Hey there 311 nation! A new week is upon us so that means it’s time for the next fan spotlight. Let’s meet Matt Archer!

The year was 1996 and “Down” was in heavy rotation on MTV, that’s when Matt first heard of 311. “I found the blue album at my local Walmart and started down the rabbit hole. This was a time when I actually read the liner notes and lyrics as I listened. I was drawn to their music because it was different, raw, full of energy and original. When searching through a Columbia House catalog I had found out that they also had 2 other albums that I was not aware of in “Music” and “Grassroots.” A friend of mine had let me borrow their VHS release “Enlarged to Show Detail.” And then, “Transistor” dropped…!!! It was all downhill from there.”

Show count for Matt is at 39 so far. First show was on July 23, 2004, with The Roots and Medeski Martin & Wood and the Tweeter Center in Mansfield, Massachusetts. As for picking a favorite show, there are a few that stand out to Matt. “311 Day 2020 in Las Vegas is special due to the fact that my wife and I got married on 3/11 Day in Vegas and it was our first 311 Day. It was also the first time I met a lot of new friends from around the country. 311 Caribbean Cruise 7 was probably the best vacation I have ever been on, but my favorite show may be night one 311 Day 2024. Hampton Beach shows are always fun.”

For a special song that means a lot to him, Matt chose “Do You Right” as it’s his and his wife Marie’s song. As for a lyric he loves, he chose the following: “Sometimes I go a little crazy. Sometimes I go a little crazy just like you I do.” He said that’s what it feels like being at a 311 show!

Warren, Massachusetts, is where Matt grew up and he’s been in Massachusetts his whole life. He’s lived in West Brookfield, North Brookfield, Auburn and now Southbridge with his wife Marie and their dog Gus. For work, Matt is a Plant Maintenance Supervisor for Spectrum cable. “This year marks 20 years working in the cable industry for me. A lot of vacation time is used for concerts!”

Fun fact about Matt, he went to college in Boston for Audio Production (as in becoming a music producer). “Although I never finished school, my love for music continues on!” Not only is he a big fan of music, but he loves the Red Sox, Celtics and Patriots, and he’s a big UFC fighting fan. “I am full of useless knowledge that I call Archer Fun Facts which tends to come in handy during conversations or trivia nights LOL.” Guilty pleasure for him is playing MLB The Show on his Playstation 5.

When not listening to 311, there are many other artists that Matt can be found jamming out to. “In the beginning of 2020, the radio station I grew up listening to, WAAF, had shut down. A friend of mine suggested that I start a Facebook group to share music in which ended up being Archer’s Music Exchange (feel free to join.) If you see my posts in the group, you will know that I enjoy vast array of groups and artists. Umphrey’s McGee, Primus, Phish, Alice in Chains, Queens of the Stone Age, Led Zeppelin, Rush, Slayer, Mudvayne, The New Mastersounds, Lettuce, Stone Temple Pilots, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Elovaters, Pantera, and the list could go on and on.”

Matt would like to send this message to the guys in 311: “Thank you for adding to the soundtrack of my life and good times!”

Now here is his message to all the other 311 fans out there:

“311 has the best commUNITY of fans in the world. I have met so many amazing people and made friends with so many of you and I wouldn’t change a minute! Thank you guys for always having a good time with us at the shows. We will see you this summer and on the cruise next year!!!”

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Thank you to Matt for sharing your story with us all! As always, my gratitude goes out to all the readers each week. Hope you are all well and sending you all good vibes!

Much Love – The Runt

Hey hey hey 311 nation! It’s about time for a new fan spotlight. This week let’s get the story of Christine Marquet!

It was during high school for Christine that “From Chaos” dropped, and we all know that “Amber” was the big single from it. “I was a sophmore in high school and a friend who was a senior needed to school me and burnt me a Grassroots CD. I was hooked! To this day the From Chaos CD is always in my car, but my biggest favorite are the classics.”

First show for Christine was in 2001 in New York City. While it was indoors, she was still excited to light up when the band played “Amber.” “Somehow I ended up dropping my piece and that was the first piece I ever broke. I went to a lot of concerts with my friend backs then to bands they wanted to see but 311 was the band I wanted to see. I think All-American Rejects opened? Anyway I always saw them every summer when they came through, typically at PNC Arts center. Throughout college I had a friend or two that would join but in my post college life I was always going alone. Night know a few people there but didn’t have a crew I rolled with. Always solo. Since I made a new friend Jackyn in 2018 my yearly ahow attendance and travel for shows has grown exponentially. I can say I’ve seen at least thirty 311 shows.” While it was tough to pick a favorite show or event, Christine went with the 2019 cruise. “I just was in heaven, every breath I took that week.”

The songs “Omaha Stylee” and “Do You Right” Christine said just “hit her to her bones.” “What’s really special about this band and their live performances for me is I can’t attend or listen without grooving and while I do tend to dance whether there is music or not if the mood is right, 311 is just such a special and unique blend they really nailed it. 10/10.”

