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Virgina Beach, VA @ Virginia Beach Amphitheater (2003.08.17)
Some bands never let you down with their live performances no matter what. Undoubtedly one of those acts, 311, obviously love being on stage. It almost seems that the group releases new material simply to start the next round of touring (not that their latest release, Evolver, was anything but sweet). Although the turnout was unusually sparse for a 311 show-especially after they packed Nissan Pavilion the previous evening in Bristow, Virginia-this edition of the 2003 Summer Unity Tour certainly drew a good nucleus of fans on a drab Sunday evening.
With police presence unnecessarily high, not a tailgater was in sight in the parking lot. Those few who did attempt the usual pre-concert festivities were punished for their audacity, receiving open-container tickets in the case of legal drinkers, and handcuffs in the case of the underage. That being the case, early-arriving concertgoers were forced to subject themselves to the whining emo of Something Corporate. After the audience was lulled into a depressed state, the surprisingly adept turntablism of DJ P mixed a decade-long hit list of Amphitheater anthems over hip hop beats. Following up his set was G Love, who even brought along his Special Sauce (bassist Jimi Jazz and drummer Houseman). Although G Love and crew haven't released any new material since 2001, they played some of the better-known work featured on last year's Best Of release, including "Rodeo Clowns," "Cold Beverages," and of course "Baby's Got Sauce." G Love and Special Sauce certainly impressed a few non-believers with fast-paced drum and standup bass solos, as well as G Love's flow and guitar picking, but by this time, the audience wanted to see what they had paid for.
Setting off the crowd right away, 311 opened with the aptly titled, incredibly energetic "Freak Out." Those with seats under the amphitheater roof quickly packed into the front sections, leaving the people on the muddy lawn wondering why they hadn't gotten real seats for the same price. Furthermore, the speakers in the lawn area were never turned on, causing a small but noticeable delay between the view of the stage and the sound of the songs. Devoted to their fans as always, 311 held nothing back, covering a little something from their entire repertoire, cranking out such classics as "Beautiful Disaster," "Homebrew," and "Feels So Good" (accompanied by the usual "P-Nut, beat that thang" bass slapping) Throwing in something new, "Reconsider Everything" was well received by the crowd, and was followed by "Beyond The Gray Sky," "Crack The Code," and the first single off of the new album, "Creatures (For A While)". The visual display was also spectacular, and featured a giant screen displaying constantly changing psychedelic backgrounds; during "Amber," the stage and screen bathed the audience in an amber glow. 311 was joined onstage by DJ P for a few songs, but his scratching was barely audible, an unfortunate sound engineering mixup.
As always, the band added a few twists. Reaching back to well before they got famous, 311 pulled out "Soulsucker" from the unreleased Omaha Sessions, as well as "Flowing"; both songs were played for the first time this year. Next came an insane drum solo by Chad Sexton, who was joined by the rest of the band pounding on enormous bongos. Interestingly, "Who's Got The Herb?" was not on the set list, but was added into the encore by audience demand. Winding down the set, 311 remained just as energized as they were at the show's start, ending with the single that brought them commercial success, "Down." This show was something of a biography, illustrating how 311 always give their best, no matter what the turnout may be.