, I leapt my way in to the pit with holding my video camera, recording the SMASH through the wall!  Afterward, I got to hang out a bit with the directing team, Nick and Nicole and Chad to talk about the filming experience.  Afterward, I made a mini-documentary that was featured on the old 311 site called Creatures (Behind The Scenes).  It was a once in a lifetime opportunity and I’m so glad I took it!”

For song that means the most to Keith, he said for the longest time it was “Stealing Happy Hours.” However, the first time he listened to “Space & Time” off the Voyager album, he cried. “That song has the easiest groove from miT, a nuanced bass line from Nut and a fill-heavy drum track from Chad that is so soothing.  But, Nick’s vocals in that song along with SA’s light harmonizing just hit so nicely.  Listening to that song always gets me to pause and look inward and find some zen and peace in my own life.  Plus those miT solos are so sweet!”

For lyrics, he loves the bridge and chorus from “Homebrew” saying it brings him nostalgia from his youth: “I was 19.  I’d do anything.  Shit like that now scares me but I’d like to do it again!.  It was Independence Day.  I’ve seen the other side and I’d say.  Oh I’ve been insane and I won’t ever be the same.”

Keith grew up in the northern suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, and has lived in that area his whole life. He attended Michigan State University studying advertising. “I always knew I wanted to work in Advertising to be able to flex my creative side and make an impact artistically there.  As it turns out I’ve had a 20 year career in Advertising, which funds my 311 habit and puts a roof over my family’s head to this day.  I’ve found my niche there and work as a Vice President of Technology at Digitas in Chicago.  I’m happy to say I do get to work on the fun side of advertising and get to make cool and innovative technology-led ad campaigns for some big brands.  I recently worked on a project called JFK Moonshot, where we recreated the Apollo 11 mission as an Augmented Reality app that tracks the entire mission in real-time.  We won several industry awards for that work including a SXSW Innovation award.  I’m incredibly proud of the work I’ve done there and am excited for all the future awesome work we’ll get to do!” 

Keith spends most of his time with friends and family, and pre-covid was going to any 311 show that he could. He’s also a huge fan of the NFL, particularly the Chicago Bears and is in a bunch of fantasy football leagues. “ Lately though, I’ve spent a lot of time in my Oculus Quest VR headset.  I love all the immersive VR games like Beat Saber, FitXR and Tower Tag and recently spent a few hours inside Burning Man VR which was a similarly life-changing experience!  In the future we’ll all be attending shows and concerts from the comfort of our own VR headset and I can’t wait.”

Cool fact about Keith? He was one of the first 10,000 people to join Twitter! Something he’s really gotten into, ever since Guitar Hero and Rock Band, are rhythm games and he says he has a sixth sense while playing them. “My new obsession is Beat Saber and I love that one because you get a full-body workout and get to swing lightsabers around in VR.” For a guilty pleasure, Keith said fantasy football takes the spot. “I spend an almost unhealthy amount of time researching and studying NFL players for that competitive edge.  I’ve won more than I’ve paid out so it must be working!”

Some other artists Keith loves include Sublime, Stick Figure, Passafire, Pepper, The Movement, Iration, People Under the Stairs, Outkast, Jurassic 5, Wu-Tang, and Pharcyde.

To 311, Keith would like to share these words: “Thank you 311 for instilling the sense of unity and positivity in me as a youth as it has carried me through good times and bad and set me up to have an incredibly fulfilling life that I love!”

To all the other fans out there:

“I can’t wait to see all the Excitables at the shows in 2021!” 

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There you have the story of Keith Soljacich! Thanks to Keith for sharing his story. Muchos Gracias to each and every reader out there! Sending so many good vibes to you all. Keep on being amazing! 

Much Love – The Runt 

Welcome back my excitable friends! It’s that time, we get to learn the story of a new fan. Let’s get to know Brian Hollar! 

The year was 1996 and it was when Brian heard “Down” and “All Mixed Up” that he discovered 311. Then when he met his wife who was super into them, he became an even bigger fan. She took him to his first show and he was hooked! 

For show count he is somewhere in the 50 range. First show was 311 Day 2006 in Memphis. “That show was fucking epic.” Favorite event? The 2012 cruise. “That was our first cruise, first 311 cruise and that island show gahhhhhh!!!!”

