Concert Sutra, Healing With 311

by terri sapp

Photographs by terri sapp

© Concert Sutra, All Rights Reserved

click photos for photo gallery

As most of you know, any time 311 gives Concert Sutra the opportunity to include them in our coverage, we ALWAYS take it happily!  On July 26, 2008, 311 came to Atlanta with the ever popular and exciting performer Snoop Dogg, which is a real power house lineup for any one night at Lakewood Amphitheatre.  The result of such a combination is a night that will not soon be forgotten!  Once Snoop Dogg was done with the masses of fans huddled around to witness this high entertainment, 311 was able to slide right in drive home the good vibes to all who were there to receive them.

I always get extra nervous when Leah is unable to come to the show and shoot, primarily when it is the band that gets my heart a flutter, 311.  From the press pit, I was struggling to contain myself during the first song, Transistor favorite “Beautiful Disaster.”    I have come to think that this is one of the 311 guys’ favorite song to play live, because I can’t really remember a show in the past several years, since that album came out, that they did not include it on the setlist.  Always notes I want to hear, the beginning of “Freeze Time” from the 1999 dynamic album, Soundsystem, gets me going every time.  This song is especially fun live, because of the crowd participation…always a good time.  Flawlessly into what has been deemed the “happy slam dance song” “Do You Right.”  I have always loved the upbeat reggae beats of this one, along with the effect it has on everyone around.  As I made my way back to the wonderful complimentary PIT area standing room only non-seats where my man (and 311 virgin, until this night), Noel, was holding it down for us just inside the gate with a beer and a smile, I heard in the distance “Taiyed,” “Love Song,” “Hive,” “Freak Out,” AND “Sick Tight.”  The only drawback to photographing from the Press Pit at Lakewood Amphitheatre is their rule about having to come in and out of the venue and be escorted out back to deposit equipment and go back in the front gate (if you have a ticket).  I always hate missing the songs that inevitably get missed.  This time, I missed more songs, due to the fact that I had had major back surgery, and was moving a lot slower than normal…

Just in time for me to really start enjoying the show and breathe deep, knowing whatever photos I was going to get up close have been gotten, “All Mixed Up” rears its groovy head.  I love their live version of this one, because of the extended reggae love fest in the middle, “cause you turn me on…you turn me on…you turn me on and on and on and on and on!!”  As Nick Hexum said, “The unity is definitely in the house tonight!” It is fitting that this statement would lead right into heavy hit “Unity,” which has been the title track to the last several 311 Tours.  311 has a way of seamlessly guiding the audience from extremely high energy to a mellow melodic state of swaying, as evidenced with the transition from “Unity” to “Beyond The Gray Sky” from Evolver.  I absolutely adore the music and lyrics of “Gray Sky,” and it has become one of my more recent favorites live.  (To quote Todd from back in the day)  LOVE IT!  “Unity” is the title track from the last several tours from 311, so fitting that they have begun playing it more often again these days.  Hearing songs like my favorite from the album Evolver, “Beyond The Gray Sky” makes me so thankful for being back in the swing of things, and being able to walk without a cane after my back surgery in such a short amount of time!  The camera bag is sort of a drag, literally, but the music makes the lug worth every pound!

As always, “Applied Science” got even old broken down feeling fans like me moving with its major kick ass extended full band drum break.  Nothing like a drum line to get the party going strong…  Hearing my favorite songs always give me warm and fuzzies, so when I heard the start of “Flowing,” I could not help but feel the energy flowing through my body!  “Use Of Time” is always good to hear, since it is from one of my favorite 311 albums ever.  Just as I start to feel nice and relaxed, the roar of rock that is “What Was I Thinking” kicks me into full gear.  The ladies all swoon to the sounds of “Amber.” And, “Come Original” brings out the Rastafarian in everyone around.  Back to the old school setlists for the rest of the show before the encore, “Lucky,” “Don’t Stay Home,” “Who’s Got The Herb?,” and “Down.”

After many rounds of Atlanta’s own chant, “3-11, 3-3-11!,” the band came back out and started their encore with “Feels So Good.”  311 never leaves without asking P-Nut to beat that thing.  “Creatures (For A While)” has made its way into my heart after hearing it a few times.  What a fun song for the end of such a fun show!  The best part of the show was Nick Hexum’s stage dive during the last song, “Fat Chance.”  I have not seen one of these in many years!

After beginning the healing process for a few months now, I can easily say that I am extremely happy to be back to the world of the living, rocking, and especially the world of 311!  I know I have an extreme challenge ahead of me in the next year or two, but knowing there are good times to be had at the same time, and the ability to dance again with tremendously less pain makes me smile from ear to ear!  Even my musician man, Noel, enjoyed the show, and thinks that 311 is a very talented and tightly talented band!  I LOVE exposing 311 virgins to their live shows, because they are always a lot of fun.  To view the 2008 photo gallery, go to:  http://www.concertsutra.com/080731311/.  For more information on all things 311, visit them at http://www.311.com/.  One Love!