Christine is a Jersey girl who’s heart is in theater. “I love being on stage or having anything to do with a performing arts/storytelling medium production. I guess it comes from loving to play pretend growing up and the freedom that comes with putting yourself aside to share a story or a feeling with a captivated audience. I recently resurrected my lifelong passion which I had set aside for a decade and it has brought much joy and peace back into my life. For those readers who follow me on Instagram you’ve no doubt seen my backstage antics and sneak peaks of costumes and wigs during plays I’ve been in in recent years and the Chaos and stress of the theater just really grounds me in the real world.”

Before rediscovering her first love of theater, Christine had stumbled upon a side quest that brought her to the wonderful family of Excitables. “When a DIY Game of Thrones Halloween Costume I made got attention and landed me an invite to New York Comic Con,I had no idea how big of a community and underground culture that scene had worldwide. What really blew my mind that first comic con was when I took a bathroom break and found 2 other girls in similarly DIY versions of the same character I was dressed as, smudging eyeshadow on their faces as dirt and soot to resemble Khalessi in the Red Waste in Season 2 of GOT. I joined in on the touch-up session to learn there was a meet-up happening right then for photo shoot specifically for Game of Thrones cosplayers. That’s how I met Jaclyn “Casterly” Fox. She orchestrated the meet up and my girl crush was activated. I followed her on Facebook and after some light stalking found that she had 311 listed in her interests. What are the odds! No one else in the universe that I know actively is aware of much less interested in 311. AND she does GOT cosplay? I immediately DMed her to invite her to an event and tell her we should be friends in real life. About a year later we were embarking on the 311 cruise that changed both our lives.”

For work, Christine does sales for licensed merch, which means she sells Spiderman t-shirts. “It’s about as close as a part-time nerd can get to doing something I honestly enjoy without it not actually being a job.” Interesting fact that many may not know, she almost died as a toddler. “It was due to a rare infection that someone brought into my daycare that inflames the epiglottis and restricts breathing. Thank God my Mommy is a nurse and knew when to go to the hospital.”

Christine can honestly say that in a trivia game about “Game of Thrones,” that she and Jaclyn would school almost anyone on the boat. “I’d say LOTR but I’m positive there are some quiet Silmarillion readers among us that would put me to shame.” Guilty pleasure for Christine is sleep! “I sleep too much. I literally would rather do anything than get out of bed, unless it’s a 311 day.”

For other music Christine enjoys, she is a big Beyonce lover. She was also brought up on Jazz. Her current musical guilty pleasure is Doja Cat. “And I’ll never skip a showtune or Disney classic when it cues up on the old I-Pod shuffle. Thanks to the 2019 cruise I discovered Tropidelic and went down the rabbit hole of discovery becoming a big follower of them, Bumpin Uglies and the Groovetastic Little Stranger. It honestly seemed kismet that all my fav bands were on the last cruise, I don’t know how that lineup could be topped in my book.”

Christine wanted to share this fun story with everyone. “In preparation for the last cruise or 311 Day I attended I decided I needed to study the bands discography. Sure I had my BearShare downloads I copied from phone to phone over the years and my trusty I-Pod shuffle Playlist- but other than the few Albums I had I knew I didn’t know the B-sides or even which song was on which album, as well as I should. I mean some of y’all got them lyrics on lock. I’ll never get there but I had some studying to do. So, having a car with a CD player and lots of road trips ahead, I did the sensible thing and found a 13 CD lot listing in which someone was offloading their collection, got a visor CD sleeve attachment, and listened to the discography in all its glory. I’ll admit I mostly stick to the classics, I’m here for the bangers.”

As for words Christine would say to 311, she was actually lucky enough to do a toast on the 2019 cruise that pretty much sums up her feelings: “I was exhausted and hungover but I won the lottery to attend that event and when they opened up the floor for a toast and no stepped forward my ballsy ass did and I got to thank SA and P-nut with the only words I had which were thank you for bringing these misfits and ragers and hippies and stars together to form this family and thank you for continuing to give us the opportunities to come together and praise you and share eachother light and love.”

Now here is her toast to all the other 311 fans out in the universe:

“Thank y’all for welcoming myself and Jaclyn Nicole in all our goofy, crazy, extra awesomeness. Neither of us truly felt the freedom to be ourselves without worry of judgement or complaint before discovering this family and there no place like being with this Familia at a show or event. Not only acceptance but encouragement and delight at us being ourselves is something people don’t get to experience in their lifetimes. And we get to do it and be it and live it every time we see your big smiling glittery faces.

Keep shining. Xoxo Marquet”

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Super big thank you to Christine for sharing her story with us all! And as always, my eternal gratitude to all the readers each post. I hope you all have an amazing week and that it’s full of light & positivity.

Much Love – The Runt