Welcome back 311 nation! Who’s ready for the newest addition to the fan spotlight? Let’s meet Bryan Weinstein!
The journey into 311 for Bryan began in the year 1993 when a classmate of his received the Music album. “I remember thinking to my 13 year old self, how rad is it that bands have shifted into numbers as for their names!!??” Then about 2 years after the blue album came out, someone had copied the album onto a cassette for him. “I didn’t stop playing it continuously for several months, bumping chads drumming and Pnuts phat bass lines on my 6×9’s in my old school station wagon! Soon after, Transistor came out and I HAD to buy it on CD! That was quickly followed by the ’98 live album, then like all true heads, had to dive backwards a small bit-and NEVER stopped going forwards from there. It’s always been a soul connection. Their lyrics and funky fun riffs spoke to me, as I crave true consciousness, positivity, and a message from music. From the playfulness raps of the blue album to all the mind mellowing alchemizing tones and lyrics of transistor, it forever shifted me between the expansive years of 15- 18, every single lyric! I mean, who else was even mentioning sacred geometry in the 90s?!?!”
Even though Bryan was a fan early on, he didn’t start seeing 311 live until later on in life. “I regretfully didn’t start going to see 311 live earlier in life, although coming up in Phoenix, AZ, where they played a lot in the early years (Shoutout to phx on Grassroots!!!) I had plenty of chances, and I kick myself in the tail when I think about it…. the first show I can clearly remember was in 2001 in Columbus, Ohio. Other big shows I’ve attended were 311 Day Vegas 2010, 2011 311 Pow Wow Festival, all 6 Caribbean cruises, and last show of decade in Chitown Dec. ’19. I think my concert count is around 70-75ish?!”
As for a favorite show or event, Bryan really just loves all of his experiences too much to narrow it down. “I’ve been so lucky to have been to so many shows over the years, have made many trips around the country to see family/friends and to sneak in a 311 show while in town!! I can’t put into words how special each show is with different people and energy, that said, after the privileged of all 6 Caribbean cruises and the infamous private beach show, dancing and rockin’ out in the beautiful water and soft sands…, how could it not be all that!!!?”
Like many fans, picking a favorite song is difficult for Bryan. “I feel there’s so much wisdom and knowledge in each song and each lyric. I absolutely love all the young energetic hard rap rock, and the maturing chillness of more newer tracks, but Evolving rapidly in my youth with Transistor I’d have to go with Inner Light Spectrum, The Continuous Life, Borders, C.U.T.M, UNITY, Whiskey and Wine, & Who’s Got The Herb?!. And Extension, as it was the name of the road I grew up on!”
As for lyrics, Bryan named a few that really resonate with him including, “Time is precious, as you say it is”, “I wanna visit the world”, “The same force that flows through every circuit”, “Time to GET DOWN”, “See all the energy around you,” and “I wanna be free, I wanna do right.”
Bryan was born in Phoenix, Arizona, and raised in Mesa. His parents were school teachers, always into good vibes and good music. “My mom raised me and my younger brother on all the excellent Beatles and British 50/60s music and Motown, my dad raised us on Hendrix, Floyd, Zeppelin, The Doors and all that incredible 70s Rock. I gravitated to all the historic 80 and 90s bands including the humorous antics of Weird Al Yankovic, being the goofy kid I was is what truly cultivated my taste, and in blending all those styles together as I grew into my late teens 311 was the way forever forward!”