Song that means the most to Brian is “Hive.” “I just love everything about that song.” For favorite lyric, he chose: “I’d like to stay here just like this, it’s just a momentary bliss.” 

Roanoke, Virginia, is where Brian grew up until he was 16. Then he moved to Alabama, with some summers spent in Panama City Beach. At 19 he moved to South Carolina and then a year later headed to North Carolina. “Live in Charlotte still to this day.” He played football from pee wee to his junior year in high school as a running back. “Loved playing football and was very good and it consumed so much of my life but just got burned out from all the years.” 

Brian also played soccer, basketball, golf, track, swim, and wresting during his school years. “Sports and the brotherhood that came with it was a very large part of my upbringing in life. Love any type of competitive sport and still a very competitive person to this day which drives me in many avenues. Sometimes I’m just competing with myself lol.” To fund his 311 addiction, he is in sales for a HVAC company. “Love to travel with my wife and be on the water as much as I can. Ohh and I love to party as well. I’ll drink your shot lol.”

Interesting fact about Brian – he has a peanut butter obsession! “Literally ordered a whole case on Amazon and it didn’t last long.” For talent, he said he’s really good at voice impressions. Guilty pleasure for him is on T.V. – he loves Jersey Shore and Grey’s Anatomy. 

Other artists that Brian loves include Dirty Heads, Rebelution,  Slightly Stoopid, Foo Fighters, Rdgldgrn, Incubus, Metallica, Limp Bizkit, Korn, Bassnectar, and Above & Beyond. “The list could go on very far. I’ll listen to Jazz, Motown you name it but nooooo country. I just can’t.”

His words to 311 are actually a question: “So 20 more years?”

To the other fans out there, his message is simple:

“FUCK COVID. I miss your faces.” 

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Thank you Brian for sharing your story! As always a big hug of gratitude to all the readers each week. I know times are weird, but with strength and support for each other we will get through it! 

Much Love – The Runt

Hello my excitable friends and welcome to another edition of the 311 fan spotlight! Time to start the week right…let’s read about our fellow fan Mr. Charley Kellum!

Charley’s tale takes us back to good ole 1995 when a friend of his played a cassette tape of Grassroots for him. When Charley said he liked it, the friend threw on the blue album CD and that sealed the deal. “The beat of ‘Random’ really drew me in, then once I heard ‘Loco’ I was capital H Hooked! Chad’s drum work was so syncopated and amazingly tight. I couldn’t stop listening!”

Atlanta in 1997 was the first time Charley saw 311 live and since then he’s been to 10 shows. Last year he attended his first 311 Day and he was completely blown away by the experience. “Hearing ‘Damn’ live was one of my bucket list songs and I had just told someone I’d love to hear that or ‘Rolling.’ Then I heard the opening chords of ‘Damn’ and went ballistic!”

Favorite quote of Charley’s comes from the song “Homebrew” – “In the end, revenge sends ends to the defendant.”  Then there are multiple songs that mean a lot to Charley. He said “Beyond the Gray Sky” always makes him cry when hearing it live. Then the song “Hive” is the first song he heard them play live, so that will always have a special place in his heart. The prize for favorite song though goes to “Visit.”  “The message is great and that’s what I want to do. Visit the world with my time on this world.”

Charley grew up in a small town named Osage City in the state of Kansas (he said the population there is around 2300).  Then in 1997 he moved to Georgia shortly after the death of his mother. “For the next few years, 311 became my life and was my guidance through my pain.” Then in 2000 Charley joined the Navy to better his life situation. “I was broke, unemployed, and crashing on couches. The Navy changed my life.” From there he spent time in Charleston, S.C., Kings Bay Sub Base in Georgia, and then Atlanta where he recruited for 4 years. Charley is now out of the Navy and living in Statesboro, Georgia where he works for GA Power. “I am trying to earn a Reactor Operators license at a nuclear power plant.”

Music plays a special part in Charley’s life. He was once a Vocal Music Education major so he used to just sing at the drop of a hat. He even performed the National Anthem to open for Craig Morgan, and then sang it again a month later for a Christian Labor Day concert in front of 15,000 people! Charley is also super smart – so much so that he is a member of Mensa, the high IQ society. Aside from 311, Charley’s musical interests are quite eclectic. He loves Alice in Chains, Primus, Rebelution, Eminem, Ludacris, Pantera,  and Garth Brooks. “I love all music: rock, rap, and reggae take the lead though.” Guilty pleasure? “I love Sons of Anarchy!”

