When you think of the music of 311, what specific sounds cluster in your brain? Is it the positively charged, crunchy chord rap-rock that propelled the Omaha outfit into the mainstream with its self-titled “blue album” in 1995? Or do you more strongly recall reggae-tinged chill tracks like “Amber” and “I’ll Be Here Awhile,” both from 2001 album From Chaos?
“These questions make me think of that ’96-’97 era, that big, breakthrough blue album, and how those songs were very compact and tailor-made for playing live,” says lead singer and guitarist Nick Hexum. “Then we followed that up with Transistor, a much more experimental album. We were going against whatever industry expectations there were, but we also kind of said, let’s not worry about playing it live, let’s just make a really trippy album.”
He says taking musical risks and traveling more creative roads resulted in a bit of confusion and polarization at first, “but that became one of our most beloved albums by fans because of that creativity. And we figured out how to do those songs live even though that was not the intent when we wrote them.”
“Prisoner” and “Beautiful Disaster” are two such songs, live favorites that 311 has tweaked and twisted on stage through the years. And though dabbling in varied rock genres has spurred some misinterpretation about the band from part-time listeners, the identity of 311 today is anchored in capable and compelling concert performances.
“I’ve had people go, ‘311, aren’t you guys a ska band?’ No, that’s not a word I would use to describe us,” Hexum laughs. “We still have some mellow moments in there, but I think we’re best known for our energetic live shows, and we just keep finding ways to fine-tune them and make them more rocking.”
The group is also known for 311 Day, its annual fan-servicing mini-fest performed on or around March 11, typically taking place in Las Vegas on even-numbered years and onboard a Caribbean cruise on odd ones. The band returns to Dolby Live at Park MGM for two nights of music this weekend, and Hexum says the venue is a favorite for 311 and its fans.
“The technology at Park MGM is amazing,” he says. “It’s great because we can really create an immersive experience with all those screens and really take our fans on a trip.”
311 has long nurtured a strong following in Las Vegas, constantly returning to town to satisfy locals who remember those mid-’90s glory days; all those songs, rocking and mellow, were ubiquitous on the powerhouse of the era, Xtreme Radio 107.5 FM. But a Las Vegas residency probably isn’t in the cards for the nomadic crew. Always busy traveling and touring, 311 is planning to release a new album this year, just returned from a run in Japan, and also just taped an NPR Tiny Desk concert.
“It’s definitely unusual to be playing in an office cubicle, to not have any effects at our disposal, just singing into a room mic,” Hexum says of that unique experience. “It’s like, how’s that gonna sound? But I heard the mix back and I’m really stoked on it. And people love to see the stripped-down nature of it, which is why they get such a wide variety of talent, from rappers to little indie punk bands to Adele. It’s a cool concept and I’m glad we got asked to do it.”
311 March 9-10, 8:30 p.m., $100+. Dolby Live, ticketmaster.com.
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