Last weekend, I attended 311’s biennial concert/convention that occurs on March 11. This year, for the first time, they decided to hold two concerts instead of one. I welcomed that decision because the 60-song 311 Day show in 2010 had too many intermissions, and I could tell the band (and much of the crowd) were exhausted by the end. Two shorter shows with more total songs sounded perfect to me.
The first night’s performance was the best 311 concert I have ever attended. The second night’s show wasn’t quite as good as the first night, but the percussion ensemble that joined the band for four songs after that intermission was a highlight of the weekend.
The 311 Day shows in a big arena with big production value juxtaposed the warm-up show I saw in a tiny theater in West Wendover, Nevada, a week earlier, on March 3.
The band performed 79 different songs over the two 311 Day shows. Over the past two weekends covering three 311 shows, I saw 86 different songs performed, and 25 for my first time (or 28, if I include the bass instrumental Coda, the Sunset in July remix, and the Waiting in Vain cover).
We capped off the weekend with a stay at the Wynn Encore, where we reserved a 59th floor panoramic view suite overlooking The Strip. It was an amazing weekend.