In 2012 at the Atlanta show meet and greet, Charley was lucky enough to tell the guys just how much they mean to him. He simply said to them, “Thank you for creating the music that has helped me through the darkest times of my life, as well as punctuated its celebrations.”

Now here’s Charley’s message to all the fans out there:

“To my beloved Familia, keep filling up venues and loving each other. Maintain the positivity and let’s keep it going as long as possible!”

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Thanks for reading peeps about another awesome member of the 311 nation! Keep that positive attitude flowing and spread it to those around you. Have a great week!

Much love – The Runt

It’s been awhile since I’ve been able to write up a new fan spotlight, but I’m back and this week we focus on a person that I’m sure many of you know. She is one half of the famous 311 Cheerleaders duo – meet Kristina Gregory!

I’ve had the honor and privilege of getting to know Kristina over many events that we attended together and she truly is one of the sweetest girls I’ve met!  She and her best friend Amy have been long time fans of 311 and their love began with the blue album and grew from there. As Kristina says, “We became obsessed!”  Kristina’s first concert ever was 311 and while she took a hiatus from attending live shows for a bit, she returned and instantly reconnected with the amazing feeling you get from the live shows. While she has no idea how many shows she’s been to, she knows that each one has meant something special to her, especially her first one ever. “What I would give to have the ticket stub from my very first show at Nations in DC, which no longer exists!”

When asked what show she attended that ranks as her all time favorite, she mentions that this is a tough question to answer since she’s experienced so many wonderful events thanks to 311. If forced to pick one, Kristina doesn’t believe anything can top the very first deck show on the first 311 Caribbean Cruise. “Hearing your favorite band play such amazing music as you sail off into the ocean…there might not be anything better!” This particular event also holds a special place in her heart because it is where she met Ricky, who is now her fiancé!

Every 311 fan has songs or lyrics that mean something special to them, and Kristina is no exception. While there isn’t one particular song that is her favorite or means the most to her, there are certain lyrics from songs that mean a lot to her. Different lyrics and songs have spoken to her over various times in her life. A favorite quote of Kristina’s is “Every time you will ignore your heart it will come back twice more.  Never deny your own instincts; reconsider everything.”  Another lyric that has become sort of an anthem for her and Amy is from Mix it Up – “We’re just two misfits that no one else gets.”  It’s only proper that the 311 Cheerleaders have a lyric that seems to be tailored to them! 🙂

Many of us have developed a love for other bands thanks to 311 and Kristina is no different. Two of her other favorite bands are Ballyhoo! and Bumpin’ Uglies (many of you may know that she lobbied hard to get Bumpin’ Uglies on the Cali-Roots Festival line up and it worked). Kristina mentioned that she likes a plethora of genres! Some of the artists she shuffles on her Pandora are Sublime, G. Love, Garth Brooks, and Justin Timberlake. She’s also mentions Pasadena is a Maryland band that she really enjoys.

Kristina was originally born in New Jersey, but moved to Virginia when she was two and grew up there. She obtained her degree in English from James Madison University of Harrisonburg, VA and moved to Richmond after that. She still resides there today.  Kristina has been an Executive Assistant for CEO’s of various corporations for the past seven years, and currently works for a pharmaceutical company. She notes that she funds her 311 habit, “Any way possible!  I have a professional organization business on the side and Ricky and I also rent out our guest room on Airbnb for extra money. I’ve always believed that people do what they want to do, and if you want something bad enough you make it happen!”  Kristina dealt with a tough time in her life when she went through a divorce and she credits Amy for being her rock, helping her put her life back together. She also says that re-discovering her love for 311 made her feel alive again. “I still remember our summer tour road trip before our cheer shtick started; it was the most fun i could remember having in so long. Then of course after cheer started, it’s been a whirlwind of great times and great people!”

While some may think that her cheer shtick is just for 311, what you may not know is that Kristina actually was a dancer on her high school dance team and made the All American Cheer & Dance team back in 2001. Her reward for this? She got to perform with 98 Degrees during the halftime show at the Pro Bowl in Hawaii!

