Hello everyone out there in 311 nation! It’s that time again, let’s read the story of another awesome fan. This week we meet Eric Midgett!
Eric went to boarding school during high school and his roommate would occasionally play the albums Grassroots, Music, and the blue album. “Grassroots really resonated with me. I was into grunge at the time, so I think the guitar tone of the dirty stuff pulled me in. I bought Grassroots first that Fall and have been hooked ever since. I’ve always been into guitar and think the different styles and tones drew me to their music. You can listen to a song with 3-4 genres influencing it and it just works!”
Show count for Eric is at 32, he uses Setlist.fm to track them. First show for him was at the 1996 H.O.R.D.E Festival in Virginia Beach, Virginia. “While my first show was a festival set and short, it was memorable because I remember Nick wearing a leg cast. That said, he was full of energy and still moved around quite well. My first 311 headliner show was about a month later in Richmond, VA, and had the Urge and Deftones open.”
Picking a favorite show or event was tough for Eric, but he chose the first show he saw with two of his best friends Keith and John (both are pictured above). “On a whim, we decided to drive from Virginia Beach to Charlottesville to see 311 play at a small club called Trax (where Dave Matthews got his start). While the three of us were friends, this was our first time really all hanging out together and our first road trip. We got there very early and were surprised to see a couple of people already in line. We were maybe the 3rd or 4th group of people in line and had Papa Johns delivered to the curb at one point. 🙂 We were able to get on the rail in front of miT the whole time. This show was before Soundsystem was released, so we heard “Life’s Not a Race,” “Eons,” and “Freeze Time” before most people. To top off a great day, I got a guitar pick personally handed to me by miT and his setlist after the show (attached). I think Keith ended up catching 2 drumsticks. Another interesting part of this show was that besides 311 Day, this was the only time I recall seeing 311 without an opener.”
Picking a favorite song was also hard for Eric. He said while it’s not his favorite album, Evolver got him through some tough times in life. ” It kind of came out at a perfect time and really seemed to speak directly to me with “Reconsider Everything,” “Seems Uncertain,” and “Don’t Dwell” specifically. Without the changes I made at that time of my life listening to that album, I would not be where I am today with the amazing family and friends I am surrounded by.”
For favorite lyrics, Eric said the song “It’s Alright” really resonates strongly with him. “It’s alright, wherever you are right now. I tell you it’s alright, that’s where you’re supposed to be now.”
Virginia Beach is where Eric grew up, and he’s also lived in Central Florida and the Atlanta area. His first concert was Weezer. Then behind 311 the next band he’s seen the most is Dave Matthews Band. After high school he worked retail which is where he met his two best friends, Keith and John. “Kmart funded many of our concert road trips between 1999 and 2003. I am an Atlanta Braves fan and like a lot of their fans, I started watching them on TBS in the 90’s. That said, I am a baseball fan first and a Braves fan second. I just love the game and unlike a lot of fans of specific teams, I do not hate other teams’ players, but rather just focus on my team’s success and great play.”
Fun fact about Eric is that he enjoys woodworking and has built a couple of guitars. He also wants to get into home brewing but needs to find the time. ” If I won the lottery, I think I would want to have a brewery and guitar workshop on a beach somewhere.”
When asked what makes him unique, Eric said that over the years he has become very understanding of different perspectives and really tries to avoid judging people. “Social Media has made that challenging but at the same time has helped me train and grow that ability. I generally give people the benefit of the doubt until they prove me otherwise.”
Guilty pleasure for Eric is that he loves watching pro wrestling. ” A lot of people “grow” out of it, but I am still intrigued and fascinated by it as an art form. While I do not watch every show, it’s one of those things I can miss for a while and then pick right back into without missing a beat.”
As for other musicians that Eric loves, the list includes The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis, The Clash, Metallica, Joe Bonamassa, Dave Matthews Band, Incubus, Muse, Dirty Heads, Nirvana, Foo Fighters, and the Strokes. “I’ve been fortunate to follow some great people on Twitter that have introduced me to other stuff as well like Royal Blood, Mariachi El Brox, Animals As Leaders, Mastadon, Rebelution, Grateful Dead, and many more others.”
To 311, Eric has this message: “I appreciate everything you have given so much to us over the past 30+ years and no matter what the future brings, those memories will remain. Please continue to take care of yourselves. Cheers and I hope I can have a beer (or 3) with Pnut and SA one day!”
Now here are his words to all the other 311 fans out there:
“Thank you for every random chat and conversation over the last 25 years of shows. Continue to stay true to yourself and don’t waste your energy on those that want to bring you down.”
Many thanks to Eric for sharing his story with us all! Of course, much gratitude to all the readers out there. Thank you for the support. Hope you all have an amazing week!
Much Love – The Runt