Hey hey 311 nation! Welcome back for the next edition of the fan spotlight. This week let’s read the story of Adam Medeiros!
When Adam was in high school there was a jam band that played at every pep rally. During his freshman year the band played “Down” and the whole school went nuts. “I remember thinking “whoa, that song is awesome”. I looked up 311, went to my first show a year later, and have been hooked ever since.”
Adam is one of those fans that knows exactly how many shows he’s attended and he has a spreadsheet that has the date, supporting act, and setlist. “I’ve been to 21 shows, seen 177 unique songs live, and the song I’ve seen the most is Applied Science (20!).” Favorite supporting act for Adam was Snoop Dogg in 2008.
Favorite show/event for Adam he said was 311 Day 2010 in Las Vegas. “I had just started dating my wife and we went with one of my friends that goes to all of the 311 shows with me. It was a ton of fun in Vegas and I got to meet so many great 311 fans. The setlist was amazing too – 60 songs including setlist debuts for Sun Come Through and Get Down.”
As it is for most fans, there are a ton of songs that mean a great deal to Adam. “There are songs that get me hyped up like nothing else can (Creatures, Down, FTBS), riffs that give me goosebumps every time (intro to Reconsider Everything), and songs that totally nail how I’m feeling and make me hopeful it’ll get better (Sun Come Through, Beyond the Gray Sky).” One of his favorite lyrics comes from “Reconsider Everything” : “Anytime you will ignore your heart it will come back twice more. Never deny your own instinct, Reconsider Everything.” “It’s a good reminder to stay true to yourself and go with your gut, it’s usually the right move.”
Adam was born in Fall River, Massachusetts, which is a medium sized city in the southeastern part of the state. He moved to Worcester, MA, to get his BS in Biochemistry at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He then attended Worcester State University to get his MS in Biotechnology. “I took part in a study abroad program in Australia and lived there for 3 months in 2007, that’s probably the only cool place I’ve ever lived. Now, I live with my wife (Amy), 2 year old son (Ethan), and 5 year old black lab (Maverick) in Marlborough, MA.”
For work, Adam signed on with the company Quest Diagnostics right out of college and has been with them ever since. “My current job title is Continuous Improvement Program Manager, which means I lead project teams and manage junior project managers to complete big projects for the company. Luckily, I’ve been able to work from home since the pandemic ramped up back in March.”
Adam was so psyched when 311 decided to put photos of fans on the cover of the Mosaic album. “I have 2 pictures on the cover that are very special to me. One is a wedding photo of my wife and I and the other is a picture of my 311 crew and I in the parking lot before a concert. It connects a lot of the things I love together with other fans, it was fun finding many of you!”
Drumming is something that Adam really enjoys. He’s never been in a band but he took lessons for a bit and he plays an electric drum kit in his basement. “I mostly just jam along to music but I practice reading music and do exercises to get faster and more accurate too.” Cool fact about Adam is that his family has a top secret Limoncello recipe! “We make 1-2 big batches a year and give them out to friends and family.”
Guilty pleasure for Adam is that he is a self-proclaimed, big time nerd. “I love the Marvel movies, I go to the Boston and Providence Comic Cons every year, and I even play Dungeons and Dragons with my friends. I know, it sounds like the nerdiest thing on the planet but D&D is actually really fun. If any of you get a chance to try it you definitely should!” Adam said he also has another guilty pleasure, his wife has him hooked on the Lifetime show “Married at First Sight.” “Five sets of couples meet at the altar and they follow them around for 8 weeks. At the end of the 8 weeks they have to decide if they are staying married or not. It’s amazing trash TV.”
For other musicians that Adam loves, he listed Rebelution, Stick Figure, Ballyhoo!, and said he’s into many of the fun, summertime reggae/rock music that we see when 311 tours. However a lot of the time you can find him listening to hard rock and heavy metal. “I grew up mostly listening to Disturbed, Godsmack, Sevendust, Breaking Benjamin, and Metallica. The angrier music is a good outlet for when I get stressed or angry – just listening to a few songs can diffuse a bad day.”
To 311, Adam has this message: “Thank you for building something that is so rare in an age where new music is all around us: a steady stream of new music that is evolving and powerful, unique fan experiences like the Cruise (which I still need to go to!) and 311 Day, a community of fans that you are so in touch with, and the longevity to be the soundtrack to every major phase of my life.”
Now here are his words to all of the fans out there:
“311 Nation it has been so much fun getting to know all of you. Every show I meet new people and reconnect with old friends. I can’t wait to meet more of you, either through Chrissy’s interviews or in person at shows. Stay safe and stay healthy so we can all enjoy some 311 together soon. I know everyone says it but I mean it too…Stay Positive and Love Your Life!”
Thank you Adam for sharing your story with us! So much love & gratitude to all of you that support this project. Have an amazing week, keep smiling and stay healthy!
Much Love – The Runt