311, the Movement
Charleston Music Hall
March 1
One would think that a seated venue such as the Charleston Music Hall might bottle up the high-energy show put on by an act like 311, but this was not the case Tuesday night as Nebraska’s favorite sons put on quite a performance.
Through the better part of the past two decades, 311 has earned a devoted following with their hybrid reggae-rock, setting a standard for countless imitators and outlasting most of their contemporaries along the way.
Tuesday’s sold-out show saw the Movement open the night with their own take on reggae-rock, which was executed well enough to capture the attention of the fans as they trickled into the venue.
311 started their set off with “Welcome,” the first track off their 1993 debut album Music, and never let the foot off the pedal for their entire set. The song welcomed the crowd to fill up the aisles and pack the first few rows, creating a mass of sweaty head-bobbers striving to get up close to the stage.
Singer/guitarist Nick Hexum, singer/DJ SA Martinez, bassist P-Nut, guitarist Tim Mahoney, and drummer Chad Sexton all brought something to the table, creating a sound and delivering a performance that inspired even the most casual of fans.
P-Nut’s slap-bass solo morphed into the introduction to “What Was I Thinking?” — a song that has become a crowd favorite and staple in the 311 repertoire. Mahoney delivered several jaw-dropping solos, capped by the beautiful outro to “Sweet,” a lesser-known song off their 1998 self-titled album.
The crown jewel of them all was, of course, the extended drum solo in “Applied Science,” where Sexton’s amazing kit skills are on put on display as the rest of the group joins in on an arrangement of toms, snares, and cymbals for an all-out percussion jam.
The band maintained a solid balance between rockers and spacey jams, allowing the audience to catch its breath between dancing and shouting the lyrics.
After closing the first set with “Creatures (For a While),” the band sauntered back onto the stage after a brief interlude amid raucous chants of “3-11, 3-3-11!”
The encore began with “Beyond the Gray Sky,” which was accompanied by lighters raised high. The group ended the night with “Feels So Good,” an aptly-titled track based on the vibe of the crowd as it poured out into the streets. Love Best of Charleston? Help the Charleston City Paper keep Best of Charleston going every year with a donation. Or sign up to become a member of the Charleston City Paper club.