If Kristina had the opportunity to say one sentence to the members of 311, it would be, “Thank you, from the bottom of my heart!” 311 has brought so many great times to her life that she knows there is nothing more to say to them than this. She loves the band, the music, and the fans that make each and every show a truly positive and energetic experience. She truly is a 311 Cheerleader – rooting for the band every chance she can get whether in uniform or not! Going to Nola for 311 day? Keep your eye out for Kristina and make sure you say hi! I leave you with her personal message to all of the excitable crew:

“Love of 311 is not a competition!  It’s not about how many shows you’ve been to or how many times you’ve met the band.  It’s about being together and sharing the love of this amazing band.  I’ve met so many amazing new friends a long the way – thank you to everyone who embraced me as part of this community!”

Thanks for reading and thank you Kristina for being this weeks fan spotlight! As always, “Stay Positive & Love Your Life” 🙂

2012 was a big year for me in regards to my 311 addiction. I finally, after loving the band for 16 years, made it to my first 311 day. One would think that pilgrimage alone would be enough, but no. I had always wanted to go see 311 at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, CO, a little town just outside of Denver. I heard the venue was full of natural beauty that made the acoustics of live performances mind blowing. And 311 loved playing there. Seeing them there wasn’t just something I thought would be fun. It was an absolute necessity that I attend a 311 show there.

Being the Aries that I am, I don’t have patience and when I want something, I figure out a way to get it. Thankfully I met an awesome friend named Tony on the first 311 cruise. He just so happens to live in Denver and graciously offered his place up for my husband and I to stay when we came out for the show. Now I have mentioned it before, and I’ll say it again…311 fans are the best. Tony has become one of my husband and I’s favorite people to party with and we always have a fun time with him and laughs are always guaranteed when he is around. If you read this Tony, just know we think you are awesome! “You don’t even know!”

So thanks to Tony (and his roommate Desiree), we had a place to crash so we could travel out to Denver and go see 311 at Red Rocks! To say that this show was amazing is an understatement. We managed to get seats just a few rows back from the stage. As I watched the opening bands including Slightly Stoopid my energy level just became off the charts. I would look around at the beauty of the venue and all the excitables and just lose my breath at the sheer awesomeness of it all.

The band did something at this show that they had never done before – printed the entire shows setlist on the special Red Rocks t-shirt that they were selling that night. A lot of people refused to look at the shirt because they wanted to be surprised. What do you think I did? I did mention I’m an Aries right?? So yeah I knew the whole show before it happened and guess what? It was still just as great. Actually I pretty much forgot which songs were coming in what order after I looked at them so it really was a surprise at times! They opened with Leaving Babylon, which was so different because it is such a mellow song. They then pumped up the energy level with Full Ride and Do You Right, which Tony and I had a blast jumping up and down to of course.

I was told that I needed to experience the show from the back just to hear how great it sounded so during a few songs I took off and went alone up to the very top. All I can say is…WOW. I like being up front because I wear contacts and hate not being able to see when I’m far away. Having said that, being way up back at Red Rocks is something everyone should see, even if its just for a few minutes. I stood there, listening to my favorite band, watching the sea of fans rock out, with the city lights of Denver sparkling in the distance. And the sound! It was like they were right next to me. Perfect acoustics and such an amazing, energizing, positive moment. It was really moving!

As if the concert experience wasn’t enough, we waited after the show and Nick came out to sign a few autographs and say hello! We waited quite awhile, and they kept telling us no one was coming out…but I’m glad we didn’t listen or I would have missed this experience!

To say that I’m happy with my decision to make the trip out to Red Rocks is an understatement. I have always seen all of these fans traveling all over the country to see the band and now I know the appeal of it. Not only do you get to see your favorite band in many different venues, you get to meet new people and make connections you really never knew you could make. I have met so many amazing people over the years thanks to this band. This was just one more beautiful place that I got to share my experience with them! So I know all of this costs money, and I’ve said it before if you are on limited funds I know its hard, but try to make the journey to Red Rocks at some point in your life. Hopefully its to see 311, but even if it isn’t, the experience and beauty of this venue is worth it. As always, stay positive and love your life! Until next time.