Welcome back to a new 311 Fan Spotlight – meet Leslie Roane!

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Welcome back to another edition of the 311 fan spotlight! I’m sorry it’s been 2 weeks since the last one, so let us not delay any further! If there is one thing some of the fans in 311 nation are good at, it’s making me feel really old. Our fan spotlight this week is no exception, since she was only 12 when Evolver came out and “Creatures for A While” was being played on the radio. This week we meet Ms. Leslie Roane!

Leslie fell in love with 311 back in 2003 while visiting her aunt and uncle for the summer. The local alternative radio station, HFS 99.1, would do a top 9 countdown at 9 and she remembers “Creatures” was always number one. “I really got into them around that point and once I listened to other stuff [shamefully, Love Song], it solidified my love for them.”

Leslie’s first show was in 2008 with her aunt, who had just recently seen the band at a Michigan festival and wanted to go see them again. Since then Leslie has rocked out at 8 more shows. Of those, this years 311 Day in New Orleans takes the top prize as her best experience yet. This event was her first 311 Day and it was a last minute decision to go after a rough experience on a trip to India. “It was a very last minute road trip with Andrea Baker and it was so great finally meeting all the familia and people I’ve only communicated with online.” Leslie said meeting these individuals in person, people she became very good friends with, was a moving experience. She also said that the outpouring of love and positivity from everyone was just awesome. And then the show just was the icing on the cake! “The setlist was amazing. I cried to “Eons” and the whole show was just a major life turning point for me. I also happily met my boyfriend (Alex) in Nola on Bourbon Street.” Meeting great friends (she gave a shout out to Veronica Thompson) and finding love sounds like a great 311 Day to me!

Leslie lives in Baltimore but originated from Montross, Virginia. She just this past week achieved a major life milestone, graduating with her Bachelor of Arts in Communications, with a minor in Art, from Salisbury University. She hosted a college radio show for two and a half years and has been in radio for four and a half. She says she has an appreciation for new music thanks to being in this field and it resulted in her having an expansive music library. “My iTunes has 5600 songs and that’s only about half of non-related stuff on my external.” She usually comes across a band at least once a year and falls hopelessly in love with them. Lately, like many of us, she’s been obsessed with Stereolithic, but has also been getting into Local Natives, Bumpin’ Uglies, and Matisyahu (his first album specifically).  Other than 311, she says she’s always been a fan of Kanye West, Dave Matthews Band, Sublime, Incubus, Ballyhoo!, The Marley family, The Roots, Mos Def, and Maroon 5.

Just two Friday’s ago Leslie hosted her final show at her college radio station, WXSU. She said it was one of the best shows ever because of the support from friends and family plus she got to put A LOT of 311 in the rotation. Her show was called TheFridayNightCrash because she took that time slot to escape bad roommates at the time. Her hobby turned into a passion and caused her to switch her major to communications. Since then she says she hasn’t been happier and would like to say, “Many thanks to WXSU for helping me get out my dreams!”

Recently Leslie had the opportunity to study abroad in India. While it was a once in a lifetime opportunity, she had a frightening experience over there. Leslie was hit by a motorcycle and as she says, “Lived (hobbled) to tell about it!” She said this experience is something that makes her unique. She also can give you a scholarly argument on Kanye West’s first three albums and their effect on a person through their messages. And while she graduated with a degree in Communications, she used to me a Marine Science major and volunteered over 450 hours at her local aquarium back in high school. She also believes she has an unhealthy obsession with flip flops. “I will wear them March through November, even if it’s freezing!” Everyone has guilty pleasures, and Leslie is no exception. Hers is the show Boy Meets World and she has seen every episode! She also said she cried when N’Sync made a comeback last year and believes Old Bay seasoning goes on everything (I think that’s just awesome – no guilt there).

Leslie has been through some tough times and 311’s music has helped her survive them. She said it’s a tough call to pick her favorite song, but it’s a close tie between “Boom Shanka” and “Eons”. “Both have helped me get through hellish points in my life and ‘Boom Shanka’ has helped me grown as a person.”  She also loves the song “Existential Hero” because of the lyric, “Time with you, it keeps on sliding.”  “Those words just make you realize time is precious and to value each experience.”

With that, Leslie would just like to say to the guys in 311, “ Thank you for your contribution to music and my life, and for helping me change for the better.”

To the fans of 311 –

“Much love and positive vibes, and thanks for all the wild nights!”

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There you have Ms. Leslie Roane everyone! I hope you enjoyed this weeks spotlight. Now go have some fun on this Memorial Day! Until next time, “I wanna make a mess, I wanna blow off stress, I wanna stoke the fire, just creatures for a while!

Much Love! – The Runt