Being influenced by love and art in their household, Bryan became an artist majoring in 3D animation and his brother became an extremely talented musician. In 2001, Bryan moved to Columbus, Ohio. “It was living up there, where 311 loves to roll through that allowed me to start seeing them so often and in so many neighboring cities! A couple years later I moved to South Florida (not knowing there’d be 6 future 311 boats sailing from here) and in 2005 after getting rocked by a few serious hurricanes, I soon ended up changing from the visual arts to the healing arts. Always striving for balance, harmony and wellness I was inspired to go down the path of becoming a Licensed Massage Therapist. After 15 years of successful massage practice (which has funded my 311 lifestyle) and incorporating my passion for healing and vitality with the study and practice of Qigong and Tai Chi I have now shifted my studies on Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture. With the wisdom’s of SA “be kind to every single body” it lead me down a path of studying and exploration, which lead to the incredible opportunity of teaching Tai chi classes on the 2017 and 2019 311 Cruise! It was a honor which I’m forever grateful for. After ending the ’19 Tai Chi class a few minutes early to race to the basketball court to see Nick and Pnut play 5 on 5 basketball, as I found a spot in the high bleachers, I was absolutely speechless when the crowd cheered Nick as he came through to the court, I had no idea Nick and his security detail were right behind me, and as he walked past he said personally in his sincere tones as always, “Hey, saw you teaching the Tai Chi from my room up above, that shit was dope!” He gave me a sincere pound, and that unexpected encounter is something I don’t have words to describe! I truly believe everywhere we go and all we do is meant to be, timing is everything in life, and as I moved back to Phoenix in 2016 for a special female, I was once again in the right place and time to see 311, out of all places on the planet, host a 2017 New Years Eve Show in my backyard of Tempe, AZ!! As I left Arizona to head back to south Florida in 2018 I caught 420 shows in Colorado, Red Rocks, dream come true, to make it back in time to Florida to see 311 again a week later in early May at SunFest in West Palm Beach, FL, then another monumental cruise in 2019! Had such big plans for their 30th Anniv. summer shows with Incubus, as we all know it fell apart! One fact is true, 311 always adapts, and will always continue to do so!”
Fun fact about Bryan is that he had Billy Joel tell him to go fuck himself! “It was a live show of his in Phoenix in ’99 and as he sung his encore song “Piano Man” the spotlight from over his shoulder was casting and shining onto me and my mom who were singing and waving as we were swaying… He sees us making direct eye contact.. asks us in front of over 20,000 people… “Hey, is that your girlfriend!!?” Needless to say, stunned as we were, we didn’t answer quickly, and he said jokingly.. “ehhhhh go f%#k yourself!!” What a true honor!! A story we still share and laugh about constantly for over 20 years!”
As for something that makes Bryan unique, he said it’s his capability to know the body well and he gives amazing therapeutic massages. “Or so I’m humbly told from my many worldly traveled clients. If you’re ever in South Florida, feel free to contact me! Shameless plugs aside, I’d have to say my love and passion for brewing kombucha, messing around with different ingredients like chia seeds, ginger juice, and crafting unique flavors and spices, is a fun thing to create and enjoy! Some day I want to sell kombucha on a grand scale and partner with 311, that’d be a true honor!”
Aside from 311, Bryan has a huge love for artists like he Beatles, Beastie Boys, Rage Against The Machine, KRS-ONE, Mr. Lif, Sublime, De La Soul, The Roots, Incubus, Pepper, Rebelution, The Movement, Stick Figure, Los Stellarians, Ghostwolf, Dirty Heads, Slightly Stoopid, and Phunk Junkeez.
Guilty pleasure for Bryan is that he has way too many 311 concert posters. “Most difficult honestly is finding enough wall space to house them in my apartment. I’ve collected a lot of 311 merch and schwag and am always trying creative ways to capture and collage them into something fun to decorate the 311 dojo!”
Bryan’s words to 311: “I would truly want to thank them from the depths of my soul and express my gratitude for who they are, for what they’ve worked so hard to become, and just for how they’ve touched so many lives in the most important and positive ways! And for their 30+ ongoing years together, NO ONE IN MUSIC is more DOWN…. MUCH LOVE! Andddddd, thank you so much for allowing me to share tai chi on the last two boats, an absolute incredible honor of a lifetime!!!!”
Now his message to all the other 311 fans out there:
“Thank you to all slinky sisters & brodels that I’ve been honored to meet whether on land or sea, and to all those out there I’ve yet to cross paths, stay frosty. To all heads that supported Tai Chi initially, and requested to have it again, I’m eternally grateful!! One day soon, with love, we will lift the veil of this crisis, we will rejoice and ROCK! Keep being the change you want to see and continue dodging raindrops! BE REVOLUTIONARY, and always stay positive and LOVE your LIFE!”
Thank you Bryan for sharing your story with all the excitables! As always, so much gratitude goes out to the supporters of this little project. Have an amazing week friends!
Much Love – The Runt