311 at Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park on July 23, 2024

INDIANAPOLIS

The Unity Tour/Indy 103.3 Hullabaloo

Photos and review by Laura Fox (LLFoxphotos)

It's always a party when 311 comes to the 317, and their show at the Everwise Amphitheatre in Indianapolis on July 23 was no exception. The alt-rock/reggae/ska/rock-rap group put on an outstanding show for local radio station Indy 103.3's Hullabaloo.

After great sets by both Neon Trees and AWOLNATION, 311 took the stage with their 1997 hit, "Beautiful Disaster." It was a good way to start the set; the high-energy tune got both the band and the crowd amped up.

Lead vocalist and founding member Nick Hexum looked and sounded fantastic. His vocals were strong, and his body language and intensity levels added dimension to 311's music. He had a great rapport with the audience and seemed to genuinely enjoy being on stage.

Vocalist Doug "SA" Martinez also knew how to work the crowd. Although I couldn't see him very well when he was at the keys & turntable, he was engaging and fun to watch when he was in the spotlight.

Bassist Aaron Wills (A.K.A. P-Nut) seemed to have his own fan club among the 311 crowd - his extraordinary skills and on-stage antics brought cheers and shouts of "P-Nut, P-Nut, P-Nut" on more than one occasion. The crowd went absolutely wild when he sneaked in a snippet of Rage Against the Machine's "Killing in the Name," during his solo. I could see and hear the appreciation grow as people caught on to what he was doing.

Drummer Chad Sexton and lead guitarist Tim Mahoney also played masterfully throughout the 21-song set, which included songs from 311's 35-year history. The majority of the set was uptempo and on the heavier side with hits such as "Transistor," "You Wouldn't Believe," and their newest single, "You're Gonna Get It."

Lighter and more sentimental tunes such as "All Mixed Up" and "Amber," however, were interspersed throughout the set, making for a great experience for all fans.

As much as I enjoyed the entire 311 concert, my favorite song was "Applied Science," because that's when the drum thing happened. If you've ever seen it, you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't, you need to get yourself to a 311 show.