Welcome back to the next 311 Fan Spotlight! This week, let’s get the scoop from Erin Perez!
It was the summer before 7th grade when Erin saw the video for “Down” on the MTV Top 20 Video Countdown and she was completely blown away. “The sound and the video really caught my attention and woke up something inside. It was like a shiny puzzle piece snapped into a missing part of my brain.”
Erin says she lost track of her show count at this point, but a few years ago she and her friend Gabby past the 200 mark. “When I was 15, after begging my parents, my uncle took me to my first 311 show on 4/3/2000. It was at The Palladium in Los Angeles, and Jimmie’s Chicken Shack opened. It was an excellent experience and gave me a taste of that 311 magic that happens at their events.”
Picking a favorite show was difficult for Erin to narrow down. “The three-night 311 Day 2020, right before the world shut down, was amazing! The basement set was the coolest thing, and closing with acoustic I’ll Be Here Awhile gave me chills. I have been so fortunate to have attended six 311 Days (we had to miss 2010 because I had surgery too close to the date. I’m still sorry Gabby!), five 311 cruises, Pow Wow, the two recent Hawaii concerts, Mandalay Bay Beach shows, the Raiders Halftime set, and many other memorable shows! Anytime they play Champagne with bubbles my heart gets extra happy.”
For songs that Erin loves, she said the Transistor Intro is her pump her up song. “I listen to it before I have to do something hard or intimidating.” Some of her other favorites are “Eons,” “Visit,” “Extension,” “Purpose,” and “1,2,3.”
Favorite lyric? Erin said she picked one for her high school yearbook: “The jaded ones will wither while the optimistic grow.” “From Six, I still love that line so much.” She also likes these lines:
“It’s alright to feel good, it’s alright for nothing to be wrong,” 1,2,3
“I wanna do what’s right, Be kind to every single body,” Creature Feature
“You can’t stop entropy so why even try,” Life’s Not A Race
Erin grew up in a little suburb of Los Angeles called Azusa, which the locals she says call “Mayberry.” “There’s no anonymity here, ha. I met my best friend, Gabby, in middle school and we’ve been true comadres ever since. I feel so blessed that she became a huge 311 fan and we have been blessed to share so many amazing experiences, including many with her daughter (my goddaughter).”
Erin said she’s pretty much a townie, as she grew up in Azusa and still lives there. She works for Azusa Unified. Although she did live in Long Beach for 4 years while attending college. “I love learning and studied Human Development at CSULB. Post-grad, I have credentials in Visual Impairments and Blindness, Orthopedic Impairments, and a credential and Masters in Orientation and Mobility. Next year will be my 19th year of teaching for Azusa, where I spent time as an Assistive Technology Specialist and Teacher of the Visually Impaired (VI). I am an itinerant VI teacher and get to drive around between schools/districts and work one-on-one with my students. I truly believe it is the best job in education!”
While Erin has always been a quiet and shy person, she said that 311 shows are one of the few places she feels free and part of a positive collective consciousness. “Whatever is happening in life, we’ve always had a show, new music, special event, or a coming announcement to look forward to, and help keep things positive and moving.”
Fun fact about Erin, she worked for In-N-Out Burger’s cookout department while she was going to school. “I got to serve from the food trucks at some really cool events. My favorite experience was meeting Zach Braff and Donald Faison at a Scrubs taping we catered, where they did a hilarious bit/routine for us. I also got to meet David Hasselhoff and Jon Voight (along with some very rude rich people…).”
Something that makes Erin unique is that thanks to her job, she can read braille by sight. “I constantly read (and judge errors!) on signs/etc out in public.” Guilty pleasure for her, she said she has the spirit of an old person and purchases TV series on Apple TV. “I like to play stuff in the background and am guilty of re-watching all my favorite/comfort TV shows on a loop: The Office, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, The Good Place, Parks and Recreation, Freaks and Geeks, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, King of the Hill, Girlfriends, Better Call Saul/Breaking Bad, Dexter, Ugly Betty, and Schitt’s Creek. I also love puzzles and can spend hours zoned out listening to an audiobook/podcast/music while working on one.”
For other music Erin is into, she said The Beatles were her childhood favorite and she still loves them with her whole heart. Other than that, she can be found jamming tunes from The Strokes, Paul McCartney, Passafire, Billy Joel, Yellowman, Oliver Tree, Charlie Zaa, Oasis, New Found Glory, Hanson, Reggie and the Full Effect, Johnny Cash, Sublime, and The Smashing Pumpkins. “My bf’s favorite, so we always joke they’re his 311.”
To 311, Erin has this message: “Thank you so much for everything and making the soundtrack of my life so much better than it would have been otherwise!”
Now here is her message to all her fellow 311 fans:
“Thank you all for the energy, love, acceptance, joy, and support unselfishly shared between us all over the years! “Two perfect strangers sharing a groove!”
Thank you Erin for sharing your story with all of the community! Of course, my love & thanks to all the readers out there. I hope you all have an amazing week!
Much Love – The Runt