Welcome back excitable friends! Our next fan spotlight has arrived. Time to meet Virgie Mestas!
The age of 19 was when Virgie (short for Virginia) was introduced to 311. A boyfriend told her about them and they would occasionally make an appearance on her playlist off and on. It wasn’t until age 21, while going through a rough patch in life, that she rediscovered them and “the amazing positive energy that they pump through their lyrics and music.”
Show tally so far is at 30, including 311 Day events from 2008 to 2014, and the 2015 cruise. So many of those 30 shows stand out in Virgie’s mind and it’s hard to narrow it down to one favorite. Her first show was in 2005 at the Santa Barbara Bowl. “311 and the electricity blew me away!” Other notable shows were 2006 Avila Beach because it’s her home, 2008 311 Day since it was her first, and of course the cruise to Jamaica. But the show that will always mean the most to her is the private concert she attended in 2009 in San Pedro, California. “My buddy Steve Siebold was lucky enough to win a free concert and I was blessed enough to be among the few he took along! EPIC is the best word to describe it. I mean come on, a private concert of your all-time favorite band with 20 of your close buddies , NEVER dreamed that would happen. Every moment felt surreal. They were only 10 ft away from where I was standing and put on an awesome show ! And then afterwards getting to meet them and chat and get pictures was just the cherry on top. Thank You Steve! Thank You!!”
The song “Strong All Along” will always be one that she holds dear to her heart as she said the lyrics remind her to just be herself and love who she is. “This song replayed and played at a time in my life when I was going through a huge personal life change and at that same time one of my dearest friends passed away suddenly. So many lines in this song spoke life to me again!” She even decided to get the song title tattooed on her arm as a reminder that it’s who she is.
Obviously some of her favorite lyrics come from her favorite song such as “Reevaluate what makes you laugh, stand apart, makes you feel good what’s in your heart” and “You could make a mean hand out of what you been dealt.” Other favorite lyrics are the mantra “Stay positive and love your life” and “You might as well forgive yourself, that means more than someone else.” She said hearing the song “Don’t Dwell” also came at a crucial time in her life when she needed to hear those words the most.
Virgie states that her family is a bit different than others. She and her sister were adopted (for which she said she is blessed) and they grew up in a Christian home with parents involved in ministry. This led them to South Dakota for 5 years during her childhood. “It was quite a change from the Sunny California weather but we adjusted well and loved it. Some great childhood memories were made freezing in the snow lol.” Then in junior high they returned to the central coast of California. She still currently resides there, now with her boyfriend, and she is a student and works part time as an UBER driver, amongst other things. She hopes to be done with school in the next few years with a degree in recreational therapy. “Over the last few years I have been working with children and adults with limited mobility and learning and behavioral disorders. I really want to have a non-profit one day that brings the local community and its Disabled tourist together. There are so many beautiful things to experience in this life and the great outdoors and if I can be a part of helping others achieve that and live full happy lives , that would just be amazing.”
Music was important in Virgie’s home growing up and she said her father is an amazingly gifted and talented Spanish and Classical guitarist. She would go to coffee shops and watch him play and listen to him at home for hours at a time. This influenced her love for a variety of artists including Santana, The Gypsy Kings, Paul Simon, Ottmar Liebert, James Taylor, Enya, Mariah Carey, and Sheryl Crow. She was never a guitar player but she did have a passion for singing and spent over 8 years in the school choir. She said this was heavily influenced by her love for musicals. “You would have found me dancing and singing away most of my childhood.” Top of her list for current bands is Passafire. “Talk about an amazing Band, extremely talented. Seriously cant get enough of them.” Other all time favorite band is Incubus. “I’m a sucker for words. And Brandon Boyd is a lyrical genius! Not to mention an amazing singer.”
Fun fact about Virgie that ties in with her singing talent is that in the 10th grade she auditioned to sing with the all women’s California ACDA Choir. “It was an awesome experience that I will cherish forever. I competed against many other young ladies on the central coast and was chosen with 3 other ladies from school. We then learned 7 different songs from Italian Arias to acapella Spanish songs. It was sooo cool!! We then met up with the other ladies from the area that made it, had a few days of practice together and then put on a concert in a Mission in Santa Clara, CA.”
Virgie has earned the nickname “311” from her local beach buddies because she has 311 ink and she’s always bumping their music on the beach. She has two 311 tattoos, strong all along on her left arm and the blue album design on her back. Guilty pleasure for Virgie is spending as much time at the beach as possible. “Spending as much time at the beach as possible in the sun and surfing are part of who I am. I love the water, the sand , the sun, the salty air, I love it all. I find such peace and balance at the beach.” She also said that ice cream and watching “Gilmore Girls” or old musicals is right up there on the list of guilty pleasures as well.
Something most people know is that she is adopted, however most don’t know that she met her biological parents when she was 17. “It was a moment that I will never forget and is hard to put in words. I always knew I was adopted but meeting your birth parents, well its an outer body experience. I have been lucky enough to meet a few of my biological siblings and still hope to find the others someday.”
Her message to 311 is this: “I never expected Your Music to bring such joy, love, unity, friendship and adventures into my life.Some of the most dearest people and most exciting adventures were brought into my life because I found your amazing music. Thank you so much for reminding us all how beautiful it is to grow, learn, loose, forgive, travel and embrace the many differences amongst each other!!!”
To all the fellow fans:
“Hello My fellow slinkys and brodels!! I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the wonderful friendships we have made over the years. Tho the music brought us together it is each and every one of you that I have been lucky enough to embrace in hugs and share in the amazing electricity that keeps me coming! Ive made such amazing memories with you, and have made many beautiful bonds that unite us from all over the country. Your friendship, and positive attitudes and lifestyles are so contagious and encouraging and have made going to shows that much more amazing. I look forward to our reunions at all our events and talk endlessly to anyone who listens about the amazing individuals who influence me to live positive. You are all my family!!”
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That is miss Virgie and her story! So glad we all got to learn more about this awesome girl. Thank you all for reading each week. Go out and be awesome today, like you always do!
Much love – The